Category: Past events

Climate Diplomacy on Thin Ice: Navigating Arctic Cooperation & Polar Governance

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Our panelists will explore informed scenarios that may help guide Arctic diplomacy and cooperation in the coming decade.
November 18th 2024 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Please click here to register for the livestream.

The geopolitical landscape of the Arctic has shifted dramatically following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which paused over 25 years of traditional Arctic Council-informed and -guided cooperation with Arctic Indigenous Peoples, Arctic Nations, and Observer States. This break in Arctic diplomacy, particularly the cessation of scientific cooperation, raises crucial questions about the future of Arctic collaboration on challenges facing the Arctic and the planet. In light of this, our project seeks to present a series of informed scenarios that may help guide Arctic diplomacy and cooperation as we look toward 2032, a year that will also mark the 5th International Polar Year (IPY-5).

Panelists

Ole Øvretveit, Manager & Researcher of Arctic Science Diplomacy Project, University of Bergen & Academia Europaea Bergen, Norway

Volker Rachold, Head of the German Arctic Office, Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Germany

Heather Exner-Poirot, Director of Energy, Natural Resources and Environment at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute; Special Advisor to the Business Council of Canada; Research Advisor to the Indigenous Resource Network, Canada

Matthias Kaiser, Professor Emeritus at the Center for the Study of the Sciences and Humanities (SVT) at the University of Bergen; International Science Council Fellow, Norway

Jenny Baeseman, Arctic and polar consultant; former Executive Director of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR); former Director of the Climate and the Cryosphere Project (CliC), USA

Moderated by Melody Brown Burkins, Director, Institute of Arctic Studies, Dickey Center, Dartmouth

The event is free and open to the public. It will be recorded and livestreamed. Please click here to register for the livestream.

Er kunstig intelligens (KI) bærekraftig?

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Kunstig intelligens (KI) er både en vitenskapelig disiplin, en ingeniørdisiplin, en forretningsmodell og et verktøy. Så hva betyr det å drive med “bærekraftig” KI? Kom og hør hva to ledende UiB-eksperter, Jill Walker Rettberg og Marija Slavkovik, tenker om tematikken.

KI generert illustrasjon av menneske-robot

Kunstig intelligens er både en vitenskapelig disiplin, en ingeniørdisiplin, en forretningsmodell og et verktøy. Så hva betyr det å drive med “bærekraftig” KI?

Det er lett å sette søkelys på bærekraften til ressursene som KI-støttet maskinvare bruker. På den ene siden lever vi i en tid hvor klimaendringer er et aktuelt problem som ikke tåler flere unnskyldninger. På den andre siden, når vi tenker på KI, ser vi for oss et kunstig skapt intelligent vesen laget i menneskets bilde. For eksempel, generativ AI mage.space reagerer på «promptet» kunstig intelligens med bilder av robothoder (ref bildet over).

Dette er en måte å forstille seg kunstig intelligens på. I virkeligheten er kunstig intelligens en globalt distribuert virksomhet som er avhengig av asiatisk hardware, europeiske forbrukerpenger, nordamerikansk teknologisk innovasjon, billig arbeidskraft fra det globale sør, og globalt distribuerte forskere og programvareutviklere. Hvor bærekraftig er så AI-virksomheten globalt i dette perspektivet?

Kom og hør hva to ledende UiB-eksperter, Jill Walker Rettberg og Marija Slavkovik, tenker om tematikken. Til slutt blir det spørsmål fra salen og antatt en interessant og lærerik diskusjon.

Det blir lett servering utenfor auditoriet fra kl. 16.00.  

Møtet er åpent for alle, og starter 16.30 i Auditorium 1 i Realfagbygget (underetasjen), Allegaten 41.

Dato: Tirsdag 19. november 2024

Arrangører: NTVA, Tekna Bergen og Academia Europaea Bergen.

Fiskevelferd i bærekraftig havbruk

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Etter petroleumsprodukter er fisk og sjømat Norges viktigste eksportvare, og denne er i økende grad dominert av laks fra havbruk. Oppdrettsnæringen har betydelige utfordringer knyttet til fiskevelferd og for stor dødelighet i produksjonen. Kom og hør hvordan det står til med fiskevelferden i norsk havbruk, og hvordan forskning kan bedre den.

bilde av en laks

Foredrag
08.10.2024 – 16.30–18.00
Realfagbygget, Allegaten 41, Auditorium 2

 

Etter petroleumsprodukter er fisk og sjømat Norges viktigste eksportvare, og denne er i økende grad dominert av laks fra havbruk. Oppdrettsnæringen i Norge har betydelige utfordringer knyttet til fiskevelferd og for stor dødelighet i produksjonen.

Norges Tekniske Vitenskapsakademi (NTVA) har for tiden fokus på teknologier som kan forbedre bærekraften i samfunnet i en bred kontekst. I samarbeid med Academia Europaea, Tekna og Det matematisk-naturvitenskapelige fakultetet ved UiB arrangerer NTVA et møte om hvordan det står til tilstanden til med fiskevelferden i norsk havbruk og forskning for å forbedre den.

Fagsjef for strategi og utvikling Geir Magne Knutsen i Bremnes Seashore vil først beskrive næringens utfordringer. Deretter vil forsker Sofie Remø (Havforskningsinstituttet) og professor Sigurd Olav Handeland (Universitetet i Bergen) belyse ulike sider av hvordan forskning kan bidra til bedre fiskevelferd.

Til slutt blir det spørsmål fra salen og antatt en interessant og lærerik diskusjon.

Det blir lett servering utenfor auditoriet fra kl. 16.00.  

Møtet er åpent for alle, og starter 16.30 i Auditorium 2 i Realfagbygget (underetasjen), Allegaten 41.

Arrangører: NTVA, Tekna Bergen og Academia Europaea Bergen.

Philology and the narrative heritage Conference

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Biennial Conference of the World Philology Union 2024

The Second Biennial Conference of the World Philology Union is headlined "Rhilology and the narrative heritage". Illustration: Sculpture of the norse god Odin at Gøteborg Stadsmuseum. Photo: Unsplashed

The Second Biennial Conference of the World Philology Union is headlined “Philology and the narrative heritage”. Illustration: Sculpture of the norse god Odin at Gøteborg Stadsmuseum. Photo: Unsplashed

The Second Biennial Conference of the World Philology Union will take place at Uppsala University from the 4th to the 6th December 2024. Participants are invited to arrive on Tuesday, December 3rd, with the conference formally commencing the following day. The core sessions of
the conference will be scheduled on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, but various other meetings
and specialized sessions are planned for those arriving on the Tuesday.

Read an interview with WPU president and conference organizer, Professor Jens Braarvig. 

This year’s conference program focuses on how philologists engage with the narrative heritage
of different cultures. It seeks to define and showcase the vital role that our discipline has played, and continues to play, in curating, analysing, interpreting, and teaching stories preserved from all regions of the world.

Most presentations will be followed by 5 to 10 minutes of discussion. Presenters are asked to include translations of textual evidence and explanations of technical vocabulary, ensuring that the content be accessible across different language traditions and philological methods.

The World Philology Union (WPU) was founded on the 2nd of December 2021 at the Norwegian Academy of Arts and Sciences in Oslo, as an international association which promotes the philological study of written cultural heritage from all regions of
the world.

It was established in coordination with the Union académique internationale (UAI), the umbrella organization of all academies of science worldwide, and the UNESCO-related Conseil international de la philosophie et des sciences humaines (CIPSH). Read more about the WPU at www.philology.org or apply for membership at members@philology.org.

The Uppsala Conference (4th to 6th December 2024) is an open conference with no attendance fees. Academia Europaea Bergen is a co-organizer of the Uppsala Conference.

Read or download the complete programme for The Uppsala Conference here. 

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Fusion power – the ultimate source for clean energy

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Nuclear energy is, together with solar radiation, the only presently known energy resource which can supply humanity for an in practice indefinite time span. This Horizons lecture, on September 16th, will describe the fundamental principles behind nuclear fusion, current research activities, and technologies being developed to make fusion power a reality.

a fusion reaktor

Foto/ill.: Illustration: David Parker/Science Photo Library

 

The lecture (held in English)

Nuclear energy is, together with solar radiation, the only presently known energy resource which can supply humanity for an in practice indefinite timespan. Peaceful nuclear energy generation is now based on fission of heavy nuclei such as uranium. The other process generates energy by fusing light nuclei into larger ones (i.e. colliding hydrogen nuclei to become helium). Controlled energy production based on fusion has many advantages but has so far not been realized in spite of intense research for more than 60 years.

However, significant progress now happens based on two technologies: magnetic confinement and strong laser pulses. Professor Odd Erik Garcia will describe the international development within magnetic confinement fusion, a topic he has been leading research projects within during the past decades, now as Head of Aurora Centre for Non-linear Dynamics and Complex Systems Modelling (DYNAMO) at UiT The Arctic University of Norway.

The most promising approach involves the magnetic confinement of a superheated, ionized gas—composed of electrons and hydrogen nuclei—within a controlled environment. This presentation will provide an overview of the fundamental principles behind nuclear fusion, current research activities, and the cutting-edge technologies being developed to make fusion power a reality. It will also explore the progress and timelines of key projects, including the ITER facility in France and the SPARC device near Boston, USA, which is pioneering the use of high-temperature superconductors.

Practical information

  • When: Monday September 16th, 2024. Coffee and refreshments will be served from 15.45, and the lecture starts 16.15
  • Where: Egget, Studentsenteret (Parkveien 1).
  • For whom: The lecture is intended for a wider audience, will be held in English, and is part of the Horizons seminar series of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences dedicated to big questions. Everyone is welcome!

About the lecturer
Professor Odd Erik Garcia works at UiT, where he is the leader of tha UiT Aurora Centre for Nonlinear Dynamics and Complex Systems Modeling (DYNAMO). He is also a visiting Scientist and Fulbright Scholar at MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center.

Organisers
This lecture is a joint event organised by the Horizon Lecture Committee at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and Academia Europaea Bergen Knowledge Hub, supported by Selskapet til vitenskapenes fremme.

Strengthening democracy in Europe: what can be done?

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Webinar: Tuesday 24th September 2pm CEST, 1pm UK, organized by the Academia Europaea Cardiff Knowledge Hub.

2024 is the Year of Democracy, when more than 2 billion people go to the polls.

Every European has a deep stake in the policies that shape our lives, from tackling global crises like climate change, to local issues like the state of our schools and hospitals. Yet, many citizens feel disillusioned and disengaged from politics; some vote for populist parties and many do not bother to vote at all.

What are the main challenges facing democracy in Europe, and what can be done? What impact will new digital technologies like social media and AI have on the future evolution and health of democratic systems?

How can we promote the public sphere and public participation in our democracies? What is the state of the relationship between experts, policymakers and the public, and how can we strengthen this nexus?

Join us for this timely debate, which coincides with recent major reports on the state of democracy by the European Group on Ethics and the Joint Research Centre. It is free and open to all.

 

Confirmed panellists 

  • Barbara Prainsack MAE, Professor for Comparative Policy Analysis, University of Vienna and Chair of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies
  • Cathrine Holst, Professor in Philosophy of Science and Democracy, University of Oslo
  • Dr Mario Scharfbillig, Unit for Science for Democracy and Evidence-Informed Policymaking, Joint Research Centre (JRC), European Commission
  • Nils-Eric Sahlin MAE, Professor and Chair of Medical Ethics, Lund University and Vice-Chair of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies

The webinar will be chaired by Professor Ole Petersen MAE, Academic Director of the Academia Europaea Cardiff Knowledge Hub.

About the European Group on Ethics (EGE)

Founded in 1991, the European Group on Ethics (EGE) is an independent advisory body of the President of the European Commission. The EGE provides the Commission with high quality, independent advice on all aspects of EU legislation and policies, where ethical, societal and fundamental rights issues intersect with the development of science and new technologies. In 2023, it published an Opinion on Democracy in a digital age and in 2024 issued a Statement on Defending democracy in Europe.

About the Joint Research Centre

The Joint Research Centre is the European Commission’s science and knowledge service. Its recent work includes the report, Trustworthy public communications (2024), of which Mario Scharfbillig was joint author.

Registration

Register now.

 

Rosendalsveko

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Årets Rosendalsveko finner sted 5. – 6. august 2024:

Måndag 5. august:

  • Velkomst ved Vegard Bjørnevik (ordførar i Kvinnherad) Thea Vaage (styreleiar Folgefonnsenteret), Nils Gunnar Kvamstø (direktør Havforskingsinstituttet) og Margareth Hagen (rektor UiB)
  • Klima og natur i ei turbulent verd. Panelsamtale moderert av Frøy Gudbrandsen (VG)
  • Klima og ekstremvér. Innlegg frå forskarar ved UiB/Bjerknessenteret
  • Lunsj
  • Klimarisiko og naturbaserte løysingar. Fagleg innleiing av Siri Haugum (Lyngheisenteret) og Brigt Samdal (NVE), med påfølgende panelsamtale med Hans Inge Myrvold (SP), Une Bastholm (MDG), Terje Halleland (FRP) og Linda Merkesdal (AP).
  • Ekstremvér og beredskap. Fagleg innlegg ved Carlo Aall (Vestforsk) og panelsamtale moderert av Endre Iversen (Norge/Climatefutures)
  • Uteaktivitetar
  • Middag på Baroniet Rosendal

Tysdag 6. august

  • Korleis står det til med fjordane våre? Faglege innlegg (HI) og panelsamtale med Kjell Kvingedal (miljødirektør Statsforvaltaren), Sylvia Frantzen (HI) og Sondre Eide (Eide fjordbruk) moderert av Mari Myksvoll (HI/Bjerknes)
  • Vestlandet som foregangsregion for berekraftig havnæring. Innlegg av Bård Sandal (VFK) og Aslak Sverdrup (Innovasjon Norge) med påfølgande panelsamtale.
  • Vestlandske vegval – korleis lagar vi eit robust og berekraftig samfunn? Innlegg frå forskarar ved UiB/CET, paneldebatt og spørsmål frå salen
  • Lunsj
  • Framtidas turisme i Hardangerregionen. Innleiing om Berekraftig reiseliv ved Anna Maria Urbaniak-Brekke og Carlo Aall (Vestforsk) og deretter korte innlegg frå lokale aktørar og påfølgande panelsamtale med Peter Haugan (HI) Vegard Bjørnevik (ordførar Kvinnherad) og Timo Knock (ordførar Eidfjord).

Mer informasjon på Folgefonnsenterets nettsider. 

ERC StG Mentoring Event

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Save the date for the 4th ERC StG online mentoring event of YAE and AE Budapest Hub coming on June 3

AE Budapest Hub to co-organise an ERC StG Mentoring Event with YAE

On the 3rd of June 2024, between 14:00-16:00 hrs (CET), the Young Academy of Europe (YAE) in collaboration with the Academia Europaea (AE) Budapest Knowledge Hub will host an online event on Zoom for researchers from all around the world who would be interested in applying to the next round of the European Research Council’s (ERC) Starting Grant (StG). One of the main missions of this event series is to promote widening participation to researchers from EU13 and Associated Countries.

The online event will include two parts. First, a plenary information session with welcoming words from Prof. László Lovász (ERC Scientific Council member), Péter Hegyi (Academic Director, Academia Europaea Budapest Knowledge Hub) and Katalin Solymosi (Chair, Young Academy of Europe), followed by a presentation by Maria Leptin (President of ERC) about the why and what of the ERC’s recent changes to the evaluation of research proposals, and a talk by Angela Liberatore (Head of the Scientific Management Department at ERC Executive Agency) about the implementation of the recently introduced changes in the grant evaluation procedures. The presentations will be followed by a Q&A to be moderated by Scott Bremer (Vice-Chair, Young Academy of Europe).

The second part of the event will include three parallel sessions by domain, each featuring current YAE members who have recently secured an ERC StG and who will share their pieces of advice about grant proposal writing and oral interview preparation with the audience of the domain-specific break-out rooms: Physical Sciences & Engineering (PE), Life Sciences (LS), and Social Sciences & Humanities (SH).

Plenary part:

14:00-14:10 Opening – László Lovász (ERC Scientific Council Member)

  • Péter Hegyi (Academic Director, AE Budapest Hub)
  • Katalin Solymosi (Chair, YAE)

14:10-14:25 Maria Leptin (President, ERC): The why and what of the ERC’s recent changes to the evaluation of research proposals

14:25-14:35 Q & A

14:35-14:50 Angela Liberatore (Head of the Scientific Management Department at ERCEA): Implementing the novelties in ERC evaluations

14:50-15:00 Q & A

Moderator: Scott Bremer (YAE, Vice-Chair)

 

Second part of the event, with 3 different, parallel break-out sessions dedicated to the three domains:

15:00-16:00 Domain PE – Nicoló Maccaferri (physicist, material scientist, FYAE), Péter Nagy (chemist) and Manuel Souto Salom (chemist, FYAE), Moderator: Linn Leppert (theoretical physicist, YAE treasurer)

15:00-16:00 Domain LS – Gautam Dey (biologist, FYAE) and Zohreh Hosseinzadeh (biologist, FYAE), Moderator: Philippa Warren (biologist, YAE Membership Chair)

15:00-16:00 Domain SH – Jihan Zakarriya (literature scholar, FYAE) and Ágoston Berecz (historian), Moderator: Mona Simion (philosopher, YAE Recruitment Chair)

Registration is available here, and further information will soon be available on YAE’s website here. Zoom-link will be shared with registered users.

Details, documents and recordings of the previous YAE ERC StG Mentoring Events are available here.

Shaping careers in the digital era

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On the 30th of May 2024, between 15:00-16:30, the Young Academy of Europe (YAE) along with Science Advice for Policy by European Academies (SAPEA) is organizing a webinar about the impact of AI on academic careers and education, specifically focusing on its potential impact on work environments and jobs in academia. The event will feature Moniek Tromp (YAE, Outgoing Chair) as moderator and Gábor Kismihók (FYAE) as speaker, along with two other speakers, Anna Fabijańska and Mike Teodorescu.

The discussions will be inspired by a recent advice issued by the Scientific Advice Mechanism to the European Commission on the request of the College of Commissioners. The evidence review report and the Scientific Opinion reports responded to the question on: ‘Successful and timely uptake of artificial intelligence in science in the EU’ and were published on 15th of April, 2024. For this report, Cristina Blanco Sió-López (FYAE) acted as peer reviewer, and Gábor Kismihók (FYAE) was involved in the evidence-gathering workshops preparing the SAPEA-SAM evidence review report about AI. The report has been handed over to Commissioner Iliana Ivanova by Nicole Grobert (former YAE Chair, Chair of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to the European Commission).

Register at the SAM website