EDUCATION
RESEARCH
IN THE MEDIA
Online components replace laboratory sessions
Trees can lower temperatures in cities
What role should researchers be playing in social debate?
Science Faculty Magazine The Faculty of Science University of Gothenburg
” What are we doing to our world, and how bad is it? I Anne Bjorkman, plant ecologist # 1, 2021 want to understand that.”
He has the climate in his sights Deliang Chen is one of the world’s top climate scientists
Naturvetenskapliga fakulteten, Göteborgs universitet
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SCIENCE FACULTY MAGAZINE// THIS ISSUE
In this issue MY SUBJECT ANNE BJORKMAN
She studies climate change in the Arctic She loves plants, enjoys history and wants to understand how things are connected. So it’s hardly surprising that her focus became plant ecology.
City climate with an impact. Researcher Fredrik Lindberg investigates the climate in our cities.
Science Faculty Magazine
Science Faculty Magazine is for those interested in the University of Gothenburg and in particular the work at the Faculty of Science.
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When should a scientist get involved in social debate? And can you talk about anything at all? Three scientists discuss.
Editor: Camilla Persson +46-31-786 9869 camilla.persson@ science.gu.se Publisher: Gustav Bertilsson Uleberg
Editorial staff: Carina Eliasson Ulrika Ernström Erika Hoff Madelene Szabó Tanja Thompson
Address: Göteborgs universitet Fakultetskansliet för naturvetenskap Box 460 405 30 Göteborg E-mail: info@science.gu.se
Online magazine: www.sciencefacultymagazine.com
Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2021
EDITORIAL// GÖRAN HILMERSSON
Instagram: @naturvetenskapgu Twitter: @naturvetenskap facebook.com/naturvetenskapgu
”The sciences as a whole serve as a counterweight to opinion.”
RESEARCH
Species extinction a threat to our existence
in a time when there are many different opinions on what is right and wrong, the scientific community needs to step up and clarify what is fact and what is opinion. This is not always an easy task, given that research results are sometimes experienced as ambiguous or even contradicto”As a uni- ry. The state of knowversity, we ledge is constantly have a great changing and the cloresponsibility ser the question is to to contribute the forefront of the factual know- research, the greater the likelihood is that ledge.” what we consider to be true today perhaps will not be considered true tomorrow. All of this means it can be difficult to judge what is fact, which can give scope for opinion.
Preserving our biodiversity is important, and the scientists are unanimous – we need to change our behaviour.
listen to an individual scientist but to the sciences as a whole. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is perhaps the prime example of the sciences as a whole. The IPCC brings together thousands of scientists from around the globe. Together, they work to analyse the state of knowledge and to present their collective results concerning climate change.
as a university , we have a great responsibility to contribute factual knowledge and to explain how research is conducted. The public, whose taxes fund a lot of the research being done, have a right to know what their money is being spent on. However, the current pandemic has also demonstrated the need to communicate research in order to provide information on the spread of the sciences as a whole serve infection and vaccinations. Well-inas a counterweight to opinion. Of- formed citizens are able to make ten, conclusions can be drawn from better informed decisions, and this individual research reports, but we is why research communication is a must look at the state of knowled- vital part of a democra- tic sociege as a whole. Greta Thunberg is an ty. Y advocate here when she says ‘Listen to the scientists’, that is, do not
Cover: Malin Arnesson Graphic form: Rubrik AB Print: Stibo Göran Hilmersson, Dean and Professor hilmers@chem.gu.se The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg
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RESEARCH// BIODIVERSITY
Species extinction Scientists believe that we are entering what is known as the sixth mass extinction event. The last mass extermination took place 65 million years ago when the dinosaurs died out. Species are threatened by the cultivation of wildlands, as well as excessive hunting and the trade in exotic animals for use in traditional medicines for example. Researchers have also warned about tipping points if the negative trends seen in terms of climate change and reduction in species are not stopped: the Amazon rainforest may disappear, the Arctic ice cap melt, the Atlantic Ocean circulation could slow down, forests disappear, coral reefs die out, the break-up of Greenland’s ice sheet will intensify, the permafrost will thaw and ice will begin to break up in western and eastern Antarctica.
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Science ScienceFaculty FacultyMagazine Magazine| |Nummer Number X, 1, 20XX 2021
The Earth’s species diversity is essential for human survival Biodiversity is shrinking at an accelerated pace, with incalculable consequences such as pandemics, food shortages, and the collapse of ecosystems. For the scientists, it is crystal clear. We must change our behaviour. And do it quickly. from space , our planet
is a magical blue sphere floating in the Universe. From the perspective of an aeroplane, ten thousand metres above sea level, the view is quite different. A patchwork of crop fields in shades of green and yellow are laid out under the wings. A landscape emerges where wilderness has been pushed aside and monocultures have taken over. Today, three quarters of the Earth’s land surface is heavily impacted by human activity. Our planet is becoming increasingly bereft of species – both animals and plants. One million of the Earth’s eight million species are under threat: 500,000 plants and animals and as many insects. But without the Earth’s species diversity, humans will fare badly. “We would not be able to colonise the moon or Mars on our own without taking many other species with us to have a chanThe Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg
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RESEARCH// BIODIVERSITY
IPBES IPBES stands for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. It was founded in 2012 and is the biodiversity equivalent of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It prepares objective assessments about the state of knowledge in this area (eight have been published to date), as well as providing key tools and methodologies for biodiversity and ecosystem services. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is the national point of contact for the IPBES in Sweden. The IPBES’s goal is to strengthen interactions between research and policy-makers in order to preserve and sustainably cultivate nature, plants and animals. It is an intergovernmental platform and is not subject to any international convention or agreement. 137 nations are members of IPBES.
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ce of survival. Biodiversity feeds us, it protects us, and we are one with it,” says Allison Perrigo, scientist and Director of the Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre (GGBC).
energy and access to raw materials and medicines. Genetic diversity is therefore essential. Intact habitats and ecosystems are also needed for species to be able to survive. Christine Bacon, a biologist specialising in in 2004 , a big tsunami occurred in the Indi- genetics, compares an ecosystem to a coman Ocean. In a protected marine area in Sri plex web in which each species has a role to Lanka, the giant wave travelled just fifty me- play. tres inland because the coral reefs were intact “When you start messing with these webs, and had a protective effect. However, next they can fall apart. We may not know what to the protected marine area where the reefs the significance of each species is in its surwere severely damaged, the wave travelled as roundings yet. But if species disappear, entire ecosystems can collapse.” far as 1500 metres inland. “Maybe we do not realise that we need Nature before we really experience that need. species emerging and disappearing is a naWe still don’t even have names for 85-90 per tural part of evolution. However, the loss of cent of all the species on Earth or knowled- species is currently at least 100 times greage of what they could contribute in terms of ter than natural loss, according to the researfood and medicines for example,” says Alli- ch. One reason is that plants and animals are son Perrigo. being pushed out of their natural habitats as Biodiversity is important on many levels. land is cultivated. Monocultures are taking Different species are needed to provide food, over; housing and new infrastructure is being 6 /
Allison Perrigo Director of the Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, GGBC
Lars Gamfeldt Researcher at the Department of Marine Sciences.
Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2021
u ”When you start messing with these webs, they can fall apart. We may not know what the significance of each species is in its surroundings yet. But if species disappear, entire ecosystems can collapse.”
built. Animals are therefore being forced into closer proximity to civilisation. This results in increased contact between wild animals and people and with it an increased risk of pathogens jumping from animals to humans. “I suppose the most obvious way that we know about this today is the current pandemic. More than 70 per cent of new diseases that emerge come from animals that have transmitted the infection to humans,” says Allison Perrigo.
very apparent that different species do different things. Lars Gamfeldt, researcher at the Department of Marine Sciences, has dedicated a lot of research hours to this multifunctionality. “Certain species are important for food production, others are essential for pollination, some stabilise the soil and ensure that it is not depleted of nutrients. The more dimensions we take into account, the more important we realise that diversity is.” According to Lars Gamfeldt, the biggest in order to map biodiversity, scientist future threat is the combination of climate Christine Bacon studies DNA sequences. She change, the loss of biodiversity and the inlooks at species’ resistance and specialises in creasing pressure to produce enough food for how human impacts are affecting the loss of the Earth’s soon eight billion people. “We must find better and sustainable food species. Her research group maps and studies solutions and not, as we are doing today, genetics and filiations. “We collect species and carry out DNA se- over-fish and allow monocultures to force quencing so that we can preserve species to- out other species,” he says. day and into the future,” she says. Thanks to the Intergovernmental Science If you study ecosystem services, it becomes Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosys-
The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg
Christine Bacon Researcher at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences.
Marie Stenseke Professor of Human Geography and one of two chairs of the IPBES Multidisciplinary Expert Panel.
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tem services (IPBES) for example, which is the biodiversity equivalent of the UN’s IPCC, we have an idea of why biodiversity is declining so rapidly. The cause is primarily changes in land use. Natural areas are disappearing at an accelerating rate; now only 20 per cent of the Earth’s surface is relatively unaffected by human activity. that cover approximately seven per cent of the Earth’s surface and where over half of all species live are particularly important. The Amazon rainforests are being ravaged by reckless felling at an increasing rate to create space for the cultivation of soybeans and palm oil for example. Wild animals are disappearing, and, in the worst case scenario, rainforests could turn into savanna. This devastation not only affects the local biodiversity – it can affect the climate of the entire continent. “The loss of biodiversity not only applies at the species level, but also at other levels such as genetic diversity and ecosystem diversity. Losing genetic and ecosystem diversity can hurt us just as much, if not more, than losing individual species,” says Allison Perrigo. However, it is not all doom and gloom. Research is ongoing and knowledge is spreading. Marie Stenseke is Professor of Human Geography at the University of Gothenburg and the tropical rainforests
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one of two co-chairs of the IPBES Multidisciplinary Expert Panel: “Human behaviour is of course the fundamental problem, so we need to work together to find solutions and spread knowledge. Scientists contribute the biological aspects and political scientists and humanities scholars contribute knowledge about people and how society functions,” she says. For many economically vulnerable groups, preserving biodiversity is a matter of survival. “The IPBES global assessment highlights the fact that the loss of biodiversity in the world has led to an increase in global injustice. Over-exploitation has generated increased wealth for the already wealthy while the poor have had to foot the bill with depleted environments. This is about issues of justice and redistribution of wealth in the broadest sense. The economically vulnerable are affected the most but have almost no voice in the debate,” says Marie Stenseke.
The Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, GGBC The Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre (GGBC) based at the University of Gothenburg brings together researchers, decision-makers and the public on biodiversity, as well as expanding and developing research in this area. GGBC has 16 partner organisations throughout western Sweden, who all work with biodiversity in various ways.
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Read more gu.se/en/ggbc -global-biodiversity
) Text: Carina Eliasson ) Photo: GGBC, Allison Perrigo, Christine Bacon, Johan Wingborg Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2021
) Text: Carina Eliasson ) Photo: Anna Teiner, Göteborgs botaniska trädgård och Naturvårdsverket
RESEARCH// THREE VOICES
Three voices on ...
Three experts offer their perspectives on a current topic.
...biological diversity and its accelerating decline. What are the threats? What can government agencies and organisations do to reverse this negative trend?
Isak Isaksson
Stina Weststrand
Claes Svedlindh
Biologist and expert at the Forest and Agriculture Department of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation
Scientific Curator at Gothenburg Botanical Garden
Head of the Natural Environment Department at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
”We are facing two major threats: intensive forestry that results in clear-felling, and open landscapes with meadows and pastures becoming overgrown. The number of species on the national red list has gradually risen in the past 20 years and indicates a negative trend. In order to halt the loss of species, more of the planet’s natural environments need to be protected, and our natural resources must be used sustainably. For example, politicians must safeguard the protection of our few remaining ancient forests, ensure the restoration of more wetlands, and create better conditions for conserving natural pastures. The use of fertilisers and chemical pesticides in agriculture needs to be reduced, and we must put a stop to overfishing. The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation has chalked up many successes. We have saved the sea eagle and the peregrine falcon, and right now, the forest is an important issue for us. Our last remaining natural forests, rich in flora and fauna, must get long-term protection.”
”A major threat to biodiversity is the inability to see and take responsibility for the broader consequences of human activity. We have a lot of knowledge today, but we need to act faster. We must continue to stimulate enthusiasm and curiosity about nature. Only through interest and appreciation can we cultivate awareness and understanding. We cannot preserve what we do not know exists. A question that I often use to illustrate these thoughts are: How many plants have you used today? The Botanical Garden is a window onto the diversity of the plant world. It is a knowledge centre where the public, school pupils and various professions can come together to discuss, to be fascinated by, and to have their eyes opened to the natural world. The collection of plants in the Garden is a living gene bank that functions as infrastructure for research and conservation efforts, both nationally and internationally.”
”Our land and water use is not in sufficient harmony with biodiversity. The worst development that is currently occurring is in the farmed landscape where many species – including those that were previously common – are in serious decline. We are experiencing ongoing climate change which is also having clear impacts. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for coordinating many government environmental initiatives. At present, these include projects relating to wild pollinators, wetlands and the control of invasive alien species. We are also working with financial compensation to land and water owners to ensure the protection of valuable areas of natural environment and providing grants for the care of protected natural areas; as well as offering guidance and support to government agencies and others in relation to the legislation concerning biological diversity. Other things we are responsible for include environmental monitoring and knowledge acquisition, issuing calls for research funding applications, and international partnerships.”
The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg
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The planet of the future ) Text: Carina Eliasson, Ulrika Ernström ) Photo: Filip Stedt, Laura Natali, Leon Green
THE NUMBER
Is the spot the University of Gothenburg takes in this year's THE ranking based on alignment with the UN's sustainable goals.
Warmer than expected under the ’Doomsday Glacier’ the ice sheet in West Antarctica accounts for about ten percent of the current rate of sea level rise; but also the ice in West Antarctica holds the most potential for increasing that rate because the fastest changes worldwide are taking place in the Thwaites Glacier. For the first time, researchers have been able to obtain data from underneath Thwaites Glacier, also known as the ”Doomsday Glacier”. They find that the supply of warm water to the glacier is larger than previously thought, triggering concerns of faster melting and accelerating ice flow. ”This process can lead to an accelerated melting taking place at the bottom of the glacier and inland movement of the so-called grounding zone,
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the area where the ice transitions from resting on the seabed to floating in the ocean,” says Anna Wåhlin, professor of oceanography. The research group has measured the heat transport in one of the three channels that lead warm water towards Thwaites Glacier from the north. The value measured there, 0.8 TW, corresponds to a net melting of 75 km3 of ice per year, which is almost as large as the total basal melt in the entire ice shelf. Although the amount of ice that melts as a result of the hot water is not much compared to other global freshwater sources, the heat transport has a large effect locally and may indicate that the glacier is not stable over time. Y
In global top 50 for sustainability The University of Gothenburg has taken the 49th spot in the Times Higher Education (THE) ranking of the world’s universities based on alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. “Coming in 49th place is a very strong result,” says analyst Magnus MacHale-Gunnarsson. “It’s great to see the THE producing a ranking of this kind, shining a spotlight on factors other than the quality of academic research. After all, universities have other purposes too.” GU comes in 4th place under SDG 4 Quality Education, which Vice-Chancellor Eva Wiberg sees as an excellent result. “For GU’s part, the ranking is very welcome since it has sustainable development as one of its focus areas. Fourth place in Quality Education is remarkable.” 1 115 institutions took part in this year's ranking. Y Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2021
The images show a simulated outbreak at the same point in time, with and without the researchers’ method. The left map shows the status when not using the method and when the community is not shut down. It is dominated by orange (infectious) and black (previously infected and now immune or deceased). The right map shows the status at the same point in time but where the researchers’ method has been used. The map is dominated by grey (not infectious but susceptible) and blue which indicates shutdown areas that were able to be identified thanks to the method.
Machine learning can help slow down future pandemics artificial intelligence could be
one of the keys for limiting the spread of infection in future pandemics. In a new study, researchers at the University of Gothenburg have investigated how machine learning can be used to find effective testing methods during epidemic outbreaks, thereby helping to better control the outbreaks. “This can be a first step towards society gaining better control of future major outbreaks and reduce the need
to shutdown society,” says Laura Natali, a doctoral student in physics at the University of Gothenburg and the lead author of the published study. she emphasises that the study is a
simulation and that testing with real data is needed to improve the method even more. Therefore, it is too early to use it in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, she sees the research as a first step in being able to
Software can predict extinctions
Invasive fish can spread into lakes
A research team in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences has developed software than can predict future extinctions of species. This computer programme uses publicly available data. “Our programme can also be used to simulate the effects of specific conservation strategies, and the results are hopeful. We can have an incredibly positive impact if we act now,” says Tobias Andermann, the author of the thesis in which the software was first presented. Y
The round goby is an invasive fish species that has quickly established itself in the Baltic. New research now shows that the species can spread into inland lakes and compete with native fish species. “Our results show that there is a big risk that round gobies from the Baltic will spread into our lakes here in Sweden. Steps should therefore be taken to prevent their spread in water courses that flow into the Baltic or where shipping from the Baltic enters Swedish lakes such as Lake Mälaren,” says researcher Leon Green. Y
The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg
implement more targeted initiatives to reduce the spread of infections, since the machine learning-based testing strategy automatically adapts to the specific characteristics of diseases. As an example, she mentions the potential to easily predict if a specific age group should be tested or if a limited geographic area is a risk zone, such as a school, a community or a specific neighbourhood. Y
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MY SUBJECT// ANNE BJORKMAN
”What are we doing to our world, and how bad is it?” Climate change is happening twice as fast in the Arctic, and what happens there has a huge impact on the rest of the world. Climate scientist Anne Bjorkman is following these developments in real time. 12 /
plants. She also loves history and wants to understand how things are interconnected and change over time. So it’s hardly surprising that she has chosen to dedicate her professional life to specialising in plant ecology. “Curiosity is the biggest driver for me. I am quite simply very curious about ecology and the change that is happening. What are we doing to anne bjorkman loves
Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2021
Arctic ecology THEN:
The Arctic ecologists of the past were brilliant ecologists and natural historians, with keen observational skills. These scientists developed many of the leading hypotheses about how climate change would influence Arctic plants, but their ability to test those hypotheses was sometimes limited by the scale of study (often limited to a single study location), the lack of precise temperature data, and the lack of long-term vegetation monitoring data that tracks changes in the species composition over time.
NOW:
our world, and how bad is it? I want to understand that, because otherwise we won’t be able to do anything about it,” she says. it ’ s a chilly spring day in the Gothenburg Botanical Garden, and new growth is yet to take off. But Anne Bjorkman is accustomed to the cold and to bare landscapes. She has spent the last few years studying the Arctic, and how its vegetation and ecology in the large area around the Earth’s North Pole are being impacted by climate change. There are many reasons why climate scientists are so interested in the Arctic. Here, climate change is leading to a temperature rise twice that of the rest of the world, and everything that happens in the region can have huge global significance. The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg
We are building on the impressive efforts of Arctic ecologists who began experimental and monitoring efforts back in the 1990’s. Now, there are dozens of sites, all over the Arctic, with data from almost 30 years of warming experiments and vegetation monitoring. In addition, new technologies allow us to monitor temperature not just at a single climate station, but in hundreds of plots across the landscape, thus better reflecting temperatures at the scale a plant actually experiences.
IN THE FUTURE:
Combining long-term monitoring efforts from many different Arctic locations with new data collection and new technologies opens a whole new world in our understanding of the impacts of climate change. We will be able to test hypotheses about how the vegetation is changing and which species are the “winners” and “losers” of this change (i.e., immigrating, increasing, or disappearing from Arctic environments). A major area of future research will be to better understand what the consequences of these changes are for the rest of the ecosystem.
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MY SUBJECT// ANNE BJORKMAN
”That knowledge is also important to be able to make the right decisions, for example, whether it is necessary to assist certain species to move further north” Anne Bjorkman, Senior Lecturer in Plant Ecology
“The whole Arctic can be seen as a test case for how things may develop in the rest of the world, as we can monitor how vegetation and the ecosystems are being affected by accelerated warming. In addition, half of the Earth’s terrestrial carbon is found in the Arctic’s frozen tundra. If the tundra melts and carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, it could have an enormous impact on global warming,” she says. possible thanks largely to a five-year grant from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. “The grant has opened up whole new opportunities. For example, we can now study several places at once, which is important for being able to draw overall conclusions. And we can ask those additional research questions that can lead to such important results,” she says. her research is
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Anne Bjorkman Position: Senior Lecturer in Plant Ecology. Age: 39. Family: Husband, two children, two cats and a dog. Proud of: Being able to start her own research team and that she is able to support her doctoral students to follow their interests and own ideas. Background: Born in Virginia in the USA, but with a Swedish background – Anne’s great grandfather was from Skåne and emigrated to the USA at the end of the 19th century.
The next research expedition is planned for the summer, this time to Svalbard. This is where Anne Bjorkman and her research team will study how the biodiversity in the area is being affected by climate change. They will compare different places with varying topographies and vegetation, and there are primarily two questions that the researchers aim to investigate. On the one hand, they want to explore whether plants growing in areas where there is great variation in temperature, for example in mountainous areas, are coping with global warming better than other plants. On the other hand, they want to examine shifts in vegetation in the wake of the warming. “Who are the winners and losers when the climate gets warmer? Which species survive the temperature rise? And will new species, which currently grow further south, move into the Arctic?” Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2021
) Text: Ulrika Ernström ) Photo: Malin Arnesson, Anne Bjorkman
Pudam, sam resequam cum re nis dolecus sitist aliquameniet lia sandis as estrum simos restio eaturec atecti doloria que nonsequatur.
The research team has already been able to observe certain changes. Anne Bjorkman explains that some species that were previously found in one area of the Arctic can now be found in new places. In areas of thawing, some species are flowering earlier than before, and some plants have grown significantly bigger than they did previously. Changes that all affect the ecosystem in different ways. “A lot of our research is about understanding the significance of climate change in the Arctic, predicting what is going to happen and how the rest of world will be impacted. That knowledge is also important to be able to make the right decisions, for example, whether it is necessary to assist certain species to move further north,” she says. her love of field work remains strong, despite it having become more difficult since starting a family. To be virtually cut off from The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg
the rest of the world for long periods can be difficult – but also liberating. “Not checking your e-mail for months and only using a satellite phone to communicate… You are really a long way away from everyday reality. But it also means that you can concentrate on the research and avoid having to absorb what is happening around the world and all the horrible news that otherwise tends to wash over you,” she says. What is your best memory from the field? “A trip to Greenland in 2019. My son was eight months old, and my husband took parental leave so that we could all go together. I was able to work and still have my family close to me in a fantastic Arctic environment. There were no polar bears – or mosquitoes – but there were enormous icebergs and a beautiful tundra. We saw seals every day. It was quite simply perfect. Y / 15
Sustainable everyday life ) Text: Carina Eliasson, Karl-Johan Nylén, Johanna Hillgren ) Photo: Karin Hermerén, Alexandra Kinnby
Acidification may harm the seaweed belt
Inadequate protection in the law for public art there is a gap in the law when it comes to the preservation of public art in buildings. Valuable cultural heritage is thus at risk of being forgotten or disappearing. A new thesis on cultural heritage completed at the University of Gothenburg sheds light on this issue. Since the introduction in 1937 of the ‘one per cent rule’, there has been major investment in site-specific art in public spaces. The rule, which is really just a recommendation, requires one per cent of construction costs to be set aside for commissioning artworks. In her thesis, conservator Karin Hermerén has analysed the decision-making processes relating to site-specific art from a long-term conservation perspective. In her view, there ought to be opportunities for a public, shared management and oversight responsibility for the artworks that have been paid for out of the public purse, regardless of their subsequent owners. “Current legislation could accommodate measures to better preserve, manage and protect these artworks. However, the relationship between the qualification criteria in the Heritage Conservation Act and more general Planning and Building Act makes it difficult to apply the protection provisions. Established practice relating to protection regulations is at odds with the special conditions relating to artistic value and copyright,” says Karin Hermerén. Y
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AN ACIDIFIED marine environment can result in algae and seaweed growing more rapidly. However, a new study conducted at the University of Gothenburg shows that this rapid growth risks having serious consequences for ecosystems in close proximity to the coast. It has been shown that seaweed becomes much more fragile and breaks up more easily in an acidified marine environment. In combination with the expectation that strong winds and storms are likely to occur more regularly as a result of climate change, this increases the risk that the entire seaweed belt will be shredded to pieces and washed away by the waves. “Hopefully, our results will raise awareness of the fact that climate change can also have a negative impact on normal – but very important – species in our ecosystems,” says Alexandra Kinnby, a doctoral student in Marine Ecology and the lead author of the article in question. Y
Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2021
THE PICTURE
Children’s book aims to awaken interest in research Anyone can become a researcher and there are many different routes to taking up research. This is one of the things that a new book Forskardrömmar [Researcher Dreaming] wants to convey to children. Mattias Marklund, Professor of Physics at the University of Gothenburg, is one of 60 Swedish researchers to be profiled in the book published by Young Academy of Sweden. “My contribution is about my childhood – how I used my curiosity to learn things and explore how things worked. Mainly explosives and boomerangs,” says Mattias Marklund. The book Forskardrömmar: Berättelser för nyfikna barn [Researcher Dreaming: Stories for Curious Children] is aimed at children aged 9-12. Y
Illustration:Niclas Åkerblom
THE WORD
deep learning
Deep learning is a a type of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Deep learning can be described as a mathematical model used to solve problems that are difficult to tackle using traditional algorithmic methods.
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Danish marine farmers share knowledge about marine allotments
18 high school pupils head to Swedish Research Championships
number of marine allotments has seen explosive growth, with more than 1,000 people cultivating mussels, oysters and algae as a hobby. As part of a new project “Ocean Harvest in Scandinavia”, the Danes will share their experiences with their Nordic neighbours. Maria Bodin is the coordinator of a pilot project that has the aim of developing Sweden’s first marine allotments. “Our project is focused on designing the allotment site, testing various tools and organisms that are suitable, and creating an information hub focusing on food of the future. I think we can learn a lot from the work taking place in Denmark,”she says. Y
THE EFFECT OF THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE on performance, the aerodynamics of paper planes, and the temperature of the Baltic Sea – the range of subjects was very broad when one of seven regional semi-finals in the Swedish Research Championships run by the Unga Forskare association for young researchers were held on 25 February. A total of 18 pupils from the Gothenburg area qualified for the final. The final took place virtually on 29 March and saw three of the projects from the Gothenburg semi-final receive prizes, meaning they were selected for Sweden’s national team of young researchers for 2021. The full list of winners is available at ungaforskare.se. Y
IN DENMARK, THE
The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg
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Urban climate research for healthier cities VHAT? Urban climatology focuses
on how the local climate, air quality and the perceived temperature in urban environments is affected by buildings, green structures and land use. It includes everything from basic research to developing tools for architects and urban planners. It is an interdisciplinary subject area.
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WHEN? The University of Gothen-
burg has been conducting urban climate research since the 1970s. Fredrik Lindberg is currently leading a project on the effects of heat waves on preschool children, for which Master’s student Oskar Bäcklin has studied 438 preschool yards in Gothenburg. Most of them did not have adequate shade.
WHY? With climate change and in-
creasing urban settlement, the problems brought on by urban heat islands are increasing. By integrating climate science into urban planning and architectural design, it is possible to build a healthier and more attractive city.
Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2021
RESEARCH// SUSTAINABLE EVERYDAY LIFE
He seeks cool relief in an ever warmer city It is hot in the city, and it is only going to get hotter. Fredrik Lindberg, researcher at the Department of Earth Sciences, knows how to reduce temperatures that are hazardous to health during heat waves. “Large trees are the most important”, he says.
a biting wind crosses Stigbergstorget. That is what it is like when you live in Gothenburg, most of the time. Fredrik Lindberg pulls his woollen hat down over his forehead. “Our research field finds itself in a catch-22 situation. We often have bad weather, the rain is horizontal and people at our latitudes need the Sun when it finally makes an appearance. At the same time, children, the elderly and people with heart and lung diseases are vulnerable. Who should we design the city for?” asks Fredrik rhetorically and then answers himself: “We need to create a mosaic, a city that takes all the city’s residents into account. A city is always warmer than the surrounding countryside. Particularly when the weather is fine. Researchers at the De-
The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg
partment of Earth Sciences have measured a difference of 12 degrees between central Gothenburg and the countryside surrounding it. “Yet our Swedish cities are small by global standards. And we are yet to start cooling our homes, which makes the outdoor climate in many cities even warmer due to the energy that is used for air conditioning,” says Fredrik. as the global temperature rises, our cities will also get warmer. But the local climate is also affected by many other factors. The location of the city – on the coast or inland – plays a role, as well has how it is designed. A long, narrow city with streets running north to south is cooler than a compact city with streets running from east
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RESEARCH// SUSTAINABLE EVERYDAY LIFE
The design of the city centre, with tall buildings side by side, has remained essentially the same for decades and often for hundreds of years back in time. The city climate, on the other hand, has changed. This is due to global warming and to the fact that growing cities generate a lot of heat from traffic and other human activity.
The urban heat island
Spending any time on paved areas without shade from trees and buildings during a heat wave is unbearable. You have to move fast across Drottningtorget.
This is a key concept in urban climate research. An urban heat island means that a big city is significantly warmer than its surroundings, particularly at night. It was the ‘father of meteorology’, British scientist Luke Howard, who discovered this phenomenon in London in the early 1800s.
a
to west where the Sun’s rays reach the ground for many hours of the day. The height of the buildings, how close they are to each other as well as what they are made of all have an effect. The trend towards higher density urban development is making cities even warmer. There is hardly any room for green spaces, which are essential. “However the weather has the greatest impact. High pressure with little wind, only a few clouds and lots of sun generates heat stress. Not only does it lead to health problems, but it also has an impact on the efficiency of workers and the economy,” says Fredrik. In addition, he points out, the urban heat island (see fact box) is a socio-economic problem given that not everyone is able to drive a car to the coast to cool down on hot days.
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The Department of Earth Sciences is located on Medicinareberget. The research team is small: two to three senior researchers, a few postdocs and a handful of doctoral students.
Fredrik Lindberg Är: Reader in Earth Sciences specialising in urban climatology. In the spotlight because: He is currently working on producing a modelling tool and identifying measures to reduce heat stress in future heat waves.
the extreme heat in the summer of 2018 gave urban research an additional boost. The knowledge acquired by Fredrik and his colleagues is now in demand. “Making it available to others is important,” says Fredrik. In addition to mapping the local climate in different districts, the geoscientists are developing practical tools for others. Urban planners and architects need their help to build a more attractive city. “It’s exciting when you see that they are starting to use what we have developed. And they are doing so more and more!”
Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2021
The benches under the trees on Stigbergstorget create a pensioner-friendly environment. Fredrik Lindberg enjoys spending time there too. “The cherry trees on Järntorget are another good example,” he says.
So what can be done about increasingly warm cities? Material and colour choices and geometry play a part. Even more important are the water and green spaces of blue-green infrastructure. How the green spaces element is designed has a range of different effects: Green spaces. “A large park can have positive effects several hundred metres into the city blocks around it.”
“High pressure with little wind, only a few clouds and lots of sun generates heat stress. Not only does it lead to health problems, but it also has an impact on the efficiency of workers and the economy”
From previously working a lot with field measurements, often in combination with interview studies and observations to see how people experience the environment they live and move around in, another method has gradually started to take over: climate modelling. One concern is that measures to lower temperatures can be counterproductive. Tall buildings for example. They provide more shade at the street level, but they make it harder for the heat to escape overnight. Boulevards with large trees provide lovely places to walk and lower the temperature but they can prevent air pollution from lifting. That’s why it’s important to combine and diversify the measures. “A compact city and a green city must go hand in hand,” says Fredrik. Y ) Text & Photo: Karin Hylander
The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg
Trees in the streetscape. “Shade means that the elderly and young children can be outside more. In addition, the asphalt does not heat up. Really big trees, like those that enclose the entire streetscape in Berlin and Hamburg, also have a cooling effect through transpiration.” Grassy areas. “Grass does not heat up as much as asphalt and retains water in a different way to paved surfaces. It should not be forgotten that different surfaces can be combined. For example, you can lay grass between tram tracks.” Informal vegetation. “With higher density development, a lot of the informal vegetation disappears, for example, when hillsides are removed. The informal vegetation is threatened while formal vegetation is protected. A garden bed has very little impact on the local climate.” Green roofs and walls.“They may be nice but they impact the indoor climate a lot more than the outdoor climate. For that, trees are much more efficient.”
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Closer look
A picture says more than thousand words. Science Faculty Magazine takes a closer look at a scientific phenomenon.
) Text: Susanne Liljenström
) Photo: Fredrik Pleijel
Aplysia punctifera
Marina skönheter
Nudibranchs feature in new “National Key” The new volume of the Nationalnyckeln [National Key] book project that describes Sweden’s flora and fauna presents 146 different species of molluscs. Researcher Fredrik Pleijel took many of the stunning photos.
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Capturing the character of molluscs on camera is a true test of patience. Most species are one to two centimetres in length, but some are just a few millimetres long. “The fact that many of these animals are so small makes the task of
photographing them much harder. Another issue is that the animals move, and it can be tricky to get the camera settings in place in time. Sometimes everything runs smoothly and I only take a handful of photos, while other times it can take up to 50 images befo-
re I’m satisfied. And sometimes I’m still not happy,” says Fredrik Pleijel. The new volume of Nationalnyckeln Blötdjur: Sidopalpssnäckor – taggsäcksnäckor is about nudibranchs and other closely related species in the Heterobranchia taxonomic.
Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2021
THE STUDENT// FIVE QUESTIONS
) Text: Camilla Persson ) Photo: Henny Fosnes
The Faculty of Science has 7 500 students.
Five questions for..... ... Henny Fosnes, who will have completed her studies to become a high school teacher in physics and mathematics by the summer.
Why did you decide to become a teacher?
Du plan to get a double degree, why is that?
What is the best thing about physics?
What do you think What advice your job opportu- would you give to nities will be like? new students?
Straight out of high school I started studying physics but quit rather soon after because I felt I needed a break from studying. I started working instead, and was given the opportunity to teach my workmates about coffee. That teaching people could be so much fun and so rewarding really surprised me! After that, the Secondary Teacher Education Programme felt like the obvious choice.
It started with knowing that the Secondary Teacher Education Programme and the Physics Programme included the same or similar courses, so I wondered if it was possible to do a degree project and get a double degree. The opportunity was there, and after that it was just plain sailing. I liked the idea of having the opportunity to take a Master’s degree in physics at some point in my life.
I mean is there anything that’s less good about it? Because everything about physics is the best, yeah? No, but all jokes aside. The absolute best thing about physics is that there is always more to discover and understand. I mean it’s with the help of physics that we understand the world. From the smallest components of the world to the whole universe. Isn’t that just so cool?
Job opportunities exist. There is such a terrible lack of physics – and maths – teachers, which means that there are jobs. Right now, I am looking forward to getting a job. Even though I love the life of a student, it will be so incredibly exciting to start teaching.
The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg
Don’t be afraid of trying things out. If you have an area you are interested in and could consider working in, then go for it! The worst thing that can happen is quitting if you don’t like it. And that’s okay. It’s okay to quit. It’s okay to not pass an exam. So my tip is: Dare to try things out, dare to fail.
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Minna Panas teaches future teachers and has chosen to try to bring Nature to her students. She has filmed underwater while snorkelling for example to make the ecosystem of the ocean more concrete and accessible to her students.
The transition to online requires new forms of teaching The great outdoors on film, laboratory sessions at home, and experiments done online rather than on campus. The pandemic has forced many teaching staff to rethink how they teach and they have been impressively creative in doing this. “Ensuring that students remain motivated is the hardest part,” according to Pierre De Wit, a researcher in the Department of Marine Sciences. 24 /
Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2021
) Text & Foto: Camilla Persson ) Photo: Minna Panas
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via various digital platforms have become run-of-the-mill for more or less all students over the past year. This transition to distance education has worked well in some subjects, while others have struggled a lot more. A significant proportion of the Faculty’s courses and study programmes are based on practical course components such as laboratory sessions and field studies, so some of these courses have been granted exemptions to be able to complete these components on site. For others, this has been impossible in practice, and in these instances, teaching staff have been forced to rethink. The foundation year programme in science, which has had a particularly large number of students this year, is one example of this. Doctoral student Ida Hedén runs a physiology laboratory session featuring six different stations and which usually includes practical course components such as testing breathing and determining blood type. However, in distance mode, she was obliged to deploy a mix of different types of instruction. “We kept all the stations, but they had to test some parts at home. For example, students were instructed to put their hands in cold or hot water, and then in lukewarm water, so that they could note how the sensation in their hands changed. Then we discussed the results and why that happens.” lectures and group work
in another physiology lab session run by Ida, exercises were performed live on camera. The aim was for the students, who in this case are enrolled in the Bachelor’s programme in Biology, to see how the heart is affected by a range of tasks. Another doctoral student was enlisted to cycle, be turned upside down, etc. The students were able to track the doctoral student’s heartbeat live and see what happened. “The students really liked this. Afterwards, we had an in-depth discussion about why the The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg
EDUCATION// COVID-19
heartbeat changes, and what’s activated in our bodies and what’s affected.” Excursions are another element that have been difficult to offer over the past year. Minna Panas teaches students training to be school teachers in the art of orienteering and she would normally take them out into areas such as the island of Stora Amundön and the Änggårdsbergen nature reserve to allow them to experience nature and learn about what kind of environments they can take their future pupils to. But this year, Minna has instead opted to bring the great outdoors to her students instead. For instance, she has filmed while she has been out hiking. “The students need to get a sense of really being outdoors. Of course, they are missing a whole range of dimensions, like not feeling the Sun on their faces or the way that the topography changes as they climb or descend. But I’ve tried to compensate for that by doing things like explaining ‘it’s slippery here, so you need to take care’.” minna panas is a doctoral student in science specialising in educational sciences at the Center for Educational Science and Teacher Research graduate school, and she has a particular focus on digital learning. She explains that there is plenty of great digital material that you can use, especially for these types of courses where students need to learn basic ecology concepts. She has had her students listen to bird calls, watch films and track a variety of events over the course of the seasons. One example of this type of resource is the Carbon Tree, an animation based on measurements taken at Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station outside Helsinki. “We can pick any date and time of day and see how the levels of carbon dioxide vary in the air and in the tree over the course of the year. There are countless digital resources that we can utilise when you can share a screen.”
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FORSKNING// REPORTAGETITEL
the students to do,” Pierre De Wit explains. They were told to identify an organism that they wanted to learn more about, formulate a research question – something they wanted to learn about the organism – and then design an experiment to find out what the answer was. Ordinarily, the students would have been able to conduct their experiments in the lab, but instead they were required to think in theoretical ways about how to complete the assignment. Then the course concluded with a competition. Anyone who wanted to was welcome to visit the field station to conduct the winning experiment once the pandemic permits.
students from a range of courses and study programmes usually visit Tjärnö Marine Laboratory to conduct field studies or experiments over longer or shorter periods. However, now these practical course components have been replaced by theoretical exercises in many of the courses, and visits to the field station have had to be postponed. Pierre De Wit explains that the transition to distance mode has been particularly challenging for certain courses: “When the intended learning outcomes say that the student should develop practical skills in conducting experiments, it can be extremely difficult to do remotely. But we have had to do the best we can.” This particular biology course starts with the students being given a list of suitable areas to visit in the Gothenburg region that they can access by themselves. “Go there, observe nature, write down what you see. Take photos using your mobile phone cameras. That was what we instructed
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“Go there, observe nature, write down what you see. Take photos using your mobile phone cameras. That was what we instructed the students to do”
pierre de wit emphasises that apart from being a lot of fun, it forced the students to think about what was actually possible to accomplish versus what was not. “It’s easy to design an experiment in theory, but you don’t actually know whether it will work until you test it. And more often than not it doesn’t work the first time around, which means you have to rethink and do it again.” Being required to adapt one’s teaching to new circumstances has been very time-consuming. However, it has also given rise to many new ideas around teaching and how to deliver courses in the future. Ida, Minna and Pierre also believe that their students have been satisfied with the adaptations that have been made and note that they have actually received more positive feedback from students than they do when teaching normally. Furthermore, attendance has increased on some courses perhaps because the threshold for joining an online class from home is far lower than for heading out on an excursion in poor weather. But at the same time, many of the Faculty’s students have opted for courses and study programmes featuring laboratory sessions and field studies for a reason: they like getting out and about and completing the practical course components. Pierre De Wit thinks so, at any rate. “If this continues, they may not find it as much fun any longer. We now have students who have completed half of their study programme without going into the field, and they may eventually grow tired of that.”Y
Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2021
EDUCATION// COVID-19
) Text: Camilla Persson ) Photo: Lovisa Thoursie
“It’s challenging for a new group to work well together remotely” Difficulties focusing on their studies, establishing social relationships and seeking help from classmates. And also concerns about missing key practical components in their courses. Distance education has been a challenge for the Faculty’s students. students anton dammand Dahlgren and Elin Nielsen are both enrolled in the Bachelor’s programme in Marine Sciences and say that it’s been tough at times. Especially last autumn, when the darkness descended and infection rates began to rise, resulting in the postponement of a return to normal classes. They are mainly worried that they may have missed out on some elements of their courses, and that they won’t have time to learn all the practical aspects of their courses that they will need in their future careers. Even so, they are satisfied with the way their teachers have handled the situation. “Lots of them have done an amazing job and they have tried to adapt as much as they can to the circumstances. It’s also great to see the way in which teaching has developed during the pandemic and how our teachers have come up with smart solutions,” says Elin Nielsen, a second-year student who has now had more than a year of online teaching. anton dammand dahlgren is in his first year
and has not seen all his classmates since September. The biggest difficulty for students who started a study programme in distance mode is forming social networks while everyone is physically separated. Finding classmates to study with, discuss the lectures and The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg
for mutual support – all vital elements of the student experience. “It’s challenging for a new group to work well together remotely,” says Anton Dammand Dahlgren. Both students have had limited course components taught on campus, albeit in smaller groups. Other practical course components have been omitted entirely or replaced by home laboratory sessions as well as other forms of online projects. The students have been impressed by the creativity demonstrated by their teachers. This has included them filming some practical course components; a technique that could also be used after the pandemic. “Videos could work well as supplementary material; for instance as preparation for a fieldwork component. You could also invite guest lecturers from around the world – they’re just a button-click away,” says Anton Dammand Dahlgren. However, they do not regard the prospect of teaching continuing online after the pandemic as any kind of dream scenario. “Once the pandemic is over, all I’ll want to do is meet my friends and lecturers again. I’m not keen on spending more time in front of a computer than I have to,” says Elin Nielsen. Y / 27
NEWS// IN THE MEDIA
What role should researchers be playing in social debate? Research enjoys generally high levels of trust in Sweden, but at the same time, fake news and misinformation is rampant, and conspiracy theories are easily spread online. What role should researchers be playing in the current social debate? And how do you stick to the facts rather than opinions when you are a scientist? “I think we have a responsibility for ensuring that sense and reason prevail in social debate, given that there is so much false information out there. It’s got worse and worse over the years,” says Lars Johan Erkell, Reader in Animal Physiology. olle häggström , anna Wåhlin and Lars Johan Erkell are all accustomed to talking about their respective fields of research with people from outside the academic community. As a climate scientist, Anna Wåhlin often receives requests to make media appearances, and this is also the case for mathematician Olle Häggström, who does not shy away from getting involved in social debate either. Biologist Lars Johan Erkell is active through his posts on the Biolog(g) blog run by researchers in his department. In his blog posts, he argues against creationism, which is the belief that the Earth is 6,000 years old, and intelligent design. Both these movements assert that life and the Universe are the result of a pro-
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cess of creation rather than having arisen through natural processes. “I have felt that it is my duty as a university lecturer to respond to the disinformation being spread by these movements. While you might not be triggering a massive debate, setting out the facts online is in itself important,” he says. lars johan erkell notes that scien-
tists are trained to dig up and assess facts. “And that’s exactly what we are missing in much of the ongoing debate in society – emotions run high, and conclusions are reached based on very little,” he says. “I agree with Lars Johan. I think that one of the university’s major functions is
Lars Johan Erkell Position: Reader in Animal Physiology In the spotlight because: He will finally be returning to work in the lab after receiving his coronavirus vaccination.
Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2021
to equip society with the most up-to-date knowledge and to provide a scientific perspective on a range of social issues,” says Olle Häggström, Professor of Mathematical Statistics. “I also agree. On the other hand, I think our job is about facts – not having opinions on facts. Naturally, you can have your own views and say whatever you like. But I don’t really think we have a moral duty to have an opinion,” says Anna Wåhlin, Professor of Oceanography. The three scientists note the importance of being clear about what are facts versus what are personal opinions. “I respect the fact that different scientists may arrive at different conclusions on whether we should engage with poliThe Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg
tical issues and discuss them. We would rather see facts influencing the political and ideological debate. Yet at the same, we don’t want political debates to influence the pursuit of facts, so that we scientists acquire a bias and come up with the results that we want to find. So it’s a real dilemma. On the one hand, there’s much to be said for the idea that as scientists we should engage more in social debate, while on the other hand, wanting to keep science free from ideology suggests that we should steer clear of social debate. Personally, I consider society and social debate to be so important that I’m not prepared to just stand back,” says Olle Häggström.
Anna Wåhlin Position: Professor of Oceanography In the spotlight because: She has just sent an autonomous submarine into the waters beneath a glacier.
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NEWS// IN THE MEDIA
“There is an audience, a third party who can be swayed by what I say” Olle Häggström, Mathematican
Olle Häggström Position: Professor of Mathematical Statistics In the spotlight because: His book Tänkande maskiner: Den artificiella intelligensens genombrott (Fri Tanke, 2021) [Machines that think: the emergence of artificial intelligence] has just been published.
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one issue that Anna Wåhlin has been reflecting upon is whether it is acceptable to let your values guide what research questions you investigate. “For instance, if you hold the view that it is vital for us to minimise carbon dioxide emissions, you end up researching a range of issues that address the question: ‘What impact will an increase in carbon dioxide emissions have?’ Then you end up with a lack of facts in the opposite direction and many arguments for. I’m exaggerating for effect, as I’m sure you realise. I think curiosity is a good driving force that determines which research questions we should address, but I try to be thorough and strict with myself,” she says. There are also historical examples where personal values have been in conflict with objective research. One such example is the Manhattan Project: the American research project that resulted in the atomic bomb. Olle Häggström explains that most of the physicists recruited to the project recognised that they were working on a devastating weapon, but were motivated by the risk that Hitler’s corresponding project would win the race, which might in turn lead to world domination by the Nazis. “The physicist Richard Feynman pointed out that while he was involved in the work, he was so absorbed by the exciting research question at hand that in the spring of 1945 – when Hiroshima and Nagasaki were still unscathed but following Hitler’s surrender – Feynman did not give even a moment’s thought to the fact that his original reason for joining the project no longer existed. It was only afterwards that Feynman actually realised this: ‘What on earth was I doing there?’” says Olle Häggström.
Lars Johan Erkell stresses the importance of being objective, accurate, sticking to the facts, and maintaining a respectful tone when debating with people whose views are contrary to your own. “That allows you to take the heat out of the debate and to do a better job of getting your views across rather than descending into polemics. A few years ago, when I was intensely involved in the debate around creationism, I got a lot of positive feedback for the fact that I was so respectful and could be reasoned with. I was very pleased about that because it meant that they were taking me seriously,” he says. “I’ve seen Lars Johan in action, and I really admire that ability he has to maintain a respectful tone. Unfortunately, I’m not quite as good at it. Intellectual honesty is something I value very highly, and I can end up feeling very strongly provoked when I perceive that the opposition in a debate isn’t adhering to the basic ideal of honesty. It’s often situations like that which draw me into the debate,” says Olle Häggström. the three researchers agree that
it is only very rarely – if at all – that they manage to persuade someone with an opposing view to change their view as a result of direct debate with them. However, there is still an important point to debating in public. “There is an audience, a third party who can be swayed by what I say. I take comfort in that when thinking about the rather sad fact that I’ve probably never once succeeded in converting a pseudo-scientist in a direct confrontation,” says Olle Häggström. Y ) Text: Madelene Szabó ) Illustrations: Erika Hoff Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2021
) As told to: Madelene Szabó ) Photo: Bengt Schüler
ALUMNA PORTRAIT// ANNA-KARIN GUSTAFSSON
“The lab was built specifically for my research” She went from a doctoral studentship in Gothenburg to a postdoc fellowship with a Nobel Prize winner. Now Anna-Karin Gustavsson is in the process of building up her own lab – with her own research team “i’m
based at the Department of Chemistry at Rice University where I work on super-resolution microscopy. It allows us to see very small details – individual molecules – in cells. My work focuses on cell imaging and trying to understand how cells function when you get an illness, or how different drugs act inside the cells. I did my postdoc with Nobel Prize winner W. E. Moerner at Stanford. I wanted to focus on super-resolution microscopy, so I got in touch with him. We met in Gothenburg after one of his Nobel Prize presentations, and after discussing my research project, I got the chance to join his lab. I ended up spending five years there as a postdoc. I learnt a great deal – about the field as well as about being a researcher. After my postdoc, I wanted to continue my research and start my own research team. Rice was hiring for a position in physical chemistry which was the perfect fit for me. So far, our research team is small: four doctoral students and two undergraduates. Thanks to generous grants
from both the National Institutes of Health and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, we will be in a position to expand significantly in the coming years. We have built this lab from the ground up and we are finally ready to start work on actual research! Thanks to my education at the University of Gothenburg, I have a solid, fundamental understanding of physics. I also benefited from good role models who helped shape the way I carry out research and supervise students. I am very grateful for my years spent at the University of Gothenburg. My background is in physics, so I had not really expected to become a chemistry professor. However, my work includes aspects of physics, chemistry and biology, given that we are working at a molecular level within cells. So ultimately, my work is very interdisciplinary in nature.” Y
The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg
Anna-Karin Gustavsson Age: 35. Lives: Houston, Texas, USA Is: Assistant Professor at Rice University Education: PhD in Physics from the University of Gothenburg. Family: Husband and twoyear-old daughter. In her spare time: I like hiking and outdoor activities in nature with my family. The best thing about Houston: I’ve barely had time to look around since I’ve had my hands full getting settled in at home and at work. But Rice University campus is really beautiful! A green oasis in Houston.
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He wants to communicate climate research to the world Deliang Chen has been awarded a prize by Sweden’s King Carl Gustav, has held numerous UN commissions of trust and is internationally renowned for his significant contributions to climate research. He wants to produce knowledge that will make a difference, although he believes there are risks with goals that are too specific.
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Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2021
GETTING TO KNOW// DELIANG CHEN
) Text: Ulrika Ernström ) Photo: Malin Arnesson
climate change, and what will it lead to? These questions have occupied Deliang Chen for decades, and over the years he has produced vital knowledge on climate change both in Sweden and abroad. He has also been very involved in communicating research to the broader community, including through key commissions of trust in weighty organisations such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the International Council for Science (ICSU). how can we understand
recently , he accepted H.R.H. The King’s Medal of the 8th size with the ribbon of the Order of the Seraphim for his research, something he calls “a genuine sign that the research team in Gothenburg is making a positive contribution internationally”. From a garden chair in Mölndal, where Deliang Chen has lived for nearly 30 years, he calmly and thoughtfully talks about the driving forces behind his research. “We know that global climate change is occurring. If we have more knowledge of how and why, we can also act: adapt, be prepared and try to lessen its effects,” he says. In recent years, much of Deliang Chen’s research has focused on the ‘third pole’ – the Tibetan Plateau. He is part of an international research team exploring trends on the remote plateau, where expeditions can require helicopter trips as well as long treks with instruments.
What are your driving forces, Deliang Chen?
WHAT DRIVES YOU?
“Doing something that feels good, that is appreciated and that can benefit humanity. However, what I myself can do is nevertheless limited, and I don’t have the need to be at the centre of things. I would rather help to promote other talented scientists, for example, by sitting on various prize committees.”
The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg
Why is knowledge about the Tibetan Plateau so important? “It is a sensitive area of great significance for its surroundings. A quarter of the global population gets its water supply from the Plateau, and what makes it particularly interesting is that global warming is happening at approximately twice the rate there as in the rest of the world. So research there can really make a difference.” “We are looking at climate change, why it is happening and what its consequences are. A big focus is on the changes to the monsoon rains that impact agriculture. We know that what is happening on the Tibetan Plateau could happen in other high mountain ranges, for example the Andes. This knowledge can also help us to understand what is happening in the Arctic, as many of the physical processes are the same.” You are strongly committed to communicating the research to the broader community. Why is that? “When you witness the effects of climate change, you have a responsibility, and I am lucky to be able to contribute to the knowledge in this area. There is a lot of scepticism and many unscientific arguments circulating about climate, so it’s important that as scientists we can present facts. It’s also a challenge to present the research in a balanced way. We must communicate what we know, but there are also things we don’t know. It can be hard
DO YOU HAVE A LONG-TERM GOAL FOR YOUR RESEARCH?
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?
“I don’t think that one should have goals that are too longterm or specific. If you do, you could miss important things along the way, focus on the wrong things or neglect other aspects of life. It’s not good if research is only about competing. My goal is to do my best – and if things don’t turn out the way I wanted them to, then that’s okay too. Taoism is an inspiration for me in this respect.”
“I haven’t thought about that, but perhaps my philosophy of life: to do something I believe in and to do my best. As I see it, I have two tasks: the first is to take care of myself and the other is to help the world and other people if I can. Everything I do concerns these tasks, and they are increasingly linked.”
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GETTING TO KNOW// DELIANG CHEN
Deliang Chen
Deliang Chen under en av sina tidigare forskningsresor till den tibetanska högplatån
not to become emotional; I am a scientist but also a person who is affected by what I have seen and know. But I have learnt to separate these two things. The role of scientists is to contribute knowledge, but it is not our role to talk about how things should be done, or what policies should be implemented.” Tell us about your commissions of trust in the IPCC “They have meant a lot to me. I have held commissions of trust in the IPCC for 20 years and I am a Coordinating Lead Author of the forthcoming IPCC Assessment Report. It’s important to have a global perspective on the big questions and the IPCC is good at uniting the world in the sciences. I like how the IPCC works, that it receives input from the whole world – not just from 34 /
countries with the biggest research capacities. That way, many different and relevant aspects are captured.” What is the most difficult aspect of your work? “Communication outside of academia. Climate research is very complicated and can be sensitive. As a scientist, I am a public figure and often receive comments. Sometimes these can go too far and include personal attacks, and it can be difficult to decide when and how I should respond. I have noticed that arguments from climate change sceptics have changed. Previously, they were about how the climate was not changing – now they claim that people are not impacting the climate or that climate change is not always a bad thing.”Y
Position: Professor of Physical Meteorology at the Department of Earth Sciences. Holder of the August Röhss Chair in Physical Geography. Age: 59. In his spare time: Plays the guitar and likes listening to classical music. Family: Married to Lina. Two sons: Anton and Hans Ended up in Gothenburg thanks to his supervisor during his doctoral studies, Nobel Prize winner Paul J Crutzen, who had lived and worked in Sweden. When Deliang learnt more about Sweden, it sparked an interest in applying for jobs here and in 1993 he took up a lectureship at the University of Gothenburg. Deliang was born in Southeast China. In the spotlight because: On The Reuters Hot List, a list over the top thousand climate researchers in the world.
“ The role of scientists is to contribute knowledge, but it is not our role to talk about how things should be done, or what policies should be implemented” Deliang Chen, climate scientist
Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2021
Our faculty
) Text: Tanja Thompson, Camilla Persson, Carina Eliasson ) Photo Malin Arnesson, Åslög Dahl
Academia + industry = true love will mark the première of the “dating days” bringing together industry and academia in order to find solutions to specific problems and to form partnerships. The theme for this first meeting is “Feedback dynamics in image analysis using artificial intelligence”. Project directors Caroline Beck Adiels and Matthias Obst are already in full swing with the planning. “We plan to meet in person, the pandemic permitting, but if that isn’t possible then we’ll switch to an online meeting. The event will take place over 24 hours, starting and ending with lunch, and we believe the theme will appeal to people from a wide range of fields,” says Caroline Beck Adiels. Her colleague Matthias Obst adds: “We want to help foster ties between researchers and businesses in relation to well-defined issues. Our 13-14 OCTOBER
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hope is that the conversations we have beforehand and over the course of these two days will lead to trusting, long-term relationships that can benefit both parties.” DURING THE FIRST day, invited representatives from various companies will describe the challenges they have faced in terms of AI-driven image analysis. Participants will then seek to identify overlapping issues through discussion, and on the following day these will feed into those issues that will form the basis of broader cooperation. THE “DATING DAYS” HAVE BEEN named GUIDE days, which stands for Gothenburg University: Industrial Dating Event. They will take place twice a year. Keep an eye on our calendar at gu.se/naturvetenskap.Y
High number of applicants per place The number of applicants to courses and study programmes starting this autumn is at a record high across Sweden. More than 82,000 people have applied for courses and study programmes starting this autumn at the University of Gothenburg, which is more than ever before. Programmes in the Faculty of Science are no exception. The total number of applicants for first- and second-cycle programmes increased by ten per cent compared with the figures for the 2020 autumn semester. Among the Faculty’s first-cycle programmes, it was the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme that received the most applicants, while among the second-cycle programmes it was the Sea and Society, Master's Programme that came out on top. Y
News
Airborne pollen affects the innate defence system against COVID affects resistance to the SARS~ Pollen CoV-2 pandemic virus. The concen-
Deliang Chen, receive H.R.H. The King’s Medal of the 8th size with the ribbon of the Order of the Seraphim for outstanding contributions to climate research.
is caused not only by allergenic pollen, but also by other pollen,” says Åslög Dahl, a tration in the air contributes to the number pollen researcher and one of the researof people afflicted by COVID-19. This is re- chers who contributed pollen data to the ported in a new study published today in epidemiological study in PNAS. Y the American journal PNAS. “The results relate to how the general virus defence mechanism reacts to pollen. The reaction is not at all related to allergy. Thus all people, including those without allergies, are affected, and their reaction
The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg
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Eureka! ) Text: Erika Hoff ) Illustration: Dictionary of Words and Things - Larive and Fleury-1895/Mostphotos
Jenner: a pioneer in vaccination A long line of people are waiting to receive their vaccines. Epidemics have returned multiple times in recent years, claiming thousands of Swedish lives. It is the early nineteenth century, and we are about to carry out a programme of mass vaccination with the aim of eradicating smallpox. The global population grew slowly during the eighteenth century and smallpox is believed to have been a contributing factor. Estimates suggest that around 60 million Europeans died during that century. British physician Edward Jenner, who treated many patients who were seriously ill with smallpox, got wind of the fact that people who had been infected with cowpox did not get sick with smallpox. An infection with cowpox was far milder. Could it really be that simple? In 1796, Edward Jenner tested his hypothesis on an eight-year-old boy by first infecting him with cowpox, and then six weeks later with smallpox. The boy remained healthy and Edward Jenner’s discovery has been described as one of the greatest triumphs of medical history. It was only in 1980 that the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the world to be smallpox-free.
Suddenly, it happens. In a long-term research project, a breakthrough suddenly occurs or chance plays into the hands of the researchers. A new crucial discovery is made.