UiB's Collaborative Path in Ilulissat, Greenland
UiB's recent initiatives in Greenland signal a continued commitment and evolution in its Arctic research endeavors. Through active participation in the Ilulissat Science Forum and the launch of the ILLU Science and Art Hub, the University of Bergen (UiB) showcases its ongoing dedication to collaborative engagement with the local population.
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Ilulissat Science Forum and opening of ILLU Science and Art Hub
UNIQUE: Through prolonged presence in Greenland and close contact with the locals, UiB has established a very different research collaboration than what is customary in the Arctic. With the establishment of the ILLU Science and Art Hub and the implementation of the Ilulissat Science Forum, the goal is to make research accessible in a context relevant to those who live there.
- With the Ilulissat Science Forum, we focus on climate, sustainable development, tourism, and business in West Greenland – one of the most exciting places in the Arctic right now, says Nisancioglu.
The forum commenced with the opening of the 350m2 ILLU Science and Art Hub. "Illu" means home in Greenlandic and joy in Sami. The house is nestled in the colorful wooden houses of the town, adjacent to a daycare and school, with residential houses as its closest neighbors. Here, UiB will establish a meeting place where locals can drop by for informal chats and discussions, and where young people can be inspired to learn more about climate.
OPENING ILLU: Avannaata Mayor Palle Jeremiassen delivers his opening speech for the opening of the ILLU Science and Art Hub and the first edition of the Ilulissat Science Forum.
Avannaata Mayor Palle Jeremiassen, Norwegian Ambassador to Greenland and Denmark Katja Nordgaard, and UiB Vice-Rector Gottfried Greve were all enthusiastic in their speeches:
- Let's draw inspiration from this fantastic place and work together as Nordic neighbors in the fight against climate change, preserving natural treasures, and ensuring future generations a more sustainable future, said Katja Nordgaard in her speech.
Ambassadør Katja Nordgaard om forskningsprosjektet ClimateNarratives
EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW: Norwegian Ambassador to Greenland and Denmark, Katja Nordgaard, is impressed with how UiB establishes long-term ties to Ilulissat and Greenland.
- My hope for ILLU is to create a hub where Norway meets Greenland, where Bergen meets Ilulissat, where art engages in dialogue with science, and where people connect with researchers, said Gottfried Greve.
IMPORTANT DIALOGUE: UiB's Vice-Rector, Gottfried Greve, believes that dialogue with Greenlanders will yield many positive results. "For the University of Bergen, it's crucial to be part of that dialogue," he says.
Avannaata Kommunia, the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Copenhagen, and the University of Bergen each hosted sessions in the program, comprising a rich bouquet of events over three days: boat trips among icebergs, art, concerts, presentations, and panel discussions.
The first agenda after the official opening was discussions on climate change, where local voices shared their experiences. A group of students from Mathias Storch School presented a self-produced video.
Climate change in Ilulissat in 2022
SCHOOL PROJECT: At Mathias Storch School, there's great interest in climate. This film focuses on students' observations of climate change.
The schoolchildren shared their hopes for the future, sparking significant interest from the audience. Around 80 climate-engaged participants and experts from Greenland, Denmark, France, Switzerland, Germany, the USA, and Norway attended. The families of the schoolchildren also took part in this session.
Ambassadør Nordgaard om møtet med de unge grønlenderne på #ISF2023
HEARTBREAKING: Ambassador Katja Nordgaard's summary after listening to schoolchildren's perspectives on climate change.
Breaking with Traditional Research – Giving Back to the Locals
- With ILLU and the Ilulissat Science Forum, we aim to break the mold of how research is conducted – where researchers repeatedly conduct fieldwork with sophisticated vessels and equipment, gather loads of information, and then leave without engaging with the local population, says Nisancioglu.
His experience of traveling to Ilulissat for the past 15 years has made him feel included in the community. It's not just an exciting place for researchers to work but also a location where there's a great ambition to be part of climate and sustainability research and education in the future.
Direktør i Grønlands Erhverv, Christian Keldsen, om etableringen av ILLU Science and Art Hub
A NEW WAY OF THINKING: "Often, Greenland has served as a backdrop for research. What we're left with can feel minimal. That's why collaborative projects like this are incredibly important," says Director of Greenland's Erhverv, Christian Keldsen.
Together with his UiB colleagues, Nisancioglu has forged a unique collaboration with local forces – fishermen, tourist guides, various organizations, and the municipality. There's a strong local commitment to understanding climate and environmental changes. Through their observations, the local population possesses invaluable knowledge spanning both the present and generations back in history.
Tuperna Davidsen om samarbeidet med UiB forskere i Grønland #ISF2023
CONTRIBUTING TO RESEARCH: Tuperna Davidsen, a tour guide in Authentic Greenland, appreciates the collaboration with researchers and is ready to help.
Life-Altering Climate Changes
- We gain a lot of knowledge through the collaboration we have with the locals here in Ilulissat. We frame issues and solve them, actually working together in the field as well. Through our research, we've established a much closer collaboration than what's typical in the Arctic, says Nisancioglu.
Kerim forklarer klimaendringene i Diskobukten
THE CLIMATE RESEARCHER EXPLAINS: The Professor in Climate Dynamics on how Disko Bay is changing.
Ilulissat is named after the icebergs that characterize both the town and its inhabitants. When touring this area, you hear the cracking of icebergs, constant reminders that the climate is warming. Immense forces come into play when one of the world's largest glaciers loses mass. The colossal ice giants turning, capsizing, and falling into the water can create life-threatening tsunamis. The icebergs are further carried out into the sea by tides, contributing to increased global sea levels.
CITY OF ICEBERGS: Ilulissat is named after the icebergs that characterize both the town and its inhabitants. Today, the icebergs reach up to 100 meters above sea level. 90 percent of an iceberg's volume lies beneath the water's surface.
Around 10,000 people around Disko Bay rely on fishing. The warmer climate has led the adaptable Greenlanders to change their ways of life. Originally, their livelihood was solely based on hunting, largely carried out using dog sleds on the sea ice. As the ice period has drastically shortened, traditional ways of life like this have melted away in favor of boat-based activities. The ecosystem beneath the ocean surface is also affected by climate change, where the livelihoods of whales have been impacted negatively. Changes in the ecosystem and a shorter sea ice season have led to more fish in the fjord, increased fishing luck for the local population, and a growing fishing industry, sparking discussions about overfishing, among other issues.
INCREASED FISHING LUCK: Climate change has led to increased fishing luck and a growing fishing industry in Greenland.
- Now is an exciting time, where we try to look ahead and ask ourselves what's coming. And how we can best prepare for what's to come. In dialogue with the Greenlanders, numerous questions arise that contribute to shaping the research we'll undertake. How far out into the summer will we have sea ice in the years to come? How long will it be possible to fish inside the fjords? How large will the icebergs be?, says Nisancioglu.
ICEBERGS PASSING BY: The view over the Icefjord constantly changes as icebergs follow the tides.
Art Opens Doors
- Often, research can be quite challenging to understand, and the phenomena we're trying to explain can be complicated. But through the use of art, we create a space where both we as researchers and those who live here can tell their stories. It's a great way to connect and exchange experiences and understanding of the ongoing climate changes, says Nisancioglu.
He describes this as a highly motivating way to work as a researcher, something they intend to continue for many years. The ClimateNarratives research project spans three faculties at UiB – the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, the Faculty of Social Sciences, and the Faculty of Fine Art, Music, and Design.
EXHIBITION POSTERS: These exhibitions take place at the ILLU Science and Art Hub throughout October.
- Everyone can come together and work in the Arctic. There are so many things to do when collaborating, opening up many new opportunities. Art serves as a great communicator of research, while also leading to new knowledge by raising questions that we otherwise wouldn't have thought of, says Nisancioglu.
Film fra Eamon O´Kanes utstilling "Mapping Trees"
BAUM TEST: Film from Eamon O'Kane's exhibition "Mapping Trees".
Through the Ilulissat Science Forum until November 1st, the walls of the ILLU Science and Art Hub are adorned with paintings by Greenlandic artist Irene Thor Jeremiassen and animations by Irish artist Eamon O'Kane, the latter being a professor at the Department of Contemporary Art, UiB.
FIRST CONCERT IN ILLU: The duo consisting of brothers Christian and Frederik Kjærholm Elsner from the well-known Greenlandic band Nanook held the first concert at the ILLU Science and Art Hub.
On Tuesday evening at the forum, it concluded with an acoustic concert by Greenlandic Nanook, who sing, among other things, about climate change.
Kerim oppsummerer Ilulissat Science Forum 2023
HIGHLY SATISFIED: Kerim Nisancioglu is delighted to have initiated activities at ILLU. Now, he looks forward, full of plans. Skiing along Isfjorden, an ice music festival, courses, art exhibitions, and collaboration with the school are just some of the things he's excited about for the contributions of the ILLU environment.
