Preparing for a bio-economy

Addressing a group of around 40 high-school teachers, Ida Helene Steen explained that the cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research on-going at the Centre for Geobiology (CGB) is training a new generation of scientists who are better equipped to provide leadership and solutions in a world driven by bio-economies.

Steen is the leader of the research theme “Life in Extreme Environments and Roots of Life” at CGB.  November 4^th was a Professional Development day for Norwegian high school teachers. A number of seminars were organised by the Centre for Science Education at UiB (main web site is in Norwegian). Around 40 selected the molecular biology / geobiology option.

At the end of the presentation one of the teachers asked some key questions: why should our students be interested in this? What kind of careers could an education in this field lead to? Why is this relevant?

Steen explained that the kind of interdisciplinary, cutting-edge education students can gain at UiB both from the Department of Molecular Biology and at CGB, as well as from other Departments and Centres at UiB, is exactly the kind of education students need to both contribute to the future of Norway, and to ensure employment in Norway in the future. She explained that Europe and Norway are now prioritising research programmes and innovation initiatives that will contribute to Norway’s transformation from an energy driven economy to a bio driven one. Bio-economy is something we are going to hear a lot more about!

Norwegian Government  Report «Lange linjer – kunnskap gir muligheter»

Innovation Norway: «Bioøkonomi: Bli med på å skape ny norsk industri»

Forsning.no:  «Bioøkonomi: Bli med på å skape ny norsk industry»

NorZymeD

Please see the right sidebar for some relevant .pdf’s:

The Copenhagen Declaration for a Bioeconomy in Action 

EU White Paper:  “European Knowledge-Based-Bioeconomy 2030”