Arctic and Mountain Regions Development Institute (AMRDI)

The Arctic and Mountain Regions Development Institute (AMRDI) is a U.S. 501(c)3 (tax-exempt non-profit) started by Matthew Klick, PhD, following the completion of his dissertation work in the Guatemalan Highlands on chronic hunger and local governance, and draws on previous experiences in Kyrgyzstan, South America and Alaska as well. Subsequent, more locally-based work on discrepancies in public health outcomes between immigrant and non-immigrant populations in the Colorado Rockies spurred the formal organization of AMRDI. AMRDI is informed by climate and social science, while contributing to the our wider knowledge of the social dimension of sustainable mountain development under conditions of climate change – both the challenges and opportunities to more effectively building sustainable public health, well-being and climate change resilience in mountainous regions. AMRDI distinguishes itself by applying this knowledge with local partners, from Colorado to Kyrgyzstan, to refine methods and help establish long-term, resilient outcomes for community partners.