IFOP: Connecting with Norwegian Research Institutes and Universities
December 11th, 2024Between October 28 and November 1, 2024, the Fisheries Development Institute (IFOP) conducted a technological tour to Norway with the purpose of seeking benchmarks and development models in research institutes and universities in that country in the field of infrastructure, technology and human capital necessary for climate change research and ocean digitalization, scientific data management (public data center), mechanisms for financing research in the public interest, along with the search for possible cooperation and joint work agreements.
The IFOP representatives on this visit were Jorge Miranda, Head of the Administration and Finance Division and Gastón Vidal, Head of the Aquaculture Research Division. The institutions visited were the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), the Norwegian University of Life Science (NMBU), the University ob Bergen (UiB) and the Institute of Marine Research (IMR). During this technological circuit, the Chilean Embassy in Norway, the Ambassador and his team were indispensable and a permanent collaborator both in the preparation of the work agenda and in the coordination of the meetings held in Norway.
Two meetings were held with NIVA, one in the Oslo offices with the scientific researcher Dr. Santiago de la Puente and then in the Bergen offices with the Research Director Dr. Ase Atland. Between NIVA and IFOP there was a pre-agreement of a collaboration agreement that was finally consolidated during the meetings in Norway. The agreement will surely be signed before the end of the year and its terms include collaboration in the field of oceanographic modeling to improve the administration of aquaculture, support in the creation of a data center for fisheries and aquaculture, exchange of researchers and the possibility of executing projects jointly.
A meeting was held with NMBU with Dr. Margareth Overland, director of the University’s Food Research and Innovation Center and part of her technical team. Dr. Overland’s specialty and research focus are in biotechnology. Through the biotechnological degradation and transformation of macroalgae, they produce functional microelements that are added to fish feed in order to strengthen the immune response of these animals. This technology can bring a new use for macroalgae, greater demand and perhaps an improvement in their prices, perhaps an opportunity for artisans who work in the production of this raw material. Among the agreements, the possibility of generating internships for IFOP professionals who want to improve in the field of biotechnology was opened, especially in the possibilities of using macroalgae as a raw material for functional foods.
With UiB, taking into account its capabilities and strengths, our interest was mainly oriented towards the management of large databases, artificial intelligence and machine learning, all oriented towards the development of climate change research. During our visit to the University we participated in a seminar on carbon and coastal-ocean biogeochemistry, we met with two researchers, Dr. Are Olsen and Dr. Stefan Sovolowski, and two University Administrators, Dr. Hans Egil, International Affairs Advisor, and Dr. Sverre Ole, International Cooperation Advisor. Our interest was in generating links that would allow us to send researchers on short stays to improve our modeling and forecasting capabilities in the field of climate change oriented to fisheries and aquaculture. The conversations tended towards that and we still have to move forward on an agreement that facilitates our interaction.
Finally, with IMR we met with the director Dr. Nils Gunnar and the director of aquaculture Dr. Geir Lasse, both of whom showed us the tasks that IMR develops in the field of aquaculture and were open to generating a collaboration agreement with IFOP, especially in oceanographic modeling and data management to create an environmental data center. Regarding the latter, they opened contact so that we could meet with the Director of HI Digital in charge of the IMR data management unit, a meeting that took place on November 26 via video conference. In the short term, we will try to agree on a work agenda with IMR that will allow us to have a broad collaboration whose results will favor progress for our IFOP.
Press related links:
- Noticia anterior
- Siguiente noticia