Volunteer Hanife Ekinci is joining the UiT team for 6 months

I arrived in Narvik to volunteer at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, driven by a passion for sustainable construction and a desire to contribute my skills to an innovative project focused on the unique challenges of the Arctic climate. With a degree in architecture and professional experience in the field, I’m excited to engage in hands-on concrete laboratory research, analyze long-term durability data, and help develop a cutting-edge test facility at Narvik Harbour. In addition to my technical contributions, I’ll be assisting with report writing, managing the project’s website, and creating promotional materials to support communication and knowledge sharing.

My first impressions of Narvik have been overwhelmingly positive. The city is calm, peaceful, and offers a wonderful quality of life. As I explore the city center, I notice the friendliness of the locals—people greet each other warmly, stop for conversations, and children bike together. Even in the rain, people are out walking their dogs, which shows just how much they value the outdoors here. I’m especially impressed by the city’s commitment to sustainability, evident in the well-designed houses equipped with multiple bins for recycling plastics, paper, and food waste.
UiT Narvik campus is equally impressive, with its clean, organized spaces designed for user comfort and large windows that invite natural light. The views of the harbour and Ofotfjorden from the campus are truly stunning, and I feel fortunate to spend the next six months here as part of this exciting project. I can’t wait to see where this adventure will take me!