Interview with DN

Today I was interviewed by the Norwegian daily newspaper Dagens Næringsliv, on zoos.

Special issue on biosemiotic ethics in progress

The last few days I have read and responded to contributions, in full draft version, to the special issue of Zeitschrift für Semiotik on biosemiotic ethics that I am co-editing with Jonathan Beever and Yogi Hendlin. I have also been organizing peer-reviews. Revised manuscripts are due August 20th.

Bought a house

Yesterday I was in Stavanger to see a second house for sale, in Gausel/Forus. Today we bought it. We will take over the house November 1st and move in the end of November.

1.000 reads at ResearchGate

According to ResearchGate my publications have now reached 1000 reads there. See my profile and publications at ResearchGate (32 publications with 42 citations by their count).

To move to Stavanger area

My family and I will soon move to the Stavanger area, since I will starting August 1st be permanently employed as Associate professor of philosophy at University of Stavanger´s Department of philosophy. Yesterday we stopped by in Klepp to look at a house for sale at Øksnadavporten.

Autumn

I organize my folders on my PC (or Mac, as it were) by semester, and have just made the folders for Autumn 2016.

Videos from 4th Norwegian Animal Ethics Conference online

On its YouTube channel, Minding Animals Norway (MAN) has released videos from the 4th Norwegian Animal Ethics Conference. MAN´s webmaster Iselin Linstad Hauge prepared the videos.

Links:

Part 1 (introduction by yours truly + presentation by Bjarne Braastad)

Part 2 (presentation by Guri Larsen)

Part 3 (presentation by Espen Gamlund)

UiS permanent work contract received

Returning from Prague about a week ago, I found a signed version of my employment contract with University of Stavanger (full, permanent position as Associate professor of philosophy) in the mail that awaited me - signed, that is, not only by myself but also by Dean of Faculty of social sciences Einar Marburg. I start in the permanent position August 1st.

Application for delaying parental leave

I have just applied for delaying parts of my parental leave from 1/8-2/11 2016 (100%) to 1/1-19/7 2017 (50%). I am currently in graded parental leave until July 31st.

UiB Post.Doc. application withdrawn

Since I have signed a contract with University of Stavanger for a permanent position as Associate professor of philosophy, I have now withdrawn my University of Bergen Post.Doc. application.

See also:

Post.Doc. application - UiB

To take part in panel discussion on biotechnology at Article Bienniale 2016

I have agreed to take part in a panel discussion on art and biotechnology Saturday August 13th at the 2016 Article Bienniale, a futuristic arts festival to be held in Stavanger this autumn. The title of the event the panel is part of is "New Eden? Where is biotechnology taking us, and how can art explore this?".

Two exam papers graded

Today I have, along with an external examiner, graded two exam papers in Examen Philosophicum for Department of health studies, following complaint on the original grading.

Interviewed by regional newspaper on wolves

Today I have been interviewed by a journalist from Fædrelandsvennen about the cultural and ecological background for ongoing conflicts about wolf conservation. The interview will appear in a few weeks, in the weekly magazine of the newspaper.

Visit to Prague Zoo

A few days ago, on July 6th, I visited Prague zoo, for the first time, along with some colleagues (including biosemioticians, and wolf socializers). We observed a couple of examples of stereotypical behavior (in a hyena, and an elephant), but the wolves appeared very relaxed.

17th gathering in biosemiotics to be held in Lausanne

At the 16th gathering in biosemiotics, in Prague, which has just been completed, it has been decided/announced that the 17th gathering in biosemiotics will take place at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, June 6-10th 2017, convened by Ekaterina Velmezova.

Session chaired in Prague biosemiotics gathering

Today I chaired a session - which had only 2 presentations due to one cancellation - at the 16th gathering in biosemiotics (Prague July 4-8). The presenters were Petr Tureček (with illustrations by Jakub Řídký) and Tyler James Bennett.

ISBS general meeting attended; mentions of some of my work

Today I attended the Annual Meeting of the ISBS, the International Society for Biosemiotic Studies, held at the 16th gathering of biosemiotics. The meeting included an announcement, by Don Favareau, of the first Biosemiotic Achievement Award (for 2015). In the President´s address, Kalevi Kull mentioned several works I have been involved in one way or another, including, among ten recent books he mentioned, The semiotics of animal representations (Rodopi 2014) and Thinking about animals in the age of the Anthropocene (Lexington Books 2016), both of which I have co-edited - and this blog.

Some 25 people were present.

Annual editorial meeting of Biosemiotics held

Today, at the 16th gathering of biosemiotics, at Charles University in Prague, I took part in the annual editorial meeting of Biosemiotics, which I co-edit with Alexei Sharov and Timo Maran. Some 30-35 people were present.

”Fear not! Socialization of captive wolves” presented in Prague

Today, along with Laura Kiiroja, I presented our paper ”Fear not! Socialization of captive wolves” at the 16th gathering in biosemiotics (Prague July 4-8). Some 45 people were present.

History of cultural semiotic of wolves and sheep paper presented in Prague

Here at the 16th gathering in biosemiotics, in Prague, I have just presented my paper "A brief history of the cultural semiotic of wolves and sheep". Some 45 people attended.

Work cited in three Gathering in biosemiotics abstracts

Articles that I have authored or co-authored are referred to in three abstracts in the Book of abstracts for the 16th gathering in biosemiotics, which is currently held in Prague:

 * Christophe Menant: "Meaning generation for constraint satisfaction. An evolutionary thread for biosemiotics"

* Don Favareau: "The biosemiotic glossary project: intentionality"

* Filip Jaros: "The semiotic life of cats: a journey into the feline mind"

Biosemiotics annual report

We have just received the Biosemiotics 2015 Publisher´s report from Springer. While the Impact Factor is down from 2014 (see below), it is higher than the initial IF, for 2012. The 5-year Impact Factor is 0.52. Furthermore, the number of downloads was record-high in 2015, more than 17.000 downloads, which is more than twice as much as the number of downloads in 2012.

From a personal point of view, I note that the editorials from 8(1) and 8(3), which Alexei Sharov co-authored with Timo Maran and me, were the 3rd ("Toward synthesis of biology and semiotics") and 10th ("Organisms reshape sign relations") most downloaded article respectively in 2015, with 403 and 193 downloads. I also contributed to Norway being no. 8 on the list of countries with the most impact, and to University of Stavanger being no. 8 on the list of the organizations with the most impact.

See also:

Biosemiotics Impact Factor for 2015

Selected compulsory readings in FXPSH100

In Mid-November 2015 - much later than I should do this (this was just one and a half week or so before the first gathering/teaching) - I composed and announced selected compulsory readings in the course "Philosophy of science and health care ethics" (course code FXPSH100) at UiS EVU.

To chair session at GiB16 in Prague

I have been scheduled to chair a session at the 16th gathering in biosemiotics, to be held in Prague July 4th to 8th, on Friday July 8th from 11.00 to 12.30 (three presentations), cf. abstract book with programme.