Announcing a New Executive Director
Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS)
For further information, please go to:
http://www.arcus.org/arcus/staff_exec.html
Or contact ARCUS at:
Email: info [at] arcus.org
Phone: 907-474-1600
Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of the ARCUS Board of Directors, I am pleased to welcome
Susan E. Fox as ARCUS' new Executive Director.
Susan comes to us from Chicago, with a BS in Communications and an MS in
Public Affairs. As a seasoned non-profit executive, she brings a wealth
of experience and enthusiasm to ARCUS. Her experience includes a
combined 15 years of service as the Executive Director of the Society of
American Archivists and the American Association of Law Libraries, where
she worked with staff and the community to bring the organizations to a
new level of effectiveness and service. She previously worked at
Harvard's Kennedy School of Government in the Science, Technology, and
Public Policy program and with the Center for Science and International
Affairs.
I had a chance to chat with Susan about her decision to join us, and her
impressions to date:
What was your incentive to move to Fairbanks and take on this challenge?
"I wasn't looking to move from Chicago because it's a fabulous city. I
spent 15 years there and loved every minute. But ARCUS' mission and
purpose is so compelling I couldn't resist. Working with the polar
community on arctic research and education is the opportunity of a
lifetime. I just couldn't let it pass. Fortunately, I was also at a
point in my life where I was ready to tackle a new adventure. Moving to
Fairbanks is certainly that!"
Now that you're living here, what do you think of Fairbanks?
"I'd never been to Alaska before coming up to interview. When I arrived
in January I received the full sub-arctic experience - temperatures
between 40 and 50 below, and a heavy ice fog enshrouding the city. In
spite of the arctic chill, which wasn't as bad as I thought it was going
to be, what stood out most was the warmth and hospitality of
Fairbanksans. It's easy to see why it's called the Golden Heart City.
Because of the ice fog I didn't actually see the physical city until I
came up again for a housing search. Even then, the city had just
experienced an unusually heavy snowfall. Coming from downtown Chicago, I
remember marveling at how white the snow remained even days later. In
Chicago it's lovely for about 3 minutes and then it all turns gray. I
saw my first moose on that trip too!
I love Fairbanks' charm, authenticity, and quirkiness. The city has a
lot of character and the people are stunningly gracious and friendly.
The more I experience Fairbanks and the Alaskan culture the happier I am
I made this decision. It's one of those leaps of faith that feels
absolutely right."
What do you see as the future of ARCUS?
"This is very early in my tenure with ARCUS - I'm just starting my third
week - so I won't have a fleshed out vision until I've had a chance to
listen to the ambitions and concerns of the arctic community. Having
said that, I think ARCUS is ideally situated to take advantage of this
historic moment with world attention focused intently on arctic issues.
This spotlight opens up a corresponding world of opportunities. The
challenge will be for us to dream big dreams, and then to think and act
strategically to enact them.
Fortunately, we have a bright, dedicated board partnered with a bright,
dedicated staff. ARCUS is extraordinarily blessed in this way. We have a
justifiably high reputation in the scientific community and all of us
are committed to maintaining and building upon that excellence. Our
promise to our members and to the community is to serve you to the very
best of our abilities. We are well positioned to take the Consortium to
the next level. It's going to be an exciting journey; I'm looking
forward to our time together."
We are very excited about Susan's appointment and ask that you join us
in welcoming her to the arctic science community.
Susan can be contacted at:
Email: fox [at] arcus.org
Phone: 907-474-1600
-Vera Alexander
President, ARCUS Board of Directors