The ABS network had a noticeable presence at the 2026 UArctic congress in the Faroe Islands, from 26th to 29th of May. Our presentation on the 20-year anniversary of the ABS network was placed at the plenary hall and the main stage of the massive sports arena that became the venue of the (apparently) biggest event the Faroe Islands had ever hosted. The presentation encompassed the past 20 years of the network’s origins, history, current activities and bridged its history to such envisioned future events as the upcoming project on developing a dedicated art-science educational programme in collaboration with existing ABS member universities and new art-centred universities joining!
The presentation was hosted by Katja Lauri, the leader and main coordinator of the network, who boldly stated from the get-go that if we had to choose one word to encapsulate the spirit of ABS, it must be radical, and with good justification!
The origins of the network were presented by Harry Lankreijer and Steffen Noe together with two early students of the ABS-run EnCHiL master’s programme: Pavla Dagsson Waldhauserova and Stephany Mazon. Harry spoke of the very early activities of the core group, blending together atmospheric and biospheric sciences and organising interdisciplinary educational workshops around the themes already back when interdisciplinary wasn’t really a thing yet! Stephen spoke of his fairly organic path to joining the group based on his interest and what he there from brought to the group–like bringing on board the original Baltic members of the now well-branched Nordic+ network.
The present activities of the network were presented by our EnCHiL leader Bjarni D. Sigurdsson, key members and teachers Ingibjörg Jónsdóttir and Pelle Tejsner and a more recent joinee Janne J. Salovaara. Bjarni spoke more about the EnCHiL programme and echoed the students’ experiences of studying in such a unique programme focused on Arctic issues while engaging a global community. Pelle and Inga presented example courses of the programme, well exemplary to the ABS network and spirit: both transdisciplinary and strongly contextualised to societal relevance, one structured around more formal and top-level involvement at the Arctic Circle Assembly and one truly local and personal taking shape in working with local communities in Greenland. Janne spoke of the ABS network’s sustainability in both: being able to sustain itself while also contributing to sustainability (i.e., participating in sustainability education, collaboration and practices).
The future visions, with planned and very much already happening activities, of the network were presented in the most suitable manner one could imagine: in an artistic-scientific intervention of sorts. Liisi Jakobson took the stage with the intention to talk about the SSP2-4.5 scenario and how, according to it, an increase of…. but got stopped as Mr. Artist (Ville Sandqvist, although in the end substituted by Stephany Mazon) claimed that sustainability change lacks heart–to which of course Liisi responded that sure, but it ought to still be based on rationality– which Lise Lotte Sørensen brought together by stating the evident, that both are needed… and then some: “Maybe we then can jointly agree that all expertise and viewpoints have to be brought to the table, not only for understanding, but also for acting.” We will write more about it later on, but where ABS once simply stood for Atmosphere-Biosphere-Studies, which we at times translate as Atmospheric-Biospheric-Sociospheric, could in the future also reference something like Artistic-Bridging-Scientific, or Arts-Boundaries-Sustainabilities, or Art-Between-Systems, or as ChatGPT suggested: Against-Binary-Seclusions. Either way, what’s clear is that the past 20 years has been absolutely packed with great initiatives, collaborations, courses, publications, presentations… a full academic Nordic+ venture – and that the future looks just as active, bright and radical.
There – 20 years isn’t easily put into an about 45-minute presentation, nor is it in a short blog post. Perhaps it is, though at least well reflected in the picture above. What is it a picture of? Of individuals from several nations and generations; representing various institutions, backgrounds and disciplines; with differing approaches, logics and understandings, but all working passionately together because what we are doing, we truly believe to be good, and we truly also know to be fun and exciting and well worth the effort. To truly enjoy what you do and the people you do it with might also be unfortunately radical or at least rare these days. But as history has proven, ABS will continue to do so, and while we have your attention, please come join us!
