In Moscow

I have arrived in Moscow, for the 19th international gathering in biosemiotics, which starts tomorrow. This is my third visit to Russia, but my first time in Moscow.

Scheduled to talk about Arne Næss and the environmental crisis in September at Kunnskapstørst event

I have agreed to give a brief public lecture (20-30 minutes) at the event "Kunnskapstørst" (literally "knowledge thirst") on Thursday September 19th, during the national event "Forskningsdagene" (the research days). The lecture will be given at Ydalir campus hotel close to University of Stavanger. The title of my talk is "Hadde Arne Næss rett om miljøkrisen?" (Was Arne Næss right about the environmental crisis?)

2018 Impact Factor for Biosemiotics

The 2018 Impact Factor for Biosemiotics, for which I am Main Editor-in-Chief, is 1.170 (down from 1.527 in 2017. The 5-year Impact Factor looks better, at 1.201 (vs. 0.915 in 2017), a new record.

"Uexküllian phenomenology and existential phenomena" presented at IHSRC in Molde

I have just presented "Uexküllian phenomenology and existential phenomena" at the International Human Sciences Research Conference at Molde University College, which this year has the theme "Joy, suffering and death - understanding contrasting existential phenomena in the lifespan". Some 15 people attended.

"Joy in the open air" paper presented at IHRSC in Molde, with Joakim J. Haaland

Today I have, along with my Ph.d. student Joakim Jiri Haaland, presented the paper "Joy in the open air - Outdoor life at residential care" at the International Human Sciences Research Conference (IHSRC) at Molde University College. Some 15 people attended. Our talk was given in session 7 (a parallel session), "Lived experience - suffering".

In Molde for IHSRC

Today I have arrived in Molde, where I will the next few days attend the International Human Sciences Research Conference, with the theme "Joy, suffering and death - understanding contrasting existential phenomena in the lifespan". This is my second visit to Molde, with the first one being activist-related, not academically motivated.

MA thesis defense at UiO (environmental philosophy)

Today I acted as external examiner for a master thesis defense in philosophy at University of Oslo´s Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Arts and Ideas, for a thesis with an environmental theme.

Summer closure event at Department of social studies; professor promotion celebrated

Day the Department of social studies have had their summer closure event. During the event the professor promotion of myself and Ingunn Ellingsen was marked. I introduced some of my research for 15 minutes, emphasizing the four articles/chapters that my promotion committee indicated as contributing the most to my promotion. Some 35 people attended.

Ex.phil. meeting

Today I have attended a meeting with a colleague concerning teaching in Ex.Phil., which I normally have responsibility for but which will be taken care of by a substitute for the next year given that I am now Vice-Dean of Research at my faculty.

Two meetings and a supervision session

Today I have attended a meeting regarding my role as head of the ph.d. in social sciences, attended an introductory meeting between the upcoming rector of University of Stavanger, Klaus Mohn, and the leadership group at Faculty of social sciences, and supervised my Ph.D. student.

Appointed as member of Norway´s Council for animal ethics 2019-2023

Today I have been notified by Norway´s Ministry of Agriculture and Food that I have been appointed as a member of Council for Animal Ethics for the period July 1st 2019 to June 30th 2023 as the representative for animal protection NGOs, with Guri Larsen as deputy member. I served in the same position 2017-2018.

Chairing doctoral committee meeting

Today I have chaired this Spring´s sixth and last meeting in the doctoral committee for the ph.d. in social sciences, which took place on Ydalir campus hotel. My daughter joined us, since she is (somewhat) sick today and home from kindergarten.

SQP course finished

Today I have finished the UiS PhD Supervisory Qualification Program - the sixth and final day (the fifth took place yesterday), which ended with being handed a diploma from University of Stavanger rector Marit Boyesen.

Decision on ph.d. accreditation application

At today´s meeting of the board of the Faculty of social sciences, the accreditation application for the ph.d. program in social sciences was approved, on the condition that the board of the UIS Business School makes a similar decision.

ERC CoG application AHAWELL rejected

I have been notified that my ERC Consolidator Grant application "Assessing human and animal welfare in the Anthropocene" (AHAWELL) has been rejected by not continuing to step 2 of the evaluation process.

Peer-review of revised ph.d. program received

Today we received the peer-review evaluation of the revised version of our ph.d. accreditation application in the ph.d. program in social sciences. And it seems like we have done a good job the last few weeks.

"Umwelt trajectories revisited" paper presented at NASS XI in Stavanger

I have just presented my paper "Umwelt trajectories revisited: Anticipating the societal transformation required to solve the environmental crisis in the 21st century" here at the 11th conference of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (NASS XI). Some 30 people attended.

Two meetings

Today I have attended a planning meeting in the faculty leadership ahead of our meeting with the new UIS rector next week.

Plus one more meeting.

Two meetings and a supervision session

Today I have attended the Faculty of social sciences´ leadership group meeting - the last I get to attend before the summer - and a ph.d. start-up meeting with a ph.d. student and a supervisor. I have also had the final supervision session with my MA thesis student this Spring.

Terra conference attended at UiT; paper on biosemiotic relationality presented

Yesterday (half day - as I arrived from Germany mid-day) and today I have been attending the (small) conference "Terra: Complex relations and dependencies on the Earth", held at University of Tromsø as the second conference in the series "New Frontiers in environmental philosophy" and arranged by the UiT environmental philosophy research group. Today I presented my invited paper "Implications of the relational nature of living beings for agency, autonomy and moral status", with some 15 people attending.

Second day at Code Biology VI

On Wednesday this week, June 5th, I attended the second day of the 6th international conference, in Friedrichsdorf, Germany. This included half a day with presentations, an excursion to Saalburg (an ancient Roman settlement), and conference dinner.

Ph.d. program accreditation application revised

On Tuesday this week, June 4th, we finished the revised version of the accreditation application for the ph.d. program in social science (178 pp). I have been coordinating the revision work, with much of the work done by two colleagues in the faculty administration.

Search image paper presented at Code Biology VI, Friedrichsdorf

Today, at the first day of the Sixth International Conference in Code Biology, held in Friedrichsdorf, Germany under the auspices of the Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, I presented my paper "The search image as link between sensation, perception and action". Some 30 people attended.

Two meetings today, then off to Germany

Today I have attended a faculty administration meeting with status report on our accreditation application for the ph.d. program in social sciences, and the research committee meeting (Forskningsutvalget) for University of Stavanger (my second such meeting, and the last with the outgoing rectorate).