I’m Elsa Cox and I joined Robert Gordon University in 2018 as RGU Orkney Development Manager. This saw me returning to the islands where I grew up. My work focuses on remote, rural and island practice, promoting place-based approaches to research, teaching, skills and entrepreneurship across the University. Prior to joining RGU, I spent more than 15 years in the museum sector, most recently as Senior Curator of Technology at the National Museum of Scotland.
My interest in the Arctic began early, inspired by the maritime and natural history collections held by Stromness Museum. As an undergraduate, I researched Viking-age settlement in northern Iceland and later became Curator of South Georgia Museum, where I worked closely with museums and heritage groups in Norway due to their cultural and historical connections to the sub-Antarctic islands. I am now embarking on a PhD exploring the community value of natural science collections in small museums in rural and island settings in Scotland and the Arctic.
RGU joined UArctic in 2021 becoming founding members of the Scottish Arctic Network. A real highlight of my time as a Board member was hosting the UArctic Board meeting in Orkney in 2025, in partnership with Univeristy of the Highlands and Islands and Heriot Watt University. I encourage anyone interested in Northern and Arctic research, teaching, student and staff opportunities to engage with ScAN through our events, newsletters, website and social media. There is so much happening in this field across Scotland and it’s vital that we continue to support, strengthen and grow Scottish-Arctic collaboration.
