Oct. 9, 2025 Arctic Leadership Lecture Series
Ambassador David Balton
Ambassador David Balton, Senior Fellow at the Wilson Center and longtime U.S. diplomat on oceans and the Arctic, is our next guest in the Arctic Leadership Lecture Series. Balton has represented the United States in global negotiations on fisheries, marine conservation, and Arctic governance, including the landmark agreement to prevent unregulated fishing in the Central Arctic Ocean. With decades of experience in international diplomacy and Arctic cooperation, he will share reflections on leadership, collaboration, and charting a sustainable future for the North.
David Balton
Former Executive Director of the Arctic Executive Steering Committee
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)
Ambassador David Balton served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Fisheries at the U.S. Department of State, where he coordinated foreign policy on oceans, fisheries, and polar regions. He chaired numerous international negotiations and led U.S. participation in global forums. During the U.S. Chairmanship of the Arctic Council (2015–2017), he served as Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials and co-chaired task forces that produced key Arctic agreements on search and rescue, oil pollution, and fisheries. He holds an A.B. from Harvard and a J.D. from Georgetown—and once juggled oranges with the National Symphony Orchestra.
About the Arctic Leadership Lecture Series
The Arctic Leadership Lecture Series offers a unique blend of academic rigor and public engagement. Offered as PS F493/693 Arctic Leadership: Theory and Praxis in the 21st Century, this course invites students and community members alike to explore critical aspects of leadership in the Arctic.
This virtual course is available for both undergraduate and graduate students.
Guest lectures, which are open to the public, are held via Zoom every other Thursday from 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM AKST. Classroom discussions continue from 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM AKST for enrolled students only. Community members are welcome and encouraged to attend the guest lectures, but to participate in the full course experience, they must enroll as non-degree-seeking students.
(left: US Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed delegates to the SAO Plenary meeting which began on Wednesday October 5, 2016. Photo credit: Arctic Council Secretariat / Linnea Nordström.)
Support Tomorrow’s Arctic Leaders
Your donation empowers UAF's Political Science and Arctic & Northern Studies programs to shape tomorrow's leaders. Click the link and make an impact today!
* To donate to the UAF Department of Political Science, select “Other” from the drop-down menu and specify the Political Science Department.