Opening day of master in social studies attended; theory of science course presented

On Monday August 17th I attended part of the opening day for the University of Stavanger´s master in social studies (MSO), and briefly presented the course Theory of science (MSO120), for which I am course coordinator this Autumn semester.

NASS XIII opened in Helsinki

This morning I took part in the opening of the 13th conference of the Nordic association for semiotic studies (NASS), which is held at UniArts Helsinki, and includes an anniversary symposium for the Semiotic Society of Finland. I gave welcome words following Jaana Erkkilä-Hill, vice-rector of Uniarts Helsinki, and before Eero Tarasti, honorary president of the IASS and Juha Ojala, head of the NASS XIII organizing committee. Close to 100 people are attending the conference.

Official opening of Cognitive lab chaired; well attended

Yesterday, Tuesday 30th of May, I chaired the official opening of Cognitive and behavioural neuroscience lab (Cognitive lab) at University of Stavanger. The event was well attended, with some 70-80 people turning up. The event featured two external guests, professor emeritus Kenneth Hugdahl, and Jonathan Whitlock, director of the Norwegian Research School in Neuroscience (NRSN).

Official opening of Cognitive lab (UIS) scheduled for May 30th

I have been involved in the planning of the official opening of Cognitive lab at University of Stavanger, which will take place May 30th (4 hour programme). The program for the opening is now online. I will be chairing the seminar.

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.

2 scheduled appointments

Today I have given a welcome speech at the opening of our master degree in social studies, with some 30 people attending, and had a meeting.

4 appointments including 2 employee appraisals

Today I have attended 4 scheduled appointments/meeting, including 2 employee appraisals (total to date: 68, of which 5 in August). One of the appointments involved taking part in the opening of our new master degree in child welfare work (master i barnevernsarbeid).

Two meetings and a symposium opening

Today I have taken part, along with Head of Department of social studies, in opening the annual meeting and symposium of the COLAB network, "Collaboration within criminal justice services", a EU Horizon 2020 RISE project which is hosted by the UIS, in my capacity as Vice Dean of Research at Faculty of Social Sciences. I have further attended the first Vice-Dean meeting with the new Vice-Rector of Research (Merete Vadla Madland), with Research Director Troels Gode Jacobsen also attending, and a research report planning meeting with a colleague.

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.

Opening of art exhibition: News story published in local newspaper; radio website

Monday April 13th the local newspaper Agder published a news story titled “Magedans på kunstutstilling” [Belly dance at art exhibition], on the opening of “Asylum (midt iblant oss) [Asylum (right in our midst)]” on Utsikten art center on April 11th. Quote in translation (for this post in Norwegian, see my Norwegian blog Utopisk Realisme): 

The art exhibition was opened with a causerie by philosopher Morten Tønnessen, who shared his thoughts on what it means to have your life on hold without being able to realise your potential and realise your dreams. 

The same news story, also by journalist Tor Magne Gausdal, was published on April 12th on the website of  Radio Kvinesdal. Gausdal is also the man behind a photograph from the opening, published on both of the mentioned sites, where I appear (right).

Opening of the art exhibition "Asylum" at Utsikten

April 11th I took part in the opening of the art exhibition, or more specifically video installation, "Asylum (midt i blant oss)" [Asylum - right in our midst] at Utsikten art center in Kvinesdal, Norway. The exhibition is on display until May 16th.

As my opening words, I read the philosophical causerie "Å ha livet på vent" [Having your life on hold]. The exhibition features video recordings from a Norwegian asylum center. The opening of the video installation was well visited, with some 50-60 people attending, about half of them with a background as asylum seekers. The program of the opening further included conversation with the artist, Eli Glader, belly dancing, and an informal panel discussion in which I also took part.

The next day, April 12th, I repeated part of my causerie for some 20 hotel guests around lunch time.

The manager of Utsikten, Torill Haugen, found me via my commercial philosophy site, Spør filosofen [Ask the philosopher].