Keynote Speaker
The Material Frontier
— Dr. Lena Hanson (Chief Ethicist, Geneva Institute for Algorithmic Governance)- Advanced Arctic-specific materials and on-site manufacturing are creating new forms of "strategic self-sufficiency," reshaping geopolitical calculations and potentially establishing new technological divides between Arctic stakeholders.
- Autonomous manufacturing systems are changing Arctic labor patterns, requiring careful integration of indigenous knowledge and ensuring new technologies create equitable opportunities rather than simply replacing existing livelihoods.
- Despite promising advances in environmentally neutral materials, the Arctic's fragile ecosystems demand robust international standards and verification mechanisms to manage the risks of novel materials and ensure "leave no trace" manufacturing lives up to its promise.
A structural support beam for a research facility in Ny-Ålesund had failed due to permafrost thaw. Rather than waiting weeks for replacement parts to arrive from southern manufacturing centers, technicians simply instructed the station's fabrication system to produce a new component from local materials.
Within 18 hours, the repair was complete using locally processed materials—dramatically reducing supply flights and waste, albeit still requiring specialized energy input. This moment fundamentally challenged my understanding of what's possible in the Arctic
This moment crystallized for me why novel materials and manufacturing technologies are not merely technical achievements but transformative forces reshaping the strategic, social, and environmental dimensions of human activity in the High North.
In my second keynote at ARCTECH45, I will focus on three interconnected themes that demand our urgent attention as these technologies mature and deploy across the circumpolar north.
Strategic Self Sufficiency
First, I'll examine the geopolitics of material innovation and what I call "strategic self-sufficiency." The race to develop extreme cold-resistant alloys identified through quantum simulation is altering international dependencies in profound ways. These are not just improvements—they're fundamentally new materials impossible to create without AI-guided systems that can simulate millions of molecular configurations under Arctic conditions.
Consider how on-site fabrication using local resources has already reduced logistical requirements for several nations' Arctic operations. When a research station can produce structural components* from processed local aggregates using advanced 3D printing systems, or when critical rare earth elements can be recovered from recycled ultra-high-temperature ceramics with great efficiency, the entire calculus of Arctic presence changes.
Some nations are approaching what we might call "material sovereignty"—the ability to maintain operations with minimal external supply chains. This creates opportunities for more sustainable presence but also risks establishing new technological divides between Arctic stakeholders. How we manage access to these capabilities will significantly influence circumpolar relations in the coming decades.
Arctic Labor
The second theme I'll address is the relationship between autonomous manufacturing and the future of Arctic labor. additive manufacturing approaching operational maturity for many Arctic applications (specialized components still present technical challenges) and remote fabrication systems approaching deployment readiness for specialized applications, we face critical questions about workforce impacts across the region.
These systems don't just change how things are made—they transform who makes them and where that production occurs. Traditional skills are being supplemented by new competencies in material programming, digital design, and system maintenance. How do we ensure these transitions create equitable opportunities, particularly for indigenous communities?
We have encouraging examples where indigenous knowledge has been integrated into technological development—Sámi expertise on snow properties informing temporary structure design, Inuit understanding of local materials enhancing insulation systems. These collaborations demonstrate how traditional knowledge and advanced technology can strengthen each other rather than existing in opposition.
The challenge before us is developing manufacturing hubs that are not only technically sophisticated but culturally appropriate and locally beneficial—systems that create meaningful opportunities rather than simply replacing existing livelihoods.
Climate-proof Production
Finally, I'll focus extensively on environmental stewardship and the imperative for what I call "leave no trace manufacturing." The Arctic's fragile ecosystems demand unprecedented care in how we deploy new materials and production capabilities.
Environmentally neutral and regenerative materials show tremendous promise. Fungus-based insulation shows promise for on-site production with potential carbon sequestration benefits, though long-term performance data in Arctic conditions still needs to be tracked. New biodegradable polymers can perform under extreme Arctic conditions yet decompose safely when their useful life ends.
However, we must be candid about the risks. The long-term environmental effects of nanoparticles in Arctic ecosystems remain incompletely understood. The biosecurity implications of synthetic biology applications require careful monitoring and containment protocols. And the very ease of manufacturing in remote locations raises questions about increased human activity in previously undisturbed areas.
We urgently need international standards and verification mechanisms —a challenging goal given the pace of technological development and the complexity of establishing Arctic-wide regulatory frameworks— to ensure that novel materials and on-demand manufacturing truly minimize ecological disruption. The technologies are advancing rapidly; our governance frameworks must keep pace.
TThroughout this conference, you'll hear about remarkable technical achievements—self-healing materials showing promise at extreme temperatures, with field trials demonstrating functionality to -60°C, lightweight composites that revolutionize Arctic mobility, manufacturing systems that transform local resources into precision components.
These innovations represent human creativity and problem-solving at their best.
But they also present new responsibilities that we must embrace with the same creativity and commitment. How we develop and deploy these technologies—with what values, governance structures, and principles—will shape the Arctic's future as profoundly as the technologies themselves.
The materials frontier in the High North isn't just about what we can build. It's about how we choose to build it, for what purpose, and with what consequences for the region and its people. Those choices demand our thoughtful attention and proactive engagement.
I look forward to exploring these critical issues with you throughout ARCTECH 2045.
Thank you.
*Current systems remain limited to relatively simple geometries and require significant energy input
By Dr. Lena Hanson
Lena has kindly provided the accompanying pictures for this article [April 12 2045]
Lena has kindly provided the accompanying pictures for this article [April 12 2045]