IN THIS MONTH'S NEWSLETTER YOU CAN READ ABOUT:
- New email for the department head
- Invitation to faculty workshops on sustainability
- Process for establishing research areas
- Follow up on allocated funds from the Faculty and the Department
- Release of the Departments Danish sections names
- Reorganization in the economy team
- Reporting sideline ocupation
- New info about corona
- Information on waste sorting at AAU
- Influenza vaccine 2021
- Meeting schedule for the Department committees
- The Department researchers and students in the media
- Useful links
- Future events
- HR news
- Peer-reviewed articles
New email for the department head
A new email address has been created for Michael: head@bio.aau.dk. Please use the email: head@bio.aau.dk in connection with departmental affairs, meeting notices and daily operations after 1 October 2021. If the inquiry is of a more personal nature or related to Michael's research, you are welcome to use the email address mto@bio.aau.dk.
Invitation to faculty workshops on sustainability
As a researcher at the Faculty of Engineering and Science, you are invited to participate in one or more faculty workshops on sustainability. The purpose is to support interdisciplinary idea generation and maturation of competitive projects within the faculty's focus areas for sustainability and at the same time increase your research profile through a strong interdisciplinary collaboration that focuses on sustainability. The faculty offers practical and economic support to attract external funding. Save the following dates:
- November 16, 2021: Agricultural and food technology
- January 20, 2021: Recycling and Circular Economy
For more info about the workshop, please clik here
Process for establishing research areas
The department maintains the term Research Area for a unit that consists of a group of researchers / research leaders who have a professional community and are collaborating about strategic development of a field. The framework for establishing the research areas was presented to VIP at section meetings in September. The next step in the process is that the existing research areas during October and November are invited to evaluate the previous work in the groups with the management. If a new research area has already been established, the new area will be invited to a meeting about expectations and opportunities in the new setup. On the basis of the meetings, the department management prepares the first draft of the department's new research area organization. Once the research area is established, the area appoints a leader in collaboration with the department management. The goal is that the research area organization is in place and can take effect on 1 January.
FOLLOW-UP on ALLOCATED FUNDS FROM THE FACULTY AND THE Department
During the summer and autumn, it has been possible to apply for funding for workload reduction, equipment, co-financing of PhD students, etc. - partly from the Department and partly from the Faculty. The faculty's funds are given within their 4 initiatives: bubble and platform projects (workload reduction to facilitate collaboration across Departments), excellence (support in connection with major applications to eg the ERC and the basic research fund) and pre-poc (commercialization of the good idea). We have been successful in attracting faculty funds, especially to bubble projects. In total, we have reaped in approx. DKK 1.2 million from the Faculty. This money should be spent this year. It is possible to apply for funding within the Faculties four initiatives on an ongoing basis, tentatively until the end of August 2022. The vast majority of the projects applied for have been bubble projects. It is our impression that the Faculty would like to see other initiatives beeing represented, so consider whether you have ideas that can fit in with platform projects, excellence and pre-poc.
At the Department, we have also made it possible to apply for equipment and workload reduction. Again, the money should be spent this year, and approx. 1.2 million for workload reduction and 1.3 million for smaller equipment. In addition, we have experimentally offered 1/3 co-financing of PhD students who are included in a DFF-FP1 application. We will gather experience on department initiatives from 2021 and based on these and the Department's finances decide whether we should / can do something similar in 2022.
Release of the Danish Department section names
In connection with and after the summer seminar, a process was initiated to identify Danish names for our two new Department sections. First of all, thank you to everyone who has contributed and been involved in the process. The decision has been made on the basis of the Department's name, the English section names, word choice and an attempt to include the Department's academic variety in a short and precise way. The Danish and English section names are listed below and should be used in all communication both internally and externally in the future:
DANISH NAMES:
- Sektion for Kemi- og Ingeniørvidenskab
- Sektion for Bio- og Ingeniørvidenskab
ENGLISH NAMES:
- Section for Chemical Science and Engineering
- Section for Bioscience and Engineering
Reorganisation in the economy team
The economy team in the secretariat has been reorganized. At the Department we need to have a unified team that has insight into all branches of economics - both operational and project economics and we currently, in connection with changing the section structure and the new economy model, need to rethink the ecomomy. Therefore, in September, a reorganization was carried out in the economy team by establishing a single economy team. Previously, the team were divided into an economy and a project team, each with their own coordinator.
Anders will be coordinator for the entire team, while Stephen remains in the project administration. In collaboration with Eva and Cæsar he will handle the daily contact and tasks regarding projects. All project owners who will be affected by this have been contacted. We still use POC (point of contact), but it must be pointed out that it is a dynamic system and possible changes of the project administrator may occur if the overall project portfolio is changed. In collaboration with Tina, Heidi will be in charge of the accounting area with, among other things, invoicing and travel reimbursement for both ESB, AAL and CPH.
Participation in various forums, contact information for common units, etc., which was previously the resposability of the team coordinators, is now being expanded, so that everyone's competencies, experience and interests are put into play. This should allow for better development and better insight across AAU for everyone in the team. We are currently looking for a colleague who, at the same level as Anders, will handle the department and operating finances. This position has just been advertised with expected employment per. 01.12.2021.
REPORting OF SIDEline EMPLOYMENT
As a consequence of a couple of large and media-covered cases during the summer, there will be a significant and greater focus on the side of reporting sideline employment at VIP level. From assistant professor level and upwards (incl. Post docs), it will therefore be emphasized from this year that the sideline employment form is completed and approved by the Head of Department. Everyone at this level must complete the form - regardless of whether you have a sideline job or not. Information will be sent out regarding the reporting of the annual sideline employment in November and this must be approved before the end of the year. At the rectorate and department level, a procedure description is being prepared, so that we ensure that everyone at the mentioned levels has completed and approved a sideline employment form. The next newsletter will include a further description of the procedure at the Department.
New info about corona
Since September 10, 2021, covid-19 is no longer categorized as a socially critical disease. This change means that a number of special rules and provisions in the Epidemic Act no longer apply. This applies i.a. in connection with infection detection and information about illness.
In addition, the change means the following:
FOR EMPLOYEES:
Employees are no longer required to tell their employer if they are tested positive with covid-19. However, they still have to stay home from university and report sick in the normal way. If the employee is symptom-free, work from home is agreed. Cases of covid-19 among employees no longer need to be registered and reported to AAU's corona emergency services. In case of symptoms of covid-19, it is still important that the employee goes into self-isolation and is tested with a PCR test. This also applies to employees beeing fully vaccinated.
FOR STUDENTS:
Students are no longer required to notify the university if they are tested positive with covid-19. However, we still recommend that the students inform either the head of study or the study secretary about the infection, so that the infected person can receive guidance in relation to studying during the isolation period, and so that other students / employees who have been in close contact with the infected person can bee notified. Please note that information about infection and orientation of students / employees presupposes that the infected person allows AAU to pass on this information. The study administrations no longer have to register and report cases of infection to AAU's corona contingency. In future, it will be the state infection detection that makes sure to identify the close contacts in collaboration with the infected person. However, it is expected that in some cases the students do not know the names of their fellow students / teachers, but rather which module / course room or similar they have attended. In this connection, the study administration is asked to be helpful in finding the names of the students / employees, who may have been in close contact with the infected person if this is requested by the infection detection. The FAQ for the students is updated so that it no longer states that the students must "inform your supervisor" in the event of infection, but that we still recommend that they contact either the supervisor or the study secretary, cf. the above.
To ensure that the message of continued vigilance reaches the students, we have produced a video urging students to stay home if they are ill, tested and vaccinated. The video includes FAQ for students and can be found via this link.
Questions about the above can, as always, be directed to coronavirus@aau.dk, if the answer cannot be found in the FAQs on the corona website.
Information on waste sorting at AAU
We have now gradually returned to our physical environment at Aalborg University, and this also means a closer acquaintance with the new waste sorting scheme, which has been implemented on all campuses. The Executive Board's vision that Aalborg University has a sustainable waste sorting scheme is a major common task that we must undertake in groups - employees, students and partners at AAU. The vision plays into the government's climate plan for a green waste sector, which calls for increased sorting for both public and private actors. In 2020, the Executive Board has decided that waste sorting at AAU must take place in key common areas. It is a change in our everyday lives that requires new routines that support the sustainable mindset at AAU. The individual user will experience a little increased distance and thus a little more movement to get rid of waste in connection with the "local" trash can and trash being phased out. In return, the university achieves a much more sustainable profile and the opportunity for the desired source sorting and recycling of waste as a resource.
PURELY PRACTICAL, THE NEW SCHEME PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SORTING:
- In central common areas, we sort bio, plastic and residual waste
- At the printer stations we sort dry and clean paper
- In waste rooms (inside or outside) we sort the remaining categories of waste (Cardboard, glass, metal, flamingo, hazardous waste from the office environments (eg batteries, markers) etc.
- You will find your local waste room in the app AAU maps
HAZARDOUS WASTE FROM Eg. LABORATORIES
Hazardous waste and chemical hazardous waste require trained personnel on-site and an approved distributor. The waste is therefore handled by trained staff at each department. It is collected and brought to the waste room - for the most part the same room as the current one. From this room the waste is picked up by approved distributors when the users call them.
COMMUNICATION
Everywhere on campus, you will experience initiatives that make the new waste sorting visible. Including tips for correct sorting, wayfinding, posters, postings on AAU social media, articles on AAU update etc. Several initiatives are underway, e.g. beach flags at the garbage dumps and more wayfinding in the environments.
AAU AS LIVING LAB
The implementation of the new scheme has many facets and we are many users at AAU. It is therefore a complex task to implement waste sorting, with so many different sorts and users - here the concept "AAU as a living lab" really comes into play.
There are currently some general topics such as desire for more paper buckets in central locations, alcohol cloths in meeting rooms and challenges with collection of our waste, which CAS tries to solve in collaboration with you.
We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding. Thank you very much for all the positive feedback we receive. scheme, at the same time we are also happy to receive feedback regarding the challenges experienced. Together we can create the best conditions based on the overall new framework.
If you have good "best practice" examples of e.g. handling of waste in meeting rooms, colleague schemes or other local initiatives that you would like to share, you are welcome to contact Lill Christensen in Campus Service by email (lhbc@adm.aau.dk).
EVALUATION MEETINGS in AUTUMN / WINTER
For information, all departments have been invited to evaluation meetings in the autumn / winter. Here, CAS and departments will review the local challenges / successes together. We urge that experience with the new scheme be gathered to the representative of the department, who will bring these to the evaluation meeting. Student evaluations will also take place in the autumn / winter.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU ARE WELCOME TO CONTACT:
- Regarding the project: Vibeke Ulriis-Nordberg, project manager Campus Service, vun@adm.aau.dk
- Regarding communication: Lill Christensen, coordinator for physical study environment and sustainability Campus Service, lhbc@adm.aau.dk
- Error in sorting? Feel free to register it in the Building Support app.
See more about the new waste sorting here:
Influenza vaccine 2021
The Department is pleased to offer influenza vaccines to all employees once again. This year, you can sign up for a vaccination on campus in both Aalborg and Esbjerg. If you wish to accept this offer, please sign up here no later than Friday, 8 October 2021.
In Aalborg, you will find the medical team:
in room No. 1.123, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H
from 11:00 to 13:00
Tuesday, 26 October 2021
and in Esbjerg:
in room No. C2.320, Niels Bohrs Vej 8
from 10:30-11:30
Friday, 5 November 2021
Please bring your yellow health insurance card for the vaccination.
For BIO staff members in Copenhagen and other employees that cannot join the vaccination arrangements on campus, it is still possible to receive the vaccine. To do so, please book an appointment with the medical clinic most convenient to you (see www.sikkerrejse.dk for bookings, addresses and opening hours), fill in attached form, have your immediate manager sign it and bring it for your appointment. The vaccine will be charged to the Department afterwards. If you cannot find a clinic located close to you, you may sign up at another vaccination arrangement nearby – see more at www.minvaccination.dk.
Please note that above offer applies only for this year’s influenza vaccine and does NOT include other vaccines.
Meeting schedule for the Department committees
It is important for both employees and students at AAU to be involved in the governing bodies as this provides an opportunity get influence. Therefore, in the future, an updated meeting schedule for each Department committee will be included in the newsletter, so that you know in good time when the meetings are scheduled. Please note that the agenda is prepared well in advance of the meetings, which is why any subject for the agenda should be submitted to the committee's representatives no later than one month before the date of the meeting. You will find the representatives of the committees here.
Liaison Committee |
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Department committee |
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Safety committee |
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Study board |
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THE DEPARTMENT RESEARCHERS AND STUDENTS IN THE MEDIA
- TV2Bornholm.dk -"Biodiversitetsråd springer ud" Niels Madsen
- Jægeren - "Hvide ræve stikker snuden frem" - Sussie Pagh
- P4 - "Kraniekassen" - Sussie Pagh
- Jyllandsposten - "Operation ulvehyl er i luften" - Sussie Pagh
- Berlingske - "Forskere vil undersøge faldende harerbestand for gift" - Sussie Pagh
- TV2 Gó Morgen Danmark - "Pindsvineungerne på egen hånd" - Sophie Lund Rasmussen
- Teknisk nyt - "Microorganismer skal omdanne Co2 til bæredygtigt brændstof" - Jeppe Lund Nielsen
Useful links
FUTURE EVENTS
If you want to stay updated on events and guest lectures facilitated by the Department, please visit the Department web for more information. If you plan to host or coordinate an activity yourself, please forward the information to Camilla (cakr@bio.aau.dk) or Line Christensen (lch@bio.aau.dk) who will provide the relevant information on the web.
HR NEWS
New employments
PhD students
- Jing Gao, Aalborg, 1.10.2021
- Daming Sun, Aalborg, 1.10.2021
- Zhimin Chen, Aalborg, 1.10.2021
- Wessel Martinus Wilhelmus Winters, Aalborg, 1.10.2021
- Passanun Lomwongsopon, Aalborg, 14.10.2021
Postdoc
- Junjun Tan, Aalborg, 1.10.2021
Laboratory engineer
- Vibeke Rudkjøbing Jørgensen, Aalborg, 1.10.2021
Study secretary
- Sara Jellesmark, sekretariat/studieadministration, 1.10.2021
Guests
- Yongbao Xiao, gæste-ph.d.-studerende, Aalborg, 1.11-2021 – 31.10.2022, contact: Morten Mattrup Smedskjær
- Cao Hao, gæste-ph.d.-studerende, Aalborg, 1.11.2021 – 1.11.2022, contact: Jeppe Lund Nielsen
- Loukia Lipirou, gæstestuderende, Aalborg, 1.11.2021 – 31.12.2021, contact: Peter Roslev
- Julie Tang, gæstestuderende, Aalborg, 4.11.2021 – 21.2.2022, contact: Morten Lykkegaard Christensen
Resignations
- Kerim Dimitrije Kits, postdoc, Aalborg, 10.10.2021
Peer-reviewed articles
Nye peer articles registered i Pure 24.08.2021 - 24.09.2021
