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Fighting multiresistant bacteria

Most people try to avoid pathogens as much as possible, since they generally cause health problems and even serious epidemics. History shows us this very plainly. The obvious example to demonstrate how serious infectious diseases can be is the COVID-19 pandemic currently raging. 

Karl Gústaf Kristinsson, professor at the University of Iceland Faculty of Medicine, is a little different from most other people when it comes to pathogens. He is in fact fascinated by some of them, not least pneumococcus and streptococcus as well as E. coli. Karl Gústaf heads the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Landspítali University Hospital and is therefore primarily interested in resolving the health problems caused by pathogens, both bacteria and viruses.  

Statistics is about being wrong

At the moment, most people probably connect the idea of a prediction model with news about the infection rate in the coronavirus pandemic. One of those working on creating that prediction model is Brynjólfur Gauti Jónsson. This year he completed an MS in statistics from the University of Iceland and is currently doing a PhD in biostatistics.

For his Master's thesis, Brynjólfur researched the methodology behind predictive modelling for age-related mortality rates. This kind of prediction model is used a lot in actuarial science, for example when pension funds calculate people's expected lifespans. 

These statistics are used by pension funds to determine how high monthly pension payments should be. The more accurate the prediction models, the more likely it is that pensioners will receive all the money in their funds. Models also reduce risk for the pension fund.

Teaching online and all efforts made to minimise disruption

21/01/2021 - 13:29

Jón Atli Benediktsson, Rector of the University of Iceland, sent the following announcment to University staff and students today following the water damage that occurred last night

"It is clear that significant damage has occurred in many University of Iceland buildings due to a major water leak last night, but all efforts are being made to minimise disruption to operations. The following is what we know after our work last night and this morning:

Could eye measurements help diagnose Alzheimer's?

27/01/2021 - 14:20

 "Alzheimer's disease and other related diseases are both common and serious. With the global median age rising, diagnoses of dementia conditions like Alzheimer's are becoming more frequent. It is therefore important to find ways to diagnose the disease early," says Sveinn Hákon Harðarson, senior lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine's Institute of Physiology, who along with his colleagues, is working on a fascinating study of this common disease.

Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disease which usually leads to dementia. There is no cure to date and it is estimated that up to 50 million people worldwide are suffering from dementia.
It is not easy to diagnose the disease, since the symptoms can be subtle and complex, which is a problem that Sveinn and his colleagues want to solve. They are using technology developed at the University to explore whether measuring changes to the retina could help diagnose and assess the disease.

Disabled women, violence and the 112-web portal

3. February 2021 - 14:00 to 16:00

Online

The seminar will be in English/ Icelandic, see description below. Sign language interpretation and Icelandic captioning will be provided.

This event is free and open to all. Link to join on Zoom: 

Organisers
- Centre for Disability Studies at University of Iceland (UoI)
- Women‘s Group of the Icelandic Disability Alliance (IDA)
- National Association of Intellectual Disability (NAID)

Agenda

The Covid pandemic against the backdrop of post-truth politics 

18. March 2021 - 13:00 to 15:00

The Nordic House

Open seminar Thursday 18 March from 13:00 to 15:00 at the Nordic house   

Controversies surrounding the question of how best to tackle the ongoing Covid pandemic are a striking illustration of the challenges of post-truth politics for liberal democracies. Social and other digital media provide an infrastructure through which deliberate disinformation and conspiracy theories can spread more easily than ever before. At the same time, populist politicians have fuelled a disdain for scientific expertise and even for basic facts. In various liberal democracies, this has created political cultures in which the symbolic authority of the truth has been fundamentally undermined, accompanied by an erosion of trust in established media institutions. Yet at the same time, the pandemic has also served as a reminder of the necessity of scientific research and trust in the institutions that communicate the findings of such research.  

Master's lecture in Environment and Natural Resources - Anna Katrín Guðdísardóttir

6. May 2021 - 15:00 to 16:00

Streamed

The lecture will be streamed live

Master's student: Anna Katrín Guðdísardóttir

Title:  Consumption-based carbon footprint assessment of European countries using two different allocation principles

 ___________________________________________

Faculty: Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Advisor:  Jukka Heinonen

Also in the masters committee: Juudit Ottelin

Examiner: Sanna Ala-Mantila, Assistant Professor at the University of Helsinki

Abstract

Decentralisation to sub-national government not typical for a small state

09/09/2020 - 11:42

The book Sub-National Government in Small States: The Case of Iceland by Eva Marín Hlynsdóttir, associate professor in public administration at the University of Iceland Faculty of Political Science, was recently published by the respected publishers Palgrave Macmillan.

The author examines sub-national government in small states with particular focus on the situation in Iceland. She summarises information on local government in Iceland, whilst also looking at other states of a comparable size, with a population of between 100,000 and 1 million. The book aims to evaluate the impact that a small population can have on small states' potential to organise and decentralise responsibilities to lower levels of government. The author explores the decentralisation of power and responsibilities to local government in countries with low populations from the perspective of small state theory. 

Protective masks required at the University of Iceland

21/09/2020 - 12:32

Jón Atli Benediktsson, Rector of the University of Iceland, sent the following message to University staff and students today (21 September 2020):

"Dear students and colleagues,

We are now starting a new week and must urgently adapt to new rules which have been implemented to prevent infection and ensure that the University can continue to function. In accordance with the official government notice published yesterday evening on restrictions in schools and universities, students, teaching staff and other staff are now required to use protective masks inside University buildings and in all their work. This covers both teaching and meetings. 

I urge you to hold meetings online as far as possible and keep a good distance from other people in your work and studies, since the physical distancing rule still applies even though people will be wearing masks. The only exception is for practical teaching. 

Time is like water – Weekend wishes

02/10/2020 - 13:30

Jón Atli Benediktsson, Rector of the University of Iceland, sent the following message to University staff and students today (2 October 2020):

"As a new month of this autumn semester begins, we are now coming to the end of a difficult week fighting this virus. Once more, above all I feel gratitude to you all for your admirable strength of character. I am also thankful for the way you have ensured that our work can continue at the same high standard, despite enormous challenges. 

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