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FACULTY OF SCIENCE

Newsletter: INSIDAN, 10 March 2022
Management news
In light of the war in Ukraine
There is information and support for students and staff on the Lund University websites. The Vice-Chancellor has also written about the situation on his blog.  
Information for staff and the Vice-Chancellor’s blog post on the Staff Pages
Information for students and staff on the University’s website
Latest dean’s bulletin
Sven Lidin writes about the invasion of Ukraine and the importance of helping and supporting each other.
Read the dean’s bulletin on the faculty’s internal website
By-election for the faculty nominating committee
A new teaching staff representative is to be elected to the faculty’s nominating committee for the remainder of the term of office (up to and including 31 March 2024).  The proposed candidate is Johanna Alkan Olsson, Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Environmental and Climate Science. All eligible voters received their ballots via email on 7 March. The voting deadline is 27 March.
Read more about the election and the candidate on the faculty’s internal website
Apply for grants and scholarships
Grants for Ukrainian researchers who come to Sweden
The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research is calling for applications for grants for Ukrainian researchers who come to Sweden in 2022 to carry out their research here. The researcher must be employed by a Swedish university or research institute during the project period. The grant is to primarily go to the researcher’s salary. Applications are welcome throughout the year.  
Read more and apply for funds on the foundation’s website
Find more calls for applications in Research Professional
The Research Professional database contains both national and international calls for applications. Log in using your University account (Lucat ID).
Log in to Research Professional
What's on
Course: Spoken English for Conference Purposes
The course is aimed at doctoral students and research staff who wish to improve the presentation of their research at conferences. The course consists of two workshops and a simulated mini conference. The course is offered twice during the spring:
  • 23 March–23 April. The deadline for registrations is 16 March.
  • 26 April–24 May. The deadline for registrations is 18 April.
Read more and register for the course at Kompetensportalen
The Crafoord Days in Lund, 25–27 April
The annual Crafoord Days offer three days of lectures, symposia and an award ceremony. The participating laureates are Eugene Parker (astronomy), Enrico Bombieri (mathematics), Daniel L. Kastner (polyarthritis) and Andrew Knoll (geosciences). Time and place: 25–27 April in Lund. The deadline for registrations is 10 April.
Read more and register for the Crafoord Days at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences website
Course: How to structure and publish a scientific paper, 2–6 May
Doctoral students can now register for a course on how to structure and publish a scientific paper. The course covers the structure and language of scientific papers as well as the requirements for scientific publication in the current world of science. The course will take place 2–6 May. The deadline for registrations is 30 March.
Read more and register for the course on the faculty’s internal website
LERU doctoral student summer school, 4–8 July
The theme for this year’s summer school is ‘The University of the Future: Rethinking the role of universities worldwide in the face of the challenges of the twenty-first century’. The summer school will take place 4–8 July in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Check-in is on 2 July and social activities will be held on 3 July. The deadline for registrations is 22 March.
Staff in the Swedish media
Professor interviewed about the new UN climate panel report
Markku Rummukainen, Professor at the Centre for Environmental and Climate Science and the Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, was interviewed several times about the latest assessment report by the UN climate panel, IPCC. “The report shows that we are not prepared and that the longer we do too little, the worse it is going to get. Some ships have already sailed given the temperature rise of more than 1 degree and development trends heading for further warming and increased vulnerability. However, it is possible to mitigate the negative consequences. Some things are already being done; however, it is not enough to keep up with climate change”, says Rummukainen.
Astronomists release a second season of the podcast The Meridian
Rebecca Forsberg (doctoral student), Nicholas Borsato (doctoral student) and Anna Arnadottir (research engineer), all at the Department of Astronomy and Theoretical Physics, have launched a second season of the podcast ‘The Meridian’. In the podcast they explore the universe together with invited guests.  
Listen to the podcast – astro.lu.se
Geologists have mapped and reconstructed a prehistoric ichthyosaur
Mats E. Eriksson, Professor at the Department of Geology, was interviewed about a new study that thoroughly reviews 300 years of collected research on ichthyosaurs. Based on an exceptionally preserved fossil, the research team has also participated in a scientifically correct and life-sized reconstruction.
Researchers want help to find the first bumblebees of spring
Anna Persson, researcher at the Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, was interviewed regarding her request for reports from the public on the first bumblebees of spring. Among other things, Persson wants to find out how the increasingly early arrivals of spring affects the bumblebees.
Lund researcher from Ukraine talks about her concerns
Viktoriia Meklesh, researcher at the Department of Chemistry, was interviewed about her grave concerns regarding the invasion of Ukraine. Among other things, Meklesh says she cannot fathom that it is happening, it is crazy, and that there is nothing she can do but pray.
Two biologists are experts for eight hours of live birdsong on radio
Susanne Åkesson and Martin Green, Professor and researcher respectively at the Department of Biology, were mentioned regarding their participation in a Swedish Radio initiative, a Night of Birdsong, to be broadcast on the night of 21 May. Åkesson will be in Osaby, south of Växjö, while Green will cover Nittälvsdalen in Bergslagen.
Lund researchers map element in space 
Using advanced measuring instruments from two different telescopes in southern USA, a research team led by Lund University has succeeded in locating an important clue to the origin of the element ytterbium in the Milky Way. The results provide entirely new opportunities for studying the evolution of our galaxy. Martin Montelius, who at the time of the study was as a researcher at the Department of Astronomy and Theoretical Physics, was interviewed about the study.
Biologist talks about cloning on the radio
Jessica Abbott, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Biology, was interviewed about cloned animals. Among other things, Abbott explained that cloning is seen as a possible alternative in attempts to save endangered species.
Articles in Lund University’s magazine, LUM
In the latest edition of LUM, Dean of the faculty, Sven Lidin, talks about a new programme to prevent sensitive material from falling into the wrong hands. He was also interviewed about a change to the University’s rules of procedure which results in the Vice-Chancellor, in extraordinary circumstances, being able to appoint a Head of Department following a proposal from the Dean. Stacey Ristinmaa Sörensen, Professor at the Department of Physics, was interviewed regarding her new role as Director of the Pufendorf Institute. Johan Nilsson, research engineer at the Department of Biology, was interviewed about the University’s animal husbandry. Bo-Anders Jönsson, Professor at the Division of Medical Radiation Physics, talks about a new system to ensure research quality.
LUM’s website
Geologists find evidence of an extreme solar storm
Chiara Paleari, doctoral student at the Department of Geology, was interviewed about a new study on an enormous solar storm that occurred approximately 9 200 years ago. What puzzles researchers is that the storm took place during one of the sun’s more passive phases, when it was previously believed that Earth was less exposed to such events. Among other things, Paleari talked about their discovery of the evidence of the solar storm when they were studying ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica.
Celestial phenomenon caught on camera could be a satellite
Anna Arnadottir, research engineer at the Department of Astronomy and Theoretical Physics, was interviewed about images of a celestial phenomenon. Arnadottir explained that it could be a satellite. “It is increasingly common for the public to notice satellites now that so many have been placed in a low Earth orbit. At sunrise and sunset, they are particularly visible. Before sunrise, we are still on the planet’s night side, however, sunlight reaches the satellites and lights them up”, she says.
Biologist interviewed about fly invasion at LUX
Marcus Stensmyr, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Biology, was interviewed about the fly invasion of a toilet at LUX. Stensmyr explained that this specific species are appropriately known as drain flies. “They are common, completely harmless, although not fun to have around of course”, he said.
Lecture by astronomist at the Värmland Star Party
Rebecca Forsberg, doctoral student at the Department of Astronomy and Theoretical Physics, was mentioned regarding her lecture on galactic archaeology at the Värmland Star Party.
Last but not least
Updated PowerPoint presentation of the faculty
The faculty’s PowerPoint presentation in Swedish and English has been updated with facts and figures from the 2021 financial year.
Download the presentations at the faculty’s internal website
Stay up to date on the Covid-19 pandemic 
The University’s staff and students are encouraged to stay informed about the Covid-19 pandemic.
The University’s handling of the coronavirus – lunduniversity.lu.se
About the newsletter
Sent to: People currently working at the Faculty of Science, Lund University (employed or organisational role).
Editor: Helena Bergqvist (helena.bergqvist@science.lu.se), Faculty Office.
Publishing schedule: The newsletter is published on alternate Thursdays. The next issue will come out on 24 March.
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