Donna Strickland is a good example of the need for WikiGap.
GUJournal ANNE FAREWELL PAGE 28
INDEPENDENT JOURNAL FOR THE STAFF AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG #5 NOVEMBER 2018
LOVES CARNIVORES
DAWN SANDERS ENCOURAGES US TO LEARN FROM NATURE
NEWS
Halving Emissions in Five Years! REPORT
How to Create a Successful Environment REPORT
Nobel Quality Research
VICE-CHANCELLOR Stand up for academic freedom ! TAND UP FOR academic freedom!
The decision in Hungary is an intervention into academic freedom …
November has arrived with autumnal gloom and days that are growing shorter and darker. It was with some disquiet that I received the news last week that the Hungarian government has now implemented the decision to discontinue gender research in the country by removing it as an academic subject. Earlier, the Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions and the European Universities Association responded to this threat by condemning the decree, which now appears to have been realised. On the steps of the university here in Gothenburg, a small manifestation took place to show support for our colleagues in Hungary. No-one can escape the fact that gender research is a frequently debated topic with positions that are highly polarized. Regardless of your perspective on the issue, it is crucial that, as a university, we stand up for academic freedom and our autonomy when it comes to the research and education that is being conducted. The decision in Hungary is an intervention into academic freedom that is completely alien to us.
Government’s Inquiry Chair, Agneta Bladh. To me, it is important to emphasize the autonomy of higher education institutions in relation to the recruitment of students and the question of to what extent they should narrow or broaden their base. One idea I have, and would like to hear the Inquiry Chair’s deliberations on this, is how she thinks digitalization will affect our international collaborations. I would also like to know the inquiry’s perspective on the potential consequences of “Styr- och Resursutredningen” (the Governance and Resource Inquiry) and how it will affect how we view fee-paying students. FINALLY, I WOULD like to draw attention to the solemn and beautiful doctoral conferment ceremony on October 19. A big thank you to all the participants – doctors, honorary doctors, jubilee doctors, and not least to those students and employees who did their utmost to make the day as memorable as possible. Feliciter, doctores! Semper vobis bene sit! Valete! (May it always go well for you! Goodbye!)
TODAY, THE INQUIRY on Increased Internationa-
lisation of Higher Education Institutions will release its final interim report. As one of the vice-chancellors participating in the expert group for internationalisation, I have been asked to submit reflections and comments to the
Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG
MASTHEAD IT WAS BECAUSE of mounting frustration that Julia Nordblad, Associate Senior Lecturer in the History of Ideas, decided to write an op-ed article about the responsibility of universities concerning the threat posed by climate change. The higher education institutions possess the knowledge and are more than happy to encourage politicians, students and the public to choose more climate-friendly options in their daily lives. At the same time, the employees of higher education institutions do not always practice what they preach. At the University
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EVA WIBERG
The Art of Practising What You Preach of Gothenburg, the number of flights have indeed fallen somewhat, but from a very high level. For example, around 1,500 flights are taken between Gothenburg and Stockholm each year, directly contrary to the policy. In this issue, several employees put forward proposals for how we can be more climate-friendly. We also have letter to the editor about vegan food, in response to Jonas Gren’s op-ed in the last issue. IN ADDITION, we write about the
research ship that was delayed and the consequences of that for both
researchers and other employees. As there is no ship on which to work, the crew has been laid off. What is it like to step down as a Head of Department? Several former department heads that the GU Journal spoke to think that it is nice to be able to spend time on research and lecturing again, but also present proposals for how to make better use of their experience. As always, we hope you will enjoy reading this issue and that you keep sending us your suggestions! THE EDITORS
30 Alice Srugies is a researcher at the IT faculty.
Photo: EMELIE ASPLUND
CONTENTS NEWS 04–09
04. Time the Universities take responsibilty for the climate. 06. Views from members of the staff. 07. Fired from Polish museum. 08. 140 experts will help GU with RED 19. 09. 50 million in surplus and over a billion on the bank.
PROFILE 10–13 10. Dawn Sanders fights plant blindness.
FOCUS 14–17 14. Nobel quality research.
REPORT 18–23
18. The secret to success. 22. Big Bird and the search for a new species.
PEOPLE 24–31
24. Why early farmers spread to Europe. 25. The doctoral conferment ceremony. 28. Networking to reduce gender gap. 30. Communication essential in crisis.
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NEWS
Halving Greenhous
in five years!
That was the demand made by 18 researchers to their own institutions in an op-ed in the broadsheet Dagens Nyheter at the end of October. The reactions were swift in coming. When the GU Journal went to print, the appeal had received no less than 650 signatures. IT WAS A mounting frustration over
the fact that transitioning to a more sustainable society is taking too long that made Julia Nordblad, Associate Senior Lecturer in the History of Ideas at Uppsala, publish the article. “The scientific reports are both unequivocal and alarming, while very little is happening at the political level. The universities have a specific role as the one institution in society which produces and disseminates knowledge. If not even we, who really should know better, practice what we preach, we undermine our credibility.” While writing the article, Julia Nordblad discovered that there was a pent-up desire for more initiatives concerning the climate. “Many people find that there is a gap between what we teach and
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what we do. At the same time, there are already several projects and initiatives to reduce the climate impact. They should be disseminated and coordinated, and maybe this op-ed article could be one step towards better collaboration.” Åsa Arping, Professor in Comparative Literature at the University of Gothenburg, is one of the signatories. She argues that it is high time for the university to do their bit to create a sustainable society. “As an individual, it is easy to feel despondent: What can I do? But if employees at all Swedish higher education institutions get involved, we can actually achieve something. It will certainly involve sacrifices, but if we do nothing now we risk losing a lot more in the future. THE UNIVERSITY of Gothenburg has already implemented a meeting and travel policy that states that employees should choose the train for trips shorter than 500 km. But the policy could be considerably stricter,” argues Åsa Arping. “For example, we could decide to restrict international travel and promote more digital meetings. And just as we have rules concerning the
But if employees at all Swedish higher education institutions get involved ...
Åsa Arping
serving of alcohol, we can regulate the food that is served, such as mandating vegetarian food for social events.” Deliang Chen, Professor of Physical Meteorology and coordinating main contributor at the IPCC, finds the appeal an excellent initiative. “There is an overwhelming risk that we will miss the Paris goal if we do not now start implementing the drastic measures that are required. Everyone shares responsibility and the universities can and should lead by example. Of the five proposals in the appeal, I am most fond of number three. We have a good public transport system and we should of course use it.” For a long time, there has been considerable commitment to climate issues among the student body, says Moa Persson, Environmental Coordinator at the Gothenburg Centre for Sustainable Development, GMV. “Students at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU, in Uppsala have created the Facebook group, “Klimatstudenterna”, which quickly gained followers. And together with a friend, one student
NEWS
se-Gas Emissions at the University of Gothenburg started the campaign,“Vi som håller oss på jorden”, which is about instituting a flight-free 2019 with the aim of reaching 100,000 Swedes. Imagine if the University of Gothenburg introduced a flight-free year, or at least halved the number of flights, what international attention that would create!” CURRENTLY, THE University of
Gothenburg provides around 1,200 parking spaces, several of which cost SEK 30 per day, which is the standard hourly rate in the city centre. “But it is about making it easy to do without a car. Instead, why not make it easier to cycle by providing bicycle garages and more changing rooms?” Environmental considerations are often presented as being in opposition to the need for increased internationalisation. But it does not have to be that way, Moa Persson points out. “In our estimates, we do not take into consideration the emissions contributed by students. What if some of our international students could travel here by train instead?
Most people want to do what is right, but may need a little nudging.” The fact that the appeal comes from the grassroots level, from employees and students, may be a good thing, Åsa Arping believes. “But it is important that management gets on board. It is easier to refrain from flying if there is a policy to refer to.” The university management agrees that the universities should lead by example.
Facts The article, “Universiteten måste själva börja klimatomställningen” was published in Dagens Nyheter on October 29. The writers argue that the higher education institutions in the country should halve their greenhouse-gas emissions within five years. Travel. Procedures and working arrangements should be developed to enable meetings, conferences and lectures to be conducted remotely. The universities should also put pressure on the research funders to demand research with minimal emissions.
“WE CAN ALWAYS do more, but
in practice it may however be difficult to always choose the most eco-friendly alternative, for example, if you are called to a meeting at the ministry in Stockholm on short notice, says Pro-Vice Chancellor Mattias Goksör. But the government could contribute to it by promoting more digital meetings instead of physically summoning the vice-chancellors. The Research Council could also contribute by arranging more digital lectures and seminars. The technology is already in place.”
Moa Persson
Food. The universities can reduce consumption of high-emission foods at their staff canteens, catered events and social events. Commuting by car. The universities can encourage their staff to use bicycles or public transport. Energy usage. By maximising the use of premises, emissions can be further reduced. Capital investments. The capital managed by the universities should be invested in sustainable industries.
EVA LUNDGREN & ALLAN ERIKSSON NOVEMBER 2018 GUJOURNAL
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NEWS
What could GU do more for climate change? Patrik Zapata, Professor,
Sara Rebecka Ivarsson,
Jonas Gren, PhD in Practical hilosophy, and Development Manager P at Sahlgrenska Academy
Gunilla Priebe, Senior Lecturer in
“To do more is necessary and political decisions have to be made. It is more effective to ban animal food, than to make vegetarian choices. And many propositions concern how to deal with the effects of the crisis, rather than how to prevent it. Governance should be sharper.”
“The situation is dire. There is a need of radical actions on every level. As a University, we have a special obligation to act swiftly and decisively. GU can take the lead in every choice we make, from how we travel to which kind of food we serve on our premises.”
“I think the greatest challenges are the unwillingness to change our habits, and the belief that our individual actions have little impact. As employees, we need more regulations to make better choices. I think that if the University acts responsibly, it will make a large symbolic value and encourage others to do the same.”
“Of course, GU should set up clearer goals to decrease its effect on the climate, since GU profiles itself as a university that is leading in sustainable development and takes societal responsibility. Stop buying meat is not difficult. It needs political willingness, but not a shift in the organisation.”
School of Public Administration
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PhD Student, Department of Journalism, Media and Communication
Health Promotion and Convenor for Sahlgenska Academy’s Network for Sustainable Development in Education
NEWS
Fired Museum Director
Paweł Machcewicz was accused of antinationalism in Poland.
When historian Paweł Machcewicz in an article proposed the creation of a World War II museum, with contributions from all possible countries, he did not think the idea would receive that much attention. “So I was greatly surprised when, in 2008, Prime Minister Donald Tusk commissioned me to create such a museum. It was the start of a number of very turbulent years.” ON OCTOBER 24–26, Paweł Machcewicz, Head of Europe’s largest World War II museum located in Gdansk, visited the University of Gothenburg. “When Poland joined the EU in 2004, it became clear to me that Eastern and Western Europe have
very different views of the war. For the West, 1945 meant the beginning of new, liberal societies. The East suffered from the consequences of the war until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.” THEREFORE, THE IDEA behind the museum was to depict the war from all possible perspectives: the Jewish, Polish, French, Russian, and even the German perspective. “Instead of promoting understanding, the project resulted in Poland becoming divided into two factions – one that was really positive about the project and the other that almost perceived it as treasonous.
When the nationalist party, Law and Justice, came to power in 2015, they decided to terminate the museum project. However, my colleagues and I worked at record speed and on March 27, 2017 we were able to open the museum.” ON APRIL 5 HOWEVER, Paweł Machcewicz and his entire staff were dismissed and the museum is now under new management.
Text: EVA LUNDGREN Photo: HENRIK KJELLBERG NOVEMBER 2018 GUJOURNAL
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NEWS
RED 19 Completed by Autumn Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG
In the first week of April, 140 external experts will visit the University of Gothenburg to participate in the ongoing RED 19 research evaluation. However, before that, all self-assessments must be completed. “The institutions will have until November 30, faculties and university management will have an additional couple of weeks,” explains Project Manager Staffan Edén. DURING THE SPRING, the RED
19 project team has been presenting the research evaluation at management meetings, faculty boards, department councils and various information meetings. “The work that is currently underway, the institutions’ self-assessments, is, I would argue, the most important part of the evaluation,” Staffan Edén points out. “The issues that the institutions are considering include whether staff and resources are being used in the most effective manner given the current conditions; whether the research environments can be improved; how recruitment is conducted; whether there is a good seminar culture and whether issues of equal treatment are being handled in the best way possible. Other important issues involve our standing from a research perspective, how management operates and if sufficient support is provided.” Relevant background information has been developed,
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”140 external experts will help us with the evaluation,” says Staffan Edén.
such as bibliometrics, staffing and financial data and policy documents. “ALL THIS WILL then form the basis for the 140 external experts who are coming here on April 1–5 next year,” says Staffan Edén. “It is the institutions themselves who have suggested appropriate individuals that they respect and who meet the criteria established by RED19. It is therefore not just about critical review, but also about constructive criticism and about positive reinforcement. It is also important that at least one expert in each group understands the Swedish university system. That is why we have a predominance of Nordic experts. Our experts also come from other western countries, but for various reasons we have no-one from Asia or Africa.”
The experts will receive detailed instructions on how to evaluate the material. They will also conduct interviews. “Their work will lead to specific recommendations that can be put into practice,” explains Sigríður Beck, Assistant Project Manager. “This means, among other things, that the experts should take into account the entire mandate of the institution, not just research, and also take into account the fact that some institutions have a lot of graduate courses.” ALL THE MATERIAL received
from institutions and experts as well as other material will be compiled during the spring. A preliminary report is scheduled for completion before the university board meeting in June 2019. “After further corrections,
the final report with all the attachments will be completed next autumn,” says Sigríður Beck. The report will be followed up in three years’ time. “The idea is that this will be a recurring process, where research evaluation is carried out every six years, with follow-up after three years.” RED 19 is inspired by the research evaluation that has been regularly carried out in Uppsala for some time, as well as similar inquiries in the UK and the Netherlands. “The University of Gothenburg evaluating its research is in line with the Swedish Higher Education Authority’s mandate to further develop the national quality assurance system,” explains Staffan Edén. “Chalmers and the University of Lund and Malmö have also initiated research evaluation and they have been inspired by us.” EVA LUNDGREN
Facts RED 19 involves a quality assessment of the research conducted at the University of Gothenburg, which will be based on facts alreadyavailable at the university. A preliminary report is expected to be ready for the university board meeting in June; the final report will be completed later in the autumn. The project is headed by Staffan Edén, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor with responsibility for research issues. The project team also includes Sigríður Beck, Rebecca Blease, Kristoffer Collin and Rangnar Nilsson.
NEWS
Surplus of 50 million A surplus of SEK 50 million – that is the forecast for the year, according to the latest financial follow-up that was adopted by the Board on October 24. It is the 20th consecutive year that the university has had a surplus, despite the fact that the number of new employees continues to rise. “WE USUALLY GET our planning
more or less right,” says Peter Tellberg, CFO. ”Even though we have set a more assertive budget this year the surplus is a fairly small amount in relation to our annual turnover of SEK 6 billion.” In just one year, the number of new jobs has risen by almost 4 percent, which corresponds to increased costs of SEK 114 million. In just six years, the
number of full-time students has increased by just over 13 percent. The largest increase has been in the staff category of lecturers and doctoral students (21 percent), mainly within the Sahlgrenska Academy and the Faculty of Social Sciences. HOWEVER, EVERYTHING is not just sunshine and roses. For the fifth consecutive year, the University of Gothenburg will not reach the cap for which the university can receive maximum reimbursement. This mainly concerns the Faculty of Arts and the Sahlgrenska Academy. In total, this amounts to minus SEK 44 million, but the deficit is not large enough to warrant repayment to the government. “It is a little concerning that we are producing less education while increasing the number of employees, especially
lecturers. Rather, our performance should be going up, but it may take some time before we see the effects,” says Peter Tellberg, who does not think the trend will change as long as the economic boom continues, while the number of new students is expected to fall. The low number of applicants mainly affects the Faculty of Arts, which has to pay back SEK 20 million in educational funding to the university. There is currently a shortfall of students in major subjects such as English, History, Art History and Literature. If the forecast holds, the faculty will have a deficit of SEK 44 million, which is 11 million worse than planned. ”The faculty has failed to balance their finances and has presented an action programme, but it must be understood that it will take time to rectify the problems.”
Most of the evidence indicates that the University of Gothenburg, for the 20th consecutive year, will report a positive result. By the end of the year, the university is expected to have increased its administrative capital to almost SEK 1.3 billion, which is the largest amount ever. The money is mainly in research activities. “THE FACT THAT the University of Gothenburg’s finances are good is basically a pleasant problem. We would have to operate with a deficit for several years in a row to work our way through our retained capital. The challenge is to put more resources into the business to ensure that the students get the high standard of education they need and to produce more high-quality research.” ALLAN ERIKSSON
Unclear conditions for 2019 Increased costs for premises, the University Library and university-wide activities for 2019. These are some of the new items within the scope of the grant and cost structure adopted by the Board.
ties by SEK 16 million. “But it is not in fact a specific increase, but rather a fixed percentage that forms the basis for the allocation,” explains Peter Tellberg, CFO. ”This is due to the fact that our operations are growing.”
WHAT IS NEW for 2019, is that
share is fixed at 6.5 percent and will cover the extensive web development project that started in 2017. In total, the joint administration has a budget of SEK 432 million, an increase of almost four percent compared to 2017. The University of Gothen-
the costs for premises will increase by SEK 9 million, which is due to more accommodation for visiting research fellows. Provisions for the University Library will also increase by SEK 2 million and for so-called university-wide support activi-
THE JOINT administration’s
burg’s strategic investments amount to SEK 124 million and go to research areas such as the UGOT Challenges. In addition, the Board has reserved SEK 10 million for the RED19 research assessment. In order to attract research grants, the University of Gothenburg will also contribute Peter SEK 79 million to Tellberg co-financing projects in, for example, ERC applications, Wallenberg Academy Fellows, as well as “Riksbankens Jubileumsfond”, Pro Futura.
Conditions for 2019 are somewhat unclear because as yet, there is no government in place. Therefore, the University Board decided to give the vice chancellor the mandate to allocate any additional grants. “We do not really know what will happen until the new government is in place. It may happen quickly and if so, it is good that the vice chancellor is ready to make the necessary decisions,” says Peter Tellberg. New decisions regarding planning frameworks for 2020–2021 were also adopted by the Board. ALLAN ERIKSSON NOVEMBER 2018 GUJOURNAL
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PROFILE
Among mephitic trees and carnivorous plants In a shelter in the Rock Garden in the Gothenburg Botanical Garden is a large, framed photograph of a meadow. You will have to look carefully to notice a particular grass among the plants, the feather grass Stipa pennata. The same grass, but on a much larger scale, hangs, in the form of a 14-metre long wall hanging, beside the staircase in Building B at Campus Pedagogen. The work is part of the project, Beyond Plant Blindness, led by DAWN SANDERS. Text: EVA LUNDGREN Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG
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EATHER GRASS grows all over Europe. But in
Sweden, the grass can only be found in a single spot in Västergötland, where it has grown for about 3,000 years. Dawn Sanders tells me this as we walk through the Botanical Garden on this chilly October morning. “The artists Bryndís Snæbjörnsdóttir and Mark Wilson made the wall hanging in Building B at Campus Pedagogen, in collaboration with experts at Chalmers, who scanned the blades of grass using an electron microscope. The 29 photographs have since been carefully assembled into one single image that the artist Kristina Aas used as a model when she was designing the actual fabric.” Also, highly enlarged photographs of seeds that were on display during the summer in the store “Floras Rike” are part of the project. A symposium will be held in November, and Dawn Sanders is also in the process of editing a special edition supplement about the project in the scientific journal Plants, People, Planet. When you look at plants differently, from another angle or highly magnified, it is sometimes difficult to appreciate that it is actually an ordinary plant you are looking at, says Dawn Sanders. “Plants are fascinating because they are so different from us humans. But it is terrible how insensitive we have become to the well-being of plants, they are still a prerequisite for almost everything else that lives on the planet. For example, whenever I’m at Linnéplatsen, and see the century-old trees that have been cut down just lying there, I find it distressing.” WHEN WE MEET in the Botanic Garden, Dawn Sanders has just returned from Melton, Suffolk, in southeast England, where she spends half her time with her wife, Charmaine. Her daughter lives in Australia. She tells me that she has devoted herself to plants and cultivation since she was three years old, inspired by her mother who was a dedicated gardener. “My father was an engineer and taught me to always look at problems from a different angle, so both of my parents have influenced who I am: botanist, artist and educator.” In 2004, she wrote her thesis on the educational role of botanical gardens, knowledge she used when she worked as a teacher at the Chelsea Physic Garden, the Natural History Museum in London, South London Botanical Institute and the Charles Darwin Trust, where teaching takes place in Down House, Darwin’s former residence. Her work there resulted in the book Darwin-Inspired Learning, for which Dawn Sanders was a co-editor. It includes ideas about how to teach in the spirit of Darwin and is freely available online. “I worked at the Charles Darwin Trust from 2008–2012, which enabled me to get to know Darwin so well that he became part of my family. When I stopped working there six years ago, it was as if he had taken his coat down from its peg and left.”
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PROFILEN PROFILE cator at the Charles Darwin Trust, the children, quite appropriately, called it “the big smelly tree”.” The leaves of the Ginkgo tree contain substances that allegedly can prevent memory loss. “I don’t know if that’s really true or not. But it would be interesting to try it on my elderly father who is starting to suffer from dementia.” Most people have a favourite plant or species of plant that they have a particular relationship with, says Dawn Sanders. “That is why, together with colleagues in the humanities, biology and education, I started the Herbaria 03 platform, supported by, among others, The Seedbox at Linköping University. “Where can a plant take you?” is a question about which the platform collects stories. Swedes seem to have a special relationship with wood anemones. Personally, I love carnivorous plants. They were also a favourite of Darwin who believed that they were a kind of cross between plants and animals. He was particularly fond of Drosera rotundifolia, a small plant that you have to get down on your knees in marshes to study.”
”The Ginkgo, one of my favorite trees, has leaves that consist of two heart-shaped lobes,” says Dawn Sanders.
Six years ago, Dawn Sanders became an Associate Professor at the Department of Pedagogical, Curricular and Professional Studies and is now lecturing trainee teachers about how botanical gardens can instil in pupils a sense of wonder for nature and thereby increase interest in sustainable development. “I strongly believe in teaching outside the confines of the school, in parks, museums, town halls, streets and squares. What inspired me was my own first year at school when I had teachers who let us discover and explore the environs around the school and in town. My later school years were much stricter, and thus less fun, which I think was a shame; one of the most important tasks of the school system is to make use of the pupils’ desire to learn.” One example of a plant that can be used for learning purposes is the Ginkgo tree, which we are heading for now. The tree, whose golden yellow autumn leaves glisten in the sun, is one of the oldest species of tree in the world; they have been around for at least 100 million years. But there is also a slightly mysterious aura about it because it does not have any close relatives currently in existence, says Dawn Sanders. “It is called Ginkgo biloba as the leaves consist of two heart-shaped lobes that are joined together. It originates from China and was previously threatened with extinction. They were able to save the tree because it is considered sacred and consequently began to be planted next to temples. The trees consist of males and females, but in public spaces, mostly male trees are planted. The mature fruit contains butyric acid and has an absolutely terrible odour. When I worked as an edu-
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FOR ANYONE WHO is inclined to go hunting for carnivorous plants, the greenhouse in the Botanical Garden is the place to go. You will find them in the temperature controlled greenhouse, “Disahuset”. Everyone has their own exciting, or perhaps scary, story, Dawn Sanders explains. “The carnivorous plants have a number of different ways of catching a fly or larvae. The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) can close its leaves over an insect in a millisecond. It happens so quickly that only the very latest camera technology has managed to capture it. The greater bladderwort (Utricularia vulgaris) catches worms and larvae with its trap bladders that use suction, which means that the prey cannot get out.” The common bladderwort (Pinguicula vulgaris) is good at catching fruit flies. “The leaves are covered in a thick mucus which causes the prey to suffocate to death. The tropical pitcher plant (Nepenthes) produces nectar that causes insects to become intoxicated, fall down into the plant and be digested. But carnivorous plants can also collaborate with animals. It is a little strange perhaps when you consider the special kind of bat that uses the tropical pitcher plant as both a roost and a toilet; the waste is converted into nutrients for the plant.” PLANTS THAT NO longer look so nice are often thrown away. If Dawn Sanders sees any tired looking plants in the compost next to her home, she usually picks them up and takes care of them until they recover. “But, as I commute so much, I cannot have a lot of plants in my home in Gothenburg, instead I give plants away to friends and colleagues. But back home in England, we have an abundance of plants, mainly in the bathroom. In addition, I have two gardens to take care of: Charmaine’s and mine, as well as my mother’s.”s
JANUARI
I
Dawn Sanders
I strongly believe in teaching outside the confines of the school ...
Works as: Associate Professor in Biology Didactics at the Department of Pedagogical, Curricular and Professional Studies. Current project: Head of the Swedish Research Council funded research project Beyond Plant Blindness: Seeing the importance of plants for a sustainable world. O ther contributors are Bente Eriksen, Eva Nyberg, Bryndís Snæbjörnsdóttir, Mark Wilson and PhD student Margaretha Häggström. Other work: Editor of the book: Darwin-Inspired Learning, together with Carolyn J. Boulter and Michael J. Reiss. The book can be downloaded free of charge from the internet. She is also involved with the platform Herbaria.03, which is supported by Linköping University, Mistra and Formas. Lives in: Gothenburg and the village of Melton in Suffolk. Family: Wife Charmaine and daughter Kamalaa. Most recently read book: Juhani Pallasmaa: The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses Most recently watched film: All About My Mother by Pedro Almodóvar. Favourite dish: Dahl (Indian lentil stew) with rice. Favourite plant: Nepenthes attenboroughii. Favourite place in Gothenburg: The Botanical Garden and Gunnebo House. Favourite place in London: The bagel shop on Brick Lane which is open 24 hours a day, as well as the South Bank.
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FOCUS
/NOBEL PRIZE RESEARCH
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Nobel Quality Research at the University of Gothenburg This year’s Nobel Prize in Physics is divided between a technique called optical tweezers and a method of producing highintensityultra-short optical pulses. Both methods are used and developed at the Department of Physics. Text: EVA LUNDGREN Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG
NOVEMBER NOVEMBER 2018 2018 GUJOURNAL GUJOURNAL
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FOCUS/NOBELPRIZE RESEACH
WHEN DAG HANSTORP, Professor of
Nuclear Physics, wanted to explain what this year’s physics prize involved, he started with Johannes Kepler. Four hundred years ago, he realized that the reason the tails of comets always turn away from the sun was that the solar rays push at the small particles of which the tails are composed. “This means that in principle, it is faster to run with the sun at your back because the sun exerts a force, even though that force is so small that we obviously do not notice anything. But the sunlight’s ability to exert a force forms the basis of optical tweezers, which Arthur Ashkin, one of this year’s winners of the physics prize invented in 1970. The tweezers consist of a laser beam directed down through a lens in a microscope. Using the force of the light, you can hold extremely small entities, like single cells, and examine them.”
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At the Department of Physics, Dag Hanstorp, Thomas Nyström and Mattias Goksör began using optical tweezers in 1998 in an interdisciplinary project on the optical manipulation of E. coli bacteria. “WE WERE PIONEERS when it comes to using the method within microbiology,” explains pro-vice-chancellor Mattias Goksör. “What’s so amazing about the optical tweezers is that it consists only of focused light, which allows us to study biological material without contaminating or destroying it at all. However, we are no longer passive spectators at the microscope, but can enter and manipulate both within and between, for example, cells with a tool that is absolutely sterile.” The technique can also be used as a scalpel that cuts holes in, for example, a cell wall to insert or remove something, Mattias Goksör says. “The technology is extremely
It is faster to run with the sun at your back because the sun exerts a force ... DAG HANSTORP
useful, some research questions, such as our study on lipid transport together with Anna Stina Sandelius, had bugged the biologists for almost 30 years. Suddenly the question could be resolved in an afternoon in our lab. I was nevertheless surprised that Ashkin was awarded the Nobel Prize because I think he should have got it already in 1997 together with Steven Chu and William D. Phillips for their ”development of methods of cooling and capturing laser light” The fact that he was rewarded at last is really satisfactory and has probably something to do with how useful the technology has become within life sciences.” THE SECOND PART of the Nobel Prize involves ultra-fast and intense laser pulses. By 1985, we had reached a limit to the laser pulse intensity that could be produced, as the light pulses were becoming so intense that they were destroying the optics
Nobel Prize Research One half of this year’s obel Prize in Physics N goes to Arthur Ashkin for the invention of optical tweezers. The other half goes to G érard Mourou and Donna Strickland for the invention of CPA, Chirped Pulse Amplification. Research in both of these areas is being conducted at the Department of Physics.
Soumya Radhakrishnan, Caroline Adiels and Giovanni Volpe are just some of the researchers who use optical tweezers in their research. It involves colliding droplets, cells and proteins, and one of the greatest mysteries in physics. WHEN NASA JET Propulsion Laboratory needs
being used. But then Gérard Mourou and Donna Strickland started to get interested in the problem, says Dag Hanstorp. “BY REFLECTING A laser beam onto a grating, they could extend a short light pulse to make it much longer and weaker, and separate it into different colours,” says Dag Hanstorp. “They could then amplify the intensity of the light by several orders of magnitude without destroying the optics. Then they pushed the pulses together by reflection on to a similar grating, but pointing in the other direction. This enabled them to create an extremely short, high-energy laser pulse. The method is used today in eye surgery because the strong light can affect precisely the tissues you want to get to, without destroying the surrounding tissue. Research with this type of pulse is also underway at the Department of Physics.”s
help in its research on air pollution, they turn to Soumya Radhakrishnan, a PhD physicist. “They investigate air pollutants in water droplets by sending up various instruments into the atmosphere using high-altitude balloons. To know what to look for, they need information that we can produce in laboratory experiments. Right now, I am working on an experiment where I use optical tweezers to hold two different types of droplets, each one in a separate trap. I then colour the droplets with different substances. By studying fluorescent light from the droplets, I am able to investigate how those that contain different pollutants react with each other.” In biology, the optical tweezers are used for the manipulation of biological entities, such as cells; you can manipulate the inside of a single cell as well as in between different cells, says biologist Caroline Adiels. “At the moment, I use a so-called microfluidic system in my research. Using three thin channels, I can introduce different solutions into the cells I am studying, thus enabling me to control the environment around the cell. The optical tweezers allow me to move the cells around without
affecting them and, for example, decide how closely I want to position them.” I also use the optical tweezers to study the elasticity of yeast cells, as well as protein folding, explains Caroline Adiels. “By using a plastic bead with antibodies bound to it, I can control the protein using the optical tweezers. By so doing, I can investigate how different pH values affect whether the protein binds to the antibodies or whether they bind to each other.” The Boltzmann distribution is a term within mathematics that indicates a probable distribution of particles in a system over various possible states. The system works for particles in equilibrium, explains Associate Senior Lecturer Giovanni Volpe. “BUT MY TEAM has used a pair of optical
tweezers to demonstrate that a particle that is in a system far from equilibrium does not have such a distribution. Systems that are far from equilibrium are one of the major challenges in physics, where some of the commonly used mathematical models do not work when the actual environment in which the phenomenon occurs is itself not in balance.” Another research area involves using optical tweezers to study how particles function in a group, such as bacterial colonies. It is complicated, because a group consists of individuals with different behaviours, explains Giovanni Volpe. “A third research area involves creating heat engines, but at the nanoscale.”s
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REPORT
The GU Journal has visited one such environment: the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, which has received as many as five ERC grants over the past two years. “In our research we focus on both cutting-edge and breadth and our students also have access to the latest research findings,” explains Markus Tamas, Head of Department. Text: EVA LUNDGREN Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG
FINANCIERS LIKE the European Research Council, the Wallenberg Foundations, the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research and the Swedish Research Council seem to love the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology. The department receives approximately SEK 100 million annually in external funding and there is a high level of activity: Last year, a total of 170 scientific articles were published, while 11 PhD students completed their theses. Research at the department is also one reason why this year’s ShanghaiRanking in the field of Life Science ranked the University of Gothenburg number two in Sweden and number 40 in the world. “One reason why the department is so successful is probably because we have chosen to recruit young promising talents, who are very driven, rather than slightly older researchers who are already in the midst of their careers,” Markus Tamas explains. “Our appeal is that we have an environment where there is a tremendous
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amount of freedom to pursue one’s interests, where you are part of an international network and there is a lot of collaboration, both within academia and with industry. The department also encourages the use of new technology and new methods; one example is systems biology, where we started genomics at an early stage and thus succeeded in attracting even more talent.” Influential research leaders are important. But it is also important that the broad foundational base maintains a high standard, says Markus Tamas. “WE HAVE BEEN working strategically with our finan-
ces for several years and can now use grant funding to give our lecturers more research time. It is a way of also assisting those who are on the verge of receiving external funding. This initiative has also enabled our researchers to employ more PhD students. Today, we have approximately 70 postgraduate students, most of
whom are at the Faculty of Science. But we do not want to stop there, but rather hope to employ yet another 10–20 PhD students in the near future.” One way of helping all employees is to let the successful researchers be good role models, Markus Tamas explains. “WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE who has received a sub-
stantial grant to tell us how they worded or perfected their application. The best way to succeed is to be in an environment with successful individuals that stimulate you – and that is what it is like here.” However, for the department to function well, there must be a balance between the two areas of chemistry and molecular biology. “We must have comprehensive expertise, which means that sometimes we have to say no to people who apply to come here with skills that we already have. It
is nice to be able to pick and choose, but also disappointing that we cannot accept all the talented young researchers who want to come here.” Something that the department has not been as successful with is gender equality, says Markus Tamas. “Males are overly represented among our professors, which obviously is not good. We need to review our recruitment process because today, we sometimes only get male applicants when we advertise for positions. We are also trying to get better at giving women support early on in their careers. A number of our talented female researchers have received major funding recently and we are about to recruit additional women in conjunction with the Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine. It is not about giving women an unfair advantage, but about ensuring that women and men have equal opportunities, which we know is not always the case.”
The department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology is one of the most succesful in its field in Sweden.
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REPORT
The Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology
When there is a cross fertilization between research and education, both areas develop.
Founded on January 1, 2012 through a merger of the Departments of Chemistry and Cell and Microbiology Professors: 24 Postgraduate students: 69 Undergraduate contribution: approximately SEK 35 million/year Research funding: approximately SEK 72 million/year
MARKUS TAMAS
External funding: approximately SEK 102 million/year
Education is also important for creating a good environment, says Markus Tamas. “Almost all of our lecturers are active researchers, and even our top researchers lecture at the undergraduate level, including on the prescriptionist programme. Right now we are in the process of putting together a new master’s programme in the Life Sciences and a number of our leading researchers are involved.” The Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology is very international, Markus Tamas points out. “DIVERSITY IS ALWAYS good, researchers from other
higher education institutions come with new approaches, and our incredibly talented students also provide perspectives from every corner of the world. When there is cross fertilization between research and education, both areas develop.” However, natural science subjects have problems attracting students, not only in Sweden but also internationally. Is that a problem in your department? “Within molecular biology, interest started to increase again a few years ago, so I’m not concerned about it. But if we do not succeed in getting more skilled chemists, we will face major societal problems. In the Netherlands, they introduced a national initiative to increase interest in chemistry amongst young people, which has been successful. We should maybe do something similar in Sweden as well.”s
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Funding from the European Research Council: Andrew Ewing and Richard Neutze have an ERC advanced grant, Sebastian Westenhoff has an ERC consolidator grant, Karl Börjesson and Hiroki Shibuya have an ERC starting grant. In addition, Thomas Nyström, currently at the Sahlgrenska Academy, and Mate Erdelyi, currently in Uppsala, received an ERC starting grant during their time at the department. In 2012, Richard Neutze and Gergely Katona published an article that ended up on the top-ten list in the journal Science. Within education, the department has also been fortunate to have Anne Farewell, who was named the University of Gothenburg’s first Excellent Teacher in 2015. Örjan Hansson received the first Pam Fredman Prize for his work for life-long learning, together with, Ann-Christin Randahl at the Department of Swedish.
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BIG BIRD a New Species Emerging Daphne Major, one of the Galapagos Islands where Darwin obtained inspiration for his Theory of Evolution, is also the island where the researcher couple Rosemary and Peter Grant spent several months each year between 1973 and 2012. On November 20, they will be in Gothenburg to tell you about a discovery that made them famous the world over: the evolution of a whole new species of finch. Text: EVA LUNDGREN Photo: DENISE APPLEWHITE, PRINCETON
ROSEMARY AND PETER GRANT are originally from Eng-
land, but have been working at Princeton University, New Jersey, since 1985. They are 82 years old, but are still full of enthusiasm about their research: forty years of painstaking study of finches on the island of Daphne Major. “It’s not a coincidence that the Galapagos Islands are so interesting for anyone involved in evolutionary research, Rosemary Grant points out. The islands are quite young from a geological perspective, which means that the species that adapted to the environment there evolved quite late, in the last one to two million years. On most islands there are no people, so we have been able to explore nature in its unspoiled state. Furthermore, the islands are located on either side of the equator and are affected by El Niño – Southern Oscillation, a marine and atmospheric phenomenon that returns to the Pacific Ocean every two to seven years.
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Periods of rain alternate with long periods of drought when lots of birds die. It has an impact on natural selection and drives evolution.” When Rosemary and Peter Grant went to Daphne Major for the first time in 1973, there were three different kinds of finches: The large ground finch, the medium ground finch and the common cactus finch. But in 1981, they discovered an entirely new and unusual large finch. They called it Big Bird. “We examined the bird and took blood samples, Peter Grant explains. It turned out to be a male weighing 28.5 grams, which is much more than the domestic finches. We kept an eye on the bird and it took quite a long time before it managed to breed. But in 1983, it mated with a medium ground finch. She had a father that was a bit bigger, which may have been one reason for her accepting such a large male. It was also an El Niño year, when many females change partners and let the males take care of the offspring.” Researchers in Uppsala, with whom Rosemary and Peter Grant collaborate, recently performed a DNA analysis on the old samples. It shows that Big Bird was a cactus finch that must have flown from Española Island,
On November 20, Rosemary and Peter Grant, evolutionary biologists from Princeton, will give a lecture on their long-standing work with finches on the Galapagos Islands. The lecture is free of charge and open to everyone and will also be broadcast live. Time: 2pm–4pm. Place: Konferenscentrum Wallenberg, Medicinaregatan 20 A. Arranged by: Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre. Registration at: https://tinyurl.com/ PRGrantLecture.
just over 100 kilometres southeast of Daphne Major. “For the past thirty-five years, the offspring that resulted from the pairing have only mated with one another. This has resulted in Big Bird’s progeny developing into a separate species. One explanation for the birds not cross-breeding is the size difference. But another is their song. Male finches learn to sing from their fathers and female finches are usually only interested in males who sing like their fathers.” “BUT WHY THE SONG of Big Bird’s descendants is
different, and neither resembles the finch songs on Española Island nor any other of the Galapagos Islands, is still a mystery, Rosemary Grant explains. One explanation may be that birds learn to sing better if they are surrounded by other birds of the same species. If they do not get support from their surroundings, they often develop a slightly peculiar mixed song. It made us think that Big Bird was very young when he came to Daphne Major, before he had learned to sing properly, and because there was no other bird that sang like him, he created his own style.”
As a researcher, being able to observe a new species as it starts to evolve is something quite unique, says Peter Grant. “But the very fact that a new species emerges because a group of divergent individuals only mate with each other is nothing new. This must have happened many times on the Galapagos Islands over the course of history; some species have survived while others quickly died out. However, this new species, interestingly, would probably never have emerged if it had not been for a female who had gone astray, as the emergence of a new species is partly related to the males’ song.” The four different kinds of finch on the Galapagos Islands look different, behave differently and have different habitats. But they are still genetically compatible and could, in theory, mate with one another. “THE SITUATION IS reminiscent of how our own ancestors mated with Neanderthals and Denisovans, Rosemary Grant points out. For animals to develop so that they really are morphologically different takes much longer than the decades we were on the Galapagos Islands; it happens over several million years.” s NOVEMBER 2018 GUJOURNAL
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PEOPLE Photo: ALLAN ERIKSSON
THE FELIX NEUBERGH LECTURE
Did Salt Lead Early Farmers Westwards? It is not just nowadays that people are making the journey from the Middle East to central Europe. During this year’s Felix Neubergh lecture, Eszter Bánffy talked about how 8,000 years ago, farmers started to use approximately the same route to the Southwest Carpathians. ALSÓNYÉK IS THE name of an area in southern Hung-
ary where researchers found a substantial amount of remains from Europe’s earliest farmers, in connection with the construction of a motorway in 2006–2009. The items they found include thirty-one skeletons buried in underground kilns, as well as large amounts of decorated ceramics, both pots and figurines. But why did prehistoric man travel further and further northwest? “We really have no answer,” explains Eszter Bánffy, Professor at the German Archaeological Institute as well as at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. “But the search for a vital substance, salt, may have been one reason, as salt deposits can be found in precisely the
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Eszter Bánffy has made new discoveries about how farmers migrated 7,000–8,000 years ago.
areas these farmers travelled to, such as western and central Germany as well as southern Poland.” The spread of agriculture has not always been successful. “There is an example of an area that flourished for a few decades about 6,700 years ago, but which was then abandoned partly due to the fact that people suffered from starvation and skeletal tuberculosis. It is also one of the earliest examples of tuberculosis in humans.” Archaeology is a highly interdisciplinary research area. “We use DNA analyses, radiocarbon dating, as well as study pollen and bones from animals, and examine strontium in the teeth to see if a person was born in that location or not,” says Eszter Bánffy. “The only thing we cannot discover is what people actually thought and felt.” The Felix Neubergh lecture has been held every year since 1977. The speaker alternates every other year between an archaeologist and someone from the world of finance. The speaker is awarded a silver plaque and a sum of money. EVA LUNDGREN
The only thing we cannot discover is what people actually thought and felt. ESZTER BÁNFFY
THE DEGREE CEREMONY 2018
Text: PETER SUNDBERG Ã…BRANDT Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG
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REPORTAGE THE DEGREE CEREMONY 2018
Henrik Andersson and Monica Danielson were presenters during the ceremony.
At the august doctoral conferment ceremony, new and old doctors were honoured for their contributions. But it was not only glitter and glamour at this year’s event. IN THE LARGE conference hall at the Swedish Exhibition
& Congress Centre, the tables were laid for the banquet and festivities. After the formal degree ceremony, an 800-seat banquet awaited. In an improvised speech at the banquet, the new honorary doctor at the Faculty of Arts, Tom Eccles, praised the city of Gothenburg and the university. “It is a tremendous honour to be here in Gothenburg and to receive this distinction. A city and a university that is open to the world.” Throughout the evening, several speakers brought up the fact that these are hard times in Sweden when it comes to knowledge and research. Sven Safström, Director General of the Swedish Research Council, talked about how proud he was of the Swedish Secretariat for Gender Research.
“YOU ARE WORKING in a politically sensitive field, but
are involved in important research and I am proud that it is being highlighted in spite of political criticism.” When Lena Martinsson, Professor of Gender Studies, took to the stage a little later, her tone was more serious. “I am deeply proud of all new doctors who are
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humble in the face of the complexity that creating and disseminating knowledge entails. Because this is serious! Scientific knowledge is being questioned and resistance to facts is spreading throughout society. That is why you, as new doctors, are more important than ever. Fight for knowledge.” This year 151 new doctors received their degrees, all of them born between 1947 and 1989. Half of all new doctors come from the Sahlgrenska Academy and around 60 percent are women. This year, an additional 22 jubilee doctorates and 11 honorary doctorates were also conferred. This year’s jubilee doctors are the 700 doctors who received their doctorates in 1968. The connection to that special year was highlighted by Vice-Chancellor Eva Wiberg. “IN 1968, we saw a political shift to the left in Europe and the public debate changed radically. In 2018, we are seeing a shift to the right in politics internationally, a fairly polarising debate and right-wing extremist demonstrations that are the exact opposite of the message of those who demonstrated in 1968.” The evening was not all about serious matters. Besides entertainment by students from the Academy of Music and Drama, there was also plenty of laughter and cheering. The biggest round of applause was given to Sven Safström as he pointed out that Mats Malm, Professor of Literature, had been inducted as a new member of the Swedish Academy.
What is the best thing about the degree ceremony?
Scientific knowledge is being questioned and resistance to facts is spreading ... LENA MARTINSSON
Eric Hamrin Senorski Subject: Medical Science, Sahlgrenska Academy “It is great to see the university showing such appreciation for its doctors and it is an enjoyable event overall.” Doris Lydahl Subject: Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences “It is fun to celebrate once again, and this time there is no pressure, unlike at the public defence. Now, all I had to do was sit down for three hours.” Alida Umutoni Furaha Subject: Peace and Development rese arch,Faculty of Social Sciences “Getting a degree from such a leading university, I am finally con- cluding years of hard work. I arrived yesterday from Kigali with my family and I am delighted to be here.”
Some get doctoral hats, others bay leaf laurels.
Christer Mattsson Subject: Educational research, Faculty of Education. “The atmosphere, it is celebratory. Being able to meet colleagues that I work with on a daily basis in a completely different context.” Daniel Slunge Subject: Environ mental Science, School of Business, Economics and Law “Exciting to see the extent of university activities. It really feels like being a small part of a much wider context.”
The Fritz family, from the left: Lars, Martin, Johan, Patrik. NOVEMBER 2018 GUJOURNAL
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PEOPLE
Networking to Reduce the Gender Gap About 90 percent of all articles on Wikipedia are written by men, and articles that refer to men are four times more common on the online encyclopaedia than articles about women. Therefore, on October 23, to reduce the gender gap, Go Wo-sci, Gothenburg Women Scientists, arranged a WikiGap, which will hopefully be a recurring activity at the University of Gothenburg. WIKIGAP STARTED on the initiative of the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs on March 8, and WikiGap edit-a-thons now take place all over the world. At Chalmers, a WikiGap was held on August 29 and recently, Go Wo-sci hosted a similar event at Academicum. “Anyone who wants to work with WikiGap can either choose to write an entirely new article about any woman who is not yet on Wikipedia, edit existing text or translate an article into Swedish, for example. We have several volunteers here to show people how to do it,” explained Anne Farewell, Associate Professor of Microbiology and one of the co-organizers of the event. Only researchers who are considered sufficiently prominent are accepted on Wikipedia. On the Swedish site, being a professor is sufficient, but on
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the English site, the researcher must fulfil at least one of the criteria listed on Wikipedia Notability (academics). That is why Donna Strickland did not have an entry on Wikipedia when the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced on October 2 that she was one of the Nobel Prize winners in Physics this year.
My hope is that this will continue. ANNE FAREWELL
“AN ARTICLE ABOUT her had apparently been submitted, but had been turned down, says Anne Farewell. I do not know why; there could been a good reason, of course. But you wonder why more people did not try to get articles about this incredibly prominent researcher onto Wikipedia. Donna Strickland is a good example of the need for WikiGap.” Anne Farewell is herself compiling information for two articles,
one about the highly influential microbiologist, Barbara Backmann, and another about Birgitta Norkrans, Professor of Marine Microbiology, who established the Department of Marine Microbiology at the University of Gothenburg, which today is part of the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology. “HOWEVER, IT IS very difficult to find
information about her, as well as about many other women in history.” Among the twenty-one people who attended the Wiki edit-a-thon were researchers Malin Hernebring
Hi, Annika Koldenius Wall! You are the University of Gothenburg’s central coordinator for research communication on Wikipedia. If you are a University of Gothenburg employee and want to write for Wikipedia, how do you go about it?
Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG
Malin Hernebring is one of many researchers who wants to increase the number of women in Wikipedia.
and Rebecca Andersson. “We want to write about Judith Frydman, a very successful geneticist at Stanford University, and about the biochemist Jennifer Rivett. But there are a lot of female academics who should be on Wikipedia.” Researcher Cecilia Picazo wants to translate articles from Spanish into English. “I WAS GOING TO start with my
teacher Emilia Matallana Redondo, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Valencia. It is not hard to find material
on Spanish Wikipedia that should be translated into English.” By the time the event at Academicum had ended, the participants had translated or written new articles about twenty-one female researchers. “My hope is that this will continue, says Anne Farewell. One proposal is to decide upon a particular day, time and place each month when everyone who is interested in WikiGap can meet at a café, for instance. Sometimes, there might be a lot of us, other times fewer, the important thing is that the work never stops.”
“The best option is to create an account at meta. wikimedia.org. Then you can write in any language, for instance Swedish. As a user name, I suggest you enter your own name as well as (GU), for instance Annika Koldenius Wall (GU). The reason for this is that other people who are interested in the same topics as you can find you and get in contact with you. On the Staff Portal, there is a manual containing stepby-step instructions on how to create an account and add the University of Gothenburg’s template. You can also come to one of the Wiki edit-a-thons I host at Erik Dahlbergsgatan 11 B. In the spring, there will be two events: March 14 at 1 pm–3pm and May 8 at 9am–11am.” Anyone who wants to write about women for Wikipedia can also become a member of WikiProject Women or WikiProject Women in Red. Litteraturhuset also holds Wiki edit-a-thons every Tuesday that focus on women.
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Communication Essential in Crises Text: KARIN FREJRUD Photo: EMELIE ASPLUND
Credibility, transparency and empathy. These are the keywords for an organisation when communicating in a crisis. “Everything happens so fast today and it is easy to feel pressured into providing quick answers. It is important to be equanimous,” says Alice Srugies, senior lecturer at the Department of Applied Information Technology, specialising in organisational and crisis communication. NATURAL DISASTERS, terrorist
attacks, political scandals or revelations about corruption. Different types of crises have always occurred throughout the ages. But the pressure concerning how we communicate about a crisis has changed dramatically. Crisis communication through social media for example, offers both new opportunities and new challenges. Opportunities such as strengthening dialogue between those affected and establishing networks between different stakeholders in order to support one another. Challenges especially in terms of the increased speed of communication. “Incorrect information is also spread rapidly. Therefore, it is important not to rush and respond too quickly. Instead, you should be open about the fact that you do not have enough information, but that you will disseminate it as soon as you have gathered all the facts,” says Alice Srugies. “It is also important not to start
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blaming other people and looking for scapegoats, this only creates confusion. And it is also important to show empathy for those impacted by the crisis, it demonstrates that things are being taken seriously.” Alice Srugies’s area of research is crisis communication and her driving force is to establish a good relationship between the research community and different organisations; she wants her research to be beneficial. Just over a year ago, she left Germany to work as a senior lecturer at the Department of Applied Information Technology. “I think it is really interesting to look at how technology affects the way we communicate – and how communication affects technology. For example, how do our social norms change when we communicate through social networks?” ALICE SRUGIES HAS always been
fascinated by various forms of communication. While growing up in Dresden in East Germany she dreamed of becoming a journalist. She studied Political Science and Communication and then progressed to the master’s programme “Media and Communication Science”, and during a research course in public diplomacy, she became interested in research. “I never planned to become a researcher, but I thought it was incredibly interesting and continued to study for a doctorate,” she says. Her doctoral studies at the Technische Universität in Ilmenau resulted in the thesis Competition or cooperation?: a comparative analysis
of the public diplomacy of the European Union and selected member states. In her thesis, she analysed European public diplomacy and looked at how the EU as an institution can understand and plan its public diplomacy. She compared two member states, Sweden and France, and how they handle their public diplomacy in relation to the EU. DURING THE WORK on her doctoral
thesis, Alice Srugies began to learn a little Swedish to be able to access documents from the Swedish Foreign Ministry. So when the senior lecturer position in Gothenburg became available, she did not hesitate to apply and now, after just over a year in the city, she speaks almost perfect Swedish. “It is fun to have new challenges and I am really enjoying it. I am the Programme Supervisor for the Master in Communication programme and alternate between lecturing and my own writing.” How easy or difficult do you think it is communicating with Swedes?
“YOU NEED TO learn the language to
really be able to participate in society. Small talk is not so easy. Here, you need to be active, join a club or exercise group to get to know people. It is not like in the United States where you can go to a café and just start talking to someone. But if you do something, take part and contribute to a group activity of some kind, then it works.” Alice Srugies enjoys the proximity to nature and the sea in Gothenburg, and is often one of the first pas-
sengers on the ferry to Lindholmspiren in the mornings. – I try to be at work no later than seven o’clock. I like the peace and quiet in the office and like to have one or two hours to myself before everyone else arrives. That is when I can achieve real flow in my writing. She also feels that flow during her many running sessions around Gothenburg. Or at one of the city’s music clubs. Alice Srugies who is a confirmed music lover, and has been a heavy metal fan since she was a teenager, has now developed a taste for blues, jazz and punk metal. For many years, she worked as a music journalist, reviewed concerts and records, and was also involved in arranging concerts in parallel with her work as a researcher. “I WAS DRAWN TO the heavy metal
Alice Srugies Age: 32. Lives in: Gothenburg Family: Single. Profession: Senior lecturer at the Department of Applied Information Technology at Lindholmen specialising in crisis communication. Interests: Music, travel, sports and exercise. Active in the music club Truckstop Alaska, is a music journalist, likes going to concerts. Likes to exercise oftenand mixes different forms of exercise, preferably a combination of physical f itness and strength.
scene because there is so much energy in the music. I like to stand in the audience and share that mutual feeling that music conveys. It is communication without words.” The heavy metal scene was also a place where I found a community of people I liked. It is harder to identify with a group when you listen to mainstream music. In the future, Alice Srugies would like to combine her two passions of research and music. “I would like to conduct research into music and subcultures and how the media writes about the people who play music and the people who get involved in music. From a gender perspective, amongst other things,” she says.
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: Whneivreresity
Short description:
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Sara Uhnoo, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Sociology and Work Science, tells the new teachers at the Faculty of Social Sciences what possibilities the new ALC room ( Active Learning Classroom) provides in terms of pedagogy and technology. The room can accommodate up to 100 students, but can also be used for smaller groups and is equipped with round tables, whiteboards, monitors and other technical equipment. It will be available for booking next spring. Photo: Johan Wingborg
GUJournal EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Allan Eriksson 031–786 10 21 allan.eriksson@gu.se
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Eva Lundgren 031–786 10 81 eva.lundgren@gu.se
PHOTOGRAPHER Johan Wingborg 070–595 38 01 johan.wingborg@gu.se
LAYOUT Anders Eurén 031–786 43 81 anders.euren@gu.se
Address: GU Journal, University of Gothenburg, Box 100, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden E-mail: gu-journalen@gu.se Web address: gu-journalen.gu.se ISSN: 1402-9626 Please feel free to quote but give us credit. Translation: Hero Tolk.