Anglers help researchers
Books are a driving force
SCIENCE FACULTY No 1 2014 Faculty of Science
RESEARCHING UNDERWATER FORESTS Doctoral student Angelica Ardehed studies brown algae in the Baltic Sea that help us to understand how the ecosystem works
MAGAZINE
EDITORIAL SCIENCE FACULTY MAGAZINE
New ways to convey knowledge
Science Faculty Magazine is for those interested in the University of Gothenburg and in particular the work at the Faculty of Science.
We hope you will enjoy this glance into the Faculty of Science. The Science Faculty Magazine’s target group ranges from Faculty staff and alumni to business and industry, public actors and politicians with an interest in mathematics and the natural sciences.
EDITOR
Carina Eliasson Robert Karlsson Tanja Thompson
In this issue, you can read about historic workbenches, smog in China, useful plants, science for all, the Brobyggaren teacher education project, and much more besides. These are all excellent reflections of the faculty’s work, illustrating problems from different angles of approach. The research and education of the future require both great subject depth and the ability to use other sciences in symbiosis with the natural sciences.
PUBLISHER
IN SWEDEN, THERE have been intense discussions on the
Camilla Persson Phone: +46-31-786 9869 E-mail: camilla.persson@science.gu.se
EDITORIAL STAFF
Ann-Christin Thor
LAYOUT Camilla Persson & Erika Hoff
COVER Angelica Ardehed Photo: Malin Arnesson
ADDRESS Faculty Office of Science University of Gothenburg Box 460 405 30 Göteborg Sweden E-mail: info@science.gu.se
PRINT Ale Tryckteam
SUBSCRIBE Sign up for a subscription at www. science.gu.se/english/about/magazine. The magazine is available in both printed and digital form.
quality of school education in view of the results of studies such as Pisa. Maths and science in particular have been highlighted as problem areas, and it is a well-known fact that recruitment levels for teachers in these subjects are low. The Faculty of Science is now focusing on a master’s degree specialising in teacher education for students who have studied maths and science. A stand-alone section of this master’s education consists of a new teacher education element, involving one year of intensive studies and integrated work placement training. Find out more on page 4. CRAFTSMANSHIP AS AN academic
postgraduate subject places new requirements on documentation, disseminating information and creating dialogue about research. Here, a blog about historic workbenches is an ideal way of gathering information and sharing experiences with likeminded individuals around the world. At the Department of Conservation, science is combined with the humanities and theory with practice. One example is Henrik Ranby’s new book about cultural heritage work between theory and practice. Practice is also addressed in an article about how cultural heritage is affected for a nation at war. Guest researchers from Syria share their thoughts. THROUGH A FIVE-YEAR project, researchers at the faculty
will be working in partnership with researchers in China to study the growing problem of smog in Beijing and Hong Kong. This type of collaboration, in which basic knowledge about atmospheric processes is combined with studies 2
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Architects from Syria want to rebuild Aleppo
about health aspects and environmental impact, is extremely valuable and can help to solve global problems. A ‘LIFEWORK’ HAS been
completed. Bente Eriksen Molau, Åslög Dahl and Magnus Neuendorf, together with illustrator Kirsten Tind, have published two fantastic volumes containing descriptions and illustrations of 400 useful plants from around the world. Many people have shown an interest in these books, which do an excellent job of conveying the researchers’ knowledge to a broader audience. Conveying knowledge within a broader perspective is an important part of the role of both teachers and researchers.
Marine biologist Sam Dupont wins research prize
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IN THIS ISSUE, you
can also find out about the everyday lives of doctoral students and researchers. Sam Dupont, who recieved the Faculty of Science’s 2014 Research Award, describes the various roles a teacher/researcher needs to take on in order to succeed and particularly emphasises the importance of influencing the establishment so that the decisions made are well-founded with a scientific basis. IN ORDER TO BOOST interest
in science, the faculty is working together with Universeum and Chalmers University of Technology on the Future Options exhibition, which aims to show the opportunities open to those who choose to study science and technology.
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Yeast researchers takes part in international network
THE FACULTY IS ALSO making
inroads into the world of radio – listen, learn and reflect. Happy reading! Elisabet Ahlberg, Dean
Ola Wetterberg, Pro-Dean
Botanists publish magnificent work on useful plants
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EDUCATION
Quick supplementary education to provide more maths and science teachers Intensive studies, work placement training at special university schools and exchanges between universities and schools. These are some of the features of supplementary teacher education for scientists and mathematicians to be launched by the University of Gothenburg in spring 2015.
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he shortage of qualified maths and science teachers is a real problem for society, and it is hard to attract enough students for teacher education in these subjects. The University of Gothenburg is therefore working in partnership with the City of Gothenburg to launch intensive supplementary education in spring 2015 for those who already have a degree in science or maths, within the framework of the Brobyggaren pilot project. “The Swedish school system currently has a shortage of maths and science teachers, and there’s a need for organisational and pedagogical innovation,” says Elisabet Ahlberg,
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Dean of the Faculty of Science. “The idea of teacher education based on existing subject skills is nothing new, and the aim is to attract students with expertise in maths and science to the teaching profession. We want to offer these students a new, faster educational route to achieve a secondary education degree, where students come into early contact with classroom experience.” IN ADDITION TO THE more
intensive pace, the difference between the current short teacher education programme and the new programme is that the work placement element is integrated more clearly with other courses. The inspiration is mainly drawn from Stanford University in the USA, where teacher education features extensive close cooperation between academia and schools, with the work placement element occupying a central position. “The idea is that students should study courses alongside their work placement training,” explains Tommy Gustavsson, a senior lecturer at the Department of Mathematical Sciences and part of the project team that drew up the proposal for the new education. “But there’s also deeper integration between
the pedagogical core and the practical side. For example, they should be able to demonstrate in practice what they’ve learnt on their courses, and the examination should also be integrated.” THE EDUCATION WILL BE one
year long, but will be worth a full 90 credits. This means a rate of study of 125 percent. “The rate of study is extremely intense and we use the entire year, including the summer,” continues Tommy. “This means that the entry requirements are strict, to ensure that the students already have sufficient prior knowledge to cope with the education.” Elisabet believes that the education will primarily attract those with master’s degrees or doctoral degrees in science and maths. “There are many students who are passionate about their subject, and who want to be involved in education. It’s these students that we hope to entice with attractive but intense teacher education, where the contact with specially selected schools plays a key role.” Annette Mitiche is a Development Manager at the City of Gothenburg’s Centre
for School Development, and is part of the project management team for the new education. She also believes that people who are passionate about their subject will apply. “Those who are particularly interested in a subject, and who want a challenging, stimulating career where they can really make a difference.” THE LOWER AND UPPER secondary
schools involved in the project are called university schools, and in addition to hosting students carrying out their work placement training they will also play a more active role in the students’ education while developing their own skills. “Through close cooperation between academia and schools, the University’s teaching staff and researchers can develop the education together with teachers at the selected university schools,” says Maria Jarl, Chair of Teacher Education at the University of Gothenburg. “They will also have the opportunity to contribute towards and take part in skills development.”
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year long, but a longer version leading to a master’s degree is also planned. Elisabet hopes that students studying at the Faculty of Science will see the teacher education as a natural career path, regardless of whether or not they have their sights set on research education in the future. “Just as is currently the case, students will be able to choose to study a subject master’s degree after their basic studies, but it will also be possible to study a master’s linked to teacher education that includes the teaching diploma. Students who choose a subject master’s degree will have every opportunity to become a teacher by taking a one-year supplementary course after their first degree, master’s degree or third-cycle education. I believe that this flexibility will attract more students to study science and maths.” THE EDUCATION IS ONE
TEXT CAMILLA PERSSON PHOTOS ANNA-LENA LUNDQVIST & MALIN ARNESSON
uFor more information, visit
BROBYGGAREN Brobyggaren is a collaboration between the Faculty of Science, Teacher Education at the University of Gothenburg and the Faculty of Education at the University of Gothenburg, and the City of Gothenburg. As well as training new teachers, the project also aims to develop teaching skills at both schools and the University, thus contributing towards the development of teacher education. It has been proposed that the new education should be called supplementary pedagogical education specialising in mathematics and science. Rate of study: 125 percent, 90 credits Starts: Spring semester 2015 Application deadline: 15 October 2014 Entry requirements: A decision on entry requirements will be made during the spring. See our website for more information.
lun.gu.se/utbildning/kpu/brobyggaren
Research into learning within Brobyggaren Within academia, research-based education is a common concept whereby education in a subject takes place close to current research. Within the Brobyggaren project, the opposite is being done instead. A number of doctoral students will be linked to the project, and will study the education
CUL The Centre for Educational Science and Teacher Research (CUL) is an interfaculty graduate school at the University of Gothenburg. CUL aims to promote the development of research related to teacher education and educational professional activity, and to encourage research to be linked to basic teacher education.
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provided within the context of Brobyggaren in various ways. Three positions have been advertised during the spring, and the doctoral students will begin their work in the autumn. “This is particularly pleasing, as a relatively small part of the research has a direct focus on teacher education issues, and carrying out teacher education on a scientific basis is of strategic importance,” says Jesper Boesen, Head of the CUL graduate school. is responsible for the initiative, together with the Department of Pedagogical, Curricular and Professional Studies (IDPP) and the City of Gothenburg. The doctoral students will be affiliated with the Centre for Educational Science and Teacher Research (CUL). THE FACULTY OF SCIENCE
TEXT CAMILLA PERSSON
New exhibition NYTT KORALLREV UPPTÄCKT promotes careers in
science
The Future Options exhibition opened at Gothenburg’s Universeum on 12 April. The exhibition has been produced in collaboration with the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology to promote possible careers and education within science and technology. “From an academic point of view, we’re delighted with the project,” says Lennart Sjölin, Professor of Chemistry and a member of the project’s steering group.
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niverseum aims to have a positive impact on the attitudes of children and young people towards science, technology and mathematics. But even if young people are already interested, they do not necessarily know that they can train to become a scientist, or choose this as a profession. The aim of the Future Options exhibition is therefore to arouse children’s and young people’s curiosity in what education within science, maths and technology can lead to, while also allowing them to try solving the problems of the future within fields such as health, transport and the environment for themselves. “It’s important to show just how exciting science and technology are, and that as a scientist you can help to solve the social problems of the future,” says Professor Sjölin. FUTURE OPTIONS IS an
informative, interactive exhibition where visitors can listen to stu-
dents from the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology talking about their own dreams for the future and why they chose to study science or technology. One of these is Beatrice Möberg, who is studying molecular biology at the University of Gothenburg. “I enjoyed being part of a project that dealt with the different aspects of science in a fun and informative way to encourage children and young people to take an interest in science.” She believes it is important to attract children and young people to science, and to show just how much of our everyday lives is based on science. “I’ve seen for myself how science has been made to seem boring or arduous at school, as the teaching is fairly one-sided. Most people don’t realise how multifaceted science actually is.” TEXT CAMILLA PERSSON PHOTO UNIVERSEUM SCIENCE FACULTY MAGAZINE JUNE 2014
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RESEARCH
Polly Morphic is a thick-skinned, energetic redhead who’s happiest taking on her opponents on the roller derby track. But Polly Morphic also has an alter ego. Her name is Angelica Ardehed, a doctoral student who enjoys working in the lab with her research on algae.
TRACKING DOWN NEW BALT
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t’s a play on words,” says Angelica Ardehed with a smile. “Polymorphic is the biological term for multiple forms.” Polymorphic is a particularly appropriate word for Angelica. One moment she’s studying the brown alga bladderwrack in the Lovén Centre’s research laboratory on Tjärnö,
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and the next she’s wearing her roller skates and playing in a roller derby team, with team mates called Foxy Fistfight and Rollosaurus Flex. “I like the fact that the sport originates with women, and that we’re the norm. I also like the contrast with being a doctoral stu-
About roller derby Full contact sport played on roller skates. The players, divided into two teams, skate around an oval indoor track, and points are awarded to players who lap members of the opposition. The team consists of blockers and a jammer. The role of the jammer is to try to force her way through the opponents’ wall of blockers. The role of the blockers is to try to help their own jammer to get through the opponents by tackling, and to prevent their jammer from passing.
LTIC SEA ALGA SPECIES dent. There’s certainly less tackling involved at the department!” she adds, laughing. POLYMORPHIC IS ALSO a
good word for Angelica’s research. This deals with evolution, how species are formed and developed, and how these studies can lead to improved knowledge about the effects of human impact, such as emissions that lead to climate changes. The species she studies are two types of brown alga from the Baltic Sea, a relatively new sea area that was formed around 8,000 years ago. The salinity of the Baltic Sea has dropped over the years, and this is largely due to mankind’s impact. The salinity of saltwater is usually around 35 parts per thousand, but in the Baltic Sea it can be as low as three parts per thousand. “Today, the Baltic Sea is an extreme marine environment, and this has made it hard for
ANGELICA ARDEHED Age: 30 Work: Ph.D. Student at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences Interests: Roller derby, music, flee markets
many species to adapt. The appearance and ecology of any species has clearly changed compared with their main areas of distribution in the Atlantic.” Angelica describes brown algae as underwater forests. Many different species in the water are dependent on them: fish lay eggs in them, certain species seek shelter while others look for food, and information about them helps us to understand how the entire ecosystem works. IN THE NORTHERN parts
of the Baltic Sea, researchers have discovered a new species of brown alga named Fucus radicans. Angelica is investigating how the new species is related to the previously known species, bladderwrack, and whether an extreme environment in the Baltic Sea can contribute towards the formation of new species. “We’ve discovered that Fucus radicans has the ability to clone itself, which has never before been observed in any form of seaweed. By learning more about the origin and evolution of these species, we can manage and preserve marine species better in the future.” TEXT ROBERT KARLSSON PHOTOS MALIN ARNESSON & CLÉMENT THIÉRY
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INTERNATIONAL
A focus on everyday life for guest researchers from Syria They want to help rebuild their home city. Syrian architects Emad Alsaleh and Layla Kandakji are guest researchers at the Department of Conservation. Together with Swedish colleagues, they plan to study what the city of Aleppo could look like in the future. “The aim is to achieve democratic city planning with a focus on people’s everyday lives,” says Emad.
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hotos of magnificent buildings from their home city of Aleppo flicker past on the computer screen. A black and white image appears, showing an old woman with a bent back, dressed in ragged clothing, who has just passed through what was once an ornate city gate but is now just a pile of rubble. Emad Alsaleh points to the photo. “This was one of the main entrances to the old town of Aleppo,” he says with a touch of sadness in his voice. “Hundreds of thousands of people live here. The buildings date back to antiquity, and many of them were over five thousand years old. But most of them have been destroyed by war.” The old town of Aleppo is on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites. It is hard to estimate what percentage of the buildings has been destroyed. And the ruins only give a hint of the human suffering in Syria. “No-one dares to bury their dead in the graveyards any more,” says Layla Kandakji. “The risk of being shot by snipers is too great. Instead, cars collect the dead bodies which are driven away and buried in playgrounds or parks. People no longer know where to go to grieve their dead.”
Faculty of Architecture at the University of Aleppo to spend ten months as guest researchers at the Department of Conservation. Together with researchers from the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology, they aim to investigate possible ways of restoring the cultural heritage of their home country. This involves discussing what should be repaired and what should be rebuilt. “There will be monuments that absolutely must be recreated, as they are symbolic places for people who live in the city,” says Layla. “It’s a question of identity. However, I don’t think it will be possible to rebuild everything that has been destroyed in the old town of Aleppo.”
»We have
to think about future generations
IN NOVEMBER, THE MARRIED couple
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left the
«
ALEPPO IS A DIVIDED city, with a wealthy area and a poor area. However, half of Aleppo’s more than 3 million inhabitants live in so-called ‘informal districts’ where people have simply settled and built temporary homes. Conditions are tough in these areas. Sometimes there is no water or electricity, the roads are of a poor quality, and there are no green spaces or healthcare. Emad believes that development is essential. Aleppo has now also been divided by war. A front line runs right through the city, forming a bloody wound. The opposition’s flags wave on one side, and
the government’s flags on the other. Emad and Layla become emotional when they think about their home country. And the conflict is far from over. “But we try to look ahead. We have to think about future generations.” They want to learn from others who have studied rebuilding after wars and devastation. Examples include the reconstruction of Germany after the Second World War and the rebuilding of the Balkans. BEFORE WAR BROKE out
in Syria in 2011, the old town of Aleppo had a commercial centre, a unique bazaar area with twelve kilometres of winding streets that were protected from the rain and sun. Spacious enclosed courtyards with lush plants and beautiful façades were also a feature of the old town. “In the bazaar quarter, traders sold things that you could only buy there. Everyone came there. The feel of the area gave people an identity. There was an atmosphere of fresh-
ness, liveliness and tranquillity at the same time.” Could it be rebuilt? “I don’t know,” says Layla. It is not always obvious what should be restored and what should be modernised. “Many people think we now have an opportunity to build a more modern Aleppo,” says Emad. “Others want to recreate everything, but I think a balance is needed. The infrastructure in the old town needs to be improved, but the feel of the area needs to be preserved and buildings must be reconstructed. We need to start with a pilot area and then evaluate the results before continuing.” Both Layla and Emad hope for productive cooperation with the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers, and look forward to discussing experiences of city planning. “Our goal must be for people’s everyday lives to work well, and architecture is the tool. We get very emotional when we look ahead and think about future generations.” TEXT CARINA ELIASSON PHOTO JOHAN WINGBORG
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smog
Researchers aim to map China’s
The air quality in China’s urban regions is a major health problem. Here, a new type of smog has emerged that has never been seen before. Now, researchers from Gothenburg and their Chinese colleagues will be studying air pollution in Beijing and Hong Kong.
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oung and old Chinese people make their way through the city crowds wearing masks to protect them against exhaust fumes and emissions. The images are familiar from our TV screens. “It’s an accurate picture,” says Professor Mattias Hallquist from the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology. “According to our researchers, people in the cities keep their children indoors to keep them away from the polluted air.” IT HAS LONG been
known that air pollution is a health hazard, leading to respiratory and vascular diseases and shortening life expectancy. Many of the better quality hotels in China’s cities have air filtration technology, and the authorities have now started to realise that
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something needs to be done. The air quality is even affecting business start-ups in China. The poor quality acts as a deterrent, making it harder to find qualified workers who are prepared to live in the big cities. “But the conditions in Beijing differ to those in Hong Kong,” continues Professor Hallquist. “The cities are governed differently, and the climate is not the same. Beijing has various natural particles in the air that blow in from the desert areas. The climate is colder, and – just like in Gothenburg – they’ve also experienced problems with inversion, whereby the air pollutants stay at ground level. Hong Kong gets clean air from the sea, but at the smog also blows in from inland areas. Here, emissions from shipping are another significant source of pollution. The climate is subtropical, with heat and high levels of light emissions.” PROFESSOR HALLQUIST HAS received
a framework grant of just over SEK 24 million from the Swedish Research Council for a five-year project to study ways of combating smog in China’s urban regions. The project is an initiative from the Gothenburg Atmospheric Science Centre, which Professor Hallquist leads. “We’re experts in photochemical conversion, the formation of particles and ozone in
the atmosphere, and within the project we’re working with world-leading Chinese researchers.” Around fifty researchers and doctoral students are taking part in the studies in China. Three types of pollutants will be studied: organic particles, soot and ozone. These pollutants interact in a complex manner, and they have an impact on the greenhouse effect and cloud formation, which in turn affect the climate.
FOUR QUESTIONS for Professor Gunnar Nyman, Deputy Director of the Gothenburg Center for Advanced Studies in Science and Technology WHAT EXACTLY ARE ADVANCED STUDIES?
involves initiating brand new research into smog. Two types of smog were already known about. Los Angeles suffered from smog in the 1970s due to a combination of increased car traffic and strong sunlight that caused the haze containing organic substances, nitric oxides and ozone. The London smog was a consequence of coal being burnt in the city in the 1950s and 1960s, and the hazy smoke consisted of sulphur dioxide and soot. “In China, however, we have everything mixed together, making it more complex to understand the effects. Here we have a new kind of smog that we haven’t seen before, and this is certainly part of the reason why the Swedish Research Council wants to support this research.” THE NEW PROJECT
THE MAIN AIM of
the project is to investigate this new type of harmful smog that affects the health of the Chinese people as well as the global climate. The ambition is also to identify measures that the Chinese authorities can take. The project in China is being run by the University of Gothenburg together with Chalmers University of Technology and IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. TEXT CARINA ELIASSON PHOTOS HÅKAN PLEIJEL & MALIN ARNESSON
u Find out more about the Gothenburg
Atmospheric Science Centre, GAC: chalmers.se/gmv/gac-en/
It’s all about basic, curiosity-driven, longterm research within science and technology. WHY A CENTRE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES?
The centre is a joint initiative between the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology. We have three years to establish operations, and the aim is to link together all those who work with basic sciences in Gothenburg. Investments in basic sciences are needed because it is from basic research that applied research can grow. The reverse is far less common. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE?
We want to create a stimulating environment at a level of excellence. We will achieve this by recruiting guest professors, creating a programme for postdocs, arranging workshops and collaborating with the outside world in various ways. WHAT ARE THE CHALLANGES?
The budget is fairly modest, so we need to obtain external funding. We hope that researchers will be able to associate with the centre in various ways when applying for funding, which we know is a strength when applying to the EU, for example. TEXT TANJA THOMPSON
The centre is hosted by the Department of Mathematical Sciences. Professor Mattias Marklund from Chalmers University of Technology is Director. SCIENCE FACULTY MAGAZINE JUNE 2014
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POPULAR SCIENCE
Radio for the curios One researcher. Two curious presenters. 20 minutes of personal discussions. This is the premise of the Faculty of Science’s radio programme ‘Nyfiken på’ (‘Curious About’). “In radio, you can capture the colour of someone’s voice,” says Carina Eliasson, one of the presenters.
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tudent Lisa Grettve and communications officer Carina Eliasson met at the Science Festival, and came up with the idea of making a radio programme in which they would interview researchers from the Faculty of Science. “Researchers can describe their own work and have the opportunity to concretise it,” exLISA GRETTVE Role: Studying journalism, wants to become a scientific journalist. Has previously studied biology and chemistry. Involved in student radio in her free time. Dream guest: “The American geneticist Craig Venter, and Thomas Henry Huxley – ‘Darwin’s bulldog’ – who put forward Darwin’s ideas as Darwin himself was a little shy.” CARINA ELIASSON Role: Communications officer at the Faculty of Science. Has a background in journalism, with more than 20 years of experience mainly within radio and TV. Dream guest: ”It would be good to do a programme with Marie Curie and Albert Einstein, but it certainly wouldn’t be easy”.
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plains Lisa. Radio is an entertaining medium, and in many ways is unexploited within research communication. Anna-Karin Gustafsson, geophysicist Erik Sturkell and chemist Marica Ericson have taken their place behind the microphone to talk about themselves and their research, and more researchers will be taking part in future. With hundreds of members of teaching staff and researchers at the faculty, Lisa and Carina have their work cut out. “The programmes should have a good spread, both between different subjects and departments and between the genders and ages of the researchers,” says Lisa. “Different people take different angles of approach, making for completely different sorts of programmes,” says Carina. “The ambition is that the programmes should generate greater interest in research and science.” TO DATE, PHYSICIST
TEXT ROBERT KARLSSON PHOTO JOHAN WINGBORG
u Listen: science.gu.se/radio
The salmon trout is a popular salmonid among anglers. Above right is an American brook trout, and below is a tiger trout.
A NG L E RS
help researchers in a new European project Working in association with anglers, an international team of researchers will study how invasive fish species affect local fish stocks. Around ten percent of Swedes take part in some form of angling. Angling is also important from an economic point of view, with an annual turnover of around SEK 2.5 billion. The newly launched European project SalmoInvade will involve an international research team, with researchers from Sweden, Norway, Germany, France and Canada, studying biological invasion of salmonids in Europe. The three-year project will evaluate the effects of non-native salmonids in Europe. The aim is to develop guidelines for a policy on managing salmonid invasions. ANGLERS AROUND EUROPE are
linked to the project, which will also investigate cultural differences between Scandinavia and continental Europe in the view of salmonids as a resource. This is a multidisciplinary project, and the research team therefore includes biological, sociological and psychological expertise. SalmoInvade will study issues such as whether escaped or released fish can out-com-
pete domestic salmon stocks. Since farmed fish are genetically different and often eat large amounts and quickly, there may be less food left for domestic fish. “One of the questions we will be trying to answer is whether farmed fish out-compete wild stocks,” says project coordinator Professor Jörgen Johnsson from the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences. ANGLERS OFTEN PREFER larger
fish, and this may perhaps help to protect wild salmonids, for example in situations where fast-growing farmed fish co-exist with wild stocks. Farmed fish often also exhibit less cautious behaviour than wild fish, and this probably makes them easier to catch. Angling associations from around Europe, including Sportfiskarna Region Väst from Delsjön in Gothenburg, will be taking part in the project. TEXT CARINA ELIASSON PHOTOS GAEL GRENOUILLET, PETER WESTLEY & JÖRGEN JOHNSSON
Professor Jörgen Johnsson coordinates the SalmoInvade Project.
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ROCK STEADY PROBLEMHis CV is ten pages long and extremely varied. It includes everything from analysing archaeological materials and special assignments for the Swedish National Laboratory of Forensic Science to teaching applied geology at university level. Eric Hegardt is a bedrock geologist who loves problem-solving and isn’t afraid to try out new things.
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erhaps he became a geologist because he enjoys working both outdoors and indoors. Or maybe his interest in geology stems from his childhood, when he ran through the tunnel under the motorway to the pegmatite quarry* in Högsbo, Gothenburg, to play. “It was great fun trying to split the crystals,” says Eric. “But at that time, I didn’t have any thoughts of geology. It was only later that a friend suggested studying geosciences.” IMMEDIATELY AFTER graduating,
he got a place as a doctoral student. During this time, he researched the old mountain chain folds of southwest Sweden. He wanted to find out when and how they were actually formed. By studying minerals formed by the high pressure caused by a mountain chain, it is possible to work out not only how thick the crust of the earth has been at various times, but also when different continents collided with each other. However, it took some time before he was able to defend his thesis – ten years to be precise. “By the end of my doctoral studies, I was tired of them. There were only a few of us doctoral students at the department then, and there was insufficient critical mass.” So he mothballed his thesis and instead became self-employed in 2004, offering prospecting, geophysics, groundwater and environmental services. 16
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“I’ve always been quite outgoing, and if you’re a humble problem-solver who understands the scientific concept, that’s good. What I lacked was experience, but I knew plenty of people with experience who were more than willing to review and discuss what I did.” HIS VERY FIRST assignment
involved investigating the spread of heavy metals from glassworks using geophysical methods, and one thing led to another. He worked with groundwater issues, was involved in opening mines, and eventually converted his trading company into a limited company with a coowner and an employee. Once the number of days he spent travelling began to approach 200 days per year, he decided to wind down the company. “I’ve always enjoyed academic studies, and it felt important to complete my thesis, which is hard to do while running a business. And I had a supervisor, David Cornell, who always encouraged me to finish.” SO HE TOOK A job
as a consultant instead, completed his thesis and defended it in 2010. Eric still has links to the university, as he teaches applied geology, geophysics and geochemistry. “The academic education and the critical thinking are excellent if you also want to understand how things work outside academia. What you actually learn at university is problem-solving and processing information. Knowledge itself is something anyone can acquire.” TEXT TANJA THOMPSON PHOTO PRIVATE
*Pegmatite is a coarse rock, usually with a granite composition. In most cases, pegmatite has crystallised from solutions left behind in cracks and cavities following the formation of various granites from magmas.
-SOLVER
ERIC HEGARDT Education: Doctoral degree in bedrock geology, 2010 Work: Employed as a consultant in geology and group leader for rock engineering at ÅF Lives: Gothenburg Interests: Motorbikes – has owned 12. Currently has a Triumph Daytona 955i Centennial Edition
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NEWS
RECENT TRACES OF WATER ON MARS New studies show that there was fluid water on Mars as recently as 200,000 years ago. The results have been published in the respected international scientific journal ICARUS. “We have discovered a very young crater in the southern mid-latitudes on Mars which bears traces of fluid water,” says Andreas Johnsson from the Department of Earth Sciences.
TEENAGE GIRLS AND ADULTS HAVE DIFFERENT EGGS There are two types of fertilisable egg. This is the finding of new studies published in Human Molecular Genetics by a research team at the University of Gothenburg. The results may be of significance for fertility treatments and ovarian diseases. “Our studies produced convincing proof that there are two separate types of eggs in the ovaries of mammals,” says Professor Kui Liu from the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology. “We call these two classes the first wave and the adult wave.” Professor Liu’s research team has used two genetically modified mouse models to show that the first wave of eggs, which begins to mature immediately after birth, contributes towards puberty. 18
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New climate report from researchers at the University of Gothenburg During the spring, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published two progress reports on climate change. Professor Ulf Molau from the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences is one of the authors of the second progress report. He is the lead author of the chapter on which environmental changes can be attributed to climate changes and which changes are due to other factors. “The disappearance of the Amazon forests is mainly due to deforestation rather than a changed climate. However, all the research data suggests that the permafrost and tundra are disappearing as a result of climate changes.”
Photo: Ramki Sreenivasan
Researchers discover new family of birds A whole new family of birds has been discovered by an international research team. The researchers include Urban Olsson from the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences. “Despite the fact that birds are one of the most studied of all animal groups, there is still scope for surprises,” he explains. The discovery, which was published in the journal Biology Letters, was made during a DNA study of relationships within the biggest of all the passerine groups, Passerida, which includes around 36 percent of the world’s more than 10,000 bird species.
STUDYING CREATURES FROM THE SEA Simply being a successful researcher isn’t enough. You also have to be able to convey your research findings to others, and what they mean for our future. This is the view of marine biologist Sam Dupont, who received the Faculty’s 2014 Research Prize. “We need to get politicians to understand the consequences of increased carbon dioxide emissions and the acidification of the sea, so that they can make the right decisions.”
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t’s drizzling and Fiskebäckskil is blanketed in fog, but the little community with its white wooden houses perched up on the cliffs still looks inviting. It was here, to the Sven Lovén Centre for Marine Sciences in Kristineberg, that researcher Sam Dupont came ten years ago. “I had completed my doctoral degree in Belgium, and I got a postdoctoral position here. The intention was to spend a year here, but I stayed.” He stayed because he and his family felt so at home in this little community, and also because he was able to devote his time to
researching things that he found interesting. One of his research specialisations is starfish and ophiuroids, and their ability to regenerate, in other words to grow a new arm if they lose one. The other, to which he has devoted the most time in recent years, is the impact of climate changes on marine animal life. In the lab, he cultivates different types of marine animals by mixing eggs and sperm from adult individuals. “I got these from Norway last Sunday,” he says, pointing to a metal tub full of sea urchins. However, he is uncertain about what sex
Sam Dupont cultivates different types of marine animals, e.g sea urchins, by mixing eggs and sperm from adult individuals.
they actually are. Male and female sea urchins look identical, and it is only when they release their eggs or sperm that they can be sexed. He picks one up to see if he can get any eggs or sperm from it. It turns out to be female, with lots of eggs. Sam smiles. “Now I can continue my experiments next week.� BY STUDYING LARVAE from
echinoderm such as sea urchins that are just a few millimetres long, researchers can see how different types of environmental changes affect the species since the larva stage is sensitive to unexpected changes. But cultivating larvae in the laboratory is no easy task due to their size, and it is
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hard to carry out biological measurements on them. To do so, researchers use an advanced confocal microscope which uses lasers instead of ordinary light, and which generates threedimensional images of the larvae. In this way, they have been able to study how digestion works, and have demonstrated that sea urchins find it hard to digest their food as the sea becomes more acidic. When Sam and his colleagues began researching ocean acidification and its impact on marine species, there were not many other groups carrying out this type of research. Since then, research within this field has exploded, making Sam and his colleagues experts. When the Linnaeus Centre for Marine
SAM DUPONT Role: Researcher at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, based at the Sven Lovén Centre for Marine Sciences in Kristineberg. Family: Wife Geraldine Fauville, who is studying for a doctoral degree at the Department of Education, Communication and Learning, and two children aged 7 and 9. Latest news: Winner of the Faculty of Science Research Award 2014.
Evolutionary Biology (CeMEB) was founded in 2008 and thereby secured funding for ten years, the opportunity arose to do things a little differently. “When you don’t have to keep chasing funding all the time, you can be more flexible and try out slightly crazy ideas. That’s also when you tend to have the most success in research.” AT THE BEGINNING of
his research career, he was driven mainly by curiosity. Today, social responsibility is at least as important, and he sees research communication as an important part of his day-to-day work. He is therefore active in various international contexts, with the aim of increasing understanding of the consequences of ocean acidification for marine animal life. He believes that using ocean acidification is a simple approach. “In contrast to global warming, which can be hard to understand, it’s easy to see how increased emissions of carbon dioxide make the sea more acidic,” he says, jotting down CO₂+H₂O = H₂CO₃ on a piece of paper. In other words, carbon dioxide + water = carbonic acid. In December, he met representatives from the Swedish Government to discuss what needs to be done. “I think politicians are much more interested in these questions now than was previously the case, and I believe that if you shout loud enough people will listen.” Kristineberg, he spends most of his time at the office completing applications, or in the lab with his marine creatuWHEN HE IS IN
res. But he also thinks the social aspect is important. When guest researchers visit, they are often invited to the house he shares with his wife Geraldine “because there’s not much else to do around here”, and he believes in the importance of cultivating his social contacts. “You have to share your knowledge with others, and find new colleagues around the world. That’s an exciting part of the job.” TEXT CAMILLA PERSSON PHOTO MALIN ARNESSON
The faculty’s Research Award Each year, the Faculty of Science awards a prize to one of its researchers. In addition to the honour of winning, the successful researcher also receives SEK 250,000 in research funding. This year’s prize was awarded for the following reasons: Sam Dupont is a leading researcher within a highly topical field: how marine species and ecosystems are affected by global warming and ocean acidification caused by high levels of carbon dioxide. He has contributed with independence, accuracy, integrity and a high degree of expertise towards a basic understanding of these complex issues. He has also rejuvenated laboratory operations at Kristineberg by developing equipment for research experiments. His success can be clearly seen in a large number of publications in high ranking journals, invitations to conferences and many national and international collaborations. Sam has shown himself to be an internationally important researcher with highly qualified assignments, putting marine research at the University of Gothenburg firmly on the map.
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Career through new networks Having a good European network including both academic and industrial connections is important, say Sviatlana Shashkova and Niek Welkenhuysen. Since 2012, they have both worked as doctoral students within the Isolate project.
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viatlana Shashkova says that researchers used to be able to stay within their own subject. Now they have to be multidisciplinary in order to carry out successful research. “Today, all the sciences are mixed together,” says Sviatlana. “For example, I work with physicists which means that I have to explain how biology works while also listening to them. Sometimes I have to adapt my way of thinking. Physicists also explain to me how tools work so that I can understand and use them myself.” Her colleague Niek Welkenhuysen agrees: “Within physics things are more black or white, whereas within biology there are more grey areas. I work together with mathematicians, which I feel enriches my postgraduate
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studies. It also forces me to step outside my own comfort zone.” THE AIM OF THE project
is that researchers should receive training on single cell analysis while also developing the tools they use. Single cell analysis is used to study the complexity and heterogeneity of biological cells. Many of today’s research techniques require large quantities of cells, but the properties of the cells within a cell population can vary. “Studying cells at population level can mean that certain properties or reactions are hidden,” continues Niek. “With single cell analysis, the properties of each individual cell are highlighted, and a number of significant biological issues and problems can therefore be resolved in the long term.” Single cell analysis can be used in contexts such as cancer research, where the effect of a drug can vary considerably from cell to cell. RESEARCHERS USE ordinary yeast cells, which
act as a model system for human organisms.
Sviatlana Shashkova Comes from Minsk in Belarus Master’s degree in bioengineering, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland Began her postgraduate studies in biology at the University of Gothenburg in June 2012. Hobbies: Plays squash Niek Welkenhuysen Comes from Bruges in Belgium Master’s degree in bioengineering and biochemistry, KU Leuven in Leuven, Belgium Began his postgraduate studies in biology at the University of Gothenburg in August 2012. Hobbies: Enjoys outdoor life and running. His goal is to run the Stockholm Marathon.
“These are single-celled organisms, but they are also an entire organism, which is practical,” adds Sviatlana. “I hadn’t worked with yeast cells before – it was completely new to me. So I had to do a lot of background reading.” She knew that she wanted to be researcher from the age of just 16. She chose to specialise in biology at upper secondary school, and received a personal invitation to carry out her undergraduate studies in biotechnology at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. She found her doctoral position via an EU portal online. FOR NIEK, THE choice
was less obvious. During his undergraduate studies he never took part in an international exchange, which he subsequently regretted. That’s why he applied abroad for his postgraduate studies. “It wasn’t until the final year of my master’s studies that I noticed I was surrounded by lots of fascinating people, and that inspired me. One of the tasks in a test involved
describing how a research trial should be carried out. After the test had been graded, my teacher said that my conclusions weren’t what they expected, but that my ideas were very good so I received full marks. That encouraged me to begin my doctoral studies.” TEXT TANJA THOMPSON PHOTOS MALIN ARNESSON
ISOLATE ISOLATE is an initial training network that aims to give new researchers the opportunity to improve their research skills, take part in established research teams and enhance their career opportunities. The network is financed by the Marie Curie programme within the EU’s seventh framework programme. The network includes nine doctoral students and two postdoctoral students. u Find out more: isolate.gu.se
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Teacher on Arctic research expedition Teacher Anna-Carin Bäckebo from Borlänge has been fortunate enough to accompany the research vessel Oden on the major international expedition SWERUSC3 this summer. “My pupils are just as excited as I am,” she says. THE EXPEDITION SETS off
at the beginning of July. Anna-Carin will spend six weeks with researchers from countries including Sweden, Russia, the US, the UK and Canada. She is curious about the world of research, and hopes to bring back new materials for her teaching. “As well as learning more, I’m also looking forward to the opportunity to see and experience Arctic wildlife.” HER SUPERVISOR is
professor and marine chemist Leif Anderson from the University of Gothenburg. “Anna-Carin will participate in the research team, and will be involved in as much as possible,” he says. With experience from ten years of teaching maths, chemistry, physics, biology and technology at junior high school level, Anna-Carin looks forward to learning new things and visiting the Arctic for the first time. “I hope to be able to share my knowledge and experiences with both pupils and parents when I come home.” Listen to a radio feature with Anna-Carin Bäckebo and Leif Andersson (in Swedish): u science.gu.se/aktuellt/nyheter/radio/ 24
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Mapping plants’ photosensitive ‘eyes’ Most plants try to turn towards the sun. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg working together with Finnish researchers have now been able to establish how the photosensitive proteins in plant cells change when they detect light. This involves the protein family phytocromes, which are present in the leaves of all plants. They indicate the existence of light and signal to the cells whether it is day or night, or whether the plant is in the shade or the sunshine. “You could compare them to the eyes of the plant,” explains Sebastian Westenhoff from the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Gothenburg. “Our study shows how these eyes work at molecular level.” The results have been published in the latest issue of the scientific journal Nature.
MEET OUR SCIENTISTS The Faculty of Science is producing short webfilms in which international employees share their experiences of working at the university. Meet Julie Grantham, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology science.gu.se/english/about/career/interviews/
Major investment in aquaculture research on Sweden’s west coast Aquaculture research at the University of Gothenburg won the grand slam when the Swedish Research Council Formas, Mistra and Lantmännen’s research foundation awarded funding for research into sustainable production systems. In all, almost SEK 32 milProfessor Kristina Snuttan Sundell lion was granted for interdisciplinary projects at the University. “This is fantastic news for the University of Gothenburg and for Sweden’s west coast,” says Professor Kristina Snuttan Sundell, Chairman of Aquaculture Centre West. Professor Sundell has received a SEK 15.9 million grant for a project on the development of marine aquaculture. The research deals with issues including making the production of popular fish and shellfish, such as spotted catfish and lobsters, more efficient. New feeds based on sustainable ingredients from mussels and unused by-products from herrings and shellfish will be developed. Professor Henrik Pavia has received SEK 15.7 million in funding for a project on the sustainable large-scale cultivation of macroalgae in Sweden. Globally, macroalgae cultivation is the fastest-growing sector within aquaculture, but despite good natural conditions this is entirely undeveloped in Sweden.
Reality-based teaching increases pupils’ interest in science Pupils’ waning interest in science and technology could be countered through more reality-based teaching. This has been demonstrated by Helena Sagar in her thesis in science specialising in educational science. “In an entrepreneurial learning environment, pupils are encouraged to come up with their own solutions, ideally in groups, to ‘real’ problems or problems that resemble actual cases that they might encounter in working life or within society,” she says. “Their self-esteem grows when they recognise the significance of their thoughts and ideas.”
MEASURING RADIOACTIVITY IN THE BODY Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have used computer modelling to construct a method that can be used to determine the amount of radioactive matter a person has ingested in the event of a nuclear accident, for example. In incidents involving radioactive substances, it is important to be able to determine whether someone has ingested a radionuclide and, if so, how much. “But it’s just as important to be able to confirm that no ingestion has occurred,” says Jenny Nilsson from the Department of Radiation Physics.
BARNACLES ADAPT TO SALINITY Understanding how
different species can adapt in nature has become an important question in connection with climate changes. Now, research from the University of Gothenburg shows that the bay barnacle has developed the ability to survive in waters with dramatically different levels of salinity. “By studying how different species can deal with these environmental changes, and how quickly new evolutionary adaptations can occur, we can get a better picture of how the sea will change in the future,” says Anna-Lisa Wrange from the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences. SCIENCE FACULTY MAGAZINE JUNE 2014
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The chairman who makes enough time Research student, chairman of the Scientific Doctoral Student Council, motorcycling enthusiast, pianist and drummer in a piping band. Sebastian Ibstedt’s solution for making enough time: Sleep fewer hours at night.
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RESEARCH
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n the break room at the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Sebastian Ibstedt’s fellow doctoral students grin when they hear that he will be featured in Science Faculty Magazine: “Now you’ll be famous!” He smiles at them, grabs his coffee, and steps out into the spring sunshine outside. “My colleagues probably think I’m a little eccentric,” he explains. “For example, I started practising polyphasic sleep two years ago. It involves sleeping fewer hours at night, with a few short naps in the morning. This morning I got up at four o’clock. Not much research has been carried out into the effects of polyphasic sleep on the body, so it might send me mad,” he adds with a laugh. SEBASTIAN CERTAINLY puts the extra
many doctoral students experience unhealthy levels of stress. There’s a great deal that can be done here to improve the work situation.” After four years studying molecular biology in Lund, Sebastian applied to the University of Gothenburg and studied physics and theology, and after completing his master’s programme in systems biology he was awarded a doctoral position at what was then the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology. He celebrated by taking his motorcycle test. SEBASTIAN’S RESEARCH RELATES to
yeast. He studies heavy metal toxicity from cellular and evolutionary perspectives. “We know that many metals have a negative impact on organisms, but what actually happens within the cell is often unclear. I want to understand how the three-dimensional structure of the proteins is affected by metals and other toxins. By investigating why certain proteins are more sensitive to metals than others, we hope to learn more about what characterises sensitive proteins in other organisms and environments, too.”
» It’s rewarding
being able to have an influence «
time to good use. In addition to being a postgraduate student, he has also been chairman of the Scientific Doctoral Student Council since autumn 2013 and devotes much of his time to improving conditions for doctoral students. “It’s rewarding being able to have an influence, and you learn a lot about how things work behind the scenes. One issue that I think is important is the worrying fact that
SEBASTIAN IBSTEDT Age: 30 Role: Doctoral student at the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology Family: Girlfriend Interests: Enjoys motorcycling (”Extremely contemplative, and gives me the chance to reflect”) and playing the drums in a piping band.
HE IS ALSO interested
in understanding the genetic causes of the variation in sensitivity between different metals and other toxins in naturally occurring yeast strains. The evolutionary mechanisms for how variations arise in a population and mean that certain individuals are favoured is also relevant in terms of understanding how cancer cells originate. “If there are many related objectives for this research, there are even more possible applications. These feel like meaningful questions, from both an environmental perspective and a health perspective.” TEXT ROBERT KARLSSON PHOTO MALIN ARNESSON
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Inter-continen in an EU-finan One year in Gothenburg and one in Warwick, after which Akinyemi David Ademola intends to return home to Nigeria to share his experiences. “Being able to gain experience from other countries and to learn things that there’s no knowledge of in my own country is a fantastic opportunity.”
Akinyemi David Ademola from Nigeria will be spending the next academic year in the UK. He thinks the opportunity to gain experience from different countries is fantastic.
ERASMUS MUNDUS The EU’s Erasmus Mundus programme ended in 2013, but programmes can be extended for another three years. The programme in Complex System Science has applied for an extension, and an assessment is currently under way to see if this will be granted. Experiences are exchanged within the programme through a summer school that brings together all first-year students from the four different educational institutions. This year they will meet in Gothenburg for a week to share their experiences and present their project work to each other. Year-two students will present their project work to each other via a video conference. 28
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rasmus Mundus is an EU-financed programme that aims to encourage and facilitate exchanges and mobility between countries within and beyond Europe. The University of Gothenburg offers an Erasmus Mundus master’s programme in Complex Systems Science, together with the University of Warwick in the UK, l’École Polytechnique in Paris and Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg. Students study at two different educational institutions, spending one year at each. In Gothenburg, students follow the Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) master’s programme, which is run jointly by the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology. There has been a great deal of interest, with 150 or so applicants applying for around ten places in the last round. Mats Granath is responsible for the Erasmus Mundus programme at the University of Gothenburg: “The Erasmus Mundus students are often extremely capable, and give the whole pro-
EDUCATION
n tal exchange of knowledge n ced exchange programme gramme an international character. This lends the programme strength, particularly since we have students from outside Europe – which is less common these days.” SINCE 2011, STUDENTS from
outside the EU/EEA have had to pay for their eduction, resulting in a dramatic fall in the number of international master’s students. Students on the Erasmus Mundus programme receive a subsistence scholarship from the EU, and they do not have to pay tuition fees. Two types of students are accepted: from the rest of Europe and from the rest of the world. Akinyemi David Ademola found out about Sweden from a friend who had studied there, and who recommended the country to him. “I’d heard that the people here are friendly and helpful, and they certainly are. Gothenburg is a beautiful city, and the people are cheerful.” AKINYEMI HAS A bachelor’s
degree in mathematics from Nigeria, and he believes that
his studies so far in Sweden have given him a lot of new knowledge. The programme is interdisciplinary, and focuses on methods for analysing different types of complex systems. Akinyemi mentions human life as one example of such a system. “People are complex in that we develop and adapt to change in different ways.” HE SAYS THAT studying
in Sweden is fantastic. Here in Sweden, knowledge is prioritised over grades, and the teaching staff focus on students learning to apply their knowledge. He also appreciates the cultural encounters, not only with Sweden and Swedes, but also with the other programme participants from every continent. The only thing he doesn’t like about Sweden is the winter. “It’s so dark and cold here in the winter! In Africa, the days are about as long as the nights all year round. Here, it’s dark for 16 hours a day in December. That’s something I won’t miss about Gothenburg!” TEXT & PHOTO CAMILLA PERSSON
Mats Granath, Erasmus Mundus programme director at the University of Gothenburg, thinks that the international students contribute a great deal to the master’s programme in Complex Adaptive Systems. Competition for Erasmus Mundus places is tough. In the last round, 150 or so applicants applied for around ten places.
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Books are a driving force Writing a book is a dream for many people, and there are no doubt plenty of us with an unfinished manuscript languishing in a drawer at home. For most people, this is never more than a dream. But for a few of our researchers, the dream has become reality.
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uch of a researcher’s work involves getting published in various scientific contexts. It may seem like a small step from scientific publication to producing a book, but as astronomer Marie Rådbo points out, writing scientific texts and writing popular science are two very different things. “As a researcher, you’re used to writing everything in chronological order and concluding with the results. When writing popular science, you have to capture the reader’s interest immediately.” SHE STARTED BY writing
children’s books about astronomy, since she was unable to find good books on the subject at an appropriate level for children. But starting to write wasn’t an obvious choice for Marie. She remembers the dread she felt at having to write essays at school, and thought for a long time that she couldn’t write. “But I decided that maybe I could write a little children’s book.” That first children’s book led to many more, and now she writes books for both children and adults. Despite the fact she’s currently working on her 13th book (“or maybe my 14th”), she avoids calling herself a writer. 30
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“Once you’ve written two books you get called a writer, but I’m not a writer. I’m an astronomer who has written books.” BUT HOW DOES she
manage to write books while also researching and teaching? “If you think something’s important, you’ll prioritise it. And the one discipline complements the other. Sometimes I get ideas for a book during a lecture, or I think of something to include in a lecture while working on a book. All popular science is good for academic work.” Her passion for passing her knowledge on to others and inspiring children and young people to read about science is what motivated her to write her first book. The same driving force has resulted in her continuing to write books, even though she insists that her current book will be her last. “I want to convey what we do in the academic world, and to find different ways of doing this. Writing books has been one arena among many others.” TEXT CAMILLA PERSSON PHOTO MALIN ARNESSON
Marie Rådbo started writing children’s books, but has also written books for adults about astronomy. She insists that her current book will be her last.
Books are a driving force
THE WORK THAT TOOK TEN YEARS TO WRITE A magnificent work on useful plants that weighs almost five kilograms is now on sale in a pale green presentation box. But it started out as a simple compendium on botany.
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ust over twelve years ago, a former classmate from Denmark asked biologist Bente Eriksen Molau whether an English book about botany was worth translating into Danish. “The book was dull and outdated, so I said no,” recalls Bente, who taught botany. “The compendium we had written ourselves and that the students used was actually much better. Then my friend asked why I didn’t write a book myself.” TOGETHER WITH HER colleague
Åslög Dahl from the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Magnus Neuendorf from Gothenburg Botanical Gardens, she has now published Nyttoväxter från hela världen
Cacao (Theobroma cacao)
(‘Useful Plants from Around the World’). The book describes and illustrates 400 plant species that are commonly sold in the Nordic region. The decision to write the book took the authors less than a week, but the work involved has taken more than a decade. “But it’s never been a chore,” says Åslög. “It’s actually been quite relaxing, and in many ways an adventure.” TO BEGIN WITH, the
authors had focused on the Danish publishing market. But after a third of the book had been written and translated into Danish, they decided to target the Swedish market instead. The big publishing houses were unconvinced, but the small SCIENCE FACULTY MAGAZINE JUNE 2014
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Books are a driving force
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
family company Warne – which was particularly fond of the images by Dane Kirsten Tind, who specialises in botanical illustrations – eventually showed an interest. “The illustrator is a close friend of mine,
and she put a great deal of work into the pictures,” says Bente. “She even grew plants at home so she could draw them accurately. She also studied at the botanical gardens in Copenhagen and here in Gothenburg.” THE WRITERS DIVIDED up
the research and the writing between them. Flora and databases have been scoured for information, theses have been read and the results have been discussed. Certain scientific essays that turned out to be too old have been rejected. Another difficulty has been knowing where to draw the line. “Writing about economically important plants such as rice or maize has been hard,” admits Åslög. “Or indigo, which has a long and varied history. As a result, the length of It took botanists Åslög Dahl and Bente Eriksen just over ten years to write Useful Plants from Around the World, a hobby project that has finally reached fruition.
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Books are a driving force
Mandarin, tangerine (Citrus reticulata)
the texts in the book varies considerably.”
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
READERS CAN LEARN that
the strawberry was the result of a fertilisation between two South American varieties of wild strawberry in 1788 in a French garden. The paths of these two varieties would never have crossed in nature. “We’ve gathered so many facts we can hardly remember everything ourselves now,” laughs Bente. THE BIGGEST DIFFICULTY was
funding the project, which was a hobby project. A scholarship of SEK 200,000 was the only financial contribution, but the authors hope to break even once half the books have been sold. The outlook is promising. “A quarter of the copies have been sold in just a few months, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed.”
Cacao (Theobroma cacao)
TEXT CARINA ELIASSON PHOTO JOHAN WINGBORG ILLUSTRATIONS KIRSTEN TIND SCIENCE FACULTY MAGAZINE JUNE 2014
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Books are a driving force
An educational journey through building conservation Does our shared cultural heritage have a place in an individualised, globalised, multicultural society? Is building conservation a matter of general education or a pastime for the upper classes? These are some of the questions addressed by town antiquarian Henrik Ranby in his book Henriks byggnadsvård – Kulturarvsarbete mellan teori och praktik (‘Henrik’s building conservation – Cultural heritage work between theory and practice’).
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wenty-five years ago, he qualified as a building conservationist and began his working life. Now he is summarising his experiences in a book. “My theory is that this type of work requires an interaction between theory and practice. You need to be able to combine theory with practical knowledge.” WRITING DOWN AND documenting professional
experiences is nothing unique in itself, but this is the first time such a task has been undertaken by a building conservationist. The book is an educational novel, and is already being used in education at the University of Gothenburg. It includes a discussion on the position of our cultural environmental values today. “The situation is contradictory,” says Henrik. “In recent years there has been a real breakthrough for conservation, as it involves issues that people are interested in. But at the same time, for example, Swedish schools have put less emphasis on historical and aesthetic subjects. Increased globalisation and individualisation can stand in opposition to conservation interests.”
Despite this, he believes that there have been many positive developments within the field in recent years. “For example, there are now building conservation centres offering products and advice relating to conservation. And in the last ten years, publications have provided an important and easily accessible source of information about conservation.” IN FUTURE, HENRIK will
be sharing his experiences in other ways than through his book. He will soon also be meeting with students on an ongoing basis, having been awarded a senior lectureship at the Department of Conservation. “It’s important to introduce practical knowledge into education. That’s something I’m looking forward to, as well as the opportunity to carry out research. If I’m halfway through my working life now, volume two of my book will have to wait until my retirement.” TEXT & PHOTO TANJA THOMPSON
HENRIK RANBY Education: Master’s degree in conservation specialising in building conservation at the University of Gothenburg, 1988. Doctoral degree in history of art at Lund University, 2002. Born: in Helsingborg Work: Town antiquarian in Höganäs. He will shortly begin working as a senior lecturer at the Department of Conservation. Latest news: His book Henriks byggnadsvård – Kulturarvsarbete mellan teori och praktik has been published by the Department of Conservation. 34
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Books are a driving force
What is science? Ulf Persson is a professor of mathematics who has written a book about Karl Popper – one of the 20th century’s most influential scientific theorists. At the turn of the millennium, Ulf Persson was Chairman of the Swedish Mathematical Society and became involved in a debate with mathematics didacticians on whether or not didactics is a science. He explains how, at the same time, he came into contact with Karl
In his book Karl Popper - falsifieringens profet (‘Karl Popper – the Prophet of Falsification’), Ulf Persson tests Popper’s theory in a number of branches of science, including economics, pedagogics and evolutionary biology. He describes Popper’s thoughts as follows: TODAY, AS MUCH as
possible should have a scientific basis. But what does science actually mean? Can philosophy and literature be sciences? And what about so-called social sciences such as economics and pedagogics? Is there a risk that the concept of science could become superficial? That the concept contains an element of prestige? THESE QUESTIONS AROUSED the
interest of the young Karl Popper as early as the 1920s, whose thoughts revolved primarily around Marx and Freud. And the criterion he formulated, in terms of falsification, has become almost notorious. It is certainly true that nothing in science can be proved, according to Popper, but instead refuted. Science makes advances by excluding possibilities. Democracy and science are intimately linked, and the freedom to criticise is fundamental, but freedom of speech does not mean – as postmodernists conclude – that all perceptions
Popper and read most of Popper’s writings over the course of the years. He has always had an interest in philosophy, and had dreamed about being a writer since childhood. “As a mathematician, you can never turn to a broader readership and say something deeper. Philosophy is different, which of course also played a significant part in my motivation.” TEXT TANJA THOMPSON
are of equal value. Value is determined not through voting or other social constructs, but through objective tests, and ideology consists of approaching the only truth. WITHIN MANY ACTIVITIES this
is seen as both dogmatic and naive, but nothing can be less dogmatic than science, insists Popper, and those who reject this cannot make claims of scientificity, any more than those who dogmatically maintain their own uncriticisable truth. More relevant to scientific circles is the fact that Popper also turns to Francis Bacon’s scientific philosophy, which is predominant today and forms the basis for research policy. This is a view which maintains that truth is evident and can be produced industrially, and aims to control nature and greater material prosperity. The truth is hard to find and cannot be systematically extracted, instead being the result of a highly creative activity based on bold hypotheses that survive constant attempts at falsification. POPPER DIFFERS FROM Kuhn
and his paradigms by emphasising the content of science and not its form. Something for modern universities to bear in mind, perhaps. Ulf Persson
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Axel Strömberg, Tobias Wallström och Aletta Csapo practise their skills ahead of the EUSO finals in Athens.
Training for
THE OLYMPIAD ••••••••••••• They won the national science finals in Stockholm and a place in the European Union’s Science Olympiad, EUSO. Science Faculty Magazine met the young hopefuls at the training camp as they prepared for the grand final in Athens.
S
ix pupils from around Sweden have come to Gothenburg to live together and carry out laboratory work in biology, chemistry and physics. Today, it’s chemistry. The young people listen with interest as Professor Lennart Sjölin from the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology goes through today’s laboratory work, which is about water. “Water is fascinating,” says Professor Sjölin as he writes formulae on the board in chalk. “It’s essential to all life in the universe, and we’ll be investigating hardness and oxygen in water.” Bottles, chemicals and titration equipment are all set up on the benches. There is a slightly dull clinking sound as liquids are measured out and poured into glasses and flasks. “It’s fun being able to learn more and meet other like-minded people,” says Tobias Wallström from Näsbydal School in Täby. “Of course, it’d be great to place well in Athens, but
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it’s the competition itself that’s the most fun. I’m looking forward to the whole adventure.” EUSO IS A science
competition for primary and secondary school pupils up to the age of 17. The competition involves more than 20 different countries, with each sending six pupils to the grand European final. Professor Sjölin’s goal is that this year’s team should learn to ‘work like real chemists’, and thereby achieve a better placing in the final in Athens. THE FACT THAT the
young people who have met up in Gothenburg are from different schools around Sweden and didn’t know each other before has not been a problem. “We’ve gotten to know each other really quickly,” says Axel Strömberg from Erik Dahlberg Upper Secondary School in Jönköping. “It didn’t take long, as we share the same interests.” Aletta Csapo from Donner Upper Secondary School in Gothenburg believes that conducting more experiments in schools would boost interest in science: “Starting with experiments arouses curiosity, which in turn creates a desire to know more.” TEXT & PHOTO CARINA ELIASSON
A BLOG AS A TOOL Traditional tools meet the latest technology in the work of craftsmanship doctoral students Roald Renmælmo and Tomas Karlsson. Their research area is pre-industrial carpentry, with a substudy within historic workbenches, which they document using a blog. “Most of our followers are from the US,” says Roald.
T
he idea of starting a blog as a tool in their study of workbenches first came about in August 2013. While working on his licentiate thesis, Tomas Karlsson had built up a wealth of material that needed to be documented. Together with his colleague Roald Renmælmo, he looked for different ways of bringing together this material while also being able to engage in dialogue on workbenches with craftsmen and other people with an interest in the subject. They wrote their first post in October 2013. “Carpentry is a relatively new subject area within a university context,” says Roald. “The blog has become an important tool for us for making contacts, within both academia and the wider world with other joiners.” SINCE CREATING the
blog, they have written almost 50 posts. Many of their visitors live outside the Nordic region – most of them come from
the US, and the UK and Germany also rank high in the visitor statistics. Many of those who read and comment on their posts are bloggers themselves. When Roald and Tomas noticed that they were receiving many replies from abroad, they started writing texts in English, too, to encourage English-speaking readers to comment. However, they mainly post in Norwegian and Swedish. “Our record is 2,793 visitors in a day, and that was for a post written in Norwegian,” explains Roald. “Norwegian and Swedish work well for interesting subject matter with good pictures. The blog is an important forum for promoting our Nordic tradition of craftsmanship, and the language is an important part of that tradition. That’s why we mainly blog in Norwegian and Swedish.” TEXT ROBERT KARLSSON PHOTOS ROALD RENMÆLMO & TOMAS KARLSSON
u Visit the blog:
hyvelbenk.wordpress.com
Tomas Karlsson makes a hole for one of the legs on a workbench in Mariestad
Roald Renmælmo works on one of the legs from the Vasa workbench
THE BLOG Roald Renmælmo and Tomas Karlsson are doctoral students in carpentry at the Department of Conservation. In their research, they have mapped literature about workbenches and historic examples in Norway and Sweden. One of their projects involves a workbench salvaged from the warship Vasa. They publish texts and images about their projects on their blog.
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AWARDS
2014 PROFESSOR ROGER BUTLIN
from the University of Sheffield has been awarded the Waernska Professorship. Professor Butlin is an evolutionary biologist, with a particular interest in issues relating to the evolution of new species. In his research, he studies what happens in hybrid zones and how new species emerge without the intervention of physical barriers. He is now linked to the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences. IAN A. FLEMING from the
Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada has been appointed holder of the 2014 Wallenberg Professorship by the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry. Professor Fleming will be linked to the University of Gothenburg to bring new expertise in order to strengthen operations within fishing and aquaculture. He is a world-class researcher when it comes to issues relating to the care and preservation of wild fish populations, and will be able to contribute towards a more integrated perspective, from ecology and evolutionary biology to fishing as an industry and nature conservation biology. At the same time, the professorship will also further broaden current and planned European collaboration with a North American perspective. ULRICH LANGE, a docent at
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tion, has been awarded the Foundation Fluidum’s annual SEK 60,000 scholarship for Swedish cultural history research. He will receive the scholarship for his work on Swedish-German links around the turn of the 18th century, and his work on the Dalslander Jonas Sundahl’s work as a successful architect in the German Palatinate region. WALKER O. SMITH from the
Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences has been awarded the King Carl XVI Gustaf Professorship in Environmental Science. He will be hosted by the University of Gothenburg. During his time in Sweden, Professor Smith will be studying physical and biogeochemical processes in the Skagerrak and the Baltic Sea, with the aim of understanding how different concurrent stress factors affect toxic algal blooms. The planned work will be carried out at Sweden’s three marine centres, including the Sven Lovén Centre for Marine Sciences at the University of Gothenburg. The collaborative project will involve Swedish researchers, researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences and Chinese researchers. SEBASTIAN WESTENHOFF
from the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology has been awarded the Royal Society of Arts and
Sciences in Gothenburg’s Albert Wallin Science Prize 2013. He has received the prize in recognition of his studies of rapid molecular processes in organic semiconductors and biochemical systems with time-resolved spectroscopy and x-ray distribution methods. “I’m delighted to have received this prize. The timing couldn’t have been better, as my team and I are currently putting a great deal of work into building a prominent new research environment within protein dynamics in Gothenburg.” Sebastian has also been named a Wallenberg Academy Fellow, the biggest individual private investment in young researchers in Sweden. The accompanying grant is worth SEK 7.5 million over five years. JOHAN ÅKERMAN,
Professor of Experimental Physics, is one of five researchers in Sweden to have been awarded the Göran Gustafsson Prize 2014. This is one of the most prestigious awards for young researchers. Professor Åkerman has received the award for his research within spintronics and nanomagnetism. “Of course, I’m very pleased to have been awarded the Göran Gustafsson Prize. It means a great deal to me personally, and it’s inspiring for the whole team that our work has been recognised in this way.”
Sam Dupont from the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences has been awarded the Faculty of Science’s 2014 Research Prize for his innovative research into marine evolutionary biology. The prize consists of SEK 250,000 for research, and was presented at the faculty’s research day on 6 February. Find out more about Sam Dupont on page 19. KERSTIN JOHANNESSON,
Professor of Marine Ecology, has been awarded the Rosén Linnaeus Prize in Zoology by the Royal Physiographic Society in Lund. The prize is worth SEK 400,000. What does receiving this prize mean to you? It recognises the research I lead, and what my many colleagues and I have achieved over the years. What was the award ceremony like? It was actually quite grand. It was a formal do, but I wore a trouser suit. There were fanfares and applause for all the prize winners. Then there was a gala dinner at the historic Grand Hotel in Lund, with fantastic entertainment from the Malmö Academy of Music. What will you do with the prize money? The prize is personal, rather than funding for my research. So I’ll save it for a few years and then buy an electric car once the prices have come down a bit. I’ll also be making a generous donation to Save the Children.
Prize for best thesis The Faculty of Science’s 2014 prize for the best thesis was awarded to Linda Johansson from the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology. How does it feel to have won the Faculty of Science’s 2014 prize for the best thesis? It feels great! It’s always nice to be recognised for your research. What does your research involve? It involves developing new methods to examine what membrane proteins look like and how they work. Membrane proteins are present in all living organisms, and they deal with everything from photosynthesis to signalling within and between cells. But they’re too small to study
with a microscope, so they have to be crystallised. What can society learn from your research? We hope that our research can provide knowledge about how various cell processes work. For example how a drug attaches to a receptor, or how sunlight can be converted into energy. Above all else, we hope that our methods will be used by other researchers to solve the structure of more important proteins! TEXT ROBERT KARLSSON PHOTO KARIN ALLANDER
Thesis title: Advances in Membrane Protein Structural Biology: Lipidic Sponge Phase Crystallization, Time-Resolved Laue Diffraction and Serial Femtosecond Crystallography
u For more information, see: http://hdl.handle.net/2077/32704
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VIRTUE
A SCHOOL PROJECT FOR ALL AGES
VIRTUE 2014/2015 Virtue goes on a European harbour tour together with Öckerö Sailing Upper Secondary School and T/S Gunilla to demonstrate marine biodiversity in different countries. See our web site for more information.
Den 10-14 augusti, för dig som ska börja gymnasiets årskurs 3 hösten 2014. Läs mer på vår webbplats.
www.science.gu.se/english/cooperation/virtue/