Department council election 2023, Department of Biological Sciences

New representatives are to be elected for the Department council from group B (temporarily employed staff in teaching and research positions) and group D (students) for the period fo 1.8.2023-31.7.2024. 

The following representatives are to be elected

• Group B: 1 representative and 2 substitutes
• Group D: 2 representatives og 2 substitutes

Voting will start 23rd May at 09:00AM and ends 25th May at 12:00PM.

Nominees: 3

Elected members:

Natalya Gallo

Elected substitutes:

1: Katharina Stracke

2: Christian Hans Quintana Zagaceta

Nominees: 4

Elected members:

Marte Elise Rørstad

Alexander Bouz Utskot 

Elected substitutes:

1: Hanna Sannes2: Gina Koulibaly Barry

Cast your vote here (you can select English language via the top menu): https://valg.uib.no/

Christian Hans Quintana Zagaceta 

I am a PhD-candidate in Paleoecology. My research project focuses on understanding the role of the climatic drivers and their effects on carbon accumulation in mountain peatbogs during the Holocene. I have been a member of the PhD-Forum board at the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research and student ambassador at the Photosyntech training school. I am participating in the election to the Institute board because I witnessed the different struggles that we - temporary employees - face many times, and the time-consuming process in order to be heard or have a voice. I will do my best to ensure that we can represent the voices of all temporary staff and promote the use of this group B council. 

Natalya Gallo

I am a postdoc at the Department of Biological Sciences at UiB, and have been at UiB for 2.5 years now after moving to Bergen from the US. As a member of the Department council, I would be interested in making sure that decisions made by the Department support career development opportunities for temporary employed staff and early career scientists in the Department, as well as understanding how this Group has been impacted by the economic issues in the Department and externally. I would also be focused on how Department activities can support UiB, national, and international efforts to link educational and research objectives to the sustainable development goals and United Nations initiatives. Some of my qualifications include serving as a representative of PhD and postdocs on an emergency budget committee at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography during the COVID pandemic in 2020 and serving as a co-founder and co-organizer of the Bjerknes Centre Early Career Scientist Forum in 2022-2023. 

Katharina Stracke

My name is Katharina and I’m standing for department council election this year because I believe temporary and, in particular, international employees require better representation and acknowledgement. Despite making up a significant part of employees, our voices are often not heard because of the temporary nature of our positions. I’m excited to represent and support all Group B employees with problems big or small.

Hanna Sannes

My name is Hanna and I am currently doinc a bachelor's in Biology.  I wish to run for the department council election before I wish to contribute to elevating the educational programmes in the biosciences to another level, and because I see myself as a useful asset in the council.  I have experience both as responsible for the economy and as leader of BFU.  Through this I have aquired a good understanding of the students' concerns and thoughts.

Marte Elise Rørstad

I am currently in the second year of my bachelor's in Molecular Biology and wish to run as a candidate for the department council from fall 2023.  I have been a mentor and been part of our student organization, Helix, in the 2022/2023 academic year.  Through this I have gotten to learn a lot about the work behind running a department and also that the students actually do have an influence on what's happening at both the department and faculty level.  I wish to be a voice for the students in the deparment council, because it is important that we who are at the University to learn and develop, have a say in the running of the institution.

Gina Koulibaly Barry

My name is Gina Koulibaly Barry and I'm in my 3rd year as a biology student at UiB.  During my studies I have been deeply engaged in what's going on at the department.  Through my engagement in BFU I have to the best of my abilities tried to communicate the students' wishes to the department.  One example is the new study hall at Høytek.

I wish to continue to be a link and a representative for the students at BIO.  That is why I run as candidate for the council.

We hereby invite all members of the respective groups to nominate candidates for the election.  For info on elegibility and right to nominate, please see below.

Nomination deadline: 20. March 12:00.  

All nominations are to be forwarded in writing (please use this form), signed by the proposers.  The nominations are to be submitted to the Department's electoral contact and the Faculty's electoral board secretary (se right hand column for contact details). 

• Anne Bjune - gruppe A
• Hasan Arsin - gruppe B
• Grethe Aarbakke - gruppe C
• Christina Marie Ingdal - gruppe D

To be able to nominate candiates and to vote, you must be registered in the UiB census, see jf § 6 Valgreglement for UiB.

Group. B - use this link to check if you are registered in the census. The census will be updated in March.

You are electable if you, at the time of the election, are:

• temporarily employed in a scientific position and the duration of your employment is at least one year, in at least 50 percent position
• or if you have been continuously employed for at least one year in at least 50% position.

Group D - use this link to check if you are registered in the census.  The census will be updated in March.

Anyone who is electable, is also qualified to nominate candidates.

Questions regarding the census can be adressed by e-mail to the University's electoral board: valgstyret@uib.no.

Valgreglement for UiB (Electoral regulations for UiB, only available in Norwegian)