One of these programmes is called “Emerging persistent organic pollutants in the high North and North-Western Russia” (NorthPOP), and is a scientific Norwegian-Russian exchange program on higher university education with focus on Environmental Pollution research in the European High North.It is the Arctic Technology department at UNIS that coordinates this exchange programme, and project secretary is Dr. Nataly Marchenko. The programme is led by Professor Roland Kallenborn (UNIS) and Professor Vladimir Nikiforov at the St. Petersburg State University.
The project is funded for three years until 2010 (total budget is 2 million NOK), with the goal to develop a long-term exchange program beyond this period.
- The aim of the project is to develop a mutual scientific exchange programme within environmental chemistry based upon transfer of scientific knowledge, MSc, PhD students and personnel, Dr. Marchenko explains.
This exchange is planned through medium-term research visits (3-12 months; 6 months in average) of M.Sc. students, Ph.D. students and Post-doctoral researchers in Norway and Russia and these research visits are expected to be an integrated part of each M.Sc., Ph.D. or post-doc project.
Nine scientific institutions involved
The project’s aim is to support Norwegian and Russian master-, PhD-, and Post Doc researchers with scholarships for shorter scientific projects at one of the participating Norwegian institutions.
In addition to UNIS, the University of Tromsø, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, University of Bergen, and the Norwegian institute of Air Research, are also part of this exchange programme.
The project’s aim is to support Norwegian and Russian master-, PhD-, and Post Doc researchers with scholarships for shorter scientific projects at one of the participating Norwegian institutions.
In addition to UNIS, the University of Tromsø, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, University of Bergen, and the Norwegian institute of Air Research, are also part of this exchange programme.
Students and researchers at the Norwegian institutional partners can apply for scholarships to study or do research in environmental chemistry at St. Petersburg State University, Arkhangelsk State Technical University, All-Russia Scientific and Research Institute for Metrology and the Russian Scientific Research Centre for Ecological Safety.
The programme can grant students and researchers funding not only for courses, but also for participation in workshops, expeditions and scientific conferences, says Marchenko.
The first NorthPOP workshop will be arranged at the St. Petersburg State University in the end of May 2008. UNIS PhD student in environmental chemistry, Monika Trümper, has received a travel grant from the programme in order to attend this workshop.
Dr. Nataly Marchenko is UNIS coordinator of the Norwegian-Russian scientific exchange programme NorthPOP. (Photo: Eva Therese Jenssen).
Another Russian-Norwegian exchange programme which is coordinated from the AT department at UNIS with Nataly Marchenko as project secretary, is the “Safe loading and transport of hydrocarbons from the Barents Sea”. This project is led by Professor Sveinung Løseth (NTNU) and Professor Karl Shkinck from St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University.
- These two exchange programmes are very important to ensure that Norway and Russia tie close bonds in the polar research areas, says Marchenko.
For more information please visit UNIS' Webpage