Huge congratulations to Dr. Claudia Erhart, who successfully defended her PhD thesis last Thursday at UiT – The Arctic University of Norway!

Her thesis, "From Parent to Progeny: Reproductive and intergenerational effects of crude oil exposure in key fish species in the Barents Sea," tackles a critical and underexplored question: what happens when adult fish are exposed to crude oil during reproduction, and what does that mean for their offspring?

Using both polar cod and Atlantic cod, Claudia showed that crude oil exposure during vitellogenesis disrupts the endocrine system, advances spawning phenology, and compromises offspring viability — with maternal exposure having particularly strong effects on early embryo survival. Her work highlights the importance of integrating multigenerational endpoints into environmental risk assessments for Arctic fish populations.

Thank you to the evaluation committee, Professor Ketil Hylland (University of Oslo), Dr. Caroline VIGNET (Institut National Universitaire Champollion, France), and Professor Stefano Peruzzi (UiT), for their thorough evaluation of the thesis and a great viva.

Claudia, it has been a privilege to supervise you through this journey. Your dedication, scientific rigor, and perseverance have been truly impressive. I am proud of the work you have accomplished!