The Iceland Ocean Cluster (IOC) has worked closely with the state of Alaska in the United States for years, but the Alaska Ocean Cluster was one of the first sister clusters of the IOC to be established outside of Iceland. In 2019, the IOC and the then-director of the Alaska Ocean Cluster, Justin Sternberg, signed a memorandum of understanding to expand their collaboration. As a result of this collaboration, the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) has decided to hire Erlingur Gudleifsson to promote the transfer of scientific and technical knowledge in the fields of fisheries, energy, and innovation from Iceland to Alaska. Erlingur has been a member of IOC’s advisory team since 2018, and he will be based at Ocean Cluster house in his new position. Erlingur has extensive experience and knowledge in the fields of marine product innovation and full utilization. UAF is the first American university to work officially within the IOC‘s walls. UAF is a leader in Arctic research, marine biology, and the development of rural energy infrastructure. With this appointment, UAF intends to fortify its position in energy and blue economy matters.
Erlingur Gudleifsson to transfer scientific and technical knowledge to Alaska
