Christina Lépine – Staff Writer
On Wednesday, Nov. 20^th , the Panel on Arctic Security took place online in collaboration with Bishop’s Politics and International Studies Association (PISA), the NATO Field School, the University of Calgary Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies, and the North American and Arctic Defense and Security Network (NAADSN). PISA and Bishop’s Politics and International Studies Department advertised the event, inviting students and faculty members to attend this online panel. 

The panel was moderated by Sasha Kardos-Machado, an International Studies and Political Science student at Bishop’s, President of PISA, an alumna of the 2024 Nato Field School, and the Communications and Outreach Coordinator for the program this year. It featured two panelists: Dr. Rob Hubert and Dr. Ryan Dean. Rob Hubert is a professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Calgary, and the interim director of the Centre for Military Security and Strategic Studies. He co-edited Canada and the Changing Arctic: Sovereignty, Security and Stewardship among other works published.  Ryan Dean is newly appointed Associate Director of the Nato Field School and a Network Coordinator for NAASDN. 

Following Sasha’s introduction of both panelists, they proceeded with a presentation of their research and work on Arctic Sovereignty. Dr. Ryan Dean offered an overview of basic concepts to better understand the Arctic including the geopolitical challenges of the region, involving states such as Canada, the United States, Russia, and many NATO states, tying it to the Ukraine-Russia conflict. He concluded by discussing the latest NATO expansions in the context of recent international conflicts. Dr. Rob Hubert followed by presenting the challenges for the Arctic, including existential threats such as climate change and the rise of state-owned nuclear weapons and utilizations. He highlighted the importance of students documenting themselves on governmental defense policies and goals to better understand all of these effects on our daily lives, and he reinforced that these topics affect our lives more than we may think. This panel was attended by students from all around Canada from Bishop’s University, St-Francis Xavier University, the University of Toronto, the University of Calgary, and more, who had the opportunity to ask questions and connect with these experts following their presentations. 

This semester, PISA has gone above and beyond to offer chances for students to connect with experts in different political fields. Sasha mentioned that “opportunity breeds opportunity. Being involved in extracurriculars, and getting outside your comfort zone in supplementing your class learning with experiential learning outside of the classroom only benefits the students and the department”. Her involvement in PISA and the Nato Field School introduced her to professors, academics, and military and diplomatic professionals. “I made great connections allowing me to bring in these Arctic experts to our department, which does not have this Arctic expertise, offering students the chance to learn more concepts they may not otherwise have access to learning about”.