Chris Southcott is a professor of Sociology at Lakehead University. Dr. Southcott brings more than 35 years of experience working with northern communities to address social and economic challenges across the Arctic. Raised in Northern Canada, Dr. Southcott has devoted his career to fostering community-based research partnerships aimed at improving the well-being of Indigenous and non-Indigenous northern communities. His research has focused on the impacts of globalization, migration, and resource development in the Circumpolar North, while championing interdisciplinary approaches to knowledge sharing.
Dr. Southcott has played a pivotal role in advancing UArctic’s mission since its inception. He helped lead the development of UArctic’s foundational curriculum, contributed to the launch and leadership of the north2north mobility program, and helped establish UArctic’s initial research agenda as Chair of the Research Outreach Team (Mimir). From 2009 to 2012, he also served as UArctic’s Knowledge and Dialogue Lead, part of the university’s senior leadership.
Internationally recognized for his research leadership, Dr. Southcott has headed major projects such as the Social Economy Research Network for Northern Canada (SERNNoCa) and the Resources and Sustainable Development in the Arctic (ReSDA) program. His commitment to knowledge mobilization and community engagement has informed policy and practice in Arctic regions and beyond.
As UArctic Chair, Dr. Southcott will continue his work supporting Arctic communities in ensuring that resource development contributes positively to regional development and well-being, while promoting collaborative research across the circumpolar world.
You can find more about the UArctic Chairs here.