New Study Programs
New this year is the bachelor's program in Nuclear Physics and Nuclear Technology, which became one of UiO's most popular programs. It is followed by a parallel offering of a master's program in Nuclear Technology. Nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry are in-demand competencies in Norway, and these study programs were established quickly after an unexpected allocation of dedicated study places by the Government. A big thank you to the academic communities, department leadership, and administrative staff at the Department of Physics and at UiO for succeeding in starting these programs this fall!
The new master's program in Space Systems at the Department of Technology Systems teaches students how satellites and space probes are developed and used, where user needs, technology, operational environments, and economics set the premises. The application numbers for this program were also promising. The bachelor's program in Material Science for Energy and Nanotechnology (MENA) has been revised and renamed to Renewable Energy and Nanotechnology. The academic communities and education leaders at the Department of Chemistry have made a remarkable effort and have succeeded in a significant increase in application numbers. Congratulations!
Additionally, I would like to highlight the new bachelor's program in Economics and Data Science, which the Department of Informatics (IFI) contributed in collaboration with the Department of Economics (Faculty of Social Sciences). The program was among UiO's most sought-after, demonstrating how interdisciplinary collaboration can succeed in student recruitment.
Focus on Nuclear Sciences
The Government has initiated a focus on nuclear sciences, and on August 22nd, we will celebrate the launch of the Norwegian Nuclear Research Center. The center is led by the Department of Physics in collaboration with IFE and NMBU. The new minister is coming to inaugurate the center and celebrate with us, and we are greatly excited! The Pharmaceutical Institute has announced two scientific positions in nuclear medicine/radiopharmacy with chemical and pharmaceutical backgrounds, which will be linked to the center. Our ambition is to elevate the entire field, from fundamental research in nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry to more thematic and applied research in nuclear medicine and radiopharmacy.
To highlight this focus and stimulate debate, the Faculty will participate in two events at Arendalsuka on August 17th: Nuclear Competence ¨C Is Norway Prepared? and Does Norway Need Competence in the Field of Nuclear Medicine? We are collaborating with IFE, NMBU, Agilera, and Inven2 on these events, featuring lectures and discussions where the Research Council, the Pharmaceutical Industry Association, the Cyclotron Center, ministries, directorates, municipalities, and the business sector contribute.
Launch of two SFFs and phasing out of an SFI
This fall, our two new Centers for Excellence in Research (SFFs) are launching: PHAB ¨C Center for Planetary Habitability at the Department of Geosciences, and Integreat ¨C Norwegian Center for Knowledge-Driven Machine Learning at the Department of Mathematics. There has been a lot of work and challenging negotiations between the centers, departments, and the Research Council, and finally, they are in place ¨C we wish them good luck!
We also thank the Centre for Scalable Data Access (SIRIUS) at IFI, which is now phasing out after two periods! SIRIUS has been an important center at the Faculty and a role model for how long-term collaboration between university researchers and the business sector can be structured.
New Major Research Projects
During the summer, our faculty received approval for three applications as coordinators for major collaborative projects under the EU's Horizon Europe. These projects are difficult to secure and require significant effort from the researchers, especially when they are leading them. With these awards, the Faculty has reaffirmed its role as a key provider of specialized expertise and knowledge. These three projects provide UiO's researchers with excellent opportunities to advance their research in collaboration with international consortia and simultaneously make it applicable in society:
? REFINE combines advanced material science, biotechnology, engineering, and humanities to develop a system for artificial photosynthesis. This will be used to produce high-energy fuel using sunlight as the sole energy source. The project aims to approach a level where the technology can be tested in real scenarios. The project has nine partners from six European countries. REFINE is led by researcher Athanasios Chatzitakis, employed at the Center for Materials Science and Nanotechnology, supported by Professor Truls Norby from the same center.
? CONCEPT will use Atomic Layer Deposition technology to construct photonic and neuromorphic electronic components. Such components are vital in a wide range of fields, particularly ICT. CONCEPT will significantly advance the research frontier while also offering substantial potential for industrial utilization. The project is led by researcher Henrik S?nsteby at the Department of Chemistry and the Center for Materials Science and Nanotechnology.
? NUCAPCURE will utilize proton activation and capture to develop new forms of treatment for deep-seated cancer forms, such as brain tumors. The project builds on techniques developed in the former FRINGE project and could lead to significantly improved and more affordable treatments for various types of cancer. The project is funded by the prestigious European Innovation Council under Horizon Europe. It is led by senior researcher Theodossis Theodossiou at the Department of Physics.
Just before summer, dScience ¨C Center for Data and Computational Science, received COFUND funding under the Marie Sk?odowska¨CCurie Actions in the EU, with 36 three-year postdoctoral positions for the DSTrain project. A total of 108 person-years in computer science will be announced in two rounds from 2024 and distributed to research groups across the entire faculty. The program will facilitate groundbreaking research across the breadth of the faculty's research environments through interactions between computer science, computational science, natural sciences, and technology.
Congratulations to everyone!
Infrastructure Call
The application process for major infrastructure funding from the Research Council is underway, and preliminary proposals have been submitted. It is becoming increasingly important that we prioritize well in these application rounds ourselves, and the Dean of Research has initiated closer collaboration between the BOTT universities on this matter (BOTT = Bergen, Oslo, Trondheim, Troms?). Additionally, it is crucial that we collaborate effectively internally at UiO with the Faculty of Medicine and the Natural History Museum, to ensure that we have as much influence as possible on UiO's overall priorities. UiO's process is ongoing within the Research Infrastructure Committee and the Research Committee. At the Faculty, we discuss our internal priorities in the Department Leadership Meeting, striving for transparency and departmental involvement in this process. It will be a challenging and important task in the coming autumn!
With this, I wish you all a successful and exciting fall semester!
Solveig Kristensen, Dean