News - Page 5

Assessor guidance is made compulsory for all examinations at higher education institutions in Norway from this semester on.

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences contributes to creating a better school for the future by offering in-service training in programming for school teachers.

The title of this text is also the working title of the Faculty¡¯s new strategy. The draft will be sent to all employees through within Mid-September. 

After a quiet summer campus transforms into a bustling place with students on every bench and lawn in Mid-August. The lecture halls and libraries are filling up with students and the semester has yet again started. In September, our researchers will exhibit their exciting research at the Norwegian Science Week and Cutting Edge. 

Fossil hunter J?rn Hurum, pink nuclear physicist Sunniva Rose and math missionary Roger Antonsen are among the speakers entering the stage during Ungforsk 26 - 27th September. They greet 3.000 15 year-olds from Oslo and Akershus, who are joining us for Ungforsk 2018. 

The Department of Geosciences has several externally financed projects, in 2017 external research support contributed 50% of the department's economy. On Monday the 27th of August there was a start-up meeting for one of the newest projects - Volcanic Eruptions and their Impacts on Climate, Environment, and Viking Society in 500-1250 CE (VIKINGS). The project is supported by FRIPRO/Toppforsk/FRINATEK.

On Monday August 13th our Faculty welcomed 1400 new students. We give them a heartwarming welcome and will do our best to make sure that they feel comfortable at UiO!

The institute kicks off its first study programme next autumn.

I am yet again repeating myself by saying that we are looking towards a very exciting fall this year. But it needs to be said because it is exciting, as it was last year and the year before that. The most important political document this fall might be the revised long-term plan for research and higher education.

The first seed of research sprouts was sown at the Department of Informatics (IFI) two years ago. UiO selected informatics for their new researcher pilot program. Currently, applications are read carefully, and relevant candidates will be called for an interview.

We are in the process of conducting a Management Development Program at the Faculty. The program is held for everyone with management responsibilities at the Faculty and will last until the end of 2019.

New calls for proposals for Centres for Research-based innovation (SFI) is coming soon, and MN is ready for the task! While the Research Council of Norway is adjusting and optimizing the SFI initiative after being evaluated, our researchers are focusing on how to solve societal challenges in collaboration with Norwegian and international industry.

With 2.20 first choice applicants per study place on our bachelor programs we still have a bit to go to reach the goal of ¦Ð first choice applicants per study place, but we are much closer to reach ¦Ð now than we were five years ago.

Two of the three major university-wide interdisciplinary initiatives at UiO, UiO:Energy and UiO:Life Sciences have hired new directors in recent weeks, and both come from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (MN). I'm sure there will be many exciting opportunities for MN researchers and educators to contribute to both of these efforts in the future.

Professor Trygve Helgaker claims never to have done any ¡°applied science¡±. Nevertheless theoretical chemistry turns out to be so useful that the Research Council has granted him two Centres of Excellence in a row.

I would like to start thanking the employees at the Faculty for their input in the making of a new strategy for the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. The first draft is soon ready and will be distributed to all our employees during May.

April 15th is the deadline for applying to higher education in Norway. The young and talented crowd then has to decide what study program will range at the top of their wish list at the Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service (Samordna opptak).

Many things are happening on the educational front at our faculty! We are now in the middle of our InterAct process. At the same time, there are many activities outside the Faculty that we will be affected by.

On March 8th we are getting ready for the invading hordes of young students who are interested in studying with us during the next year or two. Through the day, thousands of young ones will surge the campus, sniffing out the best study environments. At the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, about a hundred students and staffers will be welcoming them warmly.

The University of Oslo has three major initiatives across faculties and museums. UiO:Life Science is the largest of these initiatives and arranges the Life Science Conference February 12 - 15.

Our news site Titan celebrated its two-year anniversary just before Christmas. And we can conclude that Titan has been a huge success. Now the time is ripe to further develop the news site and we need your input!

The city of Oslo did not want to organize the 2022 Winter Olympics. However, the Department of Mathematics at the University of Oslo will instead have the pleasure of inviting over 100 countries to a mathematical competition in July 2022.

The election of new representatives for temporary academic staff for the Faculty Board is opened. Place your vote before the deadline January 24 at 12:00 pm (noon).

The Norwegian center for science education develops the online resources Realfagsl?yper to strengthen the science education competence of kindergarten teachers and teachers. Realfagsl?ypene will be a tool for local professional development and will be launched at realfagsl?yper.no in April 2018.

The faculty's activities are conducted in many buildings across Blindern. Many of these buildings, especially at Nedre Blindern, including Kristine Bonnevie's house, need refurbishment. This is expensive and something the University of Oslo can never do alone. What shall we do?