A Seat at the Table: Emma Chilton at the Arctic Circle Assembly

How do you keep a town warm when it's located deep in the Arctic, surrounded by permafrost, and looking for ways to move away from fossil fuels?

That's the question Emma Chilton, a Sustainable Energy Engineering master's student at the Iceland School of Energy (ISE), set out to explore through an international research project that brought her to the 2026 Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavík.

Originally from New York, Emma studied engineering at Cornell University before spending several years working as a design engineer. She later moved to Iceland to pursue her master's degree at Reykjavík University.

Finding Energy Solutions in Svalbard

Emma joined the International Graduate Student Research Cohort through UArctic, a network connecting universities and researchers across the Arctic. The program brought together six students and six faculty members from five universities to investigate challenges facing northern communities.

Emma focused on Longyearbyen, a remote town in Svalbard, Norway, where she explored whether ground-source heat pumps could help reduce the community's reliance on fossil fuels.

These systems use heat from the ground to warm buildings, but installing them in the Arctic comes with challenges. Frozen ground, drilling costs, and existing infrastructure all affect what is possible.

Her research found that heat pumps could play a role in reducing fossil fuel use, particularly when combined with existing heating systems, rather than replacing them entirely.

From Research to Real Conversations

The project wasn't only about producing research papers. Over several months, Emma and her fellow students worked together across countries and disciplines and eventually presented their work at the Arctic Circle Assembly.

They also designed and led Student Connect, a workshop where participants explored a fictional mining project in an Arctic community. The exercise challenged students to consider competing environmental, economic, and social interests and discuss how decisions should be made.

"Collaborating with students from different academic backgrounds and regions was a wonderful opportunity to exchange ideas and perspectives," Emma shared.

For Emma, the workshop showed how important it is for researchers to communicate their work and understand perspectives outside their own fields.

"Designing and leading the workshop highlighted the importance of communication in science and how meaningful discussions across disciplines can help bridge the gap between research and practical action"

Having a Voice Is Not the Same as Being Heard

One of Emma's biggest takeaways came from conversations with other young researchers at the Assembly.

They discussed a question that extended well beyond energy research: what happens when young people are invited to participate in important conversations, but have little influence over the decisions that follow?

"Perhaps the most meaningful takeaway was a greater appreciation for the position we hold as young professionals and emerging researchers," Emma reflected.

For Emma, the experience was an opportunity to contribute her own research, meet people working on different Arctic challenges, and consider how younger generations can take a more meaningful role in shaping the region's future.

Her experience is a reminder that engineering is not only about finding technical solutions. It's also about understanding the people, communities, and decisions that determine whether those solutions can make a difference.