Karin Hamnér's declaration of intent

My name is Karin Hamnér and I work as a researcher at the Department och soil and environment since 2010. In addition to my research within plant nutrition, I am also the assistant director of studies for the Agriculture programme – soil and plant sciences, the bachelor programme Crop production and the master program Soil, water and environment. I also have a great commitment as a course leader and teacher within these programs.

My research is often applied and close to practical agriculture. Through my research, I want to find answers to challenges that are relevant within my field and thereby contribute to a competitive and sustainable food production. Also in my teaching I often use practical tools and examples from reality, all so that our agronomists and other graduated students from our faculty will enter the labor market with a good basis for improving agriculture, in Sweden and around the world, and at the same time contribute to solutions to problems and challenges.

My current mission as a programme study director, as well as my former missions as department study director as well as lot of time in the under graduate education, have made me well aware of educational matters on SLU, regarding the programmes at the faculty as well as strategic and administrative issues. In year 2018, I took part in a project on the inquiry of the agricultural programmes which gave me new knowledge and insights.

I have also worked within the agricultural sector before returning to SLU, something that has provided me with a lot of important experience and competence regarding the preconditions and questions raised from farmers and the sector, as well as a useful contact network.

The applied research close to the agricultural sector is a bit sidelined on SLU, even though it could be a central area for our university. SLU plays an very important part in driving the development for creating an agriculture and its related sectors that stands strong in the surrounding world and at the same time is top-notch in environmental concern such as biodiversity, functioning ecosystems and clean waters. In parallel, we should contribute with knowledge to other parts of the world and also exchange experience and knowledge with other researchers and farmers in other countries.

With all the competence that we together holds at SLU I think we can contribute even more and reach out in a better way with all the things we already do! If I am elected for the faculty board I want to strengthen this field within the faculty och make it more visible. It is of importance that the faculty and SLU continue the work with the strategy and more clearly show which areas that we should focus on. These subjects and areas then needs to have a focus in the whole chain – from under graduate programmes and teachers, to recruitments of PhD students and other employees, to researcher and professors.

They are all linked together and it has to work all the way! Furthermore I would like to improve the communication and interactions between different units and programmes within SLU. Many issues include several subjects and disciplines and we need to utilize different competences to solve complex challenges. Futhermore, it is also important to improve the communication and interaction with the sector and stake holders and to strengthen platforms and extension collaborations such as Future Foods, Fältforsk and the Linnean Centre.

To enable high qualitative research, infrastructure such as research stations, plant cultivation facilities and laboratories need to be further improved and strengthened. More people should get knowledge concerning what facilities and opportunities that are available so that an increased number of people can use them, and thereby making sure they are used in there full capacity. SLU and the NJ faculty also need to recognize different competences and experiences among the employees.

Today scientific achievements are highly acknowledged which is of course desirable, but this often results in people who are not interested or willing to accept other types of positions of missions, as for example teaching or collaboration. The faculty needs to make better use of different competences among the employees and see how different persons can contribute in different ways.

I believe that my mission as a programme study director, my knowledge and experience within educational issues and teaching at SLU, as well as my insight in the preconditions current issues of the sector can contribute with significant input to the faculty board. My part in the committee of Fältforsk also gives me a good insight in their activities and can contribute with exchange between the different parts of the faculty. My many good relations to colleagues on the different departments at the faculty as well as my widespread network in the sector can also contribute to an improved understanding and communication within and outside the faculty.