Health researchers who study the Arctic are gathering in Yellowknife this week for the 14th annual International Congress on Circumpolar Health.

Hundreds of delegates from Canada, the United States, Russia, Scandinavia and other northern nations are in the N.W.T. capital to discuss the effects of everything from climate change to economic development on the health of northern peoples.

The conference sessions began Sunday with a keynote address by Inuvialuit leader and former N.W.T. premier Nellie Cournoyea, who issued a challenge to the assembled academics.

"The impact of research has to be important enough so that the political bodies who approve funding and priorities get the message — that is, research in itself is OK, but research for us has to be a reality to come to a conclusion," Cournoyea told CBC News on Sunday.

In addition to seasoned scientists, the congress is also attracting university students with an interest in northern health issues.

Organizers have set up a number of activities for students, showing off both the scientific and the social opportunities in the North, in the hopes of encouraging more people to come up for work after university.

"In the North, there's a lack of capacity right now in terms of performing research, and even in terms of health-care service provision," said Bree Denning, who is organizing student activities for the congress.

"Getting people up into the North and to meet with other people doing research in the North, it re-establishes that there is a lot of work to be done. And it creates an opportunity to make connections with others for future opportunities to work and to consider even coming up."

The International Congress on Circumpolar Health wraps up on Thursday.