Four employees recognised for outstanding contribution to the University of Iceland

Dr Berglind Eva Benediktsdóttir, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor Guðfinna Th. Aðalgeirsdóttir, Professor at the Faculty of Earth Sciences, Professor Guðbjörg Linda Rafnsdóttir, Professor at the Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology, and Folkloristics, and Dr Toby Erik Wikström, Project Manager at the Graduate School, were today presented with an award in recognition of their commendable service to the University of Iceland (UI). Silja Bára R. Ómarsdóttir, Rector of the University of Iceland, presented the awards at a staff briefing held in the University's Ceremonial Hall.

For over a quarter of a century, it has been an established tradition for the University of Iceland to honour a select number of staff members at this time of year: one for teaching, one for research, and one for other service contributions. Since 2019, a fourth award has been presented for contributions to equality and diversity issues. To date, over 80 individuals have received this recognition since the awards' inception.

The selection process requires nominations from the entire university community, as well as those submitted by the chairs of the three standing committees of the University Council: the Teaching Committee, the Research Committee, and the Equality Committee. A three-person selection panel is then tasked with reviewing the nominations and deciding the annual award recipients.

Dr Berglind Eva Benediktsdóttir, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, receives the award for a commendable contribution to teaching.

Berglind Eva completed her MS in Pharmacy (2007) and a PhD (2012) at the University of Iceland. She was appointed Assistant Professor in 2015 and promoted to Associate Professor in 2017.

The selection panel's summary notes that Berglind Eva has taught at the faculty for a decade with an excellent reputation, overseeing courses such as 'Nanotechnology in Pharmacy' and 'Quality and Regulatory Requirements in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing,' and established a new course on Biologics, which she also teaches. In 2023, she completed a postgraduate diploma in pedagogy for university teachers, researching the faculty's learning and teaching environment.

For several years, she served as Chair of the Faculty's Teaching Council, playing a crucial role in developing the procedures the department relies on today to enhance teaching, including the introduction of 'teaching coffee' sessions and a departmental day. She has also participated in international policy-making, representing Iceland in a Council of Europe working group on mapping pharmacy education in Europe, and subsequently led the comprehensive restructuring of the Faculty's curriculum.

The panel also points out that Berglind Eva is a leader in pedagogical innovation and was among the first faculty members to adopt the Team-based learning (TBL) methodology, which has proven highly effective in active teaching. In 2023, she was inducted into the Teaching Academy of the Public Universities. She is currently developing an educational board game in collaboration with Professor Margrét Sigrún Sigurðardóttir to support first-year students in understanding the demands and resources of university study through an accessible format.

Professor Guðfinna Th. Aðalgeirsdóttir, Professor at the Faculty of Earth Sciences, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, receives the award for a commendable contribution to research.

Guðfinna completed her PhD in Glaciology from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich in 2003. Following postdoctoral research, she served as a scientist at the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) Climate Centre from 2012 to 2016 before taking up the post of Associate Professor at the University of Iceland in 2016, and was promoted to Professor in 2017.

“Guðfinna has an outstanding career as a scientist and university teacher, and is at the forefront of research into glacier behaviour, mass balance, and response to climate change. She has published approximately 30 peer-reviewed articles in international journals over the past six years and has held significant international roles, including representing Iceland on the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC). Guðfinna was a Lead Author for the Sixth Assessment Report of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC AR6), published in 2021. She also served on the Icelandic Climate Council for four years, representing the university community,” as stated the selection panel's rationale.

She has successfully supervised graduate students at both Master's and PhD levels, and has an excellent track record managing and participating in international research projects, successfully securing competitive grants. Notably, she is co-managing the European Icelink project, in collaboration with the University of Copenhagen and the Icelandic Met Office, with the grant component allocated to Iceland exceeding €1 million.

Furthermore, she is arguably the only Icelandic scientist to have an Antarctic peak named after her, Tolly Nunatak, formally registered in 2019.

Professor Guðbjörg Linda Rafnsdóttir, Professor at the Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology, and Folkloristics, School of Social Sciences, receives the award for a commendable contribution to equality issues at the University of Iceland.

Guðbjörg Linda completed her PhD from Lund University, Sweden, in 1995. She was appointed Assistant Professor in Sociology at the University of Iceland in 2002 and has held the position of Professor since 2008. She served as Vice-Rector of Science at UI from 2016 to 2023. Prior to joining the UI, she conducted research on work-related health and equality in the workplace at the Administration of Occupational Safety and Health.

“Guðbjörg Linda is one of Iceland’s most influential scholars and a pioneer in teaching and research in the field of equality studies. Her contribution to research, teaching, policy-making, and development in equality is extensive, spanning multiple facets of the field.

Her latest international research project addresses potential inequalities arising from the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in workplace management and how to increase equality and inclusion for diverse groups through the involvement of AI.

Her main research focus has long been inequality in working life, particularly different aspects of the gender system and its manifestations, causes, and consequences, leading her research to very diverse subjects such as "hard-nosed management systems" and "love," as stated in the selection panel’s rationale.

Her research has been published in over 100 research articles, books, and book chapters, both domestically and internationally, and she has received numerous grants from both foreign and domestic sources. She has supervised PhD students in various areas of equality studies and has held numerous administrative and trusted positions within and outside the University, often due to her expertise in equality matters.

Dr Toby Erik Wikström, Project Manager at the Graduate School, receives the award for a commendable contribution to administration and support services at the University of Iceland.

Toby completed a BA (1996) and MA (2002) in French, and a PhD in the same subject from Columbia University (2010). He served as a Visiting Lecturer and then Lecturer in French at Tulane University from 2010 to 2018. He was appointed Project Manager at the Graduate School in 2018 and has consistently shown great initiative and innovation in providing services to both graduate students and faculty.

The selection panel notes that Toby has developed and organised numerous workshops and courses at the Graduate School to support the learning and welfare of graduate students. These courses are continually reviewed, feature diverse lecturers, and are designed to help students structure their studies.

In addition to course delivery, Toby has worked to ensure that academic staff receive training in PhD supervision, using both shorter and longer courses, often in collaboration with international experts and outstanding UI supervisors. These courses have proven highly successful, as PhD supervision is rarely part of traditional academic training. He ensures that both students and faculty are regularly reminded of the courses via email so that no one misses out.

The panel also points out that Toby possesses comprehensive knowledge of all matters related to PhD studies and is tireless in answering questions from both supervisors and PhD students. If he doesn't have the answer readily available, he is highly resourceful in directing people to others who can help. Through his work, Toby has led to a dramatically improved status for graduate studies at the University of Iceland, benefiting the entire institution.

The University of Iceland extends its heartfelt congratulations to these outstanding staff members on their well-deserved recognition.