Meet our new marine director
Amund Måge has been appointed new marine director at the University of Bergen. One of his first tasks will be to include the entire university in its strategic marine research initiative.
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"The position is at a strategic level, in an area that has a great potential. In Bergen there are great resources and opportunities within the field of marine research. The university must be the focal point and driving force of investment in this area," says Amund Måge on his motivation to apply for the position as marine director at the University of Bergen (UiB).
Måge will start in his new job in March 2017. He is currently Head of reseach for the research group on Contaminants and Biohazards at the National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research (NIFES), he has a doctorate from the University of Bergen, and several years of experience. He is also currently a professor 2 at UiB.
A marine focal point
Marine research is one of three priority research areas for UiB, and is coordinated by the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (MN). The marine director is to be a key player in efforts to realize the university ambitions.
"The university has decided to prioritize the field of marine research, and that should apply throughout the organization. We need social scientists, lawyers, psychologists, physicians and researchers from the field of humanities,” says Jarl Giske, marine dean at UiB and vice dean for research and strategy at MN.
Måge agrees that it is important to draw on the entire university community, and points out that a co-location of marine institutions in the city would give force to the university ambitions.
"If we are to enjoy the fruits of the sea in the future, it requires good management and this must be research-based"
"One of the first things that I will do as the university’s marine director, is to find ways to involve the entire university. I am going to reach out to each faculty and several research institutions," he says.
Måge also gets an important task in creating partnerships, both locally, nationally and internationally.
Jarl Giske thinks Måge is well suited to the job.
"He knows both UiB and external players extremely well and has a varied experience in research both in Norway and internationally. And he is an enthusiastic person, with ambitions to achieve our goals," says the vice dean.
"The sea is extremely important, both to Norway and to the rest of the world. If we are to enjoy the fruits of the sea in the future, it requires good management and this must be research-based," says Måge.