CRAFT

Knowledge Integration and Blue Futures

About us

The Research Group CRAFT leads research activities integrating various disciplinary perspectives and academic/non-academic knowledge, aiming to provide science, solutions, and advice for societal, industrial, and political adaptation to complex future challenges in the marine and coastal areas. The keywords of the group are critical futures thinking, inter-/transdisciplinarity, and new technologies and competences in the Blue Sector.

Futures thinking is the practice of envisioning and exploring possibilities. As such, it is a key approach of futures studies, which is the formal, interdisciplinary field that systematically examines those possibilities. The field of futures studies explores possible, probable, and preferred futures through methods such as forecasting, scenario planning, and trend analysis. It helps individuals and organizations anticipate changes, make informed decisions, and shape sustainable long-term strategies. The field fosters proactive thinking to address uncertainties and guide policy, innovation, and societal progress. When using a critical theory lens, it challenges dominant assumptions about the future, questioning power structures, ideologies, and cultural biases in traditional forecasting. It promotes pluralistic, alternative visions, encouraging reflective, ethical, and inclusive approaches to envisioning futures. The field of critical futures studies seeks to uncover hidden influences shaping futures thinking and marginalized perspectives.

Member of:

* The Norwegian Forum for Autonomous Ships (NFAS)

* The Ocean Autonomy Cluster (OAC)

* The European Social Simulation Association (ESSA)



Organisational partner:

* CRAFT/ENCODE movie series at Verdensteater Cinematek, 2023-2024, Tromsø, Norway

* Review of Social Simulation and Artificial Societies (RofASSS)

* Social Simulation Festival 2021-2024

IDEA – International Workshop on Interdisciplinary Design of Emotion Sensitive Agents at AAMAS, 2023

* ESSA Special Interest Group MOOD - Models of Human Decision

* ESSA Special Interest Group Qual2Rule - Using qualitative data to inform behavioural rules in Agent-based Modelling

* ESSA Special Interest Group SSG - Social Simulation and games



Research Group leader: Melania Borit.


Contact

melania [-dot-] borit [-at-] uit [-dot-] no

Members


Enter (and critique) the future!

CRAFT Lab & ENCODE presentseries of film screenings in cooperation with Verdensteatret Cinematek on pressing issues such as automation and the development of autonomous technical systems, the implications of rapid advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, the societal, political, cultural, and economic ramifications of digitization, and the changing relations between humans and machines. Each film will be introduced by a scholar associated with the two research groups. After the screenings, there will be an opportunity to ask questions and discuss issues taken up in the movies.

Welcome to new screenings in Spring 2025!
All screenings: 18:00, Verdensteatret, Tromsø

11.02 -> GATTACA (1997; US), details and tickets here

18.03 -> Paprika (2006; Japan)

22.04 -> Metropolis (1927; Germany)

 

 

 

Previous screenings:

Projects

Estuarize 2.0
The policy and governance arm of the socio-ecological science project Estuarize 1.0 (WIOMSA, 2024-2027).

AI-EDU 
AI-Based Tools in Education: Challenges, Possibilities, and Reflected Implementation (UiT, 2024).

Towards modelling Autonomous Fishing Operating Systems (Postdoc project - Timo Szczepanska)
A critical futures-informed study of conceptualizing and simulating the various variables and factors that are at play when fishing becomes autonomous  (Research Council of Norway, 2023-).

Thinking Co-Futures: Exploring Imaginaries of Emerging Technologies in Aquaculture Production (PhD project - Èva Cossette-Laneville)
A study of possible futures regarding the development of the Norwegian aquaculture sector as made possible by technological innovation (Research Council of Norway, 2023-).

The future control and surveillance of the Norwegian commercial fishing fleet from a legislator perspective (Postdoc project - Guri Hjallen Eriksen)
A study of the internal legal regulation of the commercial fishing fleet in Norway, with the main emphasis on how we can and should in the future control commercial wild fisheries given the rapid technological development in society (Research Council of Norway, 2023-).

Imagining "technology for tomorrow": Co-shaping the next-generation technology in a multi-agent socio-technological network (PhD project - Marianna Osokina)
A study of sociotechnical imaginaries of the small-scale fisheries in Northern-Norway (Research Council of Norway, 2023-).

Safeguarding just ocean futures in the Arctic through empowering stakeholders’ creativity and future imaginaries (PhD project - Krisztina Jónás )
A study of how to raise awareness about various uncertain futures through creativity. (Research Council of Norway, 2022-).

FLOW - Future Lives with Oceans and Waters
Transdisciplinary foresight study for strengthening the relation of the young generation with the ocean. (HORIZON-MISS-2021-OCEAN-05-02, 2023-2024).

FUTURES4Fish
Adaptive socio-technological solutions for Norwegian fisheries and aquaculture (Research Council of Norway, 2022-2026).

Blue Route of Discovery
Doctoral school with focus on distance supervision and advancement of professional skills through collaboration with marine research institutes and industry in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean (EEA Grants Portugal, 2022-2024).

AnxsAI - Anxiety-Sensitive Artificial Intelligence
Study of Artificial Intelligence-based systems that can replicate or account for human anxiety (Umeå University, 2022-).

Autonomous technologies and the future of the Norwegian Small Scale Jigging Fleet (PhD project - Lakshika Hasini Kahanda Kanaththege)
An analysis of possible impacts, needed workforce skills, and future business models (Research Council of Norway, 2021-).

Technological development and innovation in the Norwegian small-scale jigging fleet - an autonomous systems approach (PhD project - Helene Skjønhals Jensen)
An analysis of past and future technological developments of the fleet, using service design methodology (Research Council of Norway, 2021-).

Centre for Coastal Culture
Advancement of local culture and economy through collaboration among fishers associations, museums, and researchers (EEA Grants Portugal, 2021-2024).

SAMAKI
Capacity building through postgraduate education and research collaboration in fisheries, nutrition, livelihoods, gender and rights in Tanzania (NORAD, 2021-2027).

GEDAI
Education and training for ethical designers of responsible Artificial Intelligence (Umeå University, 2021-).

AFO-JIGG
Service design thinking to improve welfare and product quality in the Norwegian small-scale fishing fleet (Research Council of Norway, 2020-2024).

Nor-Lanka Blue
Network in Aquatic Innovation, Norway-Sri-Lanka (DIKU, 2019-2023).

Size-spectra in marine eco-systems (PhD project - Cristiane Paraletti Bernardo)
A statistical and modelling analysis of how marine ecosystems have changed and may change in the future (UiT, 2018-).

Using games and Agent-Based Models for research (PhD project - Timo Szczepanska)
Defining a methodology to combine games and Agent-Based Models to address issues raised by complex adaptive systems (UiT, 2018-2023).


News


January 2025 - Interactive research and communication

The Arctic Frontiers conference is a large yearly event held in Tromsø that includes the participation of international scientists, administrators, and policymakers. One of the side events in the program this year was the “Fram Talks: Communicating Arctic Science!”. Jorge Santos and Lilli Mittner, representing CRAFT Lab and, respectively, ArcHum (both from UiT), were the only academics as content developers among communication spcialists and media publishers. They explained the evolution of the exhibition “Living with Oceans” into a series of workshops and products based on situated arts and science that aim to reach and interact with a wide diversity of audiences, from well seasoned scientists to children. (Text: JS; Photo: Anuradha Gayanath)




September 2024 - Art and Science tour “Aigi lea skiipa mii ii anjkorastte”

Upon invitation from ArcHum, CRAFT Lab joined and sponsored a multidisciplinary outreach tour to three major cities in North Norway, Tromsø, Narvik, and Harstad. The venues included a heritage cinema, a Seamen’s church, and a black box theater, with audiences ranging from toddlers to active senior citizens. Our colleague Lilli Mittner from cultural studies at UiT, along with Jorge Santos, covered a variety of topics, including literature, marine ecology, history, sensory biology, aging and creativity, climate, quantum time, and future visions of life at the coast. Excellent support for these presentations was provided by Vokal Nord, one of Norway’s leading vocal ensembles, now directed by Anna Gallon. Specializing in baroque music and contemporary compositions inspired by Sami traditions, Vokal Nord is now also a world leader in deepwater melodies. (Text: JS; Photo: Cornel Borit)




September 2024 - Estuarize 2.0: People and the Estuaries of East Africa

Estuarize 2.0 is the policy and governance arm of the socio-ecological science project Estuarize 1.0, in which CRAFT Lab was also a partner. This new phase is action-driven and forward-looking: how can we ensure that all key stakeholders in an estuary collaborate, negotiate, and thrive in a stable environment? What formats, facilitation, and science are necessary to achieve this? The case studies now include the Umgeni estuary in Durban, a megacity in South Africa, as well as various estuaries in Mozambique, Tanzania, and Kenya. The project is coordinated by Dr. Cosmas Munga (Technical University of Mombasa, Kenya) in collaboration with research institutions in Durban (Oceanographic Research Institute), Quelimane in Mozambique (Eduardo Mondlane University), Dar es Salaam in Tanzania (University of Dar es Salaam), and CRAFT Lab (UiT The Arctic University of Norway). Funding for the project from 2024 to 2026 comes from SCALABLE, a new funding instrument of the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association. (Text: JS; Photo: Photo: Umgeni estuary by NRJ, Wikimedia Commons)




August 2024 - CRAFT searching deepwaters

As part of a joint course for exchange students from Japan and Sri Lanka, as well as PhD candidates and postdocs in CRAFT, we participated in a cruise led by Jorge Santos. We set out on the RV Beret Paulsdatter to explore the shallows and depths of the neighboring fjord. Fish and other organisms were sampled using different gear. Emily Venables operated the underwater drones, capturing stunning footage of the steep fjord walls. One of the most exciting sights was the remarkable marine snow in the dark depths, a process that makes fjords some of the most important decarbonization areas in the world. Overall, it was an excellent event for research, learning, and socializing. (Text/Photo: JS)




July 2024 - "A Journey along the coast of Sri Lanka" kick starts

The Art-Science inter-disciplinary project "Humans and Oceans: A journey along the coast of Sri Lanka" kicked off this July with fieldwork in Sri Lanka. The field team together with local contributors utilised photographing, videographing, sound recording and participant observation in exploring everyday coastal culture along all the five coastal provinces of Sri Lanka. The project team originates at UiT and consists of Prof. Jorge Santos, Prof. Lilli Mittner, Helena Stavland, and Anuradha Gayanath. We aim at producing a Photo Book and possibly an online website, exhibition, and research articles. The project is funded by the NorLanka Blue project and CRAFT Lab. (Text/Photo: JS)




June 2024 - Living with the Ocean in Harstad

The exhibition that was inaugurated in Sesimbra (see April 2024 of this news briefs and here) made its way to the most famous arts festival in Northern-Norway, the Festspillene in Harstad. We added six new canvases with a Northern and Sami relevance. Combined with the exhibition, we run an age-exchange workshop for children and their grandparents about Harstad 2050. Both initiatives attracted many participants. This was another initiative of CRAFT Lab and ArcHum at UiT and the Sesimbra Maritime Museum, and was greatly facilitated by UiT Harstad. (Text/Photo: JS)




May 2024 - CRAFT Labs’ first concrete project

The Center for Coastal Culture project came to an end in the best possible manner. The renovated building was inaugurated with the presence of the local authorities and community, as well as the representative of the EEA Grants. Andreia Conceicão, director of the Sesimbra Maritime Museum, and a large team of the staff were the proud organizers and guides. Within one month the Center will be their main office as well as a museum reserve. It will house galleries, research labs and space for guest researchers, as well as a real grocery store, like in the old days. The project was funded by the municipality and EEA Grants. (Text: JS; Photo: CCC)




April 2024 - Legal experts on tour

The FUTURES4Fish postdoctoral researcher Guri Hjallen Eriksen hosted a legal workshop in Båtsfjord, Finnmark, to provide theoretical and practical input to her research. Three legal scholars from the UIT The Arctic University of Norway and University of Oslo, a legal advisor from Norges Råfisklag, and the Port director of Båtsfjord attended the event. The group discussed topics of fisheries control, regulations about Illegal, Unreported, andUnregulated fishing, and consequences of European Union sanctions on Russia for the Finnmark community. They also visited fish processing facilities and met actors from the fisheries industry.” (Text: GHE)




April 2024 - Knowing your Ocean

Technology gives us new possibilities to visit the past. The last week of our Sesimbra rally was dedicated to dry diving. Our target audiences were the people with functional diversity and the elders, but soon more than one hundred 4th graders from Sesimbra schools joined in. The wreck of the battleship Numancia, which run aground in 1916, was an exciting and rich diving spot. Using a video game controller, participants could ope