ResearchGate stats: Reads doubled since December 2017

My ResearchGate profile currently lists a total of:

123 registered citations (+34 since December 2017)

9 recommendations

4,747 reads (more than a doubling since December 2017)

My current ResearchGate score is 17.29 (it was 16.23 in December 2017), and I have 269 followers (+19 since August 2018).

ERC writing day

Today I have had another writing day focusing on my ERC Consolidator Grant application "Assessing human and animal welfare in the Anthropocene". Some 5 hours... And more to be done tomorrow, and three days next week, before the deadline is upon me.

Four meetings today

Today I have attended four meetings at University of Stavanger in my capacity as Vice-Dean of Research at Faculty of Social Sciences. This included a meeting of the faculty´s Appointments committee, a meeting deciding on criteria for getting funding for proposal writing, the first meeting of the faculty´s PhD committee chaired by me, and the first meeting of the Appointments committee for Vice-Rector for Research and Vice-Rector for Innovation and Public Relations. In the latter meeting, where forthcoming Rector of UiS Klaus Mohn also participated, we agreed on a proposed call for applications and job description for these two positions (to be filled starting this summer).

Dissertation dinner attended

Yesterday evening I attended the dissertation dinner of Dr. Lukasz Andrzej Derdowski, at Norwegian School of Hotel Management (University of Stavanger), in my capacity as Vice-Dean of Research.

PhD defense of Lukasz Andrzej Derdowski presided over

Today I have for the first time ever presided over a PhD defense, following a trial lecture - wearing an academic gown. The doctoral candidate, Lukasz Andrzej Derdowski, was successful. The PhD defense involved a dissertation committee consisting of Evert van de Vliert (Groningen), Mariateresa Torchia (Monaco) and Olga Gjerald (Stavanger).   

CRIStin registration for 2018

I have just completed registering research and dissemination activities for 2018 in CRIStin, the Current Research Information System in Norway. 32 entries - though only 1 text giving publication points (though I also wrote a couple of other chapters and a book review, co-wrote an editorial, had a co-written chapter published in Hungarian translation, edited a text book (which included a reprint of a chapter of mine), and saw the audio book and pocket book version of 2017´s Ulvetider being published).

Altogether, since 2012 when I started making registrations in CRIStin, there are now 208 entries in my name.

Interview on gene banks for salmon on Verdibørsen in October 2018

On October 17th I appear on NRK P2´s Verdibørsen, interviewed by journalist Karen Frivik, in a segment titled "Genbank, fattigmanns trøst mot artsutryddelse?", along with Øyvind Haabrekke (Skaperkraft).

Two job interviews attended

Today I have attended two job interview sessions, as Vice-Dean of Research, for a temporary advisor position we are about to fill. 

ERC Consolidator Grant - proposal writing

Today I have spent half a day on research proposal writing - my ERC Consolidator Grant application titled "Assessing human and animal welfare in the Anthropocene". I got some further consultancy feedback at the beginning of this week, and my head is spinning contemplating proposal possibilities.

Also catching up with some other tasks. And I still want my weekends back...

Two meetings and a seminar

On Monday this week I attended my first ever Vice-Dean for Research meeting, with the UiS Director of Research Troels Jakobsen. On Tuesday I attended the leadership group meeting at Faculty of social sciences, and a half-day seminar on making e-compensiums held by the NORPART project "Cuban and Nordic welfare".

Council for animal ethics statement referred in Viten

The Norwegian Council for animal ethics´ statement on embryo transfer in cattle, which I contributed to, is referred to in Viten, the newsletter of Dyrevernalliansen, #2, 2019, under the heading "Behov for embryooverføring-forskrift" (Need for regulation of embryo transfer).

Featured with interview in WWF content advertising on Norwegian wolf debate

I am featured, as interviewed, in a content advertising text made by Filter Media for WWF Norway, titled "Ulvedebatten: Hvorfor er sinnene i kok?" (literally, "The wolf debate: Why are minds boiling?"). Available here.

Complaint grading for five exam papers

Today I have taken part in complaint grading of five exam papers in Examen Philosophicum at University of Stavanger´s Department of social studies.

RCN spin-off version of ERC application planned

I have decided to make a spin-off version of my ERC application in process titled "Assessing human and animal welfare in the Anthropocene", for Research Council of Norway´s FRIPRO scheme, with deadline in April.

Two meetings including RCN info meeting

Two meetings attended so far today - the first meeting of the appointment committee for Head of department at Norwegian School of Hotel Management, and an information meeting about applications to Research Council of Norway, for Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Health Sciences. At the latter I offered introductory remarks along with fellow Vice-Dean of Research Henriette Thune (health sciences). Some 30 people were present.

Half faculty board seminar attended

Today I have attended the first half of the seminar of the board of University of Stavanger´s Faculty of social sciences. The topic was development of the faculty´s study portfolio.

Umwelt futurology paper accepted for presentation at World congress of semiotics, Buenes Aires

I have been notified that my abstract for the 14th world congress of semiotics, to be held in Buenes Aires in September, has been approved for oral presentation. My paper is titled "Umwelt futurology - What can be known about future Umwelten?"

Explanation of grading

Today (I want my weekends back...) I have explained grading of three exam papers in Examen Philosophicum at Department of social studies.

"The ethics of laying hen genetics" revised

Today I have revised - or rather read and commented on - the newest version of our article "The ethics of laying hen genetics", which has Mia Fernyhough as first author.

To be featured in commercial on wolf theme

Yesterday I was interviewed by phone on the Norwegian wolf conflict by Filter Media, in preparation of a commercial made for the WWF.

Interview on wolf conflict with me and Witoszek aired in Verdibørsen

Yesterday NRK P2´s Verdibørsen featured a half-hour long interview/conversation with Nina Witoszek and myself, titled "Hvorfor vekker den norske ulven så sterke følelser?" (Why is the Norwegian wolf evoking so strong emotions?). Journalist Karen Frivik did the asking etc.

Leadership group meeting

Today I attended the weekly leadership group meeting at Faculty of Social Sciences.

Abstract for 6th code biology conference

I have submitted an abstract to the 6th code biology conference, to be held in Germany in June. The abstract is based on my published article "The search image as link between sensation, perception and action".

Abstract for world congress of semiotics: "Umwelt futurology: What can be known about future Umwelten?"

I have just written and submitted the abstract below to the organizers of the 14th world congress of semiotics, to be held in Buenes Aires, Argentina in September.

***

Umwelt futurology: What can be known about future Umwelten?

In the article “Umwelt trajectories” (Tønnessen 2014: 159) I defined an Umwelt trajectory as “the course through evolutionary (or cultural) time taken by the Umwelt of a creature, as defined by its changing relations with the Umwelten of other creatures.” The article also featured “a prolegomenon to Umwelt futurology, the study of future Umwelt trajectories” (ibid.). In this presentation I will take another step towards development of Umwelt futurology.

The notion of Umwelt trajectories builds on a relational understanding of living beings. An underlying premise is that when our lives change, it is chiefly due to changing relations to others. This might imply novel relations, broken relations, or relations that undergo fundamental or more superficial change. 

Umwelt theory, first developed by Jakob von Uexküll (1864-1944), has for the most part been applied in the study of currently living organisms. However, from a methodological point of view, it is also suitable for studies of past and future Umwelten, though this requires some modifications of the theoretical outlook. It also implies a greater degree of uncertainty or margin of error than studies of contemporary Umwelten.

Classical Umwelt theory relies on a combined study of physiology and observed behavior. In the study of future Umwelten (as well as past Umwelten), the physiology of a specific organism may be only partially known, and its behavior cannot be observed. The reason why we still can have some knowledge about future Umwelten, is that it is not the case that “anything goes” in the design of Umwelten. For a start, von Uexküll refers to four near-universal functional cycles, which are in operation in most organisms, and of these four, two must be assumed to be universal. This concerns the functional cycle of food, and that of the medium. In other words, any organism relates to something specific as food, and to something specific as its medium. All organisms with sexual reproduction furthermore operate with the functional cycle of the (sexual) partner, and all organisms capable of enmity with the functional cycle of the enemy. 

Assertions such as these constitute the “minimal Umwelt” with its basic features. The realm of the possible is further constrained by possible variations in physiology, the physiochemical conditions on Earth, and our astronomical circumstances concerning radiation, gravity, the composition of our atmosphere etc. Seen in context with various forecasts of future developments, this provides us with sufficient factual premises for outlining a workable Umwelt futurology. Key sources include forecasts from Earth Systems Science and climate modelling, as well as long-term economic and demographic forecasts.

While there are unavoidably several “unknowns” in the study of future Umwelten, there is also quite a lot that we can know with a substantial degree of certainty. Future Umwelten of particular theoretical interest include the Umwelten of new species, animal GMOs, resurrected species, and the human Umwelt.

Read in 2018

In 2018, I logged having read some 6.709 pages of academic literature.

Verdibørsen interview on Norwegian wolf conflict

Today I was interviewed, along with Nina Witoszek, by journalist Karen Frivik for another episode of NRK P2´s Verdibørsen, on the Norwegian wolf conflict.

Council of Animal Ethics statement on embryo transfer in cattle forthcoming

Today Norway´s Council of Animal Ethics finished negotiating the final wording of a statement on embryo transfer in cattle, after I made suggestions for revisions some days ago. The statement will be released shortly.

One and a half meeting

Today I have attended half a meeting concerning the establishment of a network for welfare research, plus the New Year reception of University of Stavanger´s Network for gender research, for which I am now chair of the board in my new capacity as Vice-Dean of research.

Interviewed on wolf conflict on NRK Rogaland´s "Lokalen"

Today I was interviewed live on regional public radio, on NRK P1 Rogaland´s program "Lokalen", on the Norwegian wolf conflict, with an introduction to the topic and advice on what to do if you encounter a wolf in the wild. Available here (today; tomorrow here). I was interviewed by journalists Einar Espeland and Mari Friestad.

Two meetings today

First, my first faculty leadership group meeting at Faculty of social sciences, in my new capacity as Vice-Dean of research, and then a planning meeting for a forthcoming "fagdag" (academic day) at the faculty, in February. 

Full professor application evaluation delayed

I have been informed that the evaluation committee that considers my application for full professor promotion has asked for more time to finish their work. They now plan to finish by mid-March.

Live interview on wolf conflict aired on Politisk kvarter

This morning I was interviewed live on NRK P2´s program "Politisk kvarter", on the wolf conflict. The pretext for the program was that there is an anti-wolf demonstration in Oslo today, with hundreds if not thousands of people coming from the countryside to take part. The program also featured debate between Kristina Hegge (representative for a farmer´s organization, Norges Bondelag) and Atle Hamar (deputy minister, Ministry of Climate and  environment - Social Liberal Party). I was introduced as philosopher with a PhD on a wolf theme, and as a "mytejeger og ulveforsker" (myth hunter and wolf researcher).

The program is available here.

New office, at Ellen og Axel Lunds hus

Today I have moved into my office as Vice-Dean of Research at University of Stavanger´s Faculty of Social Sciences (office EAL-H-144). I will also be using my "old" office in Kjell Arholms hus.

First Vice-Dean of Research decisions

Today I took my first formal decisions as Vice-Dean of Research at University of Stavanger´s Faculty of Social Sciences. This involved admitting two PhD students for the faculty´s PhD program.

ERC grant application work

Yesterday I spent most of the work day working on my ERC Consolidator Grant application. This included advice by phone from an involved consultant. It turns out that I am the only one from UiS planning to submit in this round.

New routine for sake of sanity and focussed work and spare time

New work routine now that I am Vice-Dean of Research: No email in evenings and weekends, unless I am urgently contacted by phone.

Started as Vice-Dean for Research; briefing

Today I have had a first meeting with Håvard Hansen in relation to my new function as Vice-Dean for research at University of Stavanger´s Faculty of Social Sciences. I officially started in this function today, with Håvard being my predecessor.

Work hours logged in 2018

In 2018 I logged some 2955,5 work hours. This results in a weekly all-year average of 56,7 hours - the most since 2012 (when I became a father). 

The most significant repriorization concerned quitting elected positions in the Green Party of Norway, bringing time spent on research back to normal, and spending more time on book projects than ever before in the time covered (starting with 2009) - namely 20% of my work hours. I have also spent slightly more time on my role as Editor-in-Chief of Biosemiotics, after I took over as Main EiC this last summer.

430 blog posts in 2018

In 2018 I posted 430 posts in this academic (b)log of mine. This is on level with the previous years.