July 11, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 11, 2023

University of Alaska to co-host Wilson Center Summit on Critical Minerals in the Arctic

(WASHINGTON, DC) - The University of Alaska is partnering with the Wilson Center, the Department of Energy's Arctic Energy Office, and the RAND Corporation, to co-host a two-day dialogue about critical minerals in the North American Arctic this week.

The July 12 and 13 summit, “Critical Minerals in the Arctic: Forging the Path Forward,” will generate policy recommendations for developing critical mineral resources in the Arctic, in the context of US national security, energy, climate, and technology goals. The summit is a follow-up to the “Alaska Minerals - A  Strategic National Imperative” summit hosted at the University of Alaska Fairbanks last August. 

“One of the conclusions from our August summit was the need to develop actionable policy and investment recommendations to take advantage of Alaska’s tremendous critical mineral wealth,” University of Alaska President Pitney said. “The dialogue we will engage in over the next two days will focus on key challenges to developing Alaska’s critical minerals in an environmentally responsible way. I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute and highlight the expertise the University of Alaska can provide to empower Alaska, and our nation.”

The summit is solutions-oriented, and will produce actionable policy and recommendations for the attendees. Working sessions will cover the topics of community ownership, financing, infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, supply chains, research, and workforce development.

Invited guests will also participate in a tabletop exercise quantifying risk prioritization in minerals development. President Pitney will provide opening remarks on Wednesday morning and moderate a discussion with U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski on Thursday. Both segments will be available to view via livestream.

In-person attendance of the dialogue is invitation-only. The three keynote seminar sessions will be broadcast live via Zoom; please register here to watch the keynote sessions via Zoom. Proceedings from the tabletop exercise and briefs from the working sessions will be publicly available once finalized.

For more information about the agenda, speakers, and related publications, please visit the event webpage.

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For more information, contact Jonathon Taylor, director of public affairs at 907-350-0168 (cell).