"Scientists want their science to matter, but oftentimes don't know how to make that happen," says Dr. Troy Bouffard to High North News.
"Tons of science is happening without a direct path to application. And many do not know how to make their science important for operational purposes. They don't speak the same language. But I know these languages."
Bouffard is an assistant professor of Arctic Security at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, director of the Center for Arctic Security and Resilience (CASR), Arctic Council EPPR project member, and former Arctic Advisor to US Senator Lisa Murkowski.
HNN meets with the researcher at the Arctic Council's Arctic Emergency Management Conference in Bodø, Northern Norway, where he presented his work on Arctic wildland fires and mitigation as part of the Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response Working Group (EPPR) of the Arctic Council.
Bouffard ended up in Alaska through his military service, which spiked a life-long interest in the Arctic. After retiring from the military, he settled in the USA's Far North, working on Arctic security and policy for 21 years and still counting.
"The military brought me there, and then I decided to never leave," says Bouffard, explaining that he saw a major gap in research on Arctic security from the operational side and decided to create his dream job.
### Research and policy symbiosis
The researcher holds a master's in Arctic policy and a PhD in Arctic defense and security, but started out as a staff member in Alaska state legislature, "wanting to learn about the state," he says, adding that the work in politics was miserable and that he left as soon as he felt he had learned enough.
Bouffard's understanding of the inner workings of politics has enabled him to disseminate his research and influence Arctic policy.
"I realized that I was at an institute that was the most published and cited academically for Arctic sciences. But we didn't know how to share that or make it meaningful for the nation."
As the Arctic gained more significance politically, the institute saw increasing visits from the nation's authorities. However, when every researcher believes their research is the most important and must be the national security priority, it is easy to get lost in the shuffle.
"National security guides all decision-making domestically and internationally. So I have made almost all of my focus areas, research, and courses, based on a very solid understanding of how emerging Arctic security-related issues can be connected to national security. Because if you want it to matter, you have to do that," he says.