Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SEAS (Shaping European Research Leaders for Marine Sustainability)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-03-01 bis 2024-02-29
Marine and coastal areas face multifaceted challenges, threatening biodiversity and humanity on a global scale. To have an impact on marine sustainability, there is an urgent need to integrate perspectives and insights from a diverse range of fields and sectors. Humanity’s wellbeing is deeply intertwined with the health of the ocean. It sustains us, stabilizes the climate, and leads to greater prosperity.
The SEAS Programme aims to recruit and bring together a group of 37 highly talented experienced researchers (ERs) to provide crucial knowledge for a more sustainable Ocean. With expertise in a broad range of fields, this group will strengthen and facilitate UiB’s strong commitments to marine sciences and ocean sustainability, aligned with the e.g. United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and The European Green Deal. The Programme will be leading force in driving the institutional culture of UiB, in close collaboration with our partners and colleagues, towards one of innovation, collaboration and transdisciplinary research, at the forefront of the global drive for sustainability.
SEAS will be a flagship Programme at UiB, developing a training and support system that will guide the ERs to reach professional maturity as successful leaders in both academic and non-academic sectors, equipped with transferable skills in cross-disciplinary research and intersectoral collaboration. The Programme will facilitate international mobility and provide exposure to world-class international working environments and networks. The ERs will build highly valued competencies in the competitive international academic and non-academic job markets.
The SEAS fellows are provided with:
- high-quality inter- and trans-disciplinary research and training opportunities in the area of marine sustainability, supported by a supervision and inter-sectoral mentoring scheme
- opportunity to transfer knowledge and skills between disciplines, organisations and sectors
- a regional ecosystem of marine actors
- structured skill-based training
- high-quality working conditions
- personal career support
- academic freedom
- equal opportunities
The SEAS Programme aims to recruit and bring together a group of 37 highly talented experienced researchers (ERs) to provide crucial knowledge for a more sustainable Ocean. With expertise in a broad range of fields, this group will strengthen and facilitate UiB’s strong commitments to marine sciences and ocean sustainability, aligned with the e.g. United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and The European Green Deal. The Programme will be leading force in driving the institutional culture of UiB, in close collaboration with our partners and colleagues, towards one of innovation, collaboration and transdisciplinary research, at the forefront of the global drive for sustainability.
SEAS will be a flagship Programme at UiB, developing a training and support system that will guide the ERs to reach professional maturity as successful leaders in both academic and non-academic sectors, equipped with transferable skills in cross-disciplinary research and intersectoral collaboration. The Programme will facilitate international mobility and provide exposure to world-class international working environments and networks. The ERs will build highly valued competencies in the competitive international academic and non-academic job markets.
The SEAS fellows are provided with:
- high-quality inter- and trans-disciplinary research and training opportunities in the area of marine sustainability, supported by a supervision and inter-sectoral mentoring scheme
- opportunity to transfer knowledge and skills between disciplines, organisations and sectors
- a regional ecosystem of marine actors
- structured skill-based training
- high-quality working conditions
- personal career support
- academic freedom
- equal opportunities
We have 33 fellows in position, with three more recruited and due to start in the next few months. The fellows are employed in six of the seven different faculties at UiB. Together, our fellows represent 24 different nationalities, with our six outgoing fellows taking their expertise to the UK, USA, Germany, Netherlands, and Sweden.
We have had 4 recruitment calls, with one position left to fill in our final Call 5. The recruitments have been time-demanding, but have run smoothly throughout the four calls, with evaluations conducted by independent international expert evaluation panels through an open and transparent process.
The ERs are employed as postdoctoral research fellows with a minimum of 3-year contracts. We help to facilitate a productive relationship between the ERs and their supervisory teams, and to generate a sense of community within the group of ERs themselves. Training, both generic and specific, is offered by the PMO and many other internal and external actors.
We have had 4 recruitment calls, with one position left to fill in our final Call 5. The recruitments have been time-demanding, but have run smoothly throughout the four calls, with evaluations conducted by independent international expert evaluation panels through an open and transparent process.
The ERs are employed as postdoctoral research fellows with a minimum of 3-year contracts. We help to facilitate a productive relationship between the ERs and their supervisory teams, and to generate a sense of community within the group of ERs themselves. Training, both generic and specific, is offered by the PMO and many other internal and external actors.
The region has one of the world’s highest concentrations of businesses and research facilities within marine and maritime areas, and UiB, with its state-of-the-art knowledge and infrastructure is deeply embedded in this marine “ecosystem”. This provides our ERs unique opportunities for developing their careers in close connection with a variety of highly relevant academic and none-academic actors. In addition to training, the PMO encourages cross-sectoral engagement, and our ERs are active in local discussions, industry secondments and collaborations. Through our training and external connections, we are providing the ERs with experiences that should open a broad range of career options.
The PMO facilitates awareness on potential societal and political implications of their research and encourage participation in broader debates, especially in the field of marine sustainability.
The ERs are actively writing scientific articles, and several already have papers published. We expect the number of publications to significantly increase over the remainder of the Programme. We have had a 2-day session with a professional science communication consultant and will be repeating this. Focus is on writing and communication skills for both academic and not-academic target groups. UiB aligns with the H2020 principles of Open Access and the ERs receive training in open access publishing and data management through the UiB Library, which holds many Open Access agreements with the largest academic publishers.
Many of our fellows are very active and visible, both within UiB, our region and internationally. They attend events and conferences. They organise meetings and workshops and they engage in marine policy issues. Many fellows have attended conferences, presenting posters and oral presentations at local, regional, and international levels. A number have also chaired conference sessions, workshops, training camps and symposiums. The fellows are also active across all social media platforms, both individually and under the SEAS banner (LinkedIn, Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, TikTok). The fellows themselves are largely in control of this content. They also run their own blog and podcast series.
Their research impact so far is difficult to assess, as many (most) of them are still in an early phase of their research, conducting various types of data gathering, e.g. through research cruises, lab experiments, and/or developing analytical models. Some have previous postdoctoral experiences and others have recently completed their PhDs.
Most of the ERs have taken on teaching responsibilities, usually compensated by their respective departments through somewhat extended contracts. The ER’s expertise is thus having impact on the academic training of future generations.
So far we don’t have any research being identified of commercial value and no issues with IP rights. Two ER-projects are related to salmon immunology, an area that potentially might have impact on the Norwegian fish farming industry. We also have one ER (soon one more) working on marine natural product chemistry, also a field with high industrial potential. Two ERs are involved in project with high relevance for maritime security industry, and two others on underwater communication, to mention just some. We also have those directly involved in marine policy and governance aspects, with potential for societal innovations.
The PMO facilitates awareness on potential societal and political implications of their research and encourage participation in broader debates, especially in the field of marine sustainability.
The ERs are actively writing scientific articles, and several already have papers published. We expect the number of publications to significantly increase over the remainder of the Programme. We have had a 2-day session with a professional science communication consultant and will be repeating this. Focus is on writing and communication skills for both academic and not-academic target groups. UiB aligns with the H2020 principles of Open Access and the ERs receive training in open access publishing and data management through the UiB Library, which holds many Open Access agreements with the largest academic publishers.
Many of our fellows are very active and visible, both within UiB, our region and internationally. They attend events and conferences. They organise meetings and workshops and they engage in marine policy issues. Many fellows have attended conferences, presenting posters and oral presentations at local, regional, and international levels. A number have also chaired conference sessions, workshops, training camps and symposiums. The fellows are also active across all social media platforms, both individually and under the SEAS banner (LinkedIn, Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, TikTok). The fellows themselves are largely in control of this content. They also run their own blog and podcast series.
Their research impact so far is difficult to assess, as many (most) of them are still in an early phase of their research, conducting various types of data gathering, e.g. through research cruises, lab experiments, and/or developing analytical models. Some have previous postdoctoral experiences and others have recently completed their PhDs.
Most of the ERs have taken on teaching responsibilities, usually compensated by their respective departments through somewhat extended contracts. The ER’s expertise is thus having impact on the academic training of future generations.
So far we don’t have any research being identified of commercial value and no issues with IP rights. Two ER-projects are related to salmon immunology, an area that potentially might have impact on the Norwegian fish farming industry. We also have one ER (soon one more) working on marine natural product chemistry, also a field with high industrial potential. Two ERs are involved in project with high relevance for maritime security industry, and two others on underwater communication, to mention just some. We also have those directly involved in marine policy and governance aspects, with potential for societal innovations.