News - Page 5

We will soon have completed a Spring semester unlike any other and are planning study start and teaching in the next semester.

A special semester is soon history. A demanding semester is soon history. A semester where we have learned a lot is soon history. Now, we are looking towards the next semester and a possible new normality.

In collaboration with our departments, we have considered the Faculty's research infrastructure initiatives for the Norwegian Research Council´s INFRASTRUCTURE call.

From a somewhat secluded presence, studies in mathematics, natural sciences and technology at the University of Oslo now have a visible and prominent place in the Norwegian educational landscape.

NORA has received funding from Research Council of Norway to organize Nordic artifical intelligence young researcher symposium. The proposed symposium will create an annual meeting place over a five-year period where young researchers can learn about new ideas, methods and theories within artificial intelligence as well as build a professional network and connect with industry. 

The University of Oslo's board has decided that the initiative UiO:Life Science will be continued for a new five-year period.

Head of the Department of Geosciences, Brit Lisa Skjelkvåle, is a new fan of digital tools and video meetings. This week the department meeting had an increased attendance rate on Zoom. Skjelkvåle is impressed with how easily people has adapted to the new everyday life.

We meet, digitally. We teach, digitally. We conduct research, as much as we can. We take the responsibility and deliver results spanning the entire range of the Faculty. I want to thank everyone for an enormous effort and team spirit in this difficult time.

Advisor in the Studies Section at the Faculty, Helge Engeseth Kleivane, works in UiO's task force to digitize teaching for all students. Of course from his home office at Ullerntoppen.

The pharmacies, the Pharmacy Association and the University have worked together to ensure continuity of the internships for pharmacy students. Meet Andreas Roswall (21), a student in the second year of the master’s programme in pharmacy.

– My best tip for maintain good teaching when going digital is to engage students to interact through polls and shared online documents. Andreas Alxander is a doctoral reasearch fellow at the Department of Geosciences and this week started teaching his students from his balcony.

This spring the election of Dean and Vice Dean for the period of January 1 2021 – December 31 2024 will be held. Deadline for proposing candidates is March 25.

The Research Council of Norway has written a new strategy, and our Faculty have submitted our contribution to the University’s hearing statement. The Research Council has focused on the global challenges we are facing. However, we notice that the strategic meaning of basic research is missing in the strategy.

The Report on Science and Technology Indicators for Norway gives us indications of the state of research, development work and innovation, especially in an overall perspective. The 2019 report shows that Norway is doing well in many areas, but that we also have areas where we should put extra effort. Here are some highlights from the report.

Thursday 5th March we arranged Open Day at the University of Oslo. Approximately 3.000 high school students came to visit, and a third of them came by us at the Faculty. With solid contributions from staff and students, we want to persuade them that UiO is the place to be – and study.

Nils-Jørgen Knudsen Dal is elected as representative for temporary academic employees at the Faculty Board. First substitute is Luca Eva Gazdag, second substitute is Kristian Breivik Kvamme.

Thanks to all who attended the 5-year anniversary of the Oslo Life Science Conference! Several of the events were filmed, so if you missed any of them, or want to see them again, you may watch them now.

The election of representative for temporary academic employees at the Faculty Board is open, cast your vote.

Four people have been nominated to the position of representative for temporary academic staff at the Faculty Board. The election opens on Tuesday 25 February at. 12:00.

From 1 January 2020, the researchers at the Department of Informatics (IFI) are organised in fewer sections with a more articulate academic profile. The reorganisation is the outcome of a thorough strategy process.

We are working with search engine optimization to reach the most motivated students with the aim that they apply for studies at the University of Oslo.

Due to new regulations on educational competence the Faculty is developing professional development opportunities for our permanent and temporary academic employees.

Six new teams have been admitted to UiO´s innovation programme SPARK Norway. They will develop their ideas within health-related life sciences for the benefit of patients and society.

The Mars 2020 rover will be launched  in July 2020 to the red planet Mars. The rover will carry a ground penetrating radar developed in Norway.

In the fall of 2019, the Faculty has established thematic areas in life sciences that reflect the breadth of the department's activities in the field. Together with UiO:Life Science, the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Dentistry, we will in the spring give an overall recommendation to the Rectorate on which thematic areas to be established in the free areas in the life sciences building.