Trip to the Arctic reaffirms professional commitment for two students and their mentor
Immersive Research
For Dr. Michelle Ritchie, there’s no such thing as armchair research.
To her, proper immersive research means traveling to a remote, seismically active island in Iceland. And it’s one of her favorite places to be.
Ritchie has spent years researching social systems and risk perception in the Arctic. She returned to Iceland last month to help host the 2nd International Workshop on Seismic Resilience of Arctic Infrastructure and Social Systems alongside her partners in the National Science Foundation’s “Navigating the New Arctic” grant.
This time, she wasn’t alone. Ritchie brought two graduate students with her: Ansley Warnock, a masters of public health student in epidemiology, and Patty Torres, a Ph.D. candidate in integrative conservation studying vector-borne diseases at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources.
The Human Aspect
Despite coming from different academic backgrounds, the trio found they had more in common than they thought. What tied them together was their people-focused approach.
“Ansley and I both ask questions that I think are centered in people and their environment,” said Torres. “Those sorts of questions are at the at the root of what we both do and what we’re interested in.”
For Warnock, she’s always been interested in how interdisciplinary connections make public health better and stronger.
“All I’ve ever wanted has been to have the people aspect in my work,” Warnock said, “I think having the insights from the community is really important for rigorous hypothesis development and for understanding the data a lot better.”
The students, with their multidisciplinary backgrounds, acted as a sounding board for her thoughts, said Ritchie. Their curiosity helped her have a greater appreciation for the land she’d visited so many times before.
“I think being in a place and talking to people and actually seeing the space completely changes the approach to the data and our appreciation for the project in general,” Ritchie said.
Breaking Down Academic Silos
During the three-day workshop, the students were guided by Ritchie through an immersive exchange of ideas. Together, they facilitated an interactive session with Arctic experts to expand upon Ritchie’s ongoing “Year 2100” research, which explores how locals envision their changing environment.
“Talking to people about how they feel about the volcanic eruptions happening here has really offered this new framework of understanding about risk perception and adaptation,” Warnock said. “It’s given me insight into the research that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”
Engaging directly with professionals in the field bridged the gap between research theory and real-world impact. For the students, seeing scientists, anthropologists, and emergency managers working together highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork.
“In the real world, this is what interdisciplinary focus looks like,” said Torres. “At these events, you see how all those pieces work together to inform policy and inform recommendations for future activities.”
The Power of Place
Following the success of the workshop, the team isolated themselves on a nearby island for an intensive writers’ retreat to co-author a commentary on their findings.
“It made sense to stay longer and write it while we’re in the place that we’re reading and writing and analyzing and thinking about,” said Ritchie. “Because you can watch movies or read books or talk to people, but once you’re in a place, it’s totally different. It’s more embodied and helps you process things in a different way.”
The environment shift was a catalyst for newfound focus and direction for both Ritchie and the students. Surrounded by the very environment they wrote about, their appreciation for the project, and the people, grew.
An Optimistic Outlook
The group left the Arctic with professional clarity, reaffirmed passion and new research avenues to explore. Ultimately, the trip served as a proof of concept for the mission: people are the priority.
“This experience has really reaffirmed to me just how important community engagement is in public health, in medicine, in disaster management, in all of the research that we do at CPH and IDM,” said Warnock.
While looking at future climate scenarios can often feel daunting, Torres feels optimistic about the future because of her outlook on people.
“In general, maybe people are a little bit doom and gloom about future climate scenarios,” Torres said. “But as folks that like to study these things for a living, we have reason to believe that there’s a lot of hope because people are super resilient.”
