New Top Job for Jan-Gunnar Winther

The former Director of the Norwegian Polar Institute, Jan-Gunnar Winther, will be the first Director of a new National Centre for the Ocean and the Arctic.

A very good leader

The Norwegian parliament last year decided to establish the new Centre, and Rector Anne Husebekk at the University of Tromsø chairs the new centre’s Advisory Board.

- Jan-Gunnar Winther is a solid leader with an extensive national and international network. His background and genuine interest in the oceans and the Arctic is significant for our succeeding, Husebekk says in a recent press release from Nofima.

12 years at the Polar Institute

Jan-Gunnar Winther’s professional background is in research and knowledge from Arctic waters. He is an engineer by profession and holds a PhD in polar hydrology. Winther has been on several national and international expert committees and has published widely. He was the Director of the Norwegian Polar Institute for 12 years, and his fixed-term position there expired last year. He is now looking forward to the job of establishing a national centre.

- The Centre is to strengthen development of the blue economy as a part of our High North Policy and international cooperation in the Arctic. I take on this job with passion and humility, and with a heart for the ocean and the High North, Winther says.

Aiming for NOK 30 million

The Advisory Board for the new centre consists of representatives from the University of Tromsø, Nofima, Akvaplan-niva, the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research, the Norwegian Polar Institute and Innovation Norway.

- The goal is an annual budget of NOK 30 million and 15 employees. The centre is to have a high level of activity, with reporting, workshops, meetings and conferences. Maintaining high professional activity, the centre aims to influence politicians in order to create even more sustainable economic development in the High North, says Anne Husebekk.