When I asked him at the conference about his plans in his new job—the commission’s main function is advising the federal government on what Arctic science to pursue—he said that future research will put America first and focus on the economic opportunities of the north. In a later email, he emphasized investments in Arctic military and energy security. “Under President Trump, our expansive Arctic research enterprise, across the entirety of the U.S. government enterprise, is increasing not decreasing,” he wrote.