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Panel 12 – science bio/geo
for experiments in the laboratory. From its international standing, field of
research and from some very good publications in high ranking scientific
journals this group gets our ranking excellent with a tendency to outstanding.
These unique technical opportunities and the collaboration within the
department makes the group on biomechanics and functional morphology
one of the best known international groups for the evolution and kinematics
of animal flight such as birds and bats. In this combination of theory
and practice and with respect to its international visibility this group
certainly merits the rank outstanding.
There may also be interesting collaborative potential and “cross fertilization”
with the CAMVIS groups. This could be taken as a further argument for a
closer collaboration of the Department of Cell and Organism Biology and
Ecology, in particular there should be a commitment to have the two in one
location, i.e. a “Biology Center”, without the need for a formal merger.
2.4 Collaboration
This broad department offers many opportunities for collaboration between
different groups. The animal migration and movement group has collaborates
with theoretical ecologists and molecular ecologists. Plant ecologists
and soil ecologists joined forces in an interesting report on sperm movement
by arthropods. Further collaborations are between departments, e.g. with
Physical Geography and Ecosystems. However, collaborations with the COB
geneticists or evolutionists seem scarce. The department has attracted a high
number of visitors. It seems, how ever, surprising that of this very large group
of scientists altogether 18, (i.e. 3/year) made a research visit abroad. Not surprisingly,
such faculty or post doctoral visits can be very fruitful for renewal
of the department and its research themes (see Råberg et al. 2007 Science).
2.5 Research activity and teaching
The Department engages in broad undergraduate and graduate teaching,
seemingly better integrated with research than in many other Swedish
universities. The recent starting of a Research School in Genomic Ecology
is a welcome addition. The department lists about 50 Ph.D. students as
personnel, but nearly a 100 Ph.D. students are registered, and the number
75 is given on p. 8. On average 17 Ph.D. are produced. Mostly Ph.D.
training seems quite efficient, with average time of 4.5 years.
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