Exploring ocean expectations

Bergen Summer Research School (BSRS) invites PhD candidates from all disciplines to come to Bergen to tackle some of the most pressing—and fascinating—questions about our oceans. 

“It was a no-brainer to pick the ocean as our focus,” says Professor Sehoya Cotner, the scientific leader of BSRS 2026. “Bergen hosts incredible researchers—leaders in their fields with global networks—who think creatively and will be outstanding instructors.”  

Next summer's parallel courses covers wide-ranging topics, from accounting for sustainability, and the future of seafood, to planetary health justice, how we perceive the oceans, and how they connect and divide us.

Professor Sehoya Cotner is the leader of STEM Education Research Centre at the University of Bergen. Although her background lies outside traditional oceanography—she spent a decade teaching coral reef ecology in Honduras—she sees her role as connecting disciplines and framing the bigger picture. 

“My job is to bring these brilliant minds together and help shape conversations about how we engage with our oceans.”  

Are we not asking enough?

The theme “ocean expectations” emerged from a simple but profound question: Are we asking too much of the ocean—or not enough?

“I started from a sustainability mindset—overfishing, overmining, overpolluting—but soon realised there are also vast, unexplored resources we could use responsibly,” Cotner explains. 

“From food security to renewable energy, the ocean holds enormous potential. Yet, we barely tap into it.”  

This year’s BSRS will invite participants to consider both the opportunities and controversies that come with ocean use: from aquaculture and blue foods to wave energy and deep-sea mining. 

“What excites me most,” Cotner says, “are the questions I don’t yet have answers to. That’s why expectations felt like the right theme.”  

Why Bergen?

For scholars curious about the ocean, Bergen offers the ideal setting as it is situated on the North Sea between two fjords, including the longest and deepest fjord on Earth.

“It’s the most beautiful city on earth—on a sunny day,” Cotner laughs. “And even on a rainy day, it’s accessible and alive. People here love the outdoors, and the surrounding nature is breathtaking. And I would love for folks to experience that. ”  

Whether wading into cold fjords, hiking misty trails, or exploring the city’s museums and cafés, participants will experience a unique blend of nature, academic rigor and cultural vibrancy. 

“If this job doesn’t work out,” Cotner jokes, “I’ll become a tour guide.”