Lene Heidi Kielsen Holm, 2008 Women of Discovery Field Research Award

""Be positive and strive for the realization of your dreams."" — Lene Heidi Kielsen Holm

Director, Environmental and Sustainable Development Issues and Research, Inuit Circumpolar Council, Greenland

Born: 1963-01-01

Hometown: Qaqortoq, Greenland

Education: M.A. in Social Sciences

Achievements

Discoveries: Discovering how the Inuit people have adapted their lives and culture to fit their harsh climate.

Biography

A native of Qaqortoq, Greenland, and member of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, (ICC), Lene Holm is working with indigenous communities to study traditional knowledge about sea ice and its movement patterns. She is currently involved in the Sila-Inuk project which collects observations from local sealers, fishermen, sheep breeders and other indigenous groups to document their experiences with newly changing ice and weather conditions that have resulted from global warming. Hunters from Qaanaaq, Kangiqtugaapik, Utqiagvik, Alaska, and scientists in different fields from these countries are the members of the Siku-Inuit-Hila team. As part of this project, Lene is participating in expeditions throughout the arctic region and taking numerous oral histories and interviews.

Fun Facts

Favorite Item to have in the field: Good spirit!

Heroes: My late husband, Vittus Holm, and his father, Hans Holm, for introducing me to the world of hunters and fishermen; my grandmother, who taught me my culture; and, last but not least, the people who work for the cultural survival of all indigenous peoples of the world.