Foto: UiB/privat
I must use this opportunity to highlight Jorun Egge – she retired on 1 April.
BIO (and UIB) are then left without any scientific staff with expertise in marine microalgae! It would be unnecessary to argue that this is an important field that a marine university / department must have expertise in both in terms of teaching and research, so I hope there is a solution “in the foreseeable future”.
One of Jorun’s greatest contributions to BIO and UIB is the mesocosms at Marine Biological Station Espegrend. For 30-40 years, they have been central to many NFR and EU projects and given us a large international network. Over the years, hundreds of researchers and students have taken part in mesocosm experiments at Espegrend, and the activity has been incredibly important for the professional community. I hope Jorun’s exit does not mean that an era of experimental plankton ecology at UIB is coming to an end, we just have to find someone who can carry on the legacy. “Aunt Pose” will continue to be part of the EU project Aquacosm-plus until the end of the new year next year, so fortunately she will not disappear yet. We celebrate Jorun on Friday 12 May at 2 p.m.
We are (soon) approaching the start of the spring semester. Exam questions must be formulated and answered, master’s theses (approx. 120 pieces!) must be written and read and everything must be graded in a fair way. The peak season for trips and fieldwork is also approaching, so it’s just a matter of keeping going!
Gunnar
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Gunnar Bratbak
Group leader, Microbiology group