Dr. Catherine P. Chambers Appointed New Director of UW
The University Centre of the Westfjords (UW) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Catherine P. Chambers as the new Director. Dr. Chambers brings two decades of experience in academic leadership and interdisciplinary marine research to the role of Director. She has given over 50 professional and public lectures in both Iceland and abroad, supervised 13 student thesis research projects, published 27 research articles and 5 book chapters, and taught several graduate level courses in research methods and design, ethics in research, maritime anthropology, and academic writing. Catherine has served in many professional administrative and service roles, such as chair of the Social and Human Working Group of the International Arctic Science Committee, a member on the Icelandic Committee for Arctic Affairs, a consultant for the Icelandic Fisheries Ministry, a social scientist in the ICES Working Group on the Integrated Ecosystem Assessment of Icelandic Waters, chair of the board of the Iceland Fulbright Commission, and an invited expert to the Arctic Council Assessment on Societal Implications of Climate Change.
Catherine came to UW first in 2016 as Academic Director of the master’s program in Coastal and Marine Management. She served as Interim Academic Director of the Coastal Communities and Regional Development program from 2019-2020 and Research Manager from 2020 to present. She is also currently a Senior Scientist at the Stefansson Arctic Institute – University of Akureyri, where she has played a key role in large international research grants focused on small-scale fisheries, marine social-ecological systems, and coastal community development.
With a Ph.D. in Fisheries from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and having also worked at Hólar University College and the Blönduós Academic Centre, Catherine’s experience abroad and in Icelandic academics and research is a key guiding influence on her vision for UW:
Catherine will begin her new role in April 2026, after returning from a sabbatical as a guest professor at the University of Tokyo Atmospheric and Oceanic Research Institute, where she will lecture on marine governance and conduct research on Japanese small-scale fisheries.
Catherine is very involved in Westfjords society, she sits on the board of the municipal harbor committee and has been involved in the local theatre group, parent association, and swim team. Catherine will take over the director position from Dr. Peter Weiss, who will be stepping down after 20 years (read more here).