Organisation
Stockholm University's Baltic Sea Centre is part of the Faculty of Science. The centre has a board appointed by the vice chancellor, with both external and internal members, who decide on budgets, operational plans and issues of a strategic nature.
Operational objectives
The Baltic Sea Centre's statutes formulate eight goals for our operations:
- Conduct research with focus on syntheses and marine modeling, in areas that are important for the future of the Baltic Sea.
- Contribute to education through lectures and guidance on issues related to the Baltic Sea environment, marine modeling and societal measures.
- Initiate and coordinate interdisciplinary collaborations in the field of Baltic Sea research, specifically at Stockholm University.
- Communicate results in adequate formats for the target audience, so that measures and decisions related to the Baltic Sea can be taken on a sound scientific basis. Strenghten dialogue and collaboration between research institutes and other stakeholders in society.
- Increase knowledge, interest and engagement in marine environment issues and marine research among various stakeholders and the general public.
- Act as a gathering function for Stockholm University’s marine activities and highlight the university’s marine research and education.
- Provide field stations and research vessels that enable successful research and education.
The operational responsibility lies with our director and our scientific leader. At their assistance, there is a management team with representatives of the centre's various activities, the Askö Laboratory, Analysis and Synthesis, Marine modeling, External analysis, Communication and Administration.
Askö laboratory and marine research vessels
The Askö laboratory is beautifully situated on the island of Askö in the Trosa archipelago. It is a national resource, open to anyone who wishes to conduct marine research in the Baltic Proper, hold marine courses at University level or arrange research meetings with a marine focus. In addition to specialized laboratory spaces and teaching halls, there are also several associated ships and boats that are adapted for marine research and teaching.
Analysis and Synthesis
Our researchers form an interdisciplinary team whose projects have a strong focus on being applied and able to support decision-making and administrative processes. The environmental challenges we study are eutrophication, environmental pollutants, fisheries, coastal exploitation and climate change. We apply a source-to-sea approach since:
- Many environmental problems in the Baltic Sea are caused by human activities in the catchment area and..
- ..the strong gradients of the semi-enclosed sea and stratified character with significant material transport from rivers to coastal waters and open Baltic Sea.
Baltic Nest Institute, decision-support and marine modelling
The Baltic Sea Center focuses on scientific issues that are important for understanding and managing the Baltic Sea and its catchment area. It can be analyzes and syntheses on all scales, from individual bays in the Stockholm archipelago and up to the entire Baltic Sea scale. We work to increase knowledge of important processes in the coastal area, assess how the environmental condition develops and evaluate the effectiveness of various measures.
In this scientific work, models of various kinds are often an important foundation. They are used, among other things, to assist others who work with managing the marine environment with decision-making material. We have, for instance, the Baltic Nest Institute Sweden (BNI), which assists HELCOM with scientific data and calculating emission ceilings for nitrogen and phosphorus within the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan.
Communication and policy analysis
To make important scientific knowledge reach the right recipient at the right time to be included in society's measures for marine environmental issues, the Baltic Sea Center's researchers work closely with a team of advocacy/policy analysts and communications officers. Together, we ensure that Baltic Sea research of societal relevance reaches decision-makers both in the Baltic Sea region and in the EU.
The communication work is also broader to increase interest and knowledge about marine issues. With a wide range of digital channels, printed journals, meetings and events, we reach most people who work with marine research, management and Baltic Sea issues.
Management team
Tina Elfwing
Director
Christoph Humborg
Scientific leader, Baltic Sea Centre
Bo Gustafsson
Scientific leader, Baltic Nest Institute
Gun Rudquist
Head of Policy
Eva Lindell
Head of Askö Laboratory
Thomas Strömsnäs
Commander R/V Electra
Stina Nieminen
Financial Officer
Board
Chair
Lena Gustafsson,
Former vice chancellor, Umeå University
Board members
Martin Jakobsson
Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University
Christina Rudén
Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University
Michael Tedengren
Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University
Gustaf Hugelius
Vice director, Bolin Centre for Climate Research &
Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University
Niklas Eriksson
Department for Archaeology and Classical Studies, Stockholm University
Anna-Karin Nyström
Climate Action Department, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
Last updated: January 12, 2023
Source: Baltic Sea Centre