Meet our Students
Plastic dispersal, polar expeditions, human pressures, and climate change on ecosystem processes – there are many ways to study the ocean at the University of Gothenburg.
“The absolute most fun has been the field work weeks – to go out with the vessels and visit the marine research stations"
Josefin Lindell wants to work with protection, management, and preservation of biological diversity – something that feels completely right when environmental issues are on the agenda. In the Bachelor's Programme in Marine Science, she learns about all components of the ocean such as chemistry, physics, and biology.
"I have found both marine geology and the preservation of marine cultural heritage to be very interesting”
A lecture on marine cultural heritage sparked Ella Wallhagen's interest in shipwrecks and archaeological wood. In her Bachelor's thesis, she studies degraded wood from the 17th-century Swedish warship Äpplet, a sister ship to the well-known Vasa warship.
"I want to work in the marine area, but also with communication, teaching and guidance"
Anton Dammand Dahlgren has always had a great interest in the ocean. That’s also why he chose to study the Bachelor's Programme in Marine Science at the University of Gothenburg: the proximity to the ocean. The programme is broader than you can imagine, and that feels good for the future. You will get a solid foundation to stand on.
"As long as I get to work with the ocean in some way, I’m fine with everything"
Enya Thuvesson has always been interested in the ocean. Therefore, she wants to work with the ocean in some way. She thinks the marine area is very fascinating, with all the processes and the connection between all the different parts of the ocean. Now she is studying the Bachelor's Programme in Marine Science.
"The Sea and Society programme combined with my previous education gave me a niche"
Through the Sea and Society programme, Zisa Drews-Von Ruckteschell found her interest in marine spatial planning and an internship at the organisation Submariner. She now wants to continue working in decision-making on marine issues.
"I felt that something was missing, and the last piece of the puzzle was the sea"
Besides studying for a master's degree in Sea and Society, Felix Steinbrecher also works as a student employee. The next step for him, after the master programme, is to hopefully get a doctoral position.
"The programme gives me a lot of possibilities to find my own path"
Hannah is currently in the starting process of writing her Master thesis in Sea and Society. She has enjoyed the programme, where she has gotten to meet a lot of people from different backgrounds and nationalities.
"Professors are always happy to help and listen to our concerns"
Sofia is currently wrapping up her Master thesis in Physical Oceanography, where she has been working on plastics dispersal in the open-ocean. She really enjoys the informal and friendly atmosphere at the University of Gothenburg.
"Having a close contact with the professors and staff is what I really like."
Right now, Michaela Edwinson is in Cape Town, South Africa for about one and a half month joining the cruise of the international QUICCHE project. She love her work with different instruments such as gliders and meeting a lot of people in connection to that.
“I really liked the first course ‘Marine project - from idea to action’ where you were really flung into marine science"
Already as a child, Christian Nilsson knew he wanted to be a marine biologist. He is currently writing his master's project on how the species composition in Kosterfjorden has changed over the last three decades – something that suits his special interest in deep-sea biology.
"It's an incredibly beautiful study environment"
Maja Piscator Klasén chose the Master's programme in Marine Science to get a broad marine education to improve her chances for an international career. For her master’s degree in marine biology, she studied the reproduction of Corynactis chilensis – a species closely related to corals found off the coast of Chile.
"The University of Gothenburg is one of the leading universities in Marine sciences in Sweden and Europe, that's why I applied"
Mats Heitzmann first wanted to become a biology teacher in Germany. But after discovering an interest in aquaculture, he came to Sweden for the Master's programme in Marine science. He's now writing his master’s thesis on biodiversity in marine allotments.
"The best thing for me is the practical work, being in the lab or doing fieldwork"
Hedda Matteoni's best advice for those who want to study a master's degree in marine sciences? Be curious and don't hesitate to get in touch with researchers working on topics you find interesting. And if you have the opportunity: go on an exchange!
"This was my best chance to conduct field research in the polar regions"
As a master's student in Physical Oceanography, Salar Karam joined the ITGC (International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration) in Antarctica. Now, he's a PhD student and studies the warming of the deep Arctic Ocean.
" I really fell in love with the Department of Conservation"
He spent a long time searching before he found the right direction. Fredrik Leijonhufvud is a boat builder and is researching the craft of clinker boat building, with particular emphasis on traditional boat building in the Stockholm archipelago.
"Hopefully we can contribute to better models to predict toxic algal bloom"
Milad Pourdanandeh spends his days digging deeper into the field of marine chemical ecology. His focus is on the interaction between phytoplankton and copepods – a type of zooplankton – and the defence mechanisms that the “scent” of copepods triggers in phytoplankton.
