NEWS The Arctic faces unique challenges, and the Arctic Graduate School with a focus on Sustainable Development addresses them through interdisciplinary dialogue and insights from various research fields. Today, doctoral candidates gathered to engage in a discussion on work environment issues in the Arctic.
Doctoral candidates from the Arctic Graduate School gathered to discuss various perspectives on Arctic research.
From the left: Lieuwe Jan Hettema, Madelen Johansson, Rebecca Tapper, Jens Wahlström, Arctic Five Fellow Albin Stjernbrandt, Arctic Five Chair Hans Pettersson, Camila Urrea, Mikaela Wikström and Freja Fagerholm. In attendance online are Paul Schmidt, Hilde Weiser, and Petrus Garefeldt.
Recently, the seminar on Work environment and Health in the Arctic concluded, organized by the Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine at Umeå University. Within the framework of the course Perspectives on Arctic Research II, doctoral candidates from the Arctic Graduate School with a focus on Sustainable Development, gathered to discuss various perspectives on Arctic research.
The seminar emphasized collaboration with healthcare to prevent work-related illnesses and enhance workplace safety. Discussions covered topics such as climate change, an aging workforce, and interventions to improve working conditions.
The focus was on the impact of the workplace on health, productivity, and quality, addressing physical and psychosocial aspects as well as environmental health. Doctoral candidates reflected on the challenges posed by climate change and the green transition, especially how these affect different professional groups. The seminar also addressed the working environment of migrant workers and the health of an aging workforce.
Anngelica Kristoferqvist, Education Coordinator at the Arctic Centre, lluminates the setup:
Arctic Graduate School with a focus on Sustainable Development embodies an interdisciplinary approach. Through collaborative efforts and the exchange of knowledge across disciplinary boundaries, we aim to empower our doctoral candidates with the tools to comprehend and address the intricate challenges shaping the Arctic region.
The seminar concluded with a forward-looking discussion on the future of workplace research, highlighting participant-based design and collaboration among different stakeholders. The role of universities in research and the need for increased interdisciplinary collaboration were discussed.
The importance of disseminating knowledge and collaborating with stakeholders and employees was emphasized by the doctoral candidates. The research aims not only to understand the Arctic and its inhabitants but also to implement practical changes for Arctic workers.
