Published Feb 13, 2023 by News-Miner file President Biden intends to nominate Dr. Michael Sfraga of Fairbanks to serve as the first Arctic ambassador, according to the White House.
Sfraga is included in the list of key nominees to positions in the Biden administration, which the White House released Monday.
Biden created the ambassador-at-large position for the Arctic region in August. According to the U.S. State Department, the Arctic ambassador will “advance U.S. policy in the Arctic, engage with counterparts in Arctic and non-Arctic nations as well as Indigenous groups, and work closely with domestic stakeholders, including state, local, and tribal governments, businesses, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, other federal government agencies and Congress."
Sfraga, who is originally from Alaska, earned a Ph.D. in geography and northern studies from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He serves as the chair for the U.S. Arctic Research Commission where he advises the president and Congress on research and policy related to the Arctic. He also is on the Scientific Advisory Council of the Finnish Institute for International Affairs.
|