KSLA has appointed two Wallenberg Professors for 2018

The Academy has decided to appoint two very valuable guest professors for the 2018 period:

• Professor Scott Creel, from Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA. Professor Creel will be working at the Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Umeå.
• Professor Tobias Kuemmerle, Department of Geography, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Professor Kuemmerle’s Swedish location will be the Centre for Environmental and Climate Research, Lund University.

These two are Wallenberg Professors no. 5 and no. 6 in a series of 7 professorships.

Professor Scott Creel's planned research in Sweden is about developing new population models where genetics is used to estimate different population parameters in wild populations, such as bear, salmon, moose, golden eagle and others. This information is the foundation of knowledge-based natural resource management, but is often lacking today.

In the Swedish management of wild species, local anchoring is sought for decisions regarding protection and use. Understanding of how the dynamics of important species affect, and are influenced by, the multifaceted landscape is becoming increasingly important in addressing conflicts of interest arising from ecological changes and increased utilization of different natural resources. Decisions are facilitated by reliable data on the size and dynamics of different populations.

Ecology is a strong Swedish research area and the collaboration with Professor Creel will create significant synergistic effects, primarily through new collaborations and research in a subject of increasing importance for the sustainable use of important natural resources. Professor Creel’s international network, for instance from research projects in Africa, where several of the world’s leading universities carry out similar projects, will be very valuable to Swedish researchers.

After his guest professorship has been completed, Professor Creel will be linked to SLU for another five years’ time. This will further enhance the long-term positive impacts on Swedish research and international cooperation that this professorship will result in.

Further information about Professor Scott Creel:

http://www.montana.edu/screel/

Professor Tobias Kuemmerle is a very prominent researcher within his field, which deals with the interaction between land use, biodiversity and ecosystem services in a climate change perspective. His research area has grown in importance along with intensification of agriculture and forestry, combined with the effects of climate change. This research is of major importance for the development of more sustainable land use for food and biomass production, as well as protection of the natural resource base and a number of ecosystem services.

In a first step, research will be conducted on the role of agriculture in ecosystem services, but studies relevant to Swedish forestry are also planned. Research in this area is already underway at Lund University. The professorship will strengthen, deepen and enrich this research. It will also will result in long-term cooperation with Professor Kuemmerle’s research team in Berlin.

Both Stockholm University and SLU are stakeholders and will benefit from Professor Tobias Kuemmerle’s expertise. He will teach at the undergraduate as well as the master’s level, and also participate in the supervision of doctoral students. In addition a Swedish-German summer school in the field will be established.

Further information about Professor Tobias Kuemmerle:

https://www.geographie.hu-berlin.de/en/professorships/biogeography/people/current-people/kuemmerle

Information

Eva Pettersson, Secretary General KSLA: eva.pettersson@ksla.se, +46 8 5454 7702

Thomas Rosswall, Chair of the Nomination Committee: thomas.rosswall@gmail.com, +46 760 19 16 78