UW Announces Two New Hires

Randall Morgan Greene New Academic Director of the Coastal Communities and Regional Development Master’s Program

The University Centre of the Westfjords (UW) recently advertised two new positions – Academic Director and Web Manager – both of which reflect a positive development: the addition of new roles. Following the recruitment process for the Academic Director position, Randall Morgan Greene has been hired as the new Academic Director of the Master’s Programme in Coastal Communities and Regional Development. Morgan previously held a similar role at the Reykjavik University School of Energy from 2015 to 2023. His areas of expertise include economics, political science, and, naturally, energy issues. His doctoral research focuses on public attitudes toward energy transitions. Morgan will begin work this autumn and will relocate to the Westfjords from Kópavogur with his family.

There were 16 applicants for the Academic Director role, 10 of whom held or were in the process of completing a PhD. Many had extensive experience in university-level teaching, student supervision, or academic administration. As the Regional Development programme is interdisciplinary, applicants came from diverse academic backgrounds. It was important that the new Academic Director have an open mind regarding the field’s broad scope.

This position was created because the current Academic Director of the Regional Development programme, Matthías Kokorsch, was awarded a major research grant (ARCHAIC, LostToClimate) and will transition into a full-time research role at the UW for the next four years. The number of full-time positions at the Centre now approaches twenty.

Hjördís Þráinsdóttir to Become New Web Manager

The Web Manager position is a 40% temporary role for two years, covering a parental leave. Hjördís Þráinsdóttir has been selected for the role. She has been working part-time as a project manager at UW since last autumn and is now able to take on the additional 40% role. It is a clear advantage that the substitute is already familiar with the institution and will require little to no adjustment time. Hjördís will begin her new duties in August. There were 14 applicants for the position, and three were invited for an interview.