Evaluation of individual research units - Norges forskningsråd
Evaluation of individual research units - Norges forskningsråd
Evaluation of individual research units - Norges forskningsråd
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University <strong>of</strong> Agder<br />
Department <strong>of</strong> Natural Sciences<br />
<strong>Evaluation</strong> <strong>of</strong> biology, medicine and health <strong>research</strong> in Norway (2011)<br />
Description <strong>of</strong> institution<br />
The Department <strong>of</strong> Natural Sciences was established in 1994 when two colleges (Agder<br />
College and Kristiansand Teacher College) were merged to form Agder University (UiA).<br />
The Department is responsible for teaching basic sciences and for training <strong>of</strong> both science<br />
teachers and biomedical laboratory technicians. Research is conducted in the disciplines<br />
<strong>of</strong> functional ecology, biomedicine and didactics in natural sciences. Staff include three<br />
principal scientists, nine senior scientists, two <strong>research</strong> scientists, and one physician (60%<br />
time). The staff range in age from 35 to 65 years old, and include two non-Norwegians.<br />
Only two pr<strong>of</strong>essional staff are female. The department does not currently have a PhD<br />
programme but shares four students affiliated with other institutions. Departmental staff<br />
have access to six general teaching laboratories and 11 <strong>research</strong> laboratories, a modest<br />
aquatic laboratory, a greenhouse and an observatory. These facilities are outfitted with a<br />
wide range <strong>of</strong> basic analytical equipment.<br />
General evaluation & recommendations<br />
See below.<br />
Follow up <strong>of</strong> previous evaluation<br />
Neither Agder University, Agder College, nor Kristiansand Teacher College were part <strong>of</strong><br />
the evaluation in 2000.<br />
<strong>Evaluation</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>individual</strong> <strong>research</strong> <strong>units</strong><br />
Functional Ecology<br />
Grading <strong>of</strong> scientific quality<br />
Good<br />
Description <strong>of</strong> unit<br />
The Functional Ecology group was formed in 2007. The group has two principal<br />
scientists and four senior scientists, one <strong>of</strong> whom is female. All are Norwegian, with a<br />
mean age <strong>of</strong> 52 years. The group engages in a wide range <strong>of</strong> <strong>research</strong>, including rodent,<br />
alpine plant, and aquatic ecology, fish immunology, and molecular aspects <strong>of</strong> tick-borne<br />
diseases. Research themes in the group are linked to general conservation biology or to<br />
the effects <strong>of</strong> invasive species. During the period <strong>of</strong> this assessment the group had three<br />
female PhD students and one short-term postdoctoral fellow, all affiliated with other<br />
Norwegian institutions with formal graduate programs.<br />
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