Objectives of the Chair

_{Photos: Stéphane Caron}

1. Build a scientific and diplomatic platform for cooperation in extreme environments

Promote dialogue between science, law, engineering, and diplomacy
Develop tools to harmonize governance, infrastructure, and technologies to enable sustainable development
Contribute to transdisciplinary international forums (IPY5, UNSPACE IV, etc.) to enhance science with society short-to-long term at local-to-global scales

Train students, professionals, Indigenous youth, and municipal/government actors
Provide bilingual (Fr–En) training integrating internships, summer schools, diplomatic simulations, and field projects
Strengthen Québec’s and Canada’s expertise in science diplomacy related to northern and space issues

Produce analyses, tools, and scenarios to support:
- Governance of permafrost and critical infrastructure
- Energy transition (SMRs, microgrids, hybrid systems)
- Sustainable management of shared resources (critical minerals, water, lunar ice)
- New space challenges (debris, orbits, extraction, sustainable lunar presence)
Produce scientific data to help stakeholders make technological choices based on the current context (e.g. existing infrastructure, foreseeable changes and risks, etc.), by balancing technical suitability, usability, safety, acceptability, and costs to achieve the best possible outcomes while considering the priorities, values and lifestyle of all stakeholders.
Engage engineers and scientists directly in diplomacy and science-sustainability processes that couple governance mechanisms and built infrastructure.

Support codeveloped and decolonial research approaches
Integrate Indigenous perspectives, knowledge systems, methods, and priorities in the selection of technological options
Participate in national and international dialogues on Northern and space development
Promote equity, climate justice, and community sovereignty