Norgaard strives to create a just, sustainable future
Addie Norgaard is an Alaska Sea Grant state fellow at ACEP.
March 28, 2025
By Yuri Bult-Ito
People come to work at ACEP for different reasons.
It was her desire to create a just, sustainable future with work directly related to decarbonization that drew Addie Norgaard to ACEP.
She loves science and learning and was originally drawn to oceanographic research. The ocean plays a major role in reducing greenhouse gases and stabilizing the Earth’s climate. That was a big attraction for her to pursue oceanography and study marine carbon dioxide dynamics as a graduate student.
While studying carbon through different branches of chemistry as an undergrad at California Polytechnic State University and as a master’s student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and through spending nearly 150 days at sea on research vessels, her desire to work on decarbonization directly and create a sustainable future started to grow.
Joining ACEP was a great way for her to achieve that goal.
At ACEP, Norgaard is working as a marine energy community and learning design fellow through the Alaska Sea Grant State Fellowship Program.
Her work involves marine energy curriculum and program design, and she is involved with a community-led riverine hydrokinetic energy project in Galena, Alaska.
Part of her work is on data management planning for a river energy project with Sustainable Energy for Galena Alaska. An important aspect of this work is to ensure that the planning is co-generated. Namely, ACEP’s research data is useful and easily accessible to the community and the community has a say in how the data is used and shared.
Norgaard is excited to learn about the approach of ethical research partnerships and Indigenous data sovereignty, which helps build trust and leads to better research outcomes.
“I feel lucky to be at ACEP now and to contribute to community empowerment and sustainable energy transitions through education programming and an applied research project,” she said.
Norgaard has a variety of interests outside of work, from outdoor activities on foot or on the water, to listening to live music performances and crafting, to volunteering.
She especially enjoys cross-country skiing.
“[Skiing] adds much to my life by allowing me to experience the magic of this beautiful place in winter, get the mental benefits of exercise, spend time with friends and give back to the community as a volunteer coach,” she said.
