- Erlend Tiberg North
- Elise Malmer Martinsen
- Ryan Anthony Marinelli
- Maria Markova
- Alexis Christine Carson
Erlend Tiberg North
I am a 3rd year doctoral research fellow at SMN and wish to represent the temporary academic staff at the faculty of mathematics and natural sciences.
The last year I have been your representative, as well in 2023 as deputy. I have been involved in student representation most of my university education and as a M.Sc. student at UiO I was also a student representative in the faculty board. This is a position I enjoy, and with good experience under my belt, I hope to carry on the work.
Temporary academic staff continue to be in a vulnerable position, with both research, proposal pressure, administrative work, education and teaching. This can stack up to high pressure, with subsequent low well-being and increased sick leave. New surveys show there is still room for improvement here. “Temporariness” means career development and planning is important, and improvements are being made with multiple activities.
At the same time further development will do us well.
With new requirements for language courses especially doctoral research fellows from other countries can experience increased pressure, while English is and keeps being essential for research-based work. I wish to make sure that Norwegian does not hinder employees from other countries, and that English will be used more, so everyone can be involved and informed.
A well-functioning board is important for good work, and with my perspective and experience I have good insights into what is needed for the faculty as a whole and am safe in sharing my own opinions with the board. I will work for good processes in a busy time, and support not only my group, but all divisions.
Nominators for Erlend Tiberg North
- Erlend Tiberg North
Elise Malmer Martinsen
Hello!
My name is Elise Malmer Martinsen, and I am a 24-year-old PhD candidate in Nuclear and Energy Physics at the Department of Physics (FI). During my five years here at Blindern, I have been actively involved in various associations and academic committees, including the Physics Student Committee (FFU), where I served as deputy leader with main responsibility for finance and event manager. I have also been a representative on the Board of FI which has given me valuable insight into the processes and structures at UiO. Additionally, I have served as a mentor leader for the new study program in nuclear physics and nuclear technology, and as a liaison between students and professors in nuclear physics.
In the first three months of my PhD studies, I took the initiative to create a common meeting point for PhD candidates at FI. Now, I wish to contribute to building a community and more arenas where temporary academic staff can meet across all departments at MN, so that everyone feels a sense of belonging. I want to facilitate the exchange of experiences with others in similar job situations, just as I already do for PhD candidates at FI. In recent years, several articles have highlighted poor mental health among employees in academia, especially among PhD candidates. By meeting others in similar situations, I hope we can feel a sense of togetherness.
The meeting points I aim to create, in the form of joint lunches and other social activities, can also be used to gather feedback on the varied experiences from our workdays. This enables me to address challenges or issues that need improvement at the faculty on behalf of all of us. For me, it is important to be available to the employees I represent and to gain insight into their workdays and challenges. I wish to be a clear voice for the temporary academic staff, so that we too can shape the faculty's development. After all, we are the future of the faculty.
Happy voting!
Nominators for Elise Malmer Martinsen
- Azusa Inoue
- Gulla Torvund
- Johannes Sørby Heines
Ryan Anthony Marinelli
Hi, I am standing for election to represent temporary academic staff. I attended IFI’s department conference this October, and my main motivation for taking on this role is to help achieve the goals we collectively articulated as part of the department’s strategic plan. While it’s easy to outline plans, it’s another matter to act on them.
One of the issues highlighted at the conference was diversity, equity, and inclusion. The first priority is to address gender balance, and the second is to promote safety and inclusion. For the former, suggested steps include improving branding initiatives to attract more women to academic roles and reviewing recruitment processes. For the latter, continuing support for initiatives like “Jentedagen” has been recommended to encourage a more diverse staff composition. Regarding safety, I would advocate for fine-tuning the escalation systems and the “Speak up!” process.
Other challenges identified include visibility, collaboration with peers, and funding concerns. In terms of visibility, greater outreach is essential to attract the attention of decision-makers. Proposed strategies include submitting work to more popular media to engage better with the general public. Another suggestion was to optimize the use of keywords to enhance connections with colleagues through our profiles. This lack of visibility also impacts collaboration. As for funding, it largely depends on one’s network. The nature of grants is changing, often requiring support from larger units and collaboration across departments. Therefore, being aware of potential collaborations will be increasingly crucial. To address this, I plan to advocate for and engage with associations within the department.
By supporting the specific goals and initiatives we have identified as a department, I hope to facilitate consensus-building to better support temporary staff and our community as a whole.
Nominators for Ryan Anthony Marinelli
- Even Eilertsen
- Robert Anthony Chetwyn
Maria Markova
My name is Maria Markova, and I propose my candidacy for a fixed-term academic staff representative at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.
I have recently defended my PhD thesis in nuclear astrophysics and continued my academic journey as a postdoc in the nuclear physics group at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. Throughout 11 years in academia, I have been deeply involved in the university system at three different levels at the UiO (M. Sc., PhD, postdoc), as well as outside our university (B. Sc., M. Sc.). My research project revolves around the investigation of astrophysical processes responsible for the production of heavy elements in the universe by taking a closer look at structural properties of heavy nuclei from the experimental perspective.
Four years of PhD research and teaching duties allowed me to deepen my understanding of intra-university processes and experience some potential weaknesses in the communication between temporary employees and the administration as well as the permanent staff. This communication is vital for temporary researchers to meet extremely tight deadlines and to further succeed in their academic and non-academic careers. My goal as a candidate is to contribute to improving this communication channel, alleviate unnecessary pressure on temporary employees, and thus encourage more young, talented students to put their ideas forward as scientists in a more healthy academic environment.
Moreover, as an international employee who has been employed throughout the COVID pandemic and a war, I have firsthand experienced how exceptionally vulnerable this category of temporary employees might be. International researchers and teachers make up a notable share of the MN employees, and my aim is to do all possible to make their experience more safe and secure in these unstable, unpredictable times.
Nominators for Maria Markova
- Dorthea Gjestvang
- Johannes Sørby Heines
Alexis Christine Carson
My name is Alexis Carson, and I'm running to represent the temporary academic staff. I'm a PhD student in the Department of Pharmacy, researching the effects of antidepressant use during pregnancy on children’s long-term health. My platform aims to tackle key issues that will make our work environment better and address the needs of temporary academic staff.
Creating a positive work environment is critical. I'm committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive atmosphere, with a strong focus on mental health which includes making sure our work environment is a place where people feel respected and valued. As we prepare to move to the new Life Sciences Building, I'll make sure we have clear and consistent communication to address concerns and make the transition smooth for everyone. I aim to use my position to increase transparency and accountability in the decision-making processes within the faculty and be someone to which temporary academic staff feel comfortable voicing their thoughts and concerns while in turn sharing these perspectives at the faculty level.
Career support is another crucial part of my platform. I understand the challenges temporary staff face and believe in providing opportunities for growth and development. I also think fostering interdisciplinary collaboration can lead to more innovative research.
Lastly, I would like to work towards efficient use of resources. I support measures that streamline administrative and technical processes so we can focus more on our research and teaching. Most importantly, I'm committed to being a strong advocate for your concerns and suggestions, making sure temporary academic staff have a real voice in faculty decisions.
Nominators for Alexis Christine Carson
- Milica Zugic