”The Knighthood is a great honour, and I am very proud to have been chosen,” says professor Stenseth.

Research since 1919
Stenseth’s research has focused specifically on ocean populations, such as fluctuations in the Arctic cod population. His research interests span a broad spectrum of ecological and evolutionary topics, most of which are rooted in population biology. One of the sources of knowledge is the surveillance program for cod on Norway’s southern coast, including outtakes of cod at 100 sites annually since 1919.

Stenseth is chair at the University of Oslo for the Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES: see http://www.cees.uio.no/). The Center has been successful in several major applications for international research projects. CEES and the University in Oslo cooperate with the University of Biotechnology at Ås, just outside Oslo. “It is not important that we are work in one place, but that we are one network. And it is important that the network be as big as possible,” says Stenseth.

Knowledge hub
Within life science, Stenseth claims Oslo is actually a knowledge hub in molecular biology and ecological evolution. “The most important factor in attracting talent, is to stay visible. We seek to be visible by publishing quality articles in respected scientific publications,” he says.

CEES houses a total of 150 scientists from 22 nations, and serves as chair for NorMER, a Nordic centre for research on marine ecosystems and resources under climate change. Professor Stenseth is also president of The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.