Cake in celebration of NOKUT peer review committee recommendation of candidate of psychology study

Today I had coffee and cake, by invitation, in celebration of the University of Stavanger´s stepwise progression towards establishment of a candidate of psychology study, after a peer-review committee appointed by NOKUT recommended to approve our application. I was thanked by the Dean and by the current Head of department at Department of social studies for my earlier involvement when I was Head of department, which included recruiting several of the psychology scholars currently employed.

See also:

Peer review committee suggests approving UIS candidate of psychology study

Peer review committee suggests approving UIS candidate of psychology study

As detailed in a University of Stavanger news story (see also a Khrono news story based on the UIS news story), a peer review committee organized by NOKUT has now advised that the UIS should be allowed to establish a candidate of psychology study. More specifically, the committee advices NOKUT to give accreditation to the study. I have earlier been involved in working with the application for establishing this study in a leadership position when I was the Head of department of Department of social studies (2021 to January 2023). The application was first sent, in its initial version, in the Autumn of 2021. I am currently involved in the application and prospective plans as a Professor of philosophy.

Academic writing - Spring 2023 totals

In Spring 2023, I had 52,5 writing days, compared to 57 originally planned (3 writing days, eventually planned for this July, were transferred to Autumn 2023). Altogether I wrote 23.721 words. On average this results in 452 words per writing day.

The number of writing days compares to 54,5 in Spring 2020, 49,5 in Spring 2021, and 45,5 in Spring 2022. At 52,5, it is slightly higher than the two previous years, but not at record levels.

The volume of words written compares to 25.819 words written in Spring 2021, and 20.781 words written in Spring 2022, while I was still head of department (I wrote only 11.826 words Autumn 2022, my last semester as Head of department). In Spring 2020, I wrote 45.161 words. At 23.721 words, Spring 2023 is not so different from the two last Spring semesters in terms of productivity.

Among what I got done in Spring 2023, was writing the article "The study of past Umwelten" (published this summer in Discipline Philosofiche) and the book chapter "A biosemiotic perspective on the human condition and the environmental crisis" (forthcoming), substantially revising the article now titled "Wasted GDP in the USA" (in review),  and working on two articles with Jan Karlstrøm (one of them with Thomas Hylland Eriksen as a further co-author). I have also written a brief contribution to the book Mars and the Earthlings.

Speech given at Bachelor in psychology bachelor ceremony

Yesterday I had the pleasure of taking part in the bachelor ceremony for the first batch of students in Bachelor in psychology at university of Stavanger. I gave a speech, after Einar Engebretsen, the former Head of department before me, and before Kolbjørn Kallesten Brønnick, the current Head of department. Some 60 people attended.

Steering group meeting of Cognitive Lab chaired; appointed member of steering group anew

Today I have chaired a meeting in the steering group at Cognitive Lab at UIS. Among other things we revised the action plan for 2023.

I have recently been appointed as Department of social studies´ representative in the steering group, after filling the role earlier as Head of department.

Done as Head of department

Yesterday I had my final day as Head of department at Department of social studies, University of Stavanger (at Faculty of social sciences). I have hold the post since January 1st 2021, and was originally supposed to stay in the post until the end of 2024. However, on October 5th, 2022, I resigned (see the post "Quitting as head of department at UIS"), after increasing sleep problems (for a first sign, see the post "All appointments cancelled due to work-/stress-related sleep deprivation" from May 2022). Spread out over October - November - December I had about one month of sick leave altogether due to stress-related sleep deprivation issues.

Among the things I got done yesterday was deciding the action plan (handlingsplan) for the department for the period 2023-2026 (in effect a revision of the plan for 2022-2025). I also made a decision about not using supervisors for bachelor theses and master theses as internal examiner starting next academic year.

From today onwards, I am back in my ordinary position as Professor of philosophy.

3 meetings on third last day as Head of department

Today, on my third last day as Head of department, I have attended 3 meetings, including my last faculty leadership group meeting and my final department council meeting.

3 meetings

Today I have attended 3 meetings. This included the final weekly meeting with our office manager which we have had over the last 2 years.

Summing up the work year 2022

In 2022, I logged 2.763 work hours. This is 53 hours a week (all year, including in holiday weeks). At 163,6% of a standard Norwegian work year, this is considerably longer than the average employee´s work week. And yet it was my second shortest work year in terms of work hours over the last 10 years, due to health issues (which resulted in about a month´s sick leave altogether in the autumn). However, in 2013, my first year as a father, I had a somewhat shorter work year (2.650 work hours). In 2020, as an effect of the covid pandemic and a month´s sick leave related to surgery, my work year amounted to some 2.790 work hours. My longest work year ever was 3.231 work hours (2011).

2022 stands out with a few records of different sorts: Highest share ever for academic work (vs. literary and other work), lowest share ever for "other work".

2 meetings; 7 this week; 197 + 3 this Autumn

Today I have attended 2 scheduled appointments. This week I have had 7 meetings, and one day of sick leave. Altogether this Autumn I have attended 197 meetings and 3 conferences.

2 meetings

Today I have had 2 scheduled meetings.

3 appointments Monday 19th

Yesterday, on Monday December 19th, I had 3 scheduled meetings/appointments. This included the annual department Christmas lunch at hotel Victoria, with some 40 colleagues attending.

10 appointments this week; 190 + 3 so far this Autumn

With 10 scheduled appointments this week including 3 ph.d. defense-related appointments - and 3 days of sick leave Monday to Wednesday - I have so far this Autumn attended 190 scheduled meetings/appointments and 3 conferences.

2 meetings Friday; opponent at Juan Mendoza-Collazos´ ph.d. defense at Lund university, Sweden, this weekend

On Friday I had 2 meetings at UIS. 

This weekend I have been faculty opponent at the ph.d. defense of Juan Mendoza-Collazos´, who defended the thesis "Agency and Artefacts: A cognitive semiotic exploration of design" at Lund university, in Lund, Sweden, December 17th. My presentation and opposition in dialogue with the candidate went on for about two and a half hours. Some 35 people attended, most of which physically.

Related to the ph.d. defense, I also attended an informal dinner Friday evening, and a celebration party Saturday evening.

5 appointments

Today - after three consecutive days of sick leave - I have attended half of the "fagdag" for Cognitive Lab at UIS, where I was part of opening the day, and three more scheduled appointments. I will furthermore attend the faculty leadership group´s dinner on town this evening, where my stepping down as Head of department will be marked.

A meeting; 12 meetings this week; 180 + 3 so far this Autumn

Today I have attended one scheduled meeting. This week´s total is 12 meetings, despite 1 day sick leave (yesterday). So far this Autumn I have attended 180 meetings and 3 conferences.

3 meetings

Today I chose to have home office, and have attended 3 scheduled meetings.

4 scheduled appointments

Today I have attended 4 scheduled appointments, including - digitally - the trial lecture and ph.d. defense of Samita Wilson.

4 meetings

Today I have attended 4 meetings.

2 meetings; 9 this week; 168 + 3 this Autumn

Today I have attended 2 meetings. Altogether this week I have attended 9 meetings - and had one day of sick leave. So far this Autumn I have attended 168 scheduled meetings and 3 conferences.