Christina Goethel Fulbright Professor at UNAK

Professor Christina Goethel grew up in Solomons, Maryland (USA). She received her PhD this past October (2021) from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science in Marine and Estuarine Environmental Science and consider myself a benthic ecologist.

Christina has been working in the Arctic for about 8 years, and her masters and PhD both focused on the effects of environmental change (i.e. sea ice extent, bottom water temperature, and ocean acidification) on the bivalve community in the Pacific Arctic (Alaska).

All of Christinas research thus far has been primarily conducted aboard ships using both observational modeling and experimental approaches. She has had the opportunity to participate in 14 research cruises on ships based both in the United States as well as other countries with colleagues from around the world.

“I am very excited to join the University of Akureyri for the spring semester to share my experiences in the Pacific with students and faculty and to expand my knowledge of the Atlantic Arctic in order to better understand a system that requires a holistic insight in order to protect. I look forward to developing collaborations and learning as much as I can about the Icelandic culture, ecosystem, education/university system, and traditions while I am here,” said Christina.