Victoria Herrmann named White House Fellow
Contacts:
Lillian Hussong | North American External Communications
lillian.hussong@thearcticinstitute.org
Washington, D.C., 20 October 2021. The Arctic Institute (TAI) is proud to announce that its Managing Director, Dr. Victoria Herrmann, has been named a 2021-2022 White House Fellow.
The White House Fellows program is among the most prestigious federal fellowships in the United States. It was established in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson “to give the Fellows first hand, high-level experience with the workings of the federal government and to increase their sense of participation in national affairs.”¹ More than a thousand candidates apply each year for a dozen placements. Dr. Herrmann began her White House Fellow placement with the U.S. Coast Guard in August, and will serve for one year.
“I’m humbled and honored to be joining the White House Fellows program,” Dr. Herrmann said. “I believe that building resilience and adapting to climate change requires sustained government action at the federal level, but my experience is largely limited to working with sub-national governments. This next year as a Fellow will provide a complement to my time at the Arctic Institute working from the bottom with an unparalleled opportunity to experience the process of governing. I’m particularly eager to join the program this year when climate change is prioritized as a key issue by the Biden-Harris Administration. After the program, I will continue working with communities most vulnerable to climate change impacts, better prepared to partner with federal officials and government programs.”
Dr. Herrmann is taking a one-year sabbatical from her Managing Director position during the fellowship appointment. Dr. Herrmann joined TAI in 2015, and became the Institute’s first Managing Director in 2016, where she transformed the organization from an online blog into a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization. “Victoria pushed us to think bigger, and become a leading presence in the U.S.,” said Senior Fellow Dr. Andreas Raspotnik. Dr. Herrmann was instrumental in establishing the Institute’s presence through conferences and events around the world, including the “Future of Arctic Entrepreneurship” symposium in Canada, the “Sustainable Arctic Development in the Era of Low Carbon Transition” events in Iceland and Norway, TAI’s own Network North series, as well as the “Breaking the Ice Ceiling” webinar series.
In her first year as Director, The Arctic Institute was shortlisted by Prospect Magazine for “Best U.S. Energy Environment Think Tank.” The Arctic Institute has grown from ten team members to forty, and has consistently ranked in the Top 100 Think Tanks in the United States for five years in a row according to the University of Pennsylvania’s Global Go To Think Tank Index.
While The Arctic Institute’s team is sad that she will leave for one year, we are excited for the responsibilities and experiences Dr. Herrmann will have serving as a White House Fellow. Research Associate Nima Khorrami appreciated her leadership style, saying “Not only did she encourage open communication, but she took it upon herself to bring out the best in every team member.” “More than an excellent academic researcher and science communicator, Victoria was a role model for all of us at The Arctic Institute’s leadership.” said Leadership Group Member and Research Associate, Romain Chuffart. We wish you the best of luck!
The Arctic Institute’s mission is to help inform Arctic policy in the context of the climate crisis. We believe that Arctic decision-making must be based upon interdisciplinary, inclusive research that addresses the most pertinent issues facing the circumpolar region. That’s why our team leads research projects, supports scholarly publications, and organizes events that elevate diverse perspectives, including young scholars and those from communities that have been historically marginalized. The Arctic Institute is building the future of Arctic research through partnerships across the globe.”