Panel discussion on ethics of wolf research and management attended

Yesterday, at Vargsymposiet [The wolf symposium], I participated in a panel discussion on ethics in wolf research and management, along with Katarina Cvek (Djurförsöksetiska nämnden Uppsala, SLU), Olof Liberg (SKANDULV) and the chair Sverre Sjölander. The panel discussion lasted for an hour.

Ethics of wolf management and research paper presented at the Wolf Symposium

Yesterday, at Vargsymposiet [The wolf symposium], I presented my paper "Merket for livet – Etiske spørsmål knyttet til forvaltning av og forskning på ulv" [Marked for life – Ethical questions concerning management of and research on wolves]. This year there has been around 150 registered participants.

This was an invited presentation, 45 minutes long.

Research project webpage updated

The last few days I have updated the Norwegian webpage(s) of the Norwegian-Estonian research project "Animals in changing environments: Cultural mediation and semiotic analysis" (2013-2016), in both its Norwegian and English versjon. The updates include grant agency logos, three abstracts (for the upcoming research seminar in Stavanger December 13th), and brief descriptions of the three case studies with Norwegian involvement.

EMP 151: Revised budget; draft of plan for specific activities

This last week I've revised the budget of the Norwegian research group of the research project "Animals in changing environments: Cultural mediation and semiotic analysis" (EEA Norway Grants EMP 151). The revised numbers will be included in the partnership agreement between University of Tartu and University of Stavanger. Revisions include more to fieldwork in 2014 (and no fieldwork in 2016), more to technical equipment (video camera etc.), less to travel costs in 2013 but just as much more in 2015, and some money saved on salary (to me) due to changes in the NOK/EUR exchange rate; even though I have increased number of paid work hours from 380 to 397 (starting March 15th 2014). 

I've further contributed to a 2-page plan for specific activities, based on the scientific rationale of our application but with some minor adjustments. Plus I've done a lot of thinking on practical sides of conducting the Norwegian fieldwork.

See also:

Research project application on "Animals in changing environments" successful

Prospects for further wolf research?

As mentioned previously I am involved in an application for a 2011-2016 research project on Environmental semiotics, based at University of Tartu's Department of Semiotics. The last few weeks I have pondered about what I could do, if it proves successful (and if my role as a researcher is confirmed).

There's plenty of meaningful work to be done - including, on the travel scene, visits to destinations in Norway, Sweden, Estonia and beyond (Yellowstone, Wolf park, Alaska, Canada, Russia).

So far I have been working with wolves (some of them being more cooperative than others) since 2006.

Research visit: Oslo I

Monday to Wednesday October 11th-13th I'll conduct my first comprehensive research visit to Oslo (not counting my first brief visit in this respect to the National Library in May).

Plans for the 3-day visit include:
* research in the library of Statistics Norway
* research in the National Library of Norway
* and not least a meeting with Runar Næss (the man behind Animal Zoolution) - who is of great interest to me due to (a) his experience with socializing wolves and (b) his role as the founder of the pro-wolf activist organization/network Alpha-gruppen.

At a second research visit to Oslo, in November, I intend to meet with a number of relevant scholars and researchers.