Josie Ward is originally from San Diego, California. After finishing her bachelor’s degree in Economics in the United States, Josie decided to continue her education at the University of the Faroe Islands, where she is working towards her master’s degree in West Nordic Studies: Governance and Sustainable Management. Her interest in the Arctic was first piqued when she spent a summer working and traveling through rural Alaska.

Since beginning her master’s degree, she has gained significant knowledge about the Arctic and has been able to visit other Arctic areas through a short-term exchange at the University of Akureyri and a semester-long exchange at the University of Greenland. While at UArctic, Josie is excited to be able to apply what she has previously learned in a practical setting, while also increasing her knowledge of Arctic issues. She is elated to be spending the next four months in Oulu and eager to learn more about Finnish culture.

The internship is part of the Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education funding of the north2north Mobility Program.