About IARC

Aerial photo of UAF's West Ridge, with the Akasofu Building at upper right. (UAF photo by Todd Paris)

IARC's purpose is to understand the Arctic to make a difference. We value:

Useful, actionable science—Our research responds to society’s needs in a changing Arctic and world.
Deeper understanding—Our emphasis on fundamental research sets the groundwork for understanding and responding to Arctic change.
Grounded in place—Living and working in Alaska helps us value what the North and its people teach us.
Innovation and expertise—We value a culture of creativity that fosters innovation.
Collaboration—We solve problems through local, national and international international collaborations with partners who have different skills and knowledge systems.

Our history

By the 1990s, climate change had become an important subject that urgently needed international study.

IARC was founded in 1999 at UAF as a partnership between Japan and the United States “to demonstrate our ability to solve, jointly, problems that are beyond what any one nation can address,” as outlined in a 1997 agreement signed by President Bill Clinton and Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto.

Syun-Ichi Akasofu was our Founding Director, 1999–2007. Dr. Akasofu was instrumental in creating the Frontier Program as well as cooperative agreements with Japanese agencies and the U.S National Science Foundation.

Larry Hinzman served as Director, 2007–2015. Dr. Hinzman deepened collaborations with international partners and broadened the base of competitive funding in the U.S.

Hajo Eicken served as Director, 2015–2026. A renowned sea ice specialist, Dr. Eicken has been hailed for his work in disseminating knowledge to researchers and the public. Blending western science with Indigenous observations, he has advanced the understanding of sea ice dynamics to demonstrate the value of traditional knowledge in environmental science.

Scott Rupp is currently the IARC Interim Director.

Who works at IARC?

More than 100 scientists, analysts, students and professional staff with interests that span physical, biological and social sciences contribute talent and expertise to IARC and throughout the community.

IARC research investigates all elements of the Arctic system, including ocean, ice, atmosphere, land, and society. What happens in the Arctic affects everyone on Earth.

At IARC, we value a welcoming culture that leverages the research, educational and institutional benefits of our various backgrounds, and engages all individuals to help each thrive. Our strength and success as a research institute and university are built on the foundation of a wide range of perspectives and experiences.

Land Acknowledgement

Everywhere we live and work is Native land. We recognize, appreciate, and honor Indigenous peoples and their past, present, and future land stewardship. We are committed to building long-term reciprocal relationships with Indigenous organizations and knowledge holders to create relevant and actionable information in support of their sovereignty and self-determination.

Full Welcome Statement

IARC is committed to advancing belonging and fairness in all of its forms. For us that means bringing together people with different backgrounds, races, nationalities, genders, sexual orientations, beliefs, religions, marital status, and socio-economic status in our organization. We strive to create a space for belonging where we respect, welcome, encourage, and engage varied perspectives.

We value a culture of belonging that leverages the research, educational and institutional benefits of equality, and engages all individuals to help each thrive. Our strength and success as a research institute and university are built on the foundation of a wide range of perspectives and experiences. Belonging and equal access are our core strengths and are essential elements of IARC’s research, outreach, and public service.

We will foster and maintain a safe environment of respect and belonging for faculty, staff, students, and members of the communities we serve.

We will provide our faculty, staff, and students with ongoing education programs and an environment that reflects the myriad of people in our community and those with whom we interact, thereby elevating cultural awareness.

We will ensure fair and welcoming policies and practices, including access to our facilities, programs, resources, and services.

We will advance and build our workforce by evaluating hiring practices and performance review procedures to attract, retain, and develop talented faculty, staff, and students from various backgrounds.

We are committed to addressing intergroup disparities in areas such as representation, retention and advancement.

As individuals, we will respect personal differences and demonstrate diligence in understanding how other perspectives, behaviors, and worldviews differ from our own.

As an institution, we will continually challenge ourselves, and others to cultivate a fair, equal, and respectful environment.