The Team
Our partners are experts on coastal areas, marine resources, Indigenous knowledge in dialogue with scientific knowledge and co-creation. They come from different areas, but they all have hearts beating for Indigenous Arctic futures.
Project Leader: Thora Herrmann, Professor, Faculty of Humanities
thora.herrmann@oulu.fi
Project Manager: Ruska Haavisto, MA, Faculty of Humanities
ruska.haavisto@oulu.fi
Administrative Manager: Jaana Toivola, Research Services
jaana.toivola@oulu.fi
WP 1 Lead: Åsa Nordin Pittja, Saami Council (since February 2026)
asa.nordin.pittja@saamicouncil.net
WP4 Lead: Per-Henning Mathisen, Advisor, Arctic and Environmental Unit, Saami Council
per.henning@saamicouncil.net
WP 1 Lead: Máret J. Hætta (until December 2025)
maret.heatta@saamicouncil.net
UiT–The Arctic University of Norway & Indigenous Voices (IVO)
WP2 & WP5 Lead: Jan Erik Henriksen , Professor, Department of Child Welfare and Social Work
jan.e.henriksen@uit.no
WP2 & WP5 Co-Lead: Ida M. Hydle, Professor Emeriti, Department of Child Welfare and Social Work
ida.m.hydle@uit.no
WP6 Lead: Britt Kramvig , Professor, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics
britt.kramvig@uit.no
WP3, WP6 Partner: Nina Hermansen, Professor, Department of Child Welfare and Social Work
nina.hermansen@uit.no
WP3, WP6 Partner: Vivi Vold, Doctoral Researcher
vivi.vold@uit.no
WP3 Lead: Naja Dyrendom Graugaard, Associate Professor, Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics
ndg@hum.ku.dk
WP3 Partner: Vivi Vold, Visiting Researcher, Centre for Gender, Sexuality and Difference
Sámi Allaskuvla – Sámi University of Applied Sciences
WP7 Lead: Samuel Valkeapää, Assistant Professor, Vice-Rector
samuelv@samas.no
WP9 Lead: Dine Arnannguaq Fenger Lynge, CEO
dine@daiddadallu.com
WP9 Co-Lead: Wenche Marie Hætta, Administrative leader
wm@daiddadallu.com
World Heritage Rock Art Centre – Alta Museum
WP6 Co-Lead: Eva Dagny Johansen, Senior curator
evjo@amuseum.no
WP3 Partner: Paarnaq Rosing Jakobsen, Psykolog Paarnaq
paarnaq.r.jakobsen@gmail.com
Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) | GFZ
WP4 Co-Lead: Ilaria Sartini, Research Associate, reIMAGINE Arctic Research: Ethics, Relations, and Methods
ilaria.sartini@rifs-potsdam.de
WP1 Partner, Lead Task 1.3: Anne Chahine, Research Associate, reIMAGINE Arctic Research: Ethics, Relations, and Methods
anne.chahine@rifs-potsdam.de
WP1 Partner, Lead Task 1.3: Nina Döring, Research Group Leader, reIMAGINE Arctic Research: Ethics, Relations, and Methods
nina.doring@rifs-potsdam.de
WP8 Lead: Stephan Dudeck, Research Associate, Institute of Cultural Research
dudeck@ut.ee
WP11 & WP12 Lead: Karine Kimo-Skjåvik , Senior designer, Árvu AS
karine@arvu.no
WP11 & WP12 Co-Lead: Lone Synnøve Hegg, Business developer, Kreativ Industri AS
lone@kreativindustri.no
WP3 & WP6 Partner: Wasiq Silan, Assistant Professor, Department of Indigenous Development and Social Work
wasiq.silan@gms.ndhu.edu.tw
Advisory Board
Asta Mitkijá Balto, Professor emerita. Member of the Advisory Board for Birgejupmi. asta.m.balto@me.com
Asta Mitkijá Balto is a renowned Sámi professor emerita and Honorary Doctorate recipient (WINU, 2018) recognized for her lifelong work in Sámi and Indigenous education. She is recognized for her research on Sámi knowledge, values, and ways of life, especially how child-rearing traditions reveal the essence of being Sámi.
Ana Faria, Researcher at AIR Centre, Ocean Policy and Stakeholders Engagement Programme. Member of the Advisory Board for Birgejupmi.
ana.faria@aircentre.org
The Atlantic International Research Centre (AIR Centre) is an international research network based in the Azores that promotes collaborative science, innovation, and sustainable development for Atlantic regions. It supports integrated research on ocean, climate, data, and technology, fostering cooperation among Atlantic nations and communities to address environmental and societal challenges.
AIR Centre | Atlantic International Research Centre
Erich Kasten, Founder and Director, Foundation for Siberian Cultures. Member of the Advisory Board for Birgejupmi.
kasten@snafu.de
The Foundation for Siberian Cultures supports research, cultural exchange, and collaboration with Indigenous communities across Siberia and the Russian Far East, with a focus on cultural heritage, endangered languages and knowledge sharing.
The Foundation for Siberian Cultures
Sibling project
Collaborating with a related project, we share the goal of safeguarding Arctic coasts, and communities.
ArcticKnows
Lead Coordinator: Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke).