Guðbjörg Ríkey Th. Hauksdóttir
Program Manager, Centre for Arctic Studies, Institute of International Affairs, University of Iceland; PhD Candidate, University of Iceland
Varða Fellow 2026–2027
Guðbjörg Ríkey Th. Hauksdóttir is a PhD Candidate at the University of Iceland, focusing on China–Russia relations in the Arctic, and the Program Manager at the Centre for Arctic Studies at the Institute of International Affairs. She is an Affiliate with the Arctic Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center and a Research Fellow at the North American and Arctic Defence and Security Network. Hauksdóttir holds a B.A. in Chinese Studies and an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Iceland. As a Fulbright researcher, she has examined geopolitical and security challenges in the Arctic. She has lived in the U.S., France, and China and taught courses on international relations theory, security studies, and Chinese society and politics. Her research interests include Arctic geopolitics and security, mapping of Chinese investments, Chinese and Russian foreign policy, and small-state security dynamics.