Past events

Showcasing Solutions: Strengthening Alaska’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation   29 October 2009 Anchorage Marriott Downtown Anchorage, Alaska

Hosted by the Institute of the North,

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco 

and the

The Entrepreneurs and Mentors Network

Innovation and entrepreneurism do not take place in a vacuum. It is only through building relationships and platforms for idea-sharing that change is inspired. This day-long forum does exactly that. With stakeholders present from across Alaska attendees will highlight many of the challenges facing Alaskans and the opportunities that exist to address them.

It is interesting to note that this forum came out of a discussion on LinkedIn. There, a community of interest grew around the idea of being able to share, build and connect with one another. Much of the dialogue will take place in small groups as we seek to explore and refine the knowledge brought to the table. More importantly, those attending will spend time identifying solutions and creating action teams.

Please contact Nils Andreassen by email or at 907.771.2448 for more information.

April 24, 2007:  Governor Hickel addresses transport conference

Central House for Scientists, Moscow, Russia

March, 2006: Governor Hickel speaks to the People’s Chamber in Moscow

Academician Eygeny Velikov, the secretary of the newly-formed People’s Chamber, invited Governor Walter J. Hickel, the founder of the Institute of the North, to address the first session of the Chamber on March 23. The Chamber is a new entity created by Russian President Vladimir Putin to explore new ideas and approaches to Russia’s most challenging problems.

Hickel spoke at the Russian Center of International Scientific and Cultural Cooperation presenting a paper on the Alaska economic and political model, an unusual blend of free market economics, democracy and commonly owned lands and resources.

Governor Hickel (left) addresses the People's Chamber in Moscow on March 23 on the "Alaska Model." To his right is Dr. Evgeny Velikov, the secretary of the Chamber, who introduced him.

A Russian Orthodox priest, a member of the People's Chamber, asks a question about the involvement of young people in religion in Alaska.

Governor Hickel's presentation:

August 18, 2004: Robert O. Anderson Sustainable Arctic Award

The Institute of the North and the Northern Forum honored Senator Ted Stevens with the Robert O. Anderson Sustainable Arctic Award.

Sen. Stevens, Alaska’s senior Senator and its champion throughout his 36 years in the Senate, chaired the Senate’s Ethics, Rules, Governmental Affair, and Appropriation Committees, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, in addition to holding the position of Senate President Pro Tempore.

In 1998 he authored the Denali Commission Act, drawing national attention to the plight of impoverished rural Alaskan communities. The Denali Commission, an innovative federal-state partnership, emphasizes sustainable development while still protecting the environment. 

Named after the former president and chief executive officer of Atlantic Richfield and former president of the Aspen Institute, the Robert O. Anderson Sustainable Arctic Award recognizes individuals or organization that have worked toward sustainability within the arctic region.  Mr. Anderson was the first recipient of the award in 2001.

The second recipient, Dr. Vincent Ostrom, was a consultant during the Alaska Constitutional Convention from 1955-1956. Under his guidance, the convention drafted the Natural Resource Article in the Alaska Constitution; the first and only state constitution to contain such an article. 

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August 18, 2004: Missile Defense Workshop, Anchorage, Alaska

The Institute of the North and the Claremont Institute (California), held a policy roundtable on Alaska and National Missile Defense on August 18, 2004 at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage, Alaska.

Beginning in 1997, the Institute of the North, Claremont and others have collaborated on a series of briefings and dinners in Alaska and other states on the threats from ballistic missiles facing our nation, friends and allies. We have worked to identify ways to move beyond the legal, physical, and fiscal restraints to provide an adequate missile defense for our nation. Our work began long before Alaska was even considered as a site for missile defense activity, and our focus has always been on national needs as well as the needs of Alaska and the “front line” states to be defended.

This meeting was convened as the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system at Fort Greely, Alaska neared completion. Issues under discussion included:

• Current and impending threats to the United States from ballistic missile attack
• Status of the Alaska system in the defense of the nation
• Road ahead for development of Ground-based Midcourse missile defense, in relation to additional systems in development for boost phase and terminal phase missile defense on land, sea, air and space
• Relationship of missile defense to homeland security and terrorism.
• Political factors governing further development of missile defense in the United States and with other nations

Brian Kennedy, President of the Claremont Institute and founder of www.missilethreat.com will joined in the roundtable, along with other missile defense experts; leaders in the development, installation and operation of missile defense; as well as participants in governing policy.

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The IASCP Northern Polar Regional Conference, August 17-21, 2003

Anchorage, Alaska 
The Northern Commons:  Lessons for the world – Lessons from the world 

Hosted by the Institute of the North at Alaska Pacific University, and The Northern Forum
 
To follow up on the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, the Institute of the North and the Northern Forum hosted a 2003 academic and governmental workshop on methods for managing the vast, commonly and publicly-owned lands, waters, wildlife and other natural resources of the Northern reaches of North America, Europe and Asia.

The 2003 conference gathered academics and practitioners to compare successes and best practices in achieving three of the goals of the World Summit - economic sustainability, environmental sustainability, and social equity.

This workshop was held in conjunction with the Northern Polar Regional Meeting of the International Association for the Study of Common Property (IASCP) the premier academic association that studies common property issues worldwide.

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The Alaska-Chukotka Development Project

This project, sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development and in conjunction with the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Institute for Social and Economic Research, was designed to assist those living in Chukotka, Russia, Alaska’s closest neighbor in the Russian Far East. The project had three components:

In collaboration with the Alaska Eskimo whaling Commission, the project worked with Chukotka indigenous NGOs to assist in their transition to self-sufficiency within the emerging market economy. The project was designed to support three Native organizations in Chukotka to help Native people (Eskimo and Chukchi) strengthen their traditional subsistence way of life and move toward self- sufficiency:  the Yupik Eskimo Society, the Naukan Production Cooperative and the Association of Traditional Marine Mammal Hunters of Chukotka.

Using experiences in Alaska, the Institute of the North team assessed the energy needs of Chukotka along with technical alternatives for servicing those needs. The Chukotka Union of Reindeer Herders were assisted in setting up a staff and permanent office in order to communicate with its members and become more effective resource managers as they transition to a market economy. Using the knowledge of local reindeer herders, this component began to develop a system for better monitoring of caribou.