Polar Connect presented at Arctic Frontiers 2025

On January 27th – 30th 2025, Katarina Gårdfeldt and Julia Muchowski from the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat attended the Arctic Frontiers conference in Tromsø, Norway. On the first evening of the event, Julia presented Polar Connect and the North Pole Fiber project at a well-attended interdisciplinary poster session, raising awareness about the initiative to a broad audience engaged in the Arctic. In particular, Julia’s presentation focused on the possibilities of using Polar Connect for scientific sensing, environmental monitoring and the integrity of the cable itself, by incorporating advanced sensing technologies.

The Arctic Frontiers Conference is an annual event in Tromsø that was established in 2007. The event is organised by the Arctic Frontiers Administration and provides a platform where scientists, businesses, policymakers and representatives of local and indigenous peoples gather to discuss the future of the Arctic region from diverse perspectives. Arctic Frontiers AS is a non-profit limited liability company 100% owned by Akvaplan-niva and is part of the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) group.  

Per Nihlén

Organisation: Sunet, Swedish Research Council
Title: Chair of the Polar Connect Advisory Board and Chief Technology Officer and Inventory

Per is the Chair of the Polar Connect Advisory Board . He serves as Head of Unit at  the Swedish Research Council, where he leads the development and operation of Sweden’s national infrastructure for research and education in networking and digital communication. With over three decades of experience in digital infrastructure and public-sector innovation, Per leadership has been instrumental in advancing high-capacity networks that support research collaboration, data-intensive science, and education across the Nordic region. Per is also Chair of the Board of the Foundation for the Development of Telematics, a grant-making foundation that supports the advancement of high-performance digital infrastructure in Sweden. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Netnod, representing the foundation as owner and contributing to the governance of Sweden’s critical internet infrastructure. Per has been a trusted advisor to government agencies, research institutions, and international collaborations.

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