New Members Admitted to the Academy in 2026

At the Board meeting on 12 March 2026, 25 individuals were admitted as new members of the Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar Research (NVP), bringing the total number of individual members to 215. The Academy also continues its collaboration with five institutional members, who contribute important expertise and perspectives.

The new members were formally welcomed by the Academy’s President, Grete K. Hovelsrud, during the Annual Meeting, held at the Fram Centre in Tromsø and online via Microsoft Teams today, 15 April 2026. In her address, the President highlighted the importance of the Academy’s growing and diverse membership in strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and international engagement in polar research.

The 2026 cohort of new members represents a broad range of disciplines, including natural sciences, social sciences, and technology, and reflects strong international representation across leading research institutions. This diversity further supports the Academy’s mission to address complex challenges in the polar regions through integrated and cross-disciplinary approaches.

The 2026 cohort of new members includes:

1	Lisa Baddeley, Professor in Arctic Geophysics at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Longyearbyen, Norway
2	Kai Bischof, Professor in Marine Botany at University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
3	Katrine Borgå, Professor in Ecotoxicology at the University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
4	Gijsbert Breedveld, Research Leader at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Longyearbyen, Norway
5	Pedro Manuel da Silva Duarte, Research Scientist at the Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
6	Olaf Eisen, Professor in Glaciology at Alfred Wegener Institute, Bremerhaven, Germany
7	Jean-Pierre Gattuso, CNRS Research Professor (Emeritus) at Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
8	Sebastian Gerland, Section Leader / Senior Research Scientist at the Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
9	Gunhild Hoogensen Gjørv, Professor in Security Studies and Geopolitics at University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
10	Martine van der Heuvel-Greve, Researcher at Wageningen Marine Research, Yerseke, Netherlands
11	Kim Holmén, Self-Employed Researcher, Tromsø, Norway
12	Katrine Husum, Section Leader, Glaciology and Geology, at the Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
13	Elisabeth Isaksson, Senior Scientist in Glaciology at the Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
14	Harald Dag Jølle, Polar Historian at the Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
15	Jack Kohler, Senior Research Scientist in Glaciology at the Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
16	Petra Langebroek, Research Director in Earth Systems at NORCE and Bjerknes Centre, Bergen, Norway
17	Kenichi Matsuoka, Senior Research Scientist at the Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
18	Hilde Nesse, Professor in Space Physics at the University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
19	Noora Partamies, Professor in Middle Atmospheric Physicss at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Longyearbyen, Norway
20	Cecilie H. von Quillfeldt, Environmental adviser / scientist at the Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
21	Frits Steenhuisen, Researcher in Environmental Sciences and Geosciences at the University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
22	Arild Sundfjord, Programme Leader for Polhavet / Arctic Ocean 2050 at the Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
23	Janne E. Søreide, Professor in Marine Biology at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Longyearbyen, Norway
24	Lise Øvreås, Professor in Geomicrobiology at the University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
25	Philipp Assmy, Senior Research Scientist in Marine Algea at the Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway

The Academy looks forward to engaging its new members in ongoing activities, including knowledge sharing and contributions to future initiatives.

Visit our members page to view the complete list of academy members.

Cover Photo: Photo by Hans-Jurgen Mager on Unsplash