List of experts for journalists at Arctic Frontiers 2016
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The Arctic Frontiers conference is arranged at UiT The Arctic University of Norway January 24.-29. Photo: Arctic Frontiers |
Find an expert:
- Climate change, oil spill and renewable energy
- Arctic productivity and climate effects
- How climate and climate changes affect the population in the Arctic
- How climate and climate changes affect health in the Arctic
- Environmental law
- Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate
CLIMATE CHANGE, OIL SPILL AND RENEWABLE ENERGY:
Professor Kristoffer Rypdal, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Office: +47 77645149
Mobile: +47 47712863
E-mail: kristoffer.rypdal@uit.no
Research: Natural versus anthropogenic climate variability by exploring the climate of the past, present and future. Predictability of climate change, including early-warning signals of sudden climate transitions and tipping points. Minimal mathematical models for climate prediction.
Professor Are Kristoffer Sydnes, Department of Engineering and Safety
Office: +47 77660328
Mobile: +47 97532974
E-mail: are.sydnes@uit.no
Research: Security/protection related to oil spill in the Barents Sea
Professor Torbjørn Eltoft, Department of Physics and Technology
Office: +47 77645184
Mobile: +47 95007345
E-mail: torbjorn.eltoft@uit.no
Research: Remote sensing of sea ice, chairs the new SFI: CIRFA – Centre for Integrated Remote Sensing and Forecasting for Arctic Operations
Professor Tobias Boström, Department of Physics and Technology
Office: +47 77645153
Mobile: +47 41248485
E-mail: tobias.bostrom@uit.no
Research: Renewable Energy; his work focuses mainly on hybrid renewable energy systems. The objective is to create self-sufficient and robust sustainable energy systems by combing and coordinating intermittent renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, with energy storage solutions.
Associate professor Ha Hoai Phuong, Department of Computer Science
Office: +47 77644032
E-mail: phuong.hoai.ha@uit.no
Research: Green computing and energy-efficient computing, Cloud computing and future Internet. More info regarding Arctic Green Computing: http://site.uit.no/arcticgreen/
Researcher/post doc Berit Kristoffersen, Department of Sociology, Political Science and Community Planning
Office: +47 77646967
Mobile: +47 95702600
E-mail: berit.kristoffersen@uit.no
Research: Petroleum policy, climate/environmental politics and sustainable tourism. Kristoffersen has for the past decade been researching developments in Norwegian petroleum politics, and the move northward in particular. In her PhD (2014) she forwarded the analytical concepts of opportunistic adaptation and post-petroleum security to describe top-down and bottom-up perspectives and processes related a potential new petroleum region, and the interconnected environmental and climate challenges. In her post-doc she is also working on sustainable tourism and whalewatching in Arctic Norway. http://arcticencounters.net/
Project manager Stian Røberg, The Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics
Office: +47 77645688
Mobile: +47 41103970
E-mail: stian.roberg@uit.no
Research: Project manager of the program Environmental Waste Management. Read more about EWMA here.
Associate professor Jasmine Nahrgang, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology
Office: +47 77645896
E-mail: jasmine.m.nahrgang@uit.no
Research: Biological effects of petroleum related contaminants on Arctic marine species with focus on bioenergetics, lipid homeostasis, reproduction and other physiological processes crucial for survival and fitness in Arctic environments; baseline biology and life cycle strategies of Arctic organisms, development of tools for monitoring the effects of oil in Arctic organisms.
Professor Hans-Kristian Hernes, Department of Sociology, Political Science and Community Planning
Office: +47 77645602
E-mail: hans-kristian.hernes@uit.no
Research: Environmental and resource management, shipping.
ARCTIC PRODUCTIVITY AND CLIMATE EFFECTS:
Professor Paul Wassmann, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology
Office: +47 77644459
Mobile: +47 97773451
E-mail: paul.wassmann@uit.no
Research: Arctic marine system ecology, vertical flux and flux regulation in ecosystems of different trophic state and latitude, flux of carbon in marine ecosystems as a function of trophic state and climate change, physical-biological coupled 3-D models of pelagic primary production, new and export production, eutrophication in the coastal zone, dynamics of Phaeocystis-dominated ecosystems.
Professor Hans-Christian Eilertsen, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology
Office: +47 77644540
Mobile: +47 97522793
E-mail: hans.c.eilertsen@uit.no
Research: Marin microalgae as biofuel and environmental cleaning agent absorbing CO2.
HOW CLIMATE AND CLIMATE CHANGES AFFECT THE POPULATION IN THE ARCTIC:
Researcher Tove Aagnes Utsi, The Department of Arctic and Marine Biology
Office: +47 78450481
Mobile: +47 97589390
E-mail: tove.a.utsi@uit.no
Research: Reindeer use and development of reindeer grazing, other grazing animals adaptions to the Arctic.
Professor II, Nina Katrine Prebensen, School of Business and Economics
Office: +47 77646766
E-mail: nina.prebensen@uit.no
Research: Northern Insights – "Opplevelser i Nord" – Service Innovation and Tourist Experiences in the High North: The Co-creation of Value for Consumers, Firms and the Tourism Industry.
Associate Professor Young-Sook Lee, Department of Tourism & Northern Studies
Office: +47 78450164
Mobile: +47 93006954
E-mail: young-sook.lee@uit.no
Research: East Asian tourism, Cultural philosophies & nature, Tourist behavior, Arctic tourism. Read more at http://goo.gl/kPbmcB
Harald Bergland, Economics, Organisation and Management, Campus Harstad
Office: +47 77058228
E-mail: harald.bergland@uit.no
Research: Bergland has contributed in the book Naturressursenes økonomi, Gyldendal 2014, where different writers discuss how Norway's natural resources are being managed, and make calculations related to environment and climate. Two of the chapters are devoted non-renewable resources like oil, gas and minerals.
Professor Arne Eide, The Norwegian College of Fishery Science, UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Office: +47 77645583
Mobile: +47 47279493
E-mail: arne.eide@uit.no
Research: Arctic Climate Change, Economy and Society. Eide has published several papers on climate change impacts on sub-Arctic fisheries, in particular the Northeast Arctic cod fishery. Cellular automata models mimicking spatial and temporal distribution of fishing activities are utilised in comparing different impact sources, such as climate change, fishing aptitude, economical factors and varying management regimes. Read more about ACCESS
HOW CLIMATE AND CLIMATE CHANGES AFFECT HEALTH IN THE ARCTIC:
Professor Jon Øyvind Odland, Department of Community Medicine
Office: +47 776 46407
E-mail: jon.oyvind.odland@uit.no
Research: Pollutants in breast milk. Professor Odland has researched pollutants in the Arctic for several years. He refers to several studies that show that the population in arctic areas may have hazardous levels of pollutants in their body, and that these are associated with disrupted brain development, a compromised immune system, effects on fertility and increased risk of cancer. Odland is the leader of the health group in AMAP.
Associate professor Torkjel Sandanger, Department of Community Medicine
Office: + 47 776 45404
E-mail: torkjel.sandanger@uit.no
Research: Parabens from cosmetics. Associate professor Sandanger has among other things looked at the parabens we consume through skin care lotions. Among the 300 women included in the study, those with the highest usage of lotion were also the ones with the highest level of parabens in their blood. Parabens are an endocrine disrupter that can be especially disruptive for infants, children and pregnant women. Even if the substance is quickly excreted, continuous use will lead to high levels.
Postdoc Therese Haugdahl Nøst, EPINOR
Phone: +47 63 89 82 86
E-mail: thn@nilu.no
Research: Pollutants in North Norwegian men over time, assessing new and old contaminants in men in the Tromsø study with repeated measurements from 1979 to 2007. She has been able to describe time trends of many different contaminants over these thirty years. She has also experience with exposure modeling in both men and women with special attention to time, diet and reproductive histories.
Professor Terje Traavik, Department of Pharmacy
Office: +47 77644379
Mobil: +47 45507471
E-post: terje.traavik@uit.no
and
Professor Ørjan Olsvik, Department of Medical Biology
Office: +47 77646201
Mobile: +47 91674135
E-mail: orjan.olsvik@uit.no
Research: A milder climate may make it easier for insects, species of ticks and unknown viruses to survive in Northern Europe. A fresh report developed by Professor Terje Traavik suggests that the combination of climate changes, other influences of the ecosystem, and new infections may activate latent infections and cause new spread.
Researcher Laila Hopstock, Department of Community Medicine
Office: +47 776 20718
Mobile: +47 900 0811
E-mail: laila.hopstock@uit.no
Research: The effect of daily weather conditions on myocardial infarction incidence. Laila Hopstock is researching how climate and temperature affects cardiovascular risk factors and the risk of heart disease for the population in Arctic areas. Her PhD-thesis is based on the Tromsø Study.
Professor Rolf Jorde, Department of Clinical Medicine
Office: +47 77626827
E-mail: rolf.jorde@uit.no
Research: Low levels of vitamin D are associated with almost all risk factors of diseases such as overweight, higher levels of fat in the blood, higher blood pressure and higher levels of blood sugar. Some diseases (such as cancer and multiple sclerosis) are most often found in northern areas and areas with low sun exposure, and many infectious diseases such as influenza occur more frequent in the winter when the level of vitamin D is at its lowest. Yet the researchers are not convinced that vitamin D is a miracle cure. Read more on blogg.uit.no/helsefak (Norwegian only)
Scientist Ann Ragnhild Broderstad, Centre for Sami Health Research
Office: + 47 76985030
Mobile: + 47 95970559
E-mail: ann.ragnhild.broderstad@uit.no
Research: Centre for Sami Health Research is responsible for a major health and lifestyle survey in northern Norway: SAMINOR. The research is in municipalities with Sami and Norwegian settlement. The main focus is on lifestyle diseases like cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Professor Trond Ø. Jørgensen, the Norwegian College of Fishery Science
E-mail: Trond.jorgensen@uit.no
Research: The university is the host for MabCent-SFI, a centre for marine bioactives and drug discovery. They do marine bioprospecting, and have analysed more than 150 organisms from the Barents Sea, looking for organisms with potential for further research, innovation and commercialization including new medicines against cancer, bacterias, infection, heart decease, diabetes and other things. They have some great photos of these organisms, which are often very beautiful. Their website is in English: http://www0.nfh.uit.no/mabcent/
Torkjel Tveita
Office: +47 77626208
E-mail: torkjel.tveita@uit.no
and
Mads Gilbert
Office: +47 77626197
Mobile: +47 90878740
E-mail: mads.gilbert@uit.no
Research: Our local celebrity professor Mads Gilbert, is together with professor Torkjel Tveita among the world’s leading experts on hypothermia, and reviving people who have been cooled down to extreme temperatures. In 2000 Gilbert and his team saved the life of a woman whose temperature was down to 13,7 C, the lowest survived body temperature recorded.
Oddgeir Friborg
Office: +47 77646772
Mobile: +47 95920068
E-mail: oddgeir.friborg@uit.no
Research: Sleep during the dark months / Polar night.
Professor Odd Nilssen
Offife: +47 77644817
Mobile: +47 95195041
E-mail: odd.nilssen@uit.no
Research: Professor Odd Nilssen has been researching in Russia for 25 years, and has among other things looked at the alcohol consumption of people in the Archangel region. The results from questionnaires indicate that the Russians drink approximately 16 liters of pure spirits a year, but the consumption is likely to be much higher. This strongly affects the population’s health, and it is believed that alcohol is one of the main causes of premature death. Nilssen and his colleagues will now in collaboration with London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Northern State Medical University in Archangelsk, the University of Novosibirsk, as well as several other international participants, start one of the largest studies ever done on this area.
Sameline Grimsgaard
Office: +47 776 49285
Mobile: +47 91351858
E-mail: sameline.grimsgaard@uit.no
Research: The Tromsø Study is Norway’s most extensive and most visited population study through 40 years. The research has yielded valuable health data that is in demand both nationally and internationally, and has led to a better basis for disease prevention and treatments. The seventh survey of the Tromsø Study will start in March 2015, and will last until the end of October 2016. A total of 33 000 people (the entire population of Tromsø between 40 and 79 years) will be invited to participate. There are currently some 100 different ongoing research projects based on the data from the consecutive six surveys.
Postdoc Signe Veierud Busch, K.G. Jebsen Centre for the Law of the Sea
Office: +47 77646876
E-mail: signe.busch@uit.no
Research: Public international law and law of the sea.
Researcher Vito De Lucia, K.G. Jebsen Centre for the Law of the Sea
Office: +47 77620863
E-mail: vito.delucia@uit.no
Research: International environmental law, international climate law and legal theory and legal philosophy.
Researcher Elise Johansen, K.G. Jebsen Centre for the Law of the Sea
Office: +47 77645952
E-mail: elise.johansen@uit.no
Research: International law, law of the sea, environmental law, administrative law, constitutional law.
Read more about K.G. Jebsen Centre for the Law of the Sea
CENTRE FOR ARCTIC GAS HYDRATE; ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE (CAGE). NORWEGIAN CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE:
Professor Jürgen Mienert, Arctic marine geology and applied geophysics. Director, CAGE.
Office: +47 77644446
Mobile: +47 99794063
E-mail: jurgen.mienert@uit.no
Research: Stability of methane ice (gas hydrates) in climate change sensitive Arctic marine areas. Underwater landslides and climate change.
Professor Karin Andreassen, Marine geology and geophysics. Assistant director, CAGE
Office: +47 77644420
E-mail: karin.andreassen@uit.no
Research: Reconstruction of the past Barents Sea Ice Sheet. The goal is to provide new information and improve our understanding of the variability of methane release, which can be related to retreating glaciers.
Researcher Monica Winsborrow, Marine geology and geophysics
Office: +47 77623176
E-mail: monica.winsborrow@uit.no
Research: Work focuses on how ice sheets behave and what factors control this behavior. In particular, Winsborrow studies the former marine-based ice sheets such as the Barents Sea Ice Sheet, in order that we may better understand and predict the behavior of contemporary ice sheets such as West Antarctica and Greenland. Also: Interactions between ice sheets and fluid flow and gas hydrate systems.
Professor Alun Lloyd Hubbard, Glaciology
Office: +47 77623253
E-mail: alun.l.hubbard@uit.no
Research: Studies of the behavior of the modern day ice sheet on Greenland. What makes modern day marine terminating glaciers melt and calve? How and why do ice streams move? Also: Modelling of the past ice sheets of the Barents Sea and their interactions with gas hydrate systems. As the present studies of ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica help us unravel the past, so does the past provide perspective on the future of the warming planet.
Associate professor Stefan Bünz, Marine geophysics
Tel: +47 77646266
E-mail: stefan.buenz@uit.no
Research: Among the greatest uncertainties in the Arctic is the amount of frozen methane in sub seabed sediments. A more important question is how much of this methane will be released. We are developing new high-resolution geophysical technology within acquisition; processing and interpretation to directly detect and image marine methane hydrate reservoirs in the Arctic.
Professor II JoLynn Carroll, Marine geochemistry
Office: +47 77620927
E-mail: jolynn.carroll@uit.no
Research: How does the fauna respond to methane release from the Arctic seabed? It is uncertain to what extent methane release from gas hydrates below the seabed affects life on the seabed. We study benthic organisms, communities, and food webs to understand the range of biological responses to varying intensities of natural hydrocarbons seeping from marine sediments in the Svalbard/Barents Sea area.
Postdoctoral researcher Anna Silyakova, Oceanography
Office: +47 77646603
E-mail: anna.silyakova@uit.no
Research: How much dissolved methane is there underneath the Arctic sea ice and in the water column? Does the sea ice cap stop methane from escaping into the atmosphere? Anna Silyakova spent six weeks frozen in the Arctic Ice pack on board Research Vessel Lance trying to find answers to these questions.
Professor Tine Lander Rassmusen, Marine geology and paleooceanography
Office: +47 77644408
E-mail: tine.rasmussen@uit.no
Research: Methane emissions, ocean acidification and CO2 are measured throughout our geological past: Geochemical records from measurements of the shells of single celled organisms (foraminifera) help us evaluate the changes in methane emissions, while studies of distribution of living and fossil species and abundance of the benthic foraminifera community in methane seep areas indicate the degree of methane release through time.
PhD Alexei Portnov, geology
E-mail: alexey.d.portnov@uit.no
Research: Ice sheets of the past may have contained enormous amounts of methane stored as hydrates in the ground. As the ice sheet retreated, the methane rich hydrates melted, releasing the climate gas into the ocean and atmosphere for millennia. This is relevant for modern ice sheets as well – how much methane is stored under Greenland and Antarctica?
Also: Permafrost thawing offshore Siberia, releasing huge amounts of greenhouse gas methane from the ocean floor.
Researcher Jochen Knies, Marine geology
Office: +47 77625223
E-mail: jochen.knies@uit.no
Research: What was the ultimate timing of historic methane leakages from sediments in the Arctic seabed? Did they occur periodically over millions of years or rather abruptly? This may be significant for our understanding of future release of the potent greenhouse gas from natural sources.
Also: Sea ice cover in the Arctic was established 2,6 million years ago. However, due to global warming, we may see an ice-free Arctic in our lifetime.
Associate professor Giuliana Panieri, Micropaleontology
Office: +47 77625191
E-mail: giuliana.panieri@uit.no
Research: Using micropaleontology and geochemistry to study present and past methane emissions. What is the timing, periodicity, and intensity of methane emissions? How do they evolve through time?
Also: Recent observations of pervasive, thin hydrate pavement, carbonate crusts, and bacterial mats on surface sediments offshore Svalbard. The discovery of these features informs our understanding of gas hydrate dynamics and methane release in the Arctic Ocean, and how these processes may impact carbon budgets and cycles, ocean acidification, and benthic community survival.
PhD candidate Pavel Serov, Marine geology
Mobile: +47 99867350
E-mail: pavel.russerov@uit.no
Research: Huge mounds of methane ice, pingos, discovered on the seabed offshore Siberia. They are forming because of the thawing of subsea permafrost and high accumulation of the green house gas.
