Interview in Stavanger Aftenblad on UiS university strategy

An interview with professors Oluf Langhelle and Ole Andreas Engen and myself appeared this weekend in the Norwegian regional daily newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad. Entitled "Krever at UiS endrer klimakurs" [Demand that University of Stavanger changes climate change approach], the news story is related to a petition where 23 UiS researchers calls for changed priorities in energy research, for one thing. 

23 UiS researchers sign petition calling for climate profile

I am one of the initiators of a petition which was published in the regional daily newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad yesterday, entitled (in the newspaper) "UiS må omstilles" [University of Stavanger must be restructured]. 23 researchers at UiS have signed the petition, which calls for a change from today´s emphasis on petroleum research to more research on renewable energy and climate change perspectives.

Minding Animals Norway news story links to fur farming interview

A news story published by Minding Animals Norway, "Dag O. Hessen og Morten Tønnessen om pelsdyrhold i Fri tanke", links to the interview with professor Dag Hessen and myself on the ethics of fur farming which was recently published in the magazine Fri Tanke.

Interviewed by Stavanger Aftenblad on university strategy

Today I have been interviewed by the Norwegian regional daily newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad, in relation to a petition calling for restructuring (from a fossil fuel agenda) at University of Stavanger. Both the petition and the news story will appear in print tomorrow.

Interviewed by Stavanger Aftenblad on university strategy

Today I have been interviewed by the Norwegian regional daily newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad, in relation to a petition calling for restructuring (from a fossil fuel agenda) at University of Stavanger. Both the petition and the news story will appear in print tomorrow.

Interviewed by Stavanger Aftenblad on university strategy

Today I have been interviewed by the Norwegian regional daily newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad, in relation to a petition calling for restructuring (from a fossil fuel agenda) at University of Stavanger. Both the petition and the news story will appear in print tomorrow.

Interviewed by Stavanger Aftenblad on university strategy

Today I have been interviewed by the Norwegian regional daily newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad, in relation to a petition calling for restructuring (from a fossil fuel agenda) at University of Stavanger. Both the petition and the news story will appear in print tomorrow.

Bachelor thesis meeting; submission deadline decided

On Tuesday November 25th I attended a meeting coordinating work concerning the bachelor theses in social work and child welfare respectively, research methodology included. In connection with the meeting I had prepared a memo to be sent to the general manager of Department of social studies, concerning deadline for submission of bachelor thesis. After the meeting I sent it signed with my own name only. The deadline for submission of bachelor thesis was later - today - specified by our Head of department to May 13th 2015, as we suggested after our meeting Wednesday.

Siri Kalvig replies to Hans Borge, my chronicle linked to

Siri Kalvig replies to Head of Department Hans Borge in a letter to the editor in the regional daily Stavanger Aftenblad entitled "Bomskudd fra Borge" [loosely: Borge misses the point]. My chronicle of November 6th is linked to at the bottom.

Steering Committee meeting attended

Today I have taken part in a Steering Committee meeting for the Estonian-Norwegian research project "Animals in changing environments: Cultural mediation and semiotic analysis", for which I am the Norwegian Project Leader.

"Wolf play" clip featured in Discovery documentary aired this Spring

Excerpts of my video clip "Wolf play", which has to date been seen some 59.000 times on YouTube, were featured in a documentary series that aired on Discovery Channel this Spring. The excerpts, recorded by me during field work involving socialised wolves in Polar Zoo in 2010, appears in episode 7 of the series Deadly dilemmas, produced by London-based October Films, in the timespan 19.56-20.02 and then again 22.01-22.06. I am acknowledged ("Archives": Morten Tønnessen ...) ca. 22.19-22.22. Series producer is Paul Connolly.

The video clip from the wolf play video is part of a dilemma which involves being lost in wilderness and having to choose between joining a pride of lions or a pack of wolves in order to survive.

NASS IX to be held in Tartu August 2015: "Semiotic (un-)predictability"

Here is the banner of NASS IX:

And here the logo:

And here the First Call For Papers. There are two deadlines, December 15th for session proposals and  February 16th for abstracts.

See also (here) the conference webpage.

NASS webpage updated

In my capacity as webmaster of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (NASS) I have just updated the NASS webpage with recent info on NASS IX, which is to take place in Tartu next summer.

UiS Head of Department´s stance on climate change attacked in Stavanger Aftenblad letter to the editor

Yesterday a letter to the editor by Professor emeritus Gunnar Kvåle was published in the Norwegian regional daily Stavanger Aftenblad, entitled "Er det greit at en instituttleder ved UiS fnyser av FNs klimarapport?" [Is it OK that a Head of Department at University of Stavanger /rejects/ the UN´s climate report?]. This concerns Hans Borge, Head of department at Department of Petroleum Engineering. Kvåle cites my chronicle, published earlier this month, "10 spørsmål om fremtidens UiS" [10 questions about the future University of Stavanger], and claims that rector of UiS Marit Boyesen (see her reply chronicle) avoids replying to my questions regarding the actuality of climate change.

201 multiple choice exam papers graded

Yesterday I graded 201 Multiple Choice exam papers in Examen Philosophicum at University of Stavanger´s Department of Social Studies (pass/fail only).

MC and home exam papers graded

Yesterday I graded a Multiple Choice exam paper and two home exam papers in Examen Philosophicum for University of Stavanger´s Department of Health Studies. This was an extraordinary (not regular) exam.

"Animals in the Anthropocene" CFP posted by biosemiotics society ISBS

The First Call for Papers for the conference "Animals in the Anthropocene: Human-animal relations in a changing semiosphere" has now been posted at the homepage of the International Society for Biosemiotic Studies (ISBS), with a link from the front page - see the CFP here.

Multiple choice exam held, assisted

Today I have stopped by at the multiple choice exam in Examen Philosophicum at University of Stavanger´s Department of health studies, responding to students who had questions about the exam questions.

Interview on fur farming recommended almost 2.000 times on Facebook

The interview with professor in biology Dag Hessen and myself on fur farming, which was published online last week in the magazine Fri Tanke, has become a real hit on social media. To date the article has been recommended 1.900 times on Facebook.

6 more hours of teaching - teaching completed

Today I have taught for 6 hours - first my 12th lecture this autumn (a summery of the previous 11) in the course Examen Philosophicum at University of Stavanger´s Department of social studies, and then 2 times 2-hour seminar in the same course. This completes my teaching this autumn.

News story on university strategy/petroleum research debate meeting

The University library at the University of Stavanger has posted a news story about the debate meeting it organised on November 6th, entitled "Frisk debatt i biblioteket" [Fresh debate in the library] - see here.

See also:
120 people attending critical UiS debate on petroleum research and climate change

NASS board meeting held

Today I have taken part in the board meeting of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (NASS). Among the topics were next year´s conference in Tartu, NASS IX.

Rector´s petroleum/strategy chronicle listed in ethics committees´weekly media recap

The chronicle by rector of University of Stavanger Marit Boyesen which was written in reply to my chronicle on university strategy and the ethics of petroleum research is listed in the weekly media recap of the National Committees for Research Ethics in Norway (week 45).

A partial (?) view of Boyesen´s chronicle is available here, via the reference service Opoint.

Exam questions for home exam composed

Today I have composed exam questions for the home exam in Examen Philosophicum at University of Stavanger´s Department of Social Studies (course code SVEXPHIL-10. The exam will take place online November 21st-28th.

Two multiple choice exams prepared

Today and yesterday I have composed exam questions for two multiple choice exams to take place at University of Stavanger next week - course codes SVEXPHIL-2 (Examen Philosophicum at Department of health studies, postponed/extraordinary exam) and SVEXPHIL-10 (Examen Philosophicum at Department of social studies, regular exam). 

Interview on life in the fur industry published by Fri tanke

The article "– Et godt liv kan ikke realiseres i pelsdyrindustrien" [A good life cannot be realised in the fur industry] was published online today in the Norwegian magazine Fri tanke. The article features an interview with professor of biology Dag Hessen and myself. In the context of the article I represent University of Stavanger (where I am an Associate professor of philosophy) and Minding Animals Norway (for which I am the Chair).

Photo by Iselin Linstad Hauge, Norwegian Animal Protection Alliance

Animal ethics and HAS presented at Stavanger Green Party meeting

Yesterday I presented my paper "Et dyrs iboende verdi" [An animal´s inherent value]" during the regular meeting (members´ meeting) of Stavanger´s Green Party. I talked for close to an hour. Some 20-25 people were present. 

4 more hours of teaching

Today I have taught for 4 hours (2 rounds with seminars). This concludes my 11th week of teaching this autumn.

IT course in using Inspera taken

Today I´ve taken a 2-hour IT course in Inspera, a program for conducting digital exams.

11th lecture

Today I have lectured in Examen Philosophicum at University of Stavanger´s Department of social studies, for the 11th time this autumn. The topic was "Explain, understand, narrate" (second lecture).

Re-designed homepage for Norwegian Animal Protection Day

Dyreverndagen [the Norwegian Animal Protection Day], to be held in Oslo March 21st 2014, now has a re-designed homepage. Kudos to Hipp Hurra.

Rector's reply to chronicle on petroleum research posted on UiS debate pages

Rector Marit Boyesen's reply to my chronicle "Olje og omstilling: 10 spørsmål om fremtidens UiS" [Oils and restructuring: 10 questions about the future University of Stavanger], entitled "Olje, omstilling og fremtidens UiS" [Oil, restructuring and the future University of Stavanger] has now been posted on the debate pages of University of Stavanger (see debate thread).

120 people attending critical UiS debate on petroleum research and climate change

120 people attended the open meeting held at University of Stavanger by the university library on Thursday November 6th. Of the four panelists, only Head of department Hans Borge, who does not think that there is any anthropogenic climate change, defended the status quo. The three other panelists, and the majority of the audience, appeared to favour changes in research profile and/or ethical consideration of collaboration with the petroleum industry.

A video of the panel debate is available on YouTube. 

"Animals in the Anthropocene" CFP posted on IASS webpage

The First Call For Papers for the international conference "Animals in the Anthropocene: Human-animal relations in a changing semiosphere" (Stavanger, Norway September 17-19th 2015) has been posted on the homepage of the International Association for Semiotic Studies (IASS) - see here.

"Animals in changing environments" webpage restructured, updated

Both the English and Norwegian language version of the Norwegian webpage of the research project "Animals in changing environments: Cultural mediation and semiotic analysis" (EMP151) have been slightly restructured/updated (involving the categories conference and research seminars). Several updates on activities already carried out are still to come.

To talk about animal ethics at meeting of the Green Party of Stavanger

On Monday 10th of November I will offer a lecture of sorts at an open meeting of the Green Party of Stavanger. The meeting starts at 6 pm. The title of my talk is "Et dyrs iboende verdi" [An animal´s inherent value]. I do this representing University of Stavanger and Minding Animals Norway.

The event has a Facebook page.

"Animals in the Anthropocene" CFP uploaded to Academia.edu, ResearchGate, Scribd

I have uploaded the 1st Call For Papers for the international conference "Animals in the Anthropocene: Human-animal relations in a changing semiosphere" (Stavanger, Norway September 17-19th 2015) to Academia.edu, ResearchGate and Scribd. Deadline for theme session proposals is December 15th, abstract deadline March 1st.

UiS rector replies to chronicle on ethics of petroleum research

In a chronicle entitled "Oljå, omstilling og fremtidens UiS" [The oil, restructuring and the future University of Stavanger], Marit Boyesen, rector of the University of Stavanger, today replied in the Norwegian regional daily Stavanger Aftenblad to my chronicle yesterday in the same newspaper, "10 spørsmål om fremtidens UiS" [10 questions about the future University of Stavanger].

Excerpt:

Chronicle on ethics of petroleum research, university strategy published in Stavanger Aftenblad

Today my chronicle "10 spørsmål om fremtidens UiS" [10 questions about the future University of Stavanger] was published in print in the Norwegian regional daily Stavanger Aftenblad. On the front page and the main debate page, the headline was "Filosofens 10 spørsmål om fremtidens UiS" [The philosopher´s 10 questions about the future University of Stavanger].

See also:

Letter to the editor on oil and restructuring published on UiS debate pages