Nyheder og information fra instituttet / News and information from the department

02.04.2020 | Pernille Brink Csösz

In English below

Kære alle

I næste uge venter påsken og derefter 13. april, som er den senest udmeldte dato for universitetets fysiske nedlukning, så lad mig starte med det mest presserende: Den dato bliver forlænget for de fleste af jer. Det gælder også, hvis vi politisk får lov at indlede en gradvis tilbagevenden til normale tilstande - det fortæller jeg lidt mere om herunder. Derudover vil jeg takke alle for jeres store fleksibilitet og tålmodighed i en tid, der ikke ligner noget som helst, vi har prøvet før. Jeres indstilling og tilgang har været ubetalelig.

Gradvis genåbning af universitetet?
Spørgsmålet alle taler om, nemlig hvem kommer først tilbage på arbejde, trænger sig på, nu hvor regeringen melder forsigtigt optimistisk ud. I institutledelsen arbejder vi med mulige scenarier for henholdsvis en 10 procents og en 30 procents genåbning af instituttet, når eller hvis det skulle komme på tale. I den forbindelse tager vi særligt hensyn til de forskningsområder, der lider mest under nedlukning, så administrative medarbejdere skal ikke regne med at få adgang først. Når det er sagt, må alle fortsat vente på min udmelding, for vi står med en ligning, der har morgendagens antal smittede og indlagte som ubekendte. Og selv hvis det lysner, er der mange ubesvarede spørgsmål. Fx hvad jer med mindre børn skal stille op med gradvis genåbning, hvis skoler og daginstitutioner fortsat holdes lukket. Igen må jeg appellere til jeres tålmodighed. Hav tillid til, at det løser sig hen ad vejen og pas fortsat på jer selv. Ikke blot i forhold til Corona-smitte, men også lavpraktisk ergonomisk. Nogle oplever i øjeblikket, at kroppen former sig efter den spisestuestol, der udgør hjemmearbejdspladsen, og desværre er der ikke meget, vi som institut kan gøre for at løse de problemer.

Corona-relateret forskning – I har min dybeste respekt
Selv om coronavirus fører meget dårligt med sig, har de seneste uger også lært os, at vi kan rykke forskningsmæssigt, når det gælder. Nogle medarbejdere har fået akutte midler til corona-relateret forskning, andre afventer svar fra fonde og ministerier. Alle har I min dybeste respekt. For at tænke hurtigt og kreativt, indgå nye nødvendige samarbejder og skrue ansøgninger sammen over night. Et par af instituttets medarbejdere, lektor Ole Schmeltz Søgaard og professor Søren Dinesen Østergaard, reflekterer i artiklen Forskere: Husk handlekraften – også efter pandemien over, hvordan vi dog fik alt det til at ske under så ekstreme omstændigheder. Den er værd at læse, når I får et øjeblik.
I forhold til nye bevillinger kan I holde jer opdateret under ’Nyheder’ på IKM’s interne hjemmeside.

En sej kamp for de kandidatstuderende
I Italien synger de om formiddagen klokken 9. I Spanien klapper de om aftenen klokken 20. Vi burde gøre begge dele for at hylde jer, der arbejder for, at så mange studerende som muligt opfylder kravene til eksamen trods Covid-19 pandemien. Nogle af jer live-streamer forelæsninger for første gang fra et tomt lokale i en kælder – andre afvikler klinisk holdundervisning i ’Zoom’ fra afdelingerne. Der er ingen pjevs, alle griber den. Tillad mig også at rette en tak til instituttets studiesekretær Lise W. Licht og AC-fuldmægtig Christian Stampe Olesen, der sammen med Studier tager sig af logistikken og fører håndholdt individuelt regnskab over cirka 1200 studerende på den særlige nødstudieordning for F20. De er heldige, de studerende, at de har jer, og det håber jeg, I mærker, selv om nogle af de studerende er bekymrede for at blive forsinket.

Ph.d-studerende i beredskabet
Ph.d.-studerende, der indgår i beredskabet, skal sørge for at afklare, hvordan det påvirker arbejdet med ph.d.’en, herunder tidsramme og finansiering. Det skal I gøre individuelt. Der findes i øjeblikket tre mulige svar, afhængigt af om I har meldt jer klar, arbejder nogle få timer eller arbejder fuld tid i klinik. Det er ikke hensigtsmæssigt at opsummere svarene her, de kan ændre sig, så tjek Forskerskolens FAQ – Corona and PhD. Den opdateres løbende og giver udførlige svar under overskriften ’ I want to participate in the crises response at the hospital’. Eventuelle spørgsmål bedes rettes til graduateschoolhealth@au.dk

Husk at holde restferie inden 1. maj
De af jer, som har ferie til gode, skal få den afviklet inden 1. maj. Eneste mulige undtagelse er ekstraordinære funktioner eller uopsættelige forskningsprojekter, der relaterer direkte til Corona-pandemien. Prøv så vidt muligt også at få fleks-timer væk, før universitetet genåbner til gavn og glæde for os selv og samfundet.

God påske

Jørgen

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Dear All

Easter is coming and then April 13, which is the most recently announced date for the university's physical shutdown, so let me start with the most urgent: That date will be extended for most of you. This is also true if we are politically allowed to initiate a gradual return to normal conditions - I tell you a little more about this below. In addition, I would like to thank everyone for your great flexibility and patience in a time that is nothing like anything we have tried before. Your attitude and approach has been priceless.

 

Gradual reopening the university?

The question everyone is talking about, namely who comes back to work first, is pressing now that the government is cautiously announcing optimistically. In the department management, we work with possible scenarios for a 10 percent and a 30 percent reopening of the department, respectively, when or if it should come up. In this regard, we pay particular attention to the research areas that suffer the most during the shutdown, so administrative staff should not count on getting access first. That said, everyone has to wait for my announcement, because we have an equation that has tomorrow's number of infected and hospitalized as unknown. And even if it brightens up, there are many unanswered questions. For example, what you with smaller children need to do with gradual reopening if schools and day care institutions continue to be closed. Again, I must appeal to your patience. Trust that it resolves along the way and continue to look after yourself. Not only in relation to Corona infection, but also low practical ergonomics. Some people currently feel that the body is shaping itself after the dining room chair that makes up the homework space, and unfortunately, there is not much we can do as a department to solve those problems.

 

Corona-related research - You have my deepest respect

Although coronaviruses is very bad for all of us, recent weeks have also taught us that we can move forward in research. Some of you have received emergency funding for corona-related research, others are awaiting response from foundations and ministries. You all have my deepest respect. To think fast and creatively, make new necessary collaborations and write applications overnight. Associate professor Ole Schmeltz Søgaard and professor Søren Dinesen Østergaard, reflect in the article Researchers: Forskere: Husk handlekraften – også efter pandemien about how we made it all happen in such extreme circumstances. It is worth reading when you have a moment.

In relation to new grants, you can keep yourself updated under 'News' on IKM’s interne hjemmeside.

 

A tough time for the graduate students

In Italy, they sing at 9 o'clock in the morning, in Spain at 8 o'clock in the evening. We should do both to pay tribute to you, working to ensure that as many students as possible meet the exam requirements despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Some of you live-stream lectures for the first time from an empty room in a basement - others run clinical team lessons in 'Zoom' from the departments. Allow me also to thank the department's study secretary Lise W. Licht and AC clerk Christian Stampe Olesen, who together with Studier take care of the logistics and hand-held individual accounts of approximately 1200 students on the special emergency study scheme for F20. They are lucky, the students, that they have you, and I hope you will notice, though some of the students are worried about being delayed.

 

PhD students in emergency preparedness

PhD students who are part of the emergency preparedness must clarify how it affects the work with the PhD, including the time frame and funding. You must do this individually. There are currently three possible answers, depending on whether you have signed up, work a few hours or work full time in the clinic. It is not advisable to summarize the answers here, they may change, so check out the FAQ – Corona and PhD. It is constantly updated and provides detailed answers under the heading 'I want to participate in the crisis response at the hospital'. Any questions should be directed to graduateschoolhealth@au.dk.

 

Remember to use your holiday before May 1

Those of you who still have holiday left should get it settled by May 1. Only possible exception are extraordinary features or urgent research projects that relate directly to the Corona pandemic. As far as possible, try to get flex-hours used before the university reopens for the benefit and enjoyment of ourselves and the community.

 

Happy Easter,

Jørgen