no 1 | March 2014
Fascinated by Water Environmental Toxins are Everywhere, Says Joachim Sturve. GOArt Closing?
A Suitable Job
Sustainable Tourism
No Money for Organ Research
Kristin is Costume Director
Attracting Visitors with Oysters
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Vice Chancellor
A magazine for employees of the Universit y of Gothenburg
March 2014
Recruitments Critical to Success
Editor-in Chief and Publisher
Allan Eriksson 031 - 786 10 21 allan.eriksson@gu.se Editor and Vice Publisher
Eva Lundgren 031 - 786 10 81 eva.lundgren@gu.se P h oto g r ap h y a n d R e p r o d u c t i o n
Johan Wingborg 031 - 786 29 29 johan.wingborg@gu.se A n e w y e a r has started and as always, we are working hard to wrap up the year that just ended. Right now, the last touches are being added to the University’s annual report, which is based on information submitted by the Faculties, Departments and different units. The annual report gives a picture of the University’s development in 2013, but also provides guidance for 2014. The plan is to have the report approved by the University Board on 19 February and then sent to the Ministry of Education and Research. Overall, 2013 was a good year for the University of Gothenburg. Our research revenues increased and our programmes and courses remain popular among applicants. However, when it comes to the aim of adding to our competitiveness, there is still room for improvement in both research and education.
analysis shows that the work to develop our recruitment processes – for all staff categories – is critical. For academic staff, not least doctoral students and postdoctors, we have an explicit ambition to increase our external and international recruitments. Our vision, Vision 2020, emphasises the importance of a shared identity at the University of Gothenburg. To achieve this, I believe that meetings between staff members with different roles and from different parts of the organisation are important. Based on the annual report, this actually seems to be developing in the right direction. The resulting sense of shared identity is of course also benefitting from the increasing number of interdisciplinary projects at the University, in both research and education. O u r y e a r ly r i s k
Sta r ti n g i n 2 0 1 5 , we expect the University’s available research funding to increase. This means that there will be room for new investments. In an effort to take advantage of our great breadth, in line with Vision 2020, the University management and the Deans have initiated a discussion to identify areas where
G r ap h i c F o r m a n d Layo u t
Anders Eurén 031 - 786 43 81 anders.euren@gu.se
T r a s l at i o n
Debbie Axlid address
GU Journal University of Gothenburg Box 100, 405 30 Gothenburg e - po s t
gu-journalen@gu.se internet
Foto: Johan Wingborg
www.gu-journalen.gu.se
we as a university can better utilise and promote our assets. I’m looking forward to good input and hope that we will have something concrete to present to the University Board before the end of this semester. For 2013, we expected a deficit of 65 million SEK. That forecast was based on the budgets of the Faculties and Departments. Instead, however, we ended up with surplus of 110 million, of which most can be linked to the education side of our organisation. One consequence of this is that we are in effect postponing important development within education and research. The fact that we are not using our money as planned is a big problem.
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March 20, 2014 Mat e r i a l
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Joachim Sturve Photography: Johan Wingborg
A lt h o u g h Fac u lti e s and Departments do differ in this respect, it is very important that we all help ensure that our financial resources are put to effective use in both education and research. Without a doubt, this will make us more competitive.
Reg.nr: 3750M
Pam Fredman
Reg.nr: S-000256
Contents
GUJOURNAL 1 | 2014
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Letter from the Vice-Chancellor
2 We must use our money! news
4 GU risks losing world unique research. Report 6 Kristin is attracted to the stage as an art form. Profile 8 The missionary son who became a biologist. News
11 High costs but few students.
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Report 12 Sandhiya Goolaup left Mauritius for research in Gothenburg.
Pesticides may cause major environmental problems
News
14 Gender equality in 33 years.
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This concerns Joachim Sturve.
Meet Kristin Johansson-Lassbo She takes care of the music and drama students’ wardrobe.
From Coral Reefs to Oysters
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Sandhiya Goolaup: Future Tourism has to be sustainable.
What will happen to GOArt? Unique and internationally recognised, but that’s not enough..
From the Editor: Can We Afford to Pay for Organ Research? W h at ’ s g o i n g to happen to GOArt? The world-unique research centre is stuck with a problem: it needs external funding for its research, but in order to be accepted for such assistance it needs co-funding from the Academy of Music and Drama. The Academy has a very limited budget and really can’t afford to support GOArt. The former director feels that the Vice-Chancellor should get involved. We also write about the staff at Vasagatan 33, who are forced to leave their building due to serious environmental problems. An investigation will be launched to find out why some
staff have suffered eye and throat irritations, headaches and dizziness. Last year, 71 non-EES students came to the University of Gothenburg to study. That’s not a high number, but the administration of them is extremely costly. The financial office says the numbers are just not working out. T h e U n i v e r s it y A d m i n i st r ati o n has to save 45 million SEK in three years. Streamlining is probably a good idea, but it’s hardly possible without consequences for staff. For example, the central study counselling will be trimmed by 50 per cent and career services will close altogether. In 2013, 7.1 per
cent of the total budget was attributed to central administration. In 2014, the number has been reduced to 6.7 per cent. But this is just the beginning of some hard years that eventually will bring the number down to 6.1 per cent. The University Administration is at the same time expected to maintain a high service level. However, a recent report shows that the teachers’ administrative burden has increased and that they are spending more and more time attending to all sorts of administrative tasks. So, if our scientists are already feeling that they are spending more time doing administrative work, is it a sensible to reduce their sup-
port? Has anybody analysed which services are in demand across the organisation? And isn’t there a risk that individual workers’ workloads end up increasing when many vacant positions are simply cancelled? Acco r d i n g to Vision 2020, the University of Gothenburg shall be characterised by a ‘stimulating and dynamic work environment where respect for everybody’s equal value is completely natural.’ Seems to be more to that than just saving money.
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News
GOArt at Risk of Closure Unique, internationally recognised and successful. Yet, that’s not enough. GOArt, the world’s only centre for organ research, may have to close. ‘We’re a victim of a failed funding system,’ says former director Johan Norrback. I n 2 0 11 , GOArt became part of the Academy of Music and Drama. The intention was, in accordance with Vision 2020, to create a complete environment with organ research, a church music programme and outreach activities. A new Master’s programme specialising in organs and related keyboard instruments was started. The organisation seemed successful. ‘We’re the strongest environment within the Academy of Music and Drama and have a well-established international research environment. And our programmes are doing very well. For example, the programme in church music has 39 applicants this year,’ says Norrback, who was the director of GOArt until the end of last year. According to a decision from 1999, GOArt needs to be funded externally. The centre has attracted 152 million SEK over the years. T h e Ba n k of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation has been one of the most important donors. However, in 2011the Foundation rejected an application due to unclear co-funding from the University. And in December 2012, the Dean and Head of Department did not let Norrback repeat the application since it would require significant co-funding. As the centre was also denied funding by the Swedish Research Council in 2013, external funding for 2014 is almost non-existent. The direct costs for 2014 including overheads are estimated at 6.3 million SEK. According to a decision by the ViceChancellor from 2009, the Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Arts must submit a plan for long-term funding. The policy for centres of expertise and research that the University presented last year also requires all centres to have a funding plan, says Norrback. ‘The Faculty’s funding model from 2012 gives us 1 million SEK in base funding until 2015. That’s not even enough for our operating costs, and definitely not enough for research. After 2015, we won’t get anything.’ T h e U n i v e r s it y has also provided some extra financial assistance over the years, including for the baroque organ in Örgryte New Church. And the Vice-Chancellor and Faculty have also helped cover temporary deficits. The Dean says that GOArt should be selfsufficient at this point. Can you see her point? ‘All departments show deficits every now and then. But they also have grants that can be used to cover them. What we need is base funding. Receiving money on an after-the-fact
GOArt built the North German Baroque Organ in Örgryte New Church. It stood ready in 2000 after five years of work and a cost of 35 million SEK.
News
GUJOURNAL 1 | 2014
»What we need is base funding. Receiving money on an after-the-fact basis has made it seem like GOArt has financial problems.« Johan norrback
What’s the responsibility of the Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Arts? We asked Ingrid Elam, Dean.
lying for funding from the EU Horizon 2020 programme. The University of Gothenburg would serve as a co-funder.’
basis has made it seem like GOArt has financial problems.’ T ec h n i c a lly , the Academy of Music and Drama owns the problem. But it’s a small department. In 2014, its budget for research and third-cycle education is less than 16 million SEK. However, Anna Maria Koziomtzis, acting head of the Academy, doesn’t want to take the word closure in her mouth. ‘GOArt is a good brand that unfortunately is stuck in a vicious cycle. They depend on external funding, but if they can’t get cofunding they can’t get the grants, and that of course gives them financial problems. We still don’t have a good solution, but we are working with a few alternatives. Maybe the research can be combined with other activities at the Academy. We’re currently app-
Da n B r ä n d st rö m , former managing director of the Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation, chaired GOArt’s steering group until the end of last year. He is very concerned. ‘I don’t know how GOArt can be saved. There’s nothing like it in the world. The centre is well-known internationally and very popular. I feel that the University should step up and either say they will invest in it or close it. You can’t put the responsibility on a Faculty with limited resources.’ Pam Fredman, on the other hand, believes that GOArt is the responsibility of the Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Arts and has therefore declined to comment on the problem. ‘The RED 10 evaluation, undertaken to identify strong environments at the University, gives GOArt a lot of praise,’ says Norrback. ‘Everything is also entirely in line with Vision 2020, which emphasises complete environments. We want an assessment of the situation, by a researcher or an external reviewer, that doesn’t focus only on money. The Vice-Chancellor plays an important role in this as she’s ultimately responsible for the implementation of Vision 2020.’
Allan Eriksson & Eva LUNDGREN
1999 GOArt became a centre of expertise and research, as decided by the University Board. 2009 The Vice-Chancellor approved the application to remain a centre of expertise and research at the University. The workshop is closed but the research continues. For example, the EU collaboration The Collapse Project deals with corrosion in organ pipes. Another project focuses on how climate change may lead to mould in churches and therefore in organs. And together with several Swedish dioceses, an organ inventory is underway.
2011 Became part of the Academy of Music and Drama, with a view to create a strong environment with education, research and cooperation. Staff Nine staff members from Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany and USA. Has built several organs and clavichords for higher education institutions across the world The most well-known include the North German baroque organ in Örgryte New Church, the Casparini organ at Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, New York, and the Schnitger organ at Cornell University, New York.
That’s not an easy question to answer since GOArt is so multidimensional. It’s partly a centre of expertise and research, instituted by the Vice-Chancellor and placed within the Academy of Music and Drama. It’s also a research centre operated by researchers at the Academy, and finally a brand with a large number of publications and other research results attached to it. The GOArt brand is strong and lasting, but the centre doesn’t have the funding that’s required to maintain the high volume of activity we’ve seen in the past. But the Academy of Music and Drama is working hard to find solutions to the problem.’ GOArt is estimated to face a 4 million SEK deficit this year. What does the Faculty management think about that?
‘It’s of course a problem. The centre has not been able to obtain the external funding it needs, but we must remember that it has attracted major external grants over the years and also significant internal support, from both the Faculty and the University.’ Do you have a plan for the long-term funding of GOArt?
GOArt, Göteborg Organ Art C enter 1995 Founded as an interdisciplinary centre for research on organs and related keyboard instruments.
Is GOArt at risk of closure?
Evaluated in RED 10 ”Overall we find that the research productivity is good, and both quality and relevance are very good. GOArt has an excellent infrastructure and excellent cooperation and network activity, and its future plans are realistic, as far as this is possible to evaluate in a volatile funding situation”. Finances GOArt has been almost fully externally funded since 1999 and has obtained 152 million SEK over the years. In 2014, the direct costs are estimated to reach about 4 million SEK, plus an additional 4 million SEK in overhead costs and funding of an inventory of organs in the Diocese of Skara.
‘The Faculty Board has clearly declared that it cannot support GOArt any longer, which is also in line with the University’s new policy for centres of expertise and research: after six years, the centre must either obtain its own funding or be transformed. GOArt has been a centre of expertise and research much longer than that. The Faculty’s support to GOArt is a strategic investment for three years that is now coming to an end; it is not a permanent source of funding.’ What’s the Faculty’s responsibility in this situation?
‘There are many different opinions about Swedish research funding, but there are no guarantees for eternal life and nor is it meaningful to find somebody to blame. Research groups and research centres normally have a certain life expectancy determined by the external and/ or internal funding they are able to attract. The Faculty Board allocates the very limited state grants to three Departments. It’s then up to these Departments how to use the funding. In retrospect it’s fair to say that neither the Faculty nor the Academy of Music and Drama is, or has ever been, large enough to support such a large centre as GoArt without external funding. But then again, I don’t know which Faculty would do better at it.’
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Report
Kristine is Attracted to the Stage as an Art As a costume director, Kristin is a jack-of-all-trades. She is curious and brave. ‘I have to really trust myself when I start cutting the fabric.’ I k n o c k o n her door and find her passionately working on a new outfit. A minute ago, she talked costumes with the actors in a music project. She thinks of her job as being part of a process. ‘I’m always excited when we start something new. I enjoy finding solutions and being creative. I get a kick out of the craft and cooperation involved.’ It is Kristin’s job to make sure that the music and drama students have the right outfits for their performances. She is a member of the department board and serves as work environment representative. If she has time, she might attend a course to learn more. But she can’t help students with placements anymore – there just isn’t enough time. ‘It feels like I’m completely booked every day of every semester. Several programmes have been added over the years, leading to more stress. I wish I had a work partner. If there is more to do than I can handle, I can request extra help. But that requires advance planning, which is not always easy.’ A s a t e e n ag e r , she studied acting at Södra Latin in Stockholm and performed in youth theatre. In the early 1970s, she moved to Gothenburg to pursue acting. She started out in her new hometown as a leisure-time pedagogue and treatment assistant, but eventually her interest in theatre and acting took over. When she became a mother, she quit acting and instead started focusing on stage clothes. Kristin is self-taught and has enjoyed sewing since she was a little girl.
Kristin teaches new students proper backstage behaviour. She tells them how to relate to stage clothing. ‘The costume is their work equipment, while their private clothes have to do with their personality. We talk about how to hang the costumes and how they have to wear a protection coat outside the stage area. We also talk about how fashion is linked to society. I show silhouettes from different eras and take their measurements.’
It is Kristin’s job to make sure that the music and drama students have the right outfits.
She was around 50 when she earned her journeyman tailor certificate at the Swedish School of Textiles. ‘I did it for my self-esteem and to get some formal evidence of what I do. I was already established after my many years at different theatres.’ When she came to the Academy of Music and Drama in 2007, her position had not been filled for a long time. ‘The studio was pretty much empty except for an ironing board. I immediately started to clean up in the wardrobe. The advantage of this was that I could start everything from scratch.’ intensely since before Christmas. Last week, there were costume try-ons and next week the opera students are performing. Two new Swedish operas will premiere with classical music students. ‘Here are all the costumes,’ says S h e h a s wo r k e d
»That’s where we freeze everything before it ends up in the wardrobe.« Kristin and rolls out a clothes rack that the students keep backstage. The outfits are used in La belle Hélène at the Göteborg Opera. ‘ T h e wa r d ro b e is invaluable! But if we can’t find something we need, we call the Opera, the City Theatre or Folkteatern. We enjoy working together and always try to help each other. It’s fun when they want to borrow something. We don’t charge each other anything except the costs of washing and transporting the clothes.’
S h e li k e s t h e new facility. It has fitting rooms and she can leave the racks out at the end of the day. ‘It’s large enough to fit the director, costume designer, students and me at the same time. It’s close to the theatre stages, rehearsal rooms and the students’ dressing room and common area.’ The wardrobe is downstairs. Outside the wardrobe, there is an open prop room where the students can get what they need. There is also a locked room filled with antiques and breakable things. Kristin points to something that looks like a freezer. ‘That’s where we freeze everything before it ends up in the wardrobe.’ Most types of clothing from different eras can be found in the wardrobe. Several big shoe shelves reach from floor to ceiling. ‘It might look like a lot, but it’s all needed. We need a lot of different clothes and sizes.’ K r i sti n s h ow s u s a folder filled with photos, drawings and notes about what needs to be done in a production. ‘We, the director, the scenographer, the director of studies, the lighting and sound technicians, have a meeting where we agree on some central ideas.
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GUJOURNALEN 1 | 2014
Kristin Johansson-Lassbo Work: Costume director at the Academy of Music and Drama. Family: Husband, three grown children and three grandkids. Age: 61. Lives: Kungsladugård, also vacation home on Orust island. Interests: Family, friends and the vacation home. Motto: Do what you cannot resist. Nothing is impossible, it just takes longer to finish. Latest film watched: The Hunger Games 2: Catching Fire. Latest theatre pl ay: Pygmalion, Göteborg City Theatre. Latest oper a: Jultrad-i-ton. Latest book: The Four Insights: Wisdom, Power, and Grace of the Earthkeepers by Alberto Villodo. Strength: Good patience. Weakness: Bad patience. Favourite production: Rent. Favourite costume: What I’m working on at the time – I make it mine.
As always at the end of a project, I can’t wait to see the premiere.
Then it’s up to me to work with the ideas.’ Before a try-on, Kristin has to find or make outfits that the students then try on one at a time. ‘If we can’t find anything in the wardrobe or to borrow, I can sew something or alter something old. For the final production, I sew the costumes. Sometimes I’m told we should buy it somewhere, but I know from experience that it’s better to make it yourself than to try to find it in a shop.’
To be able to finish all alterations before the premiere, Kristin is present at the first dress rehearsal. ‘It’s also good if the director is present at the first dress rehearsal so we can make sure everything looks alright.’ Pe r No r d i n , senior lecturer in theatrical performance, has started using a method with the students called dreamwork for artists. Kristin is involved in this work. She enjoys it and would
like to be part of developing it. ‘We do what’s called an incubation, where I under deep concentration guide the student by asking questions such as: How do you picture, in your imagination, the world your character lives in? What are you wearing? In this work, the costume emerges in the imaginary world of the student and character. The students’ intuition and imagination are challenged and their creativity is stimulated.’ Kristin is involved in a
documentary shown during the Gothenburg film festival. ‘I was asked to make costumes for Freak Out. I said yes and took out vacation time for two weeks. That’s just what I needed to gain the right perspective of the work. As always at the end of a project, I can’t wait to see the premiere.’
Text: Helena Svensson Photo: Johan Wingborg
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Profile
Brasil is His Second Home
Samba and soccer may not be his forte, but he still loves Brazil. After all, that’s where Joachim Sturve, new reader in ecotoxicology, spent most of his first twelve years. ay b e h i s interest in science started in Assis, a city of 100 000 people in the state of São Paulo. That’s where Sturve’s father had been invited as a Baptist pastor. Alongside his work with the church, he started a scout organisation that is still around. ‘My mother has told me that we, the kids, were coloured red by the soil we played in and had to be lifted into the shower every night. As far as my own memories, I remember being five years old and helping farmers drive cattle, and that I chased pigs and chickens.’ Or was that in Campinas? Sturve’s family moved to this much larger city north of São Paulo when he was seven. ‘I loved snakes. I looked for them everywhere and didn’t care that some of them were poisonous. One day I heard that the snake institute in Sao Paulo was looking for snake catchers. I applied for the position and received a nicely stamped letter in return. The institute thanked me for my interest in the position but explained that they were looking for somebody who was older than ten. Ma n y m i s s i o n a ry families send their children to boarding school. But Sturve and his three siblings went to a regular municipal school. ‘When I compare my kids’ childhood with the way I grew up, a lot is the same. I spent my days going to school, doing homework and playing with friends. One difference, though, is the strict discipline in Brazil. Every Monday morning, all pupils gathered to sing the national anthem while the flag was raised. But I had a good childhood. Brazil is a melting pot with people from all over. My friends’ families were from Italy, Spain, Germany and other places. So even if I was born in Sweden, I didn’t come across as odd.’ The family lived in an ordinary middle-
class neighbourhood and had guests visiting almost every day. ‘My parents tried to keep our Swedish traditions alive. For example, we celebrated Christmas in 40-degree heat. But they rarely had a chance to practise Swedish, so we kids spoke only Portuguese.’ When Sturve was 12, his whole world changed. That’s when his family moved back to Sweden. H i s fi r st i m pr e s s i o n of his new home country was all the different cars on the streets of Linköping. ‘School was a bit of a shock. I came from the multicultural environment in Brazil to a very homogenous community where I stood out as very different. I didn’t know Swedish, didn’t understand the social codes and, to top it all, I came from a missionary family. I felt like I was held responsible for everything from the Catholics’ burning of old Aztecan cult objects to colonialism in Africa. Christian missionaries have caused a lot of trouble, but all I had experienced was people working hard to improve the lives of others.’ His unusual family name didn’t make things easier, either. ‘When I look at the names of my daughter’s classmates, I see a whole bunch of unusual names. Her name doesn’t stick out at all. Sweden has changed, more than Brazil I think, and in many ways to the better. But back then, in 1978, when we kids found out that our dad had found a job with the church in Sweden and that we weren’t moving back to Brazil, we cried.’ It may have been as a late teenager that Sturve started doubting his Christian faith. ‘I talked to creationists whose arguments were so crazy they made me mad. But really, there is no conflict between science and religion.’ In school, Sturve had a biology teacher who was straight out hostile towards the son of missionaries.
So, why did he become a biologist? ‘First I studied theology for one year in Örebro. I was interested in religion as a phenomenon, in what people believe and why. Then I moved to Gothenburg to study religion, but my interest in biology eventually took over. Maybe it was my grandfather who made me fall in love with nature. He used to take me out a lot, and there was always some fishing or exploring involved. I have been fascinated by water ever since: We all sprung out of the ocean, water is essential for life and water resources have always been the subject of many conflicts. Water also has fantastic characteristics, like that it is heaviest at four degrees centigrade, which keeps the water in ice-covered lakes from freezing. This enables fish to survive the winter.’ The idea of getting a PhD sounded stu-
GUJOURNAL 1 | 2014
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Most often Joachim Sturve works with invitro systems. But sometimes he uses fish as well.
pid, he thought. Until he got involved in a project. ‘There’s no end to research. You always have to plan for the next project, and that‘s very stimulating.’ St u rv e ’ s r e s e a rc h co n c e r n s how we handle our water resources and the effects of environmental toxins in fish. He studies both salt- and freshwater, along both the east and west coast of Sweden. But he has also studied the effects of environmental toxins in other countries, including in Maputo Bay. ‘I enjoy going places and Mozambique is perfect since they speak Portuguese there.’ Sturve studies pesticides in Mozambique. This is the only group of chemicals that is released into the environment for the purpose of killing things. It is used
»Sweden has changed, more than Brazil I think, and in many ways to the better.« in agriculture, and the challenge consists of finding a balance where the poison is effective without causing environmental problems. ‘Some pesticides end up in Africa after they are banned in Europe. The individual farmer has the responsibility to ensure safe usage, but that’s easier said than done. The bottles they buy may not even have a label they can read.’ Still, Sturve’s studies show fairly low pesticide levels in both Tanzania and Mozambique.
‘Mozambique is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa, although from a low level. The shrimp industry is very important, which makes clean water crucial. The world’s second largest gas deposits were recently found near Pemba in the northern parts of the country, and this is attracting many Portuguese to the old colony. The presidential election will be held next year, which may lead to unrest.’ T r a d iti o n a lly , ecotoxicologists have studied individual substances. However, a few years ago, Sturve started working with Thomas Backhaus and other colleagues at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences to find out what happens when different chemicals are mixed – so-called chemical cocktails. ‘We have focused on three geographical
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Profile
Down in the basement at Zoologen there are both big and small aquariums.
areas: Stenungsund, Fiskebäckskil and the harbour of Gothenburg. In our society, we use up to 100 000 different chemicals, and 200 of them can be found in coastal waters. Some examples are medicine residues and PFOS from flame-retardants and impregnation agents. PFOS is broken down very slowly and can be found just about everywhere. Last year, several water catchments in the city of Uppsala had to be closed due to high PFOS levels.’ also studies nanoparticles and microplastics from beauty products, toothpaste and deodorants. These substances have been found in waters around the world, including in the deep seas. Sturve’s colleague Bethanie Almroth in particular is working with this. ‘Many of the chemicals we use make our lives easier. But we have to monitor what happens with the residues since we don’t know what the long-term consequences are for people and the environment.’ In the basement of the Department of Zoology, there are large fish tanks full of rainbows and shorthorn sculpins and smaller ones with guppies. But Sturve rarely uses animals in his research. Instead, he works in laboratories with in vitro systems. This means that he studies the effects of different chemicals in cells grown in dishes. St u rv e ’ s g ro u p
‘There are many advantages. It’s simpler and faster to see how a substance affects a mechanism in a cell system than in a living organism. Also, the cells can be exposed to larger amounts of the chemicals. In addition, there are EU directives to move away from animal experiments and instead use in vitro methods. However, on the down side, it’s difficult to transfer results from a cell experiment to something as complex as a living organism. So we still need to do complementary experiments on animals. Fish can feel things and the same ethical considerations apply regardless of which animal you’re using.’ Sturve’s research group is international; the scientists are from Sweden, USA and Brazil. The students are from different countries, too, like Lithuania, France and Italy. ‘Teaching is very rewarding. The students’ questions force you to focus your own thoughts. The teaching and infrastructure are well organised at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, and that’s a prerequisite for the research to work smoothly. So I’m a bit concerned about the proposition to split us into two separate departments, one for marine sciences and one for other fields of biology. Even if I study fish and other aquatic animals and a lot of my research concerns the marine environment, I don’t want to be limited to coastal waters and oceans. The biggest challenges with respect to chemicals in aquatic environments are found in freshwater sys-
»In our society, we use up to 100 000 different chemicals, and 200 of them can be found in coastal waters.« Joachim Sturve news: New Reader in Ecotoxicology at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences. Family: Jeanette and children Gabriella, Emilia, Joar and Astrid. Age: 47. Lives: In Majorna, where else? Last book: Höglandet, thriller from Iceland. Last film: Midnight premier of The Hobbit with Emilia, who loves Tolkien. Favourite food: Feijoada – a traditional Brazilian dish. Interests: Fish and all kinds of reptiles.
tems, which we all are extremely dependent on. And freshwater is a limited resource that we have to take good care of.’ Sturve feels that his childhood has made him a bit rootless. As a result, he enjoys doing research in foreign countries, for example in Africa. Perhaps his interest in nature will bring him back to Brazil? ‘My brother lived there for many years. Then he moved to the U.S., so I haven’t been back to Brazil since 2007. But every time I visited I felt at home. There are social problems in Brazil that I didn’t understand as a child. But I really appreciate people’s spontaneity and joy. It really makes life so much easier.’ Text: Eva Lundgren Photo: Johan Wingborg
News
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photography: Johan Wingborg
Classmates from around the world. The IT Faculty offers three international Master’s programmes, of which the Master’s in Communication had 17 paying students last autumn.
High Costs, Few Paying Students The number of paying students at the University of Gothenburg is increasing – from a very low level: last autumn, there were 71. Lund University had over 200. But the administration of them is expensive. W h e n t u iti o n fees were introduced in Sweden in 2011, the number of new non-European freemover students dwindled by almost 80 per cent. Although the numbers have increased since then, they are still far below the levels prior to the introduction of tuition fees. The course rosters show that 71 paying students signed up for a course or a programme last autumn. In autumn 2012 there were 57, and the year before that 41. This implies an increase by almost 70 per cent since the start. ‘More full scholarships from the government and the Swedish Institute can explain some of the increase,’ says Adam Lindgren at Educational Affairs, which is the unit administering the tuition fees. ‘But it’s impossible to say how many students receive support from their home countries and how many pay out of pocket.’ T h e Ma st e r ’ s i n Communication at the IT Faculty is the programme with the highest number of paying students – 17 in total. Nataliya Berbyuk Lindström manages the programme. ‘We were happily surprised by the level of interest in the programme. The number of applicants exceeded
our expectations. We have done some marketing and attended student fairs in London. It ’ s a b roa d and exciting programme with a unique profile and lots of elective courses. A large part of the programme concerns intercultural communication, and that’s of course attractive in these days of globalisation. Everybody, regardless of background, can benefit from the programme, and the students have classmates from all over the world.’ In the last few years, the programme has started accepting twice as many students, which has increased the workload for the teachers. ‘Ending up with more students than expected has been tough. My experience is that the paying students can be a bit demanding, but they work as hard as anybody else. As teachers, we make no difference between students.’ A co m p le t e ly different question is how many students apply to a programme. In autumn 2013, over 3 300 had applied to an international Master’s programme, of whom 2 400 were non-EU/EEA applicants. Only 1 000 applicants in this group paid the 900 SEK application fee, and a little over 200 ended up being accepted. Of the 200 successful applicants, only 71 paid the tuition fee and registered for courses. About one-third of the students in this group received scholarships. Fifteen received the big scholarship
from the Swedish Institute (which covers tuition, living expenses and travel costs) and ten were awarded the so-called University of Gothenburg Study Scholarship. The annual review by the Swedish Higher Education Authority concludes that the tuition reform has resulted in very little income but significant administrative costs. The extra work with fees, scholarships and related processes has turned out to be quite burdensome in relation to the relatively low number of paying students. No b o dy h a s figured out whether the University’s 4.3 million SEK in revenues covers all costs, but Tommy Hillman at Finance says that ‘the equation doesn’t add up’. Karin Åström, head of Educational Affairs, shares his view. ‘We need full cost coverage but are not there yet. We need to either attract more paying students or increase the tuition fees. But even if students are accepted and get scholarships to cover the tuition, many of them just can’t come due to the high costs of living here. The students won’t get a residence permit unless they can show that they have about 7 000 SEK to spend every month. We need more full scholarships.’ Sweden needs to expand its scholarship system to attract more international students, says Vice-Chancellor Pam Fredman. ‘It’s important for Sweden as a knowledge society. Since Sweden’s share of the mobile students is going
down, it’s important that more students study abroad. Another important factor is whether the students can get a job. Sweden will probably introduce a visa in the near future that will enable students to work in Sweden for six months after graduating.’ Text: Allan Eriksson Photo: Johan Wingborg
Facts In 2011, a new reform requiring students from outside EEA and Switzerland to pay for higher education went into effect. The University of Gothenburg’s tuition fees vary from 50 000 SEK per semester in the social sciences to over 100 000 SEK in the fine, applied and performing arts. The paying students who were registered in autumn 2013 came mainly from China (24), Iran (8) and Turkey (4). Number of paying students at the University of Gothenburg: autumn 2011 – 41; autumn 2012 – 57; autumn 2013 – 71. More scholarships can go to foreign students, writes Götheborgske Spionen. The University of Gothenburg is currently looking into the possibility of using the Adlerbertska Foundations to help fund non-EEA students. A working group led by Hans Abelius, head of the University’s International Centre, is currently exploring whether about 50 scholarships covering tuition and accommodation could be handed out. If everything goes well, this could go into effect as early as in 2015.
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Report
The Attraction of Oysters ‘Sustainable tourism is the future,’ says Sandhiya Goolaup from Mauritius. She found her passion in Sweden, 9 652 kilometres from home – West Coast oyster tourism. on the island surrounded by coral reefs. Today, her family is scattered around the world, but they all stay in touch through Skype. She tries to visit Mauritius at least a couple of times a year. ‘My childhood was happy and full of love. I grew up with my mum, dad, two sisters and grandma in a house in central Vacoas. We grew vegetables in the backyard. On weekends, we went to the beach and stayed at our summer house.’ Goo l au p g r e w u p
H e r fa m i ly i s originally from the Indian states of Punjab and Bihar. Besides their interest in the spicy Indian food, they like languages. ‘Grandma speaks Hindi, Bhojpuri and Mauritian Creole, and I speak English, French, Mauritian Creole and Hindi. Maybe I’ll even learn Swedish,’ says Goolaup and laughs. When she was little, her dad worked as a waiter in a hotel restaurant. Eventually, he was promoted to manager. ‘He often brought home tourists for dinner so that they could experience a genuine environment. Today, the big hotels arrange special evenings with local dishes, meaning a lot of seafood.’ The Mauritian cuisine, religions and languages give clear hints of a multicultural society with influences from the colonial history, slavery and immigration. About one million tourists, mostly from Europe and South Africa, visit Mauritius every year. The island’s ecotourism is gro-
wing and Goolaup sees a bright future.
came here it was free for non-EU students.’
to continue, it has to be sustainable. There are many projects to preserve the coral reefs, the local culture and the food. The ”Sea, Sun, Sand” concept remains important.’ Her parents moved to France to give their children a better economic future. Goolaup ended up staying to get her degree in tourism. While in school, she did placements at a smaller hotel in Avignon and a larger one in Mauritius. ‘I got to try different jobs in the hotel industry and was able to compare large-scale and family-owned businesses. That gave me good insight.’
W h e n s h e saw the advertisement for the doctoral studentship in Gothenburg, she knew it was perfect for her. Today she studies oyster tourism on the West Coast, how people shape and strengthen their identities by going on an oyster safari. ‘The European oyster (Ostrea edulis) isn’t found everywhere and is considered to be exclusive. I want to find out who partici-
‘ Fo r t h e to u r i s m
Mo st h ot e l s in Mauritius are owned by international chains, and they are often managed by foreigners. This creates employment, but Goolaup is critical. ‘There are no management jobs after college. Only a couple of the few friends I still have in Mauritius work in the tourism industry. People are frustrated that it takes a whole career to move up.’ Her desire to leave the island grew stronger and stronger. After her supervisor told her to consider Sweden, she decided to get a Master’s in Management in Umeå. ‘The culture and atmosphere are different here, and the cold weather in Gothenburg and Umeå is exciting. The education is of high quality, and when I
»I think the food tourism on the west coast will do very well.« pates in different concepts and why. I’m thinking of for example oyster days, hotel weekends, wild or farmed oyster safaris or visits to oyster bars. You can learn how to pick oysters, oyster history, and how to open and eat them.’ Oyst e r s ta st e best in the winter, and that’s when the oyster bar on the small island of Käringön is open. She has visited it several times. ‘An outdoor Jacuzzi with candles and an ocean view is a tranquil experience.’ Goolaup approaches her field studies as an observing tourist. ‘I study how the visitors act and react. At a later stage, I
interview the consumers. The information is going to be useful to businesses looking to specialise their services.’ She enjoys working in a largely unexplored field. ‘ I ’ m d i g g i n g deeply into a very interesting subject and feel I have a lot of freedom. The University of Gothenburg offers a creative and international research environment. And I love Gothenburg! It’s full of life and has great cafes and cultural activities. I hike the trails by the Delsjö lakes a lot.’ Last autumn, Goolaup attended a conference at the university in Bodø, Norway. The course on innovative and value-creating tourism was given by Goolaup’s supervisor, Professor Lena Mossberg. ‘It was one of the most enriching experiences of my life! They took us to an island in a RIB boat and gave us Stone Age food cooked in holes in the ground. We ate on wood plates and they wore furs. It was a great Stone Age experience and I met a lot of new people.’ W h e n a s k e d about food tourism and her own future, Goolaup says: ‘It depends on where in the world I get the best offer. I think the food tourism on the West Coast will do very well.’ I ask Goolaup whether she eats oysters and is able to open them. ‘I needed four attempts, but I finally did it. You need strength and a special knife. I enjoy them with lemon and olive oil. I have yet to find a pearl, though.’
Text: Helena Svensson photo: Johan Wingborg
GUJOURNAL 1 | 2014
Sandhiya Goolaup Job: Doctoral student in Marketing at the Department of Business Administration, Centre for Tourism, School of Business, Economics and Law. Education: University of Mauritius, Bachelor’s degree in Tourism, Leisure and Recreational Management, 2004–2007. Umeå University, Master’s programme in Management, 2009– 2011. University of Gothenburg, doctoral student in Marketing, 2012. Age: 27. Lives: Studiegången, Kålltorp. Family: Single. Interests: Hiking, shopping, cafes. Favourite food: Indian. Strength: Endurance. Weakness: Too self-critical. Motto: Where there is a will, there is a way. Currently reading: Consuming People: From Political Economy to Theaters of Consumption, Firat and Dholakia (1998).
FACTS About the European oyster (Ostrea edulis):
»An outdoor Jacuzzi with candles and an ocean view is a tranquil experience.« : Sandhiya Goolaup is originally from Mauritius and is now getting her PhD in Marketing at the School of Business, Economics and Law.
The oyster is sexually mature after 3-4 years and is a hermaphrodite. It is low in fat but high in protein and vitamins. The Republic of Mauritius: Gained independence in 1968 and became a republic in 1992. The project that Goolaup is involved in: Strategic Research for the Development of Sustainable Bivalve Shellfish Industry on the Swedish West coast, a collaboration between the Gothenburg Centre for Marine Research and the Centre for Tourism.
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News
Gender Equality in 33 Years Photo: Johan Wingborg
‘At the current pace, we won’t have the same number of male and female professors until 2047,’ said Birgitta Jordansson during a seminar that also revealed how a Swedish scientist changed Nature and Science. J o r da n s s o n , historian from the University of Gothenburg, started the seminar on 30 January by reminding the audience of the socalled Tham professorships. ‘Thirty professors were appointed with preference given to the underrepresented gender if two applicants were equally qualified. This led to some serious debate about 20 years ago. The critics said it violated the principle of meritocratic appointments, but the fact is that none of those professors were appointed as a result of affirmative action. Rather, the initiative had made the recruitment committees see qualifications they hadn’t noticed in the past. ’ However, there is no evidence that isolated efforts automatically lead to increased gender equality. Academia is still a male-dominated power base. One example of this is the grants for excellent environments in recent years, where only 12.7 per cent of the funding went to female research leaders. ‘Several women were considered to be highly qualified, but were not deemed able to lead a research team,’ said Jordansson. ‘One consequence of the programme is that 0.5–1 billion SEK has been redistributed from women to men.’ J o h a n n a Sta d m a r k , Lund University, told the audience about her analysis of the gender balance among those who are invited to comment on articles in the journals Nature and Science. ‘In for example my subject areas, environmental science and geology, about 20 per cent of all qualified scientists are women, but only four per cent of those who were invited to comment were women in 2010–2011.’ She sent her findings to the journals, which promised improvement. ‘I did a follow-up study that showed that the proportion of scientists in my subject areas who were invited to comment went up to 20 per cent. ’ Malin Rönnblom, political scientist from Umeå Universitet, was tired of the word ‘gender equality’. ‘There is this idea that gender equality is just a matter of training people, when it’s really about power relations and privileges, meaning it’s about politics and action.’ The Young Academy of Sweden hosted the event.
Eva Lundgren
There is no conflict between gender equality and meritocracy, says Birgitta Jordansson.
The You ng Ac ademy of Sweden The Young Academy of Sweden is an independent academy, which has the objective to function as a cross-disciplinary forum and to produce a scientific political platform for young scientists in Sweden. Being young in this particular context is a scientist whom defended his or her thesis within the last decade. The academy members convene at so-called academy meetings, at which all academy members meet to discuss, initiate projects and decide on matters relating to the Academy. These meetings take place twice in autumn and twice in spring, each session lasting two full days.
The Nobel Prize Laureate in Physiology or Medicine 1981 Professor Torsten Wiesel is the Academy´s Scientific patron and follows The Young Academy of Sweden’s work closely. The Young Academy of Sweden was founded in May 2011 at initiative of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and is funded by the Erling-Persson Family Foundation, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the Ministry of Education and Research, and the Ragnar Söderberg Foundation. During spring 2010 The Global Young Academy was founded and new young academies are forming worldwide.