National Science Week

A science fair was set up in front of the University Hall to allow scientists to demonstrate their projects and answer questions from the public. Many children and young people turned out to visit the stands and take part in various activities at the fair.

Inside the Assembly Hall, National Science Week 2007 was officially opened with a conference focusing on climate and polar issues. The key topic for this year’s festival is International Polar Year (IPY), and the IPY Secretariat collaborated closely with Science Week organisers in arranging the opening conference. Crown Prince Haakon is Patron of International Polar Year.

Minister of Education and Research, Mr. Øystein Djupedal, gave the opening address. Other lectures given included:

• The Arctic in the Climate Puzzle
  (by Cecilie Mauritzen, met.no)
• Will the Polar Bear Survive the Next Generation Humans?
  (by Jenny Byttingsvik, Norwegian University of Science and Technology / Norwegian School of Veterinary Science)
• White Winter: The Nansen Tracks – Are They Melting?
  ( by skiers Vegard Ulvang and Gudmund Skjeldal)
• Marine Resources – More than Canned Sardines?
  (by Kathrine Michalsen, Norwegian Institute of Marine Research)
• What’s Happening with the Sea Level and the Ice Masses
  (by Jan-Gunnar Winther, Norwegian Polar Institute and Olav Orheim, Research Council of Norway)

National Science Week is an annual, interdisciplinary festival, designed to promote interest in enhance understanding of the world of research. It is a nationwide happening, organised under the auspices of the Research Council of Norway. More than 1,000 events hosted by some 200 different institutions will take place during the event.