IGS operates in the epicenter of national attention
These are a few of the news headlines in Norwegian newspapers this week (in Norwegian):
- “44 smittet etter testrekord i Bergen” (NRK);
- “Kritisk til innenlands reiseforbud” (VG);
- “sykehusledere på hjemmekontor vaksinert før helsepersonell i frontlinja” (DB);
- “Da pandemien traff Norge I fjor, hadde vi 289 intensivplasser. Nå er det færre” (Aftenposten);
- Kampen mot tuberkulose satt kraftig tilbake av covid-19 (Bistandsaktuelt).
This week’s media coverage illustrates how relevant our research and education at IGS is – it really is at the epicenter of national attention. Our research and education activities span health services, public health, elderly and nursing homes, epidemiology, social pharmacy, ethics, health economics and leadership, and global health.
Our vision “better health and society” not only gives IGS an important mandate, but it is also a national responsibility. And, we are delivering on this responsibility! For example, in 2020 our researchers were awarded a record number of large research grants, which will be getting under way now in 2021. To cope with the increased activity, we are currently recruiting several positions for project administration and finances.
The project application activity was also very high for the recent February RCN deadline, and major efforts are being made to establish and consolidate nationally leading Centres at the Department. The Pandemic Centre is currently establishing itself, and Prof Esperanza Diaz just accepted the position as its Director. Congratulations to both the Centre and Esperanza. The Pandemic Centre will be organized under SAMLET, section for Public Health, Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Health Management.
Finally, I would mention that we are publishing, again and again, in the most prestigious scientific journals. Exciting times!
The department leadership wishes to engage even more researchers in project development. Our plan is to identify promising calls, and challenge individual young talented researchers to write proposals. In April we will organise a career development seminar for our post-docs, a group that needs attention. These post-docs somehow fall “between chairs”, not having all the rights and duties of permanent faculty, and not being part of a formal training programme as are PhD candidates.
While our activity is at the epicenter of national attention, we have been functioning under challenging cirumstances for work and cooperation. Opportunities to spontaneously meet in the hallways or having a chat during lunch, events that under normal situations may spark creativity, are rare. We look forward to a complete re-opening of campus so that we may continue to build our common IGS identity and become even more inspired to build “better health and society”. This theme will be the main focus of the Department Day Wednesday 12th May. On Department Day, all sections will be challenged to explain how their activities contribute to building health and society.
With best wishes for a nice Easter break,
Bjarne,
Head of Research IGS