The Newport Scholars Arctic Initiative (NSAI) will bring together a network of sailors and scholars from the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Sweden for a series of three seminar meetings.
Using a collaborative model to translate theory into practice, program participants will address seapower-related research questions relevant to Arctic nations’ shared security and defense challenges. Participants will produce an edited volume that will offer guidance on plausible maritime strategy options to leading national security decision-makers.
At the beginning of the program, an initial group meeting and program orientation meeting will be held at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. This will provide the co-lead scholars and research teams the opportunity to share latest research and naval Arctic strategies, and establish guidelines and goals for their research.
NSAI will provide a platform for sailors and scholars from across the Arctic region to engage in collaborative thinking, analysis, problem-solving and multi-disciplinary research in one of three areas:
Maintaining Access & Regional Stability (MARS)
Click to Open What concerns or challenges will impact regional security interests and stability? What can history tells us about the enduring principles of international maritime cooperation that will guide decisions about the future in the Arctic? How do we strengthen international norms of responsible behavior to ensure access and promote international maritime cooperation?
Rapid Regional Response & Readiness (R4)
Click to Open Are international maritime forces properly organized, trained, and equipped or are changes needed? What new operational concepts and innovative capabilities should be developed to ensure access and promote security in the Arctic?
Building Regional Partnerships (BRP)
Click to Open What are the barriers to building enduring regional maritime partnerships in the Arctic? How can we overcome these barriers, strengthen international maritime cooperation, and share resources to improve situational awareness and develop a Common Maritime Picture (CMP) of the Arctic Ocean Region? What opportunities and vulnerabilities can be addressed through international maritime education, research, training, and operations?