Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Arctic Governance and Community Resilience

Government of Canada priority area: Environment, Climate Resilience, and the Arctic

The Arctic is undergoing rapid environmental, geopolitical and technological transformation. Climate change is affecting ecosystems, infrastructure and communities, while geopolitical tensions and emerging technologies are reshaping how the region is governed. These changes create an urgent need for governance systems that can adapt while supporting resilient northern and Indigenous communities.

Jennifer Spence’s research program examines how Arctic governance can respond to these challenges. Working with governments, Indigenous organizations, northern communities, researchers and international partners, the program will develop and test practical approaches to strengthen coordination and decision-making from the local to the international level. 

The research will focus on adapting governance institutions to rapid change, sustaining international research cooperation and science diplomacy, advancing Indigenous-led governance innovation, and co-creating approaches that strengthen community resilience. By connecting research with policy and community priorities, the program will help position Canada as a global leader in Arctic governance and contribute to a more resilient and collaborative Arctic future.

Jennifer Spence is an internationally recognized scholar-practitioner specializing in Arctic governance, climate resilience and international research cooperation. Her research examines how governance institutions respond to environmental and geopolitical change while sustaining international cooperation and supporting northern and Indigenous communities. 

Before joining the University of Ottawa, Spence served as Director of the Arctic Initiative at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard Kennedy School. She previously served as Executive Secretary of the Arctic Council’s Sustainable Development Working Group and has held research and teaching positions at Carleton University and the Centre for International Governance Innovation. Her career also includes senior public-sector and policy roles in Canada and with the United Nations Development Programme. 

Her scholarship has contributed to international debates on Arctic governance, science diplomacy and Indigenous participation in Arctic decision-making. She has led and contributed to collaborative Arctic research initiatives mobilizing more than US$42 million and has supervised or mentored more than 40 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.