Janos Nieminen arrives in Svalbard to begin his research residency with Artica

We’re delighted to welcome Janos Nieminen to Artica Svalbard for a research residency this month.

Janos is a data scientist with a background in mathematics and theoretical philosophy, currently pursuing a PhD in philosophy with a focus on counterfactual reasoning. With 15 years of experience as a software developer, he bridges technical expertise with deep philosophical inquiry into the political and symbolic dimensions of state presence in fragile environments. Alongside his academic work, Janos is writing a non-fiction book about Svalbard that examines how countries such as Russia and China maintain influence in the Arctic through architecture, infrastructure, and everyday routines.

During his residency at Artica Svalbard, Janos will further investigate how states assert soft presence in the Arctic — subtle ways of signalling influence without formal claims or military power. His research will focus on Longyearbyen, Barentsburg, and possibly Pyramiden, exploring how architecture, infrastructure, and daily life reflect geopolitical aims. In particular, he will document traces of the Soviet era in Barentsburg and contrast them with the international, Norwegian-governed environment in Longyearbyen.

Janos’s findings will be compiled into a series of essays forming the basis of his upcoming book, which examines how geopolitical strategies both shape and are shaped by the Arctic’s changing landscape in the context of climate change and legal constraints.