Autumn´s 6,5th article writing day - Amazonas/global human ecology article finished

Today I have had the autumn´s 6,5th article writing day (and the 6,5th in August; one more than planned). The title changed again as I FINISHED "Current human ecology in Amazonas and beyond: An ecosemiotic analysis", adding some 1.200 words to the texts (net). 8.000 words written in August altogether.

UiO master thesis defense

Yesterday I acted as external examiner at the oral defense of Adrian Bragstad´s master thesis in environmental ethics at University of Oslo´s Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Arts and Ideas. Arne Johan Vetlesen was internal examiner.

YFF evaluation

I have just completed an evaluation survey for my use of an YFF grant (Yngre Fremragende Forskere = Outstanding Young Researchers) from University of Stavanger. Excerpts of my response is available below.

When and how long was the stay abroad?

Several trips, ranging from 2 days to 2 weeks each

What did you do?

Attended the OECD Social Policy Forum in Montreal, attended First WID.world conference (with launch of first World Inequality Report) in Paris, attended and presented at conferences in Mexico City and Berkeley, California, co-organised and presented at research seminar in Havana, field trip to the Amazonas

Who did you visist

Paris School of Economics; Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve (Amazonas); OECD Social Policy Forum (Montreal); Universidad de la Habana (Havana); Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Mexico City)

Did the visit lead to any collaboration projects?

The visits have resulted in material for scientific articles as well as useful contacts for an ERC-application and NFR-application (two applications submitted). The Havana visit, with further UIS colleagues, contributed to a successful NORPART grant Stavanger-Havana (5 mill. NOK awarded).

How did the travel impact your research?

Useful info and contacts; new research path prepared

Two meetings and a supervision session

Today I have attended a meeting of the appointments committee for Head of department at the Norwegian School of Hotel Management, attended a planning meeting for the event series "Forum for forskning" (Forum for research), and given Ph.d. supervision.

Autumn´s 5,5th article writing day

Today I have had this autumns 5,5th article writing day, not quite finishing my article now called "Current human ecology in Amazonas and beyond in light of Umwelt theory" despite adding some 2.600 words.

Book proposal finished - "Semiotic Agency: Science beyond Mechanism"

Along with Alexei Sharov, I have co-authored (as second author) the book proposal "Semiotic Agency: Science beyond Mechanism" (18 pp), finished yesterday.

Two meetings and one to go

So far today I have attended two meetings, namely the weekly faculty leadership group meeting, and the autumn´s first meeting in the ph.d. committee for the ph.d. program in social sciences - the latter of which I chaired. Soon I will attend a third meeting, with a faculty administration colleague.

Autumns 4,5th article writing day - solving environmental crisis

Today I had the 5-ish article writing day this autumn - half day, bringing total up to 4,5 days. I made an article abstract for my paper "Anticipating the societal transformation required to solve the environmental crisis in the 21st century: Umwelt trajectories revisited" (first held as a talk at NASS XI), meant for an invited special issue constitution (Sign Systems Studies). I have also started drafting an abstract work-titled "Wealth and freedom: Beyond Planet B".

New, healthier email routine off-work

Since work this autumn commenced after the summer holidays, I have had a new afternoon routine, in-between getting home from work and putting kids to bed, not checking email in this period. On days where I write on my novel, or write (only) on my climate change book in the evening, nor do I check email in the evening, meaning that these days I do not check email between 4.30 pm and next morning.

Autumn´s fourth article writing day

Today I have had the autumn´s fourth article writing day, with some 6 hours devoted to work on my article "Current human ecology in light of the Umwelt theory: Human-animal relations in Amazonas and beyond", and more than 1000 words added.

Buenes Aires talk scheduled for 13th of September

My paper "Umwelt futurology - What can be known about future Umwelten?" has been scheduled for presentation at the 14th World Congress of Semiotics (Buenes Aires, Argentina September 9-13th) on Friday 13th of September at 11.45-12.15, cf. conference programme. Session code is V5VI10.45; the session takes place in Aula 5 of Depto. Artes Visuales UNA (National University of Arts) at Las Heras.

Two meetings and a bachelor thesis graded

Today I have attended two meetings - one on the establishment of a Network for welfare research (with Vice rector for research, research director, and faculty director), and one on digital registration for Ph.d. courses. I have also graded a philosophical bachelor thesis with a scholar at University of Oslo.

Autumn´s third article writing day

Today I have had the autumn´s third article writing day. I further revised a book proposal I am co-authoring, and wrote some 1000 words on my article "Current human ecology in light of Umwelt theory: Human-animal relations in the Amazonas and beyond".

Five meetings and then some

Yesterday I attended the autumn´s first leadership group meeting at Faculty of social sciences, and four more meetings with colleagues in preparation of various tasks. I also attended the first hour of the kick-off event for the University of Stavanger´s new education quality system.

Latin-America/Nordic countries article reaches 20 reads on RG

My article "Human development, inequality and social risks in Latin-America and the Nordic countries" has reached 20 reads on ResearchGate. Read it here.

Meeting on research report; evaluation report

Today I have attended a meeting with a colleague starting work on a research report for the Faculty of social sciences, mostly about 2018. We have also finished an evaluation report on the faculty´s writing seminar.

Two meetings and one to go

Today I headed a start-up meeting with a Ph.d. student in our ph.d. program. I have also taken part in a planning meeting with another colleague.

Autumn´s second article writing day

´Today I had the autumn´s second article writing day, with some 5,5 hours devoted to work on my article "Current human ecology in light of Umwelt theory: Human-animal interaction in the Amazonas and beyond". I had to do some serious thinking.

Once upon a time in Moscow

On July 1st I attended the opening of the 19th gathering in biosemiotics, at Moscow State University, and also attended the opening reception at Restaurant Durdin.

Autumn´s first article writing day

Today I have had this autumn´s first article writing day, with some 1000 words written on my article "Current human ecology in light of Umwelt theory: Human-animal interaction in Amazonas and beyond".

Kvinner til topps

Before the summer holiday, four women employed by the Faculty of Social Sciences (where I am Vice Dean of Research) were accepted to the University of Stavanger´s "Kvinner til topps" program, designed to qualify promising scholars as full professors. 

Conference dinner - NASS XI

On June 15th I took part in (and helped organize) the conference dinner at the 11th conference of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies, at Scandic Forum Hotel in Stavanger. Some 20 people were there.

Verdibørsen references to earlier interview on human dignity

Yesterday, Tuesday august 13th, I was referred to in NRK P2´s Verdibørsen, in the segment "Er menneskeverdet modent for endring?" (Is the notion of human dignity ripe for change?). The program featured an interview with Dag Hareide and Odin Lysaker on human dignity and the ethics of animals and nature. This was a follow-up to an interview with Teodor Bruu, Henrik Syse and me which aired on July 6th, on a similar topic.

The program from August 13th is available as podcast here. The program from July 6th is available here.

Conference dinner attended - Moscow

On July 4th I attended the conference dinner at the 19th gathering in biosemiotics, in Moscow - at restaurant Durdin. 

Appointments committee meeting

I am a member of the Faculty of Social Sciences´ Appointments committee (Ansettelsesutvalget). This autumn´s first meeting is concluded now, carried out by email. Similar meetings take place, by email or in person, every second week throughout the year.

Article writing days planned

I have made plans for article writing days for the whole autumn semester, totaling 36 article writing days (insh Allah). In comparison I only managed to carry out some 15 article writing days in the Spring semester (and 11 days plus a writing trip in the autumn of 2018). I am trying to establish two article writing days per week as a new normal.

Svendsen review language-edited

I have just checked a language-edited version of my book review of Lars Svendsen´s Å forstå dyr, to appear in Norsk Filosofisk Tidsskrift no. 3/2019.

Economics chapter proof-read

Some days ago I proof-read my book chapter "The true value of "doing well" economically".