{"id":132035,"date":"2022-03-22T07:16:36","date_gmt":"2022-03-22T06:16:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/forsvar-for-den-studerende-der-forsvarede-en-regnorm\/"},"modified":"2022-03-22T09:40:17","modified_gmt":"2022-03-22T08:40:17","slug":"in-defence-of-the-student-who-defended-a-worm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/in-defence-of-the-student-who-defended-a-worm\/","title":{"rendered":"In defence of the student who defended a worm"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you also played with earthworms when you were a child? Have you tested the myth that a worm can live on as two separate individuals if you split it into two?<\/p>\n

The earthworm is for many of us the first laboratory animal of our childhood, and it introduces us to the quirks and mysteries of nature. It is therefore also one of the first animals that can teach us what it means to be aware of other creatures’ vulnerabilities, and what is required of us to co-exist with them.<\/p>\n

As with so many other things, the magic of the earthworm disappears with age. Nature is demystified, and we get used to seeing the wonders of this world. But if you, as an adult, miss the revelations of your childhood\u2019s worm, don’t despair. On the medical degree programme at the University of Copenhagen, you are allowed to pin down earthworms and put current through them to examine their nerve impulses. This exercise is part of compulsory teaching on the degree programme.<\/p>\n

Earthworms raise meaningful questions<\/h3>\n

The exercise was recently criticised by the medical student Clara Turner in an interview in the University Post in January 2022 based on her post in a Facebook group for medical students. Turner calls for a change to the way students use laboratory animals in the teaching \u2013 even when the test animal is ‘just’ a worm.<\/p>\n

READ ALSO:<\/strong> Students against animal experiments: \u00bbI don\u2019t want to have to roast earthworms in class\u00ab<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

This, apparently controversial, opinion set off a debate: \u00bbParticularly disturbing is a post on Facebook, where a medical student tries to stop experiments on the primitive mollusc,\u00ab the literature editor of Danish newspaper Berlingske S\u00f8ren Jacobsen Damm wrote under the heading: \u2018Now the young \u00bbGeneration Delicate\u00ab is crying for a suffering earthworm: This could be dangerous\u2019 as a response to Turner’s opposition against this form of teaching.<\/p>\n

If you ask the editor Damm, Turner’s views express the views of a generation that cannot handle the inherent rawness of life, but would rather spend time on \u00bbgut feelings\u00ab and \u00bbsocial constructivist daydreams\u00ab. Because how will you be able to keep your cool during heart surgery if you can\u2019t \u00bbtolerate experiments on a primitive organism like an earthworm\u00ab?<\/p>\n

\n

OPINION ON THE UNIVERSITY POST<\/p>\n

This is a featured comment\/opinion piece. It expresses the author\u2019s own opinion.<\/p>\n

We encourage everyone to read the whole comment before commenting on social media, so that we only get constructive contributions.<\/p>\n

Disagreement is good, but remember to uphold a civil and respectful tone.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

After this case was put in front of her, Helena Pedersen, who does research on animal-human relations in teaching contexts at the University of Gothenburg, says:<\/p>\n

\u00bbAccusing conscientious protesting students of being delicate is a common and demeaning strategy. But it is deeply problematic. It is both thought-provoking, and regrettable, that the university’s responsibility for critical thinking, critical analysis, and ethical awareness is not just ‘forgotten’, but even rebuked when it comes to animal experiments.\u00ab<\/p>\n

From our perspective, Clara Turner has raised a necessary and important discussion. No matter how low or insignificant the editor Damm considers earthworms, the above-mentioned experiments raise meaningful ethical questions. It should not only lead to reflection when monkeys or puppies are at stake. Because how closely related to human beings should animals be, actually, before we consider animal experiments worth dealing with from an ethical point of view? And what ground-breaking and necessary knowledge should animal experiments contribute to, before we no longer consider the application of pain as just cruelty to animals pure and simple?<\/p>\n

We humans do not have access to the earthworm\u2019s own experiences. Regardless of our efforts to put ourselves in the place of the worm, we can, at best, only speculate on what it is like to be a worm from a worm\u2019s perspective. Speculations that necessarily derive from our own human consciousness. Even though we have both physical and existential features in common with earthworms, and it is therefore not completely impossible for us to identify ourselves with them, they must remain \u00bbstrangers under the same moon\u00ab to us, as the Danish poet S\u00f8ren Ulrik Thomsen writes.<\/p>\n

For the same reason, it can be difficult to assess whether living laboratory animals are suffering from pain in the classroom. We can, nevertheless, take our point of departure from the efforts we make to contain or inhibit the animals we investigate in the laboratory. The measures we are forced to use, such as fixation with needles, or containment in petri dishes, help to underline the animals\u2019 lack of will to cooperate.<\/p>\n

No animals voluntarily sign up for our experiments. They don’t take one for the team, or ‘sacrifice’ their lives for our sake. No matter how noble our goals are for our research and teaching, it is abuse of the animals that we use. Ethically speaking, it can be defended if it is necessary to achieve important results. But this requires humility in relation to our knowledge of the animals, and our use of them. And this means that we should always be willing to have an in-depth discussion about our perception of what is ‘necessary’.<\/p>\n

What is ‘necessary’?<\/h3>\n

In the article in the University Post the instructors who are responsible for the earthworm exercise say that the experiment is important to impart the necessary knowledge to the students. They will therefore keep doing the experiment as part of the teaching. The same article says, nevertheless, that you can become a medical doctor from Aarhus University and the University of Southern Denmark without having to do the same experiments.<\/p>\n

That there are different teaching methods at different universities is, of course, not a problem. But when these methods involve the inclusion of living animals and experiments like the one Clara Turner and her fellow students have to carry out, it should lead to some reflection when other study programmes, that educate students for the same jobs, do not consider there to be a need to use animals in this way. We do not need to determine who is ultimately in the right. But we need to note that it might be worthwhile to consider whether you could do without the experiment and still educate talented doctors, when this is possible at other universities.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t confuse consideration with weakness<\/h3>\n

In Danish animal laboratory legislation, vertebrates and squids are, to some extent, protected from our curiosity. But earthworms are not. So why even worry about them? Is the concern for worms not a reflection of the weakness that S\u00f8ren Jacobsen-Damm is trying to fight? To this we say the following:<\/p>\n

First of all, research into animal welfare and behavioural biology makes us increasingly wiser about the outside world. Researchers used to dissect living dogs without the use of anaesthesia because they believed that dogs could not feel pain. Until recently, many people perceived fish to be a kind of swimming vegetable rather than a sentient creature. And within the insect field there is a growing awareness that you at least cannot deny the possibility that some insect species may experience their own existence. It seems to be fitting to have a certain humility concerning our own ignorance. Unless it is necessary due to some higher purpose, it seems pointless to routinely cause possible suffering to worms.<\/p>\n

Secondly, we are ethically accustomed to asking: What should I do? What\u2019s the right thing to do? But maybe we should change the question a bit and ask instead: Who should I become? What kind of person should I strive to be? Before we just say \u2018yes!\u2019 and put on our protective rubber gloves, we should ask ourselves who we will become if we just act on the basis of a convention, with a lack of ingenuity, and with indifference and simplistic ideas about what makes a person strong or weak. Do we want to be people who, for no reason, transmit electricity through other living, perhaps sentient, beings?<\/p>\n

Would we not, in reality, be stronger when we dare to stop this superfluous suffering or destruction of the living, and question it? Are we not weaker when we rigidly hang on to the methods and traditions of the past? These questions have arisen in continuation of Clara Turner’s critique of an earthworm experiment on the medicine study programme. The questions, however, go much deeper at a time when a reconsideration of man’s current ways of perceiving, treating, and interacting with other animals is crucial if we want to live on a planet in ecological balance. This, in our opinion, is an uncontroversial point of view.
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14:13:49","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/pjimage1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/pjimage1-480x480.jpg","medium-width":480,"medium-height":480,"medium_large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/pjimage1-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/pjimage1.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/pjimage1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/pjimage1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"featured-soft":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/pjimage1-290x290.jpg","featured-soft-width":290,"featured-soft-height":290,"featured-hard":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/pjimage1-290x180.jpg","featured-hard-width":290,"featured-hard-height":180,"narrow":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/pjimage1-700x700.jpg","narrow-width":700,"narrow-height":700,"extended":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/pjimage1-990x990.jpg","extended-width":990,"extended-height":990}},"style":"narrow","text_placement":"metadata-below","image_link_url":"","image_link_title":"","caption_prefix":"","enable_alternative_caption":false,"alternative_caption":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"Byline","is_author":false,"contributors":[{"use_registered_user":false,"user":false,"contributor_name":"Anna Falbe-Hansen and Mickey Gjerris","contributor_title":"Master's student in biology and associate professor in bioethics, respectively \u2014 both from the University of Copenhagen","contributor_image":false}]},{"acf_fc_layout":"Standfirst","subject":"Ethics","text":"Before we just say \u2018yes!\u2019 and put on our protective rubber gloves, we should ask ourselves who we want to be. Do we want to be people who for no reason transmit electricity through other living, perhaps sentient, beings?","use_post_excerpt":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>Have you also played with earthworms when you were a child? Have you tested the myth that a worm can live on as two separate individuals if you split it into two?<\/p>\n<p>The earthworm is for many of us the first laboratory animal of our childhood, and it introduces us to the quirks and mysteries of nature. It is therefore also one of the first animals that can teach us what it means to be aware of other creatures’ vulnerabilities, and what is required of us to co-exist with them.<\/p>\n<p>As with so many other things, the magic of the earthworm disappears with age. Nature is demystified, and we get used to seeing the wonders of this world. But if you, as an adult, miss the revelations of your childhood\u2019s worm, don’t despair. On the medical degree programme at the University of Copenhagen, you are allowed to pin down earthworms and put current through them to examine their nerve impulses. This exercise is part of compulsory teaching on the degree programme.<\/p>\n<h3>Earthworms raise meaningful questions<\/h3>\n<p>The exercise was recently criticised by the medical student Clara Turner in an interview in the University Post in January 2022 based on her post in a Facebook group for medical students. Turner calls for a change to the way students use laboratory animals in the teaching \u2013 even when the test animal is ‘just’ a worm.<\/p>\n<p><strong>READ ALSO:<\/strong> <em><a href=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/students-against-animal-experiments-i-dont-want-to-have-to-roast-earthworms-in-class\/\">Students against animal experiments: \u00bbI don\u2019t want to have to roast earthworms in class\u00ab<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>This, apparently controversial, opinion set off a debate: \u00bbParticularly disturbing is a post on Facebook, where a medical student tries to stop experiments on the primitive mollusc,\u00ab the literature editor of Danish newspaper Berlingske S\u00f8ren Jacobsen Damm wrote under the heading: \u2018Now the young \u00bbGeneration Delicate\u00ab is crying for a suffering earthworm: This could be dangerous\u2019 as a response to Turner’s opposition against this form of teaching.<\/p>\n<p>If you ask the editor Damm, Turner’s views express the views of a generation that cannot handle the inherent rawness of life, but would rather spend time on \u00bbgut feelings\u00ab and \u00bbsocial constructivist daydreams\u00ab. Because how will you be able to keep your cool during heart surgery if you can\u2019t \u00bbtolerate experiments on a primitive organism like an earthworm\u00ab?<\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\">\n<p class=\"factbox-header feature-color\">OPINION ON THE UNIVERSITY POST<\/p>\n<p>This is a featured comment\/opinion piece. It expresses the author\u2019s own opinion.<\/p>\n<p>We encourage everyone to read the whole comment before commenting on social media, so that we only get constructive contributions.<\/p>\n<p>Disagreement is good, but remember to uphold a civil and respectful tone.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>After this case was put in front of her, Helena Pedersen, who does research on animal-human relations in teaching contexts at the University of Gothenburg, says:<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbAccusing conscientious protesting students of being delicate is a common and demeaning strategy. But it is deeply problematic. It is both thought-provoking, and regrettable, that the university’s responsibility for critical thinking, critical analysis, and ethical awareness is not just ‘forgotten’, but even rebuked when it comes to animal experiments.\u00ab<\/p>\n<p>From our perspective, Clara Turner has raised a necessary and important discussion. No matter how low or insignificant the editor Damm considers earthworms, the above-mentioned experiments raise meaningful ethical questions. It should not only lead to reflection when monkeys or puppies are at stake. Because how closely related to human beings should animals be, actually, before we consider animal experiments worth dealing with from an ethical point of view? And what ground-breaking and necessary knowledge should animal experiments contribute to, before we no longer consider the application of pain as just cruelty to animals pure and simple?<\/p>\n<p>We humans do not have access to the earthworm\u2019s own experiences. Regardless of our efforts to put ourselves in the place of the worm, we can, at best, only speculate on what it is like to be a worm from a worm\u2019s perspective. Speculations that necessarily derive from our own human consciousness. Even though we have both physical and existential features in common with earthworms, and it is therefore not completely impossible for us to identify ourselves with them, they must remain \u00bbstrangers under the same moon\u00ab to us, as the Danish poet S\u00f8ren Ulrik Thomsen writes.<\/p>\n<p>For the same reason, it can be difficult to assess whether living laboratory animals are suffering from pain in the classroom. We can, nevertheless, take our point of departure from the efforts we make to contain or inhibit the animals we investigate in the laboratory. The measures we are forced to use, such as fixation with needles, or containment in petri dishes, help to underline the animals\u2019 lack of will to cooperate.<\/p>\n<p>No animals voluntarily sign up for our experiments. They don’t take one for the team, or ‘sacrifice’ their lives for our sake. No matter how noble our goals are for our research and teaching, it is abuse of the animals that we use. Ethically speaking, it can be defended if it is necessary to achieve important results. But this requires humility in relation to our knowledge of the animals, and our use of them. And this means that we should always be willing to have an in-depth discussion about our perception of what is ‘necessary’.<\/p>\n<h3>What is ‘necessary’?<\/h3>\n<p>In the article in the University Post the instructors who are responsible for the earthworm exercise say that the experiment is important to impart the necessary knowledge to the students. They will therefore keep doing the experiment as part of the teaching. The same article says, nevertheless, that you can become a medical doctor from Aarhus University and the University of Southern Denmark without having to do the same experiments.<\/p>\n<p>That there are different teaching methods at different universities is, of course, not a problem. But when these methods involve the inclusion of living animals and experiments like the one Clara Turner and her fellow students have to carry out, it should lead to some reflection when other study programmes, that educate students for the same jobs, do not consider there to be a need to use animals in this way. We do not need to determine who is ultimately in the right. But we need to note that it might be worthwhile to consider whether you could do without the experiment and still educate talented doctors, when this is possible at other universities.<\/p>\n<h3>Don\u2019t confuse consideration with weakness<\/h3>\n<p>In Danish animal laboratory legislation, vertebrates and squids are, to some extent, protected from our curiosity. But earthworms are not. So why even worry about them? Is the concern for worms not a reflection of the weakness that S\u00f8ren Jacobsen-Damm is trying to fight? To this we say the following:<\/p>\n<p>First of all, research into animal welfare and behavioural biology makes us increasingly wiser about the outside world. Researchers used to dissect living dogs without the use of anaesthesia because they believed that dogs could not feel pain. Until recently, many people perceived fish to be a kind of swimming vegetable rather than a sentient creature. And within the insect field there is a growing awareness that you at least cannot deny the possibility that some insect species may experience their own existence. It seems to be fitting to have a certain humility concerning our own ignorance. Unless it is necessary due to some higher purpose, it seems pointless to routinely cause possible suffering to worms.<\/p>\n<p>Secondly, we are ethically accustomed to asking: What should I do? What\u2019s the right thing to do? But maybe we should change the question a bit and ask instead: Who should I become? What kind of person should I strive to be? Before we just say \u2018yes!\u2019 and put on our protective rubber gloves, we should ask ourselves who we will become if we just act on the basis of a convention, with a lack of ingenuity, and with indifference and simplistic ideas about what makes a person strong or weak. Do we want to be people who, for no reason, transmit electricity through other living, perhaps sentient, beings?<\/p>\n<p>Would we not, in reality, be stronger when we dare to stop this superfluous suffering or destruction of the living, and question it? Are we not weaker when we rigidly hang on to the methods and traditions of the past? These questions have arisen in continuation of Clara Turner’s critique of an earthworm experiment on the medicine study programme. The questions, however, go much deeper at a time when a reconsideration of man’s current ways of perceiving, treating, and interacting with other animals is crucial if we want to live on a planet in ecological balance. This, in our opinion, is an uncontroversial point of view.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"ArticleEnd"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Newsletter","lang_select":"en","identifier":"Newsletter","headline":"Get an email with our top stories","button_text":"Sign up here","class":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"OtherStories","headline":"","hand_picked_posts":true,"references":[{"reference":{"ID":129232,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2022-01-17 11:01:33","post_date_gmt":"2022-01-17 10:01:33","post_content":"\u00bbIn defence of an earthworm.\u00ab This was the first line of a posting by Clara Turner on a Facebook group for medical students at the University of Copenhagen in November. \u00bbI didn't sign up to the taking of life when I became a medical student,\u00ab she continued.\r\n\r\nAs part of a compulsory class in the bachelor's degree programme in medicine, Clara Turner and her fellow students were asked to perform an experiment. They pinned down earthworms with needles, and passed electric current through them.\r\n\r\n\u00bbThis can not in any way be considered a 'dignified demise,'\u00ab Clara Turner wrote.\r\n<h3>Ethical quandaries<\/h3>\r\nThe earthworm experiment is about investigating the axons, that are a kind of nerves, Clara Turner says to the University Post. She was in a group with three fellow students when they had to learn about nerve impulses and this included carrying out the worm experiment.\r\n\r\n\u00bbI felt bad about it from the beginning. We saw a video of the experiment first. And I could feel, already there, that this was not something I wanted to do.\u00ab\r\n\r\nThe earthworm is sedated by immersion into a glass of methanol until it stops squirming about so much. Then it is put in a box and attached with needles. The needles also function as measurement electrodes while fixing the worm. The students send electricity through the needles and read an electrical response on a computer.\n<!-- end of module 1 -->\nClara's initial discomfort with the experiment was not abated when her group\u2019s specimen did not behave as they expected:\r\n\r\n\u00bbOur results looked a bit weird, so our instructor came over and dialled up the power to get better results.\u00ab\r\n\r\nDuring the process, the group had to start again with a new earthworm. The first experiment did not give the right results, either because it had died along the way or had been given too much of a sedative.\r\n\r\nThe next earthworm was sedated less and squirmed even more.\r\n\r\n\u00bbYou can discuss whether the earthworm feels pain, or whether this is just a reflex, but I am sure that it would not have chosen this on its own,\u00ab says Clara Turner.\r\n<h3>Compulsory teaching<\/h3>\r\nClara had to get up and leave, but she pulled herself together and went back to the laboratory to complete the experiment. She had no choice, as the lesson was compulsory if the students are to pass the course.\r\n\r\nAnd Clara thinks this is a problem. She agrees that animal experiments may be necessary. But she would prefer to save her experiments for actual research.\r\n\r\nThe students would obtain the same knowledge without the experiments on live animals, she believes:\r\n\r\nIn the course of the teaching, they could show a video that illustrates the experiment, and students could continue to work theoretically with the experiment subsequently.\r\n\r\n\u00bbIt may seem strange to have a soft spot for a worm. But for me this is more about how we humans act towards other species than it is about the specific earthworm.\u00ab\r\n\r\nTo those students who like doing experiments with animals, Clara Turner says:\r\n\r\n\u00bbThere are plenty of places where there is a need for medical students in the laboratories. They can do the experiments there. I can't see why we all have to sit there, roasting earthworms.\u00ab\r\n<h3>Other Danish universities don\u2019t do it<\/h3>\r\nAt the University of Copenhagen, all new cohorts of bachelor students in medicine repeat the earthworm experiment, but this is not the case in other universities, Clara Turner points out.\r\n\r\n\u00bbAnd the medical students that come out of Aarhus University, are just as good doctors as we are,\u00ab she says.\r\n\r\nDaniel Pedersen is one of the students who contacted Clara Turner on Facebook. He confirms that he did not have to take part in animal experiments when he was doing his bachelor's degree in medicine at Aarhus University.\r\n\r\n\u00bbWhen we learned about action potential in physiology, we had, respectively, a lecture and classroom teaching. We did our calculation assignments and watched videos with the electrical simulation of muscles. No worms were harmed,\u00ab he says.\r\n\r\nNiels Uldbjerg is deputy head of department at the Department of Clinical Medicine at Aarhus University. He confirms that there are no experiments on live animals on the bachelor's degree programme, but \u00bbon the master's programmes we have a compulsory course where students operate on living pigs.\u00ab\r\n\r\nThe pigs have been bred for research, and a small proportion of them are used for educational purposes. There is not necessarily anything wrong with the pigs before the experiments, \u00bbbut they do not wake up afterwards,\u00ab says Niels Uldbjerg.\n<!-- end of module 2 -->\nAt the University of Southern Denmark SDU, you can become a medical doctor without experimenting on animals:\r\n\r\n\u00bbWe do not use animal experiments any longer on the medical degree programme at SDU. Neither on the bachelor's degree nor the master's. On further education and vocational study programmes we use animal experiments,\u00ab writes Bjarne R\u00f8nde Kristensen, who is Head of Studies for the medical degree programme at University of Southern Denmark in a text message to the University Post.\r\n\r\nIt has not been possible to get an elaboration on why the animal experiments were phased out.\r\n<h3>Between ethics and didactics<\/h3>\r\nBengt Holst is chairman of the Danish Animal Ethics Council. He does not wish to comment on the specific earthworms experiment. But he would like to talk about some of the general ethical perspectives.\r\n\r\n\u00bbIn order to do these experiments, you need to obtain permission from the Danish Animal Experiments Inspectorate. They assess whether the disadvantages to the animal are proportional to the purpose,\u00ab he says.\r\n\r\n\u00bbWhen it comes to animal testing, you should always consider the possibility of replacing live animals with simulations. And if this is not possible, you should minimise the number of animals used in the experiments. In addition, it is necessary to continuously refine the methods and, if possible, to relieve the pain of the animals.\u00ab\r\n\r\nYou can, of course, discuss ethics in doing animal experiments, he says. But the response will depend on what kind of ethics is your point of departure:\r\n\r\n\u00bbYou can argue from a utilitarian ethics, which says that if the experiment has a good purpose, and the purpose is proportional with the disadvantages it causes for the animal, then it is OK.\u00ab\r\n\r\nDanish animal welfare legislation applies to all animals, he says, but there is a difference between species, and their experience of pain.\r\n\r\n\u00bbThat is why you can be punished for animal cruelty towards a horse or a bird. But not for stepping on an earthworm.\u00ab\r\n\r\nWe know very little about the experience of pain of the earthworm, he says:\r\n\r\n\u00bbWith the knowledge we have now, there is nothing to suggest that the earthworm experiences pain, even though it reacts to influences that in us would provoke pain.\u00ab\r\n<h3>The experiments continue at UCPH<\/h3>\r\nThe University of Copenhagen's [secrettext face=\"heads of teaching\" text=\"Jens Rekling, Henrik Jahnsen, Jakob Balslev S\u00f8rensen and Jean-Fran\u00e7ois Perrier, all from the Department of Neuroscience.\"] did not wish to participate in a phone interview, but sent a written response to the University Post.\r\n\r\nThey respect the opinions of students, they write, but choose to maintain the exercises, because they make good learning sense. They refer to legislation that permits animal experiments in the classroom.\r\n<blockquote>Our experience shows that students understand and remember much better if they themselves carry out practical experiments.\r\n<p class=\"quotee\">Heads of teaching at UCPH<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\u00bbOne key consideration for us is that the knowledge that we base most of the patient treatment on, is primarily from animal testing. The exercises generally provide students with insight into working with biological material, sources of error, and variation in measurements, and they shape the basis of a deeper understanding of biological processes in living tissue. All of this is valuable learning that has direct relevance to working with patients and biological material taken from patients.\u00ab\r\n\r\nThe instructors dismiss Clara Turner\u2019s idea of a video recording replacing of the earthworms experiment:\r\n\r\n\u00bbThe students are already spending a lot of time \u2018on screen\u2019, and the purpose of the exercise is to show that biology takes place in the real world. Our experience shows that students understand, and remember, much better if they themselves carry out practical experiments.\r\n<h3>\u00bbGeneration delicate\u00ab<\/h3>\r\nWhen Clara Turner wrote her post in defence of the earthworm, she received several comments from her fellow students, who shared her reservations about animal experiments in the classroom.\r\n\r\n\u00bbI've received a lot of private messages from people who don't want their name in the comments because they expect to be ridiculed. I would like to be the voice of those who do not want to stand up for themselves.\u00ab\r\n\r\nClara Turner is not afraid of being ridiculed, even though she understands her fellow students' reservations. She paused and took a deep breath before posting her text, she says.\r\n\r\nShe then, however, attracted the attention of the literature editor of the Danish news site Berlingske S\u00f8ren Jacobsen Damm. He used his column to ridicule her points of view under the headline <em>'Now the young \u00bbGeneration Delicate\u00ab is crying for a suffering earthworm: This could be dangerous'<\/em>.\r\n\r\nOn being singled out as the spokesman for 'ultra-sensitive youth' in the media, Clara Turner says:\r\n\r\n\u00bbIt actually takes courage to take on an unpopular ethical standpoint. Fortunately, young people nowadays have the courage to do so. It's hard to stand up as a tiny medical student and defend a tiny earthworm. And in front of a mammoth organisation like the University of Copenhagen.\u00ab\n<!-- end of module 3 -->\n","post_title":"Students against animal experiments: \u00bbI don\u2019t want to have to roast earthworms in class\u00ab","post_excerpt":"Earthworms \u00bbsquirming with pain\u00ab do not belong in the classroom, medical student Clara Turner wrote on Facebook. She got a \u2018love storm\u2019 from her fellow students, but a shitstorm from the press.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"students-against-animal-experiments-i-dont-want-to-have-to-roast-earthworms-in-class","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-01-18 11:16:31","post_modified_gmt":"2022-01-18 10:16:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/studerende-mod-dyreforsoeg-jeg-vil-ikke-sidde-og-riste-regnorme-i-undervisningen\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}},{"reference":{"ID":114435,"post_author":"67","post_date":"2020-12-07 13:55:45","post_date_gmt":"2020-12-07 12:55:45","post_content":"When the Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at a press conference on 4 November said that all mink were to be culled, Michelle Lauge Quaade was in a room at the University of Copenhagen doing an autopsy on one of them.\r\n\r\nShe only heard about the press conference when her phone vibrated. At the other end of the phone, her supervisor Anne Sofie Vedsted Hammer told her that the entire mink industry that she was working with, had been given a de facto death sentence.\r\n\r\n\u00bbIs it all the mink?\u00ab she asked, several times, incredulous. Yes, all 17 million of them.\r\n\r\nWhen she hung up, she looked at the dead mink in front of her and asked herself: Does this make any sense at all any more?\r\n\r\nIn January 2020, two months before the Danish coronavirus lockdown, she had received funding to carry out research on mink for a four-year PhD. The funds came from the fur farming foundation Pelsdyrafgiftsfonden, which is dependent on the sale of fur. These sales would now be non-existent.\r\n\r\nEven if she could find new funding, who would be interested in a PhD project on mink diseases in a country where mink is only something to be found culled in pits?\r\n\r\n\u00bbIt was, and is, a huge shock,\u00ab says Michelle Lauge Quaade.\r\n\r\nThe day after the press conference, the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences took action to saved her project with fresh funding, but the PhD student still had to think everything through, all the way down to the basic research questions.\r\n\r\n\u00bbI am still in the process of finding out where I stand and how to deal with this situation.\u00ab\r\n<h3>Did not involve veterinarians<\/h3>\r\nAt the very least, she will most likely have a place in the history books - as the last Danish PhD on mink research.\r\n\r\nOthers have been going on for a long time. Her supervisor Anne Sofie Vedsted Hammer, for example, who has been working with fur animal diseases for 19 years, and who today runs the research centre CPH Mink (Center for Research in Mink Production, Health and Welfare).\r\n\r\nShe reckons that it is only a matter of time before the centre closes.\r\n<blockquote>It was, and is, a huge shock\r\n<p class=\"quotee\">Michelle Lauge Quaade, PhD student, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\u00bbThere has been mink research here for over 30 years, in feed, genetics, health, welfare and much more. There are many research areas that will just disappear in one go. It is a shame for the University of Copenhagen, for the researchers, and for the students, that everything is now disappearing.\u00ab\r\n\r\nThe Danish government\u2019s 4 November decision had mink farmers cull all their mink after the infectious disease authority Statens Serum Institute had assessed that the spread of infection from mink farms was a danger to public health. The institute had found that virus mutations in mink had spread to humans, and they feared that one of these mutations would prevent vaccines from working.\r\n\r\nIt turned out later that the government had made the decision illegally, and it has so far led to the Minister for Food and Agriculture Mogens Jensen stepping down.\r\n\r\nIf you ask Anne Sofie Vedsted Hammer and Michelle Lauge Quaade whether they understand the decision, they can offer no prompt answer.\r\n\r\nThey both grin, but seem as if they are at a loss to answer.\r\n\r\n\u00bbIt is a difficult question,\u00ab one of them says.\r\n\r\n\u00bbYes, it is a difficult question,\u00ab the other adds.\r\n\r\n\u00bbI don't understand the process,\u00ab says Anne Sofie Vedsted Hammer.\r\n\r\n\u00bbIt was a decision that, as far as I know, was taken without the involvement of the veterinary experts of this country. I see a huge frustration among veterinarians involved in the production of fur animals, and who have the knowledge about the management, infection pathways, and protection against infection, on the farms. And I've also seen a lot of frustration among the mink farmers themselves. I find it hard to understand why they haven't been involved more, and I think we owe it to ourselves to look at this process.\u00ab\r\n<h3>University\u2019s mink also culled<\/h3>\r\nWhen the decision was made, Anne Sofie Vedsted Hammer and some of her colleagues were in the process of developing plans for the vaccination of mink, which is something that the news site Jyllands-Posten had described. In October, they had a meeting with the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, where they gave an account of their plans.\r\n\r\nBut they have to face the fact that all this work is wasted now. There are, simply, no more mink in Denmark to vaccinate.\r\n\r\n\u00bbMe and my colleagues were in the process of thinking about solutions for protecting other types of animal production. It came as a shock for me to find that it was not the disease that was being combated. It was the animal itself that was seen as the risk. This was a strange realisation,\u00ab says Anne Sofie Vedsted Hammer.\r\n<blockquote>There are many research areas that will just disappear in one go.\r\n<p class=\"quotee\">Anne Sofie Vedsted Hammer, Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\nWe are, on the other hand, in the middle of a pandemic, and you could see that the virus mutated in mink and spread to humans. Can you understand that the government had to act firmly when public health was at stake?\r\n\r\nThe researchers hesitate a bit again.\r\n\r\n\u00bbIt is not us as researchers that have to make these decisions, it is a task for politicians and government authorities. It's a difficult decision and I don't envy them,\u00ab says Anne Sofie Vedsted Hammer.\r\n\r\n\u00bbI was about to say this,\u00ab says Michelle Lauge Quaade. \u00bbBut it is true that there was no wider academic involvement in this.\u00ab\r\n\r\nThe two mink researchers are not the only university employees who have had to make new career plans. At Aarhus University, the Department of Animal Science intends to terminate the lease on the mink farm they rent from the Danish Building and Property Agency. In the middle of November, they culled the last of the 6,350 mink on the farm, according to head of department Klaus L\u00f8nne Ingvartsen.\r\n\r\nEight researchers at the department were involved in the mink research, while three people worked full time on the farm.\r\n<h3>Life's work in ruins<\/h3>\r\nWhen the corona infection began to spread explosively on the northern Jutland mink farms, Anne Sofie Vedsted Hammer and Michelle Lauge Quaade became part of what was called the epidemiological investigation. They took long trips from Frederiksberg to the North of Jutland to collect data and samples from the farms and to bring back dead mink for autopsy in order to learn more about the disease and the spread of the infection.\r\n\r\nThe experiences they had in the north of Jutland left an indelible memory, they say.\r\n\r\n<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/adm\/universitypost\">SIGN UP FOR THE UNIVERSITY POST NEWSLETTER HERE<\/a><\/strong>\r\n\r\n\u00bbOne thing is that we lose a research area. But this cannot be compared to the consequences for the mink farms. These are families who have to give up their homes and move away, and who now have no income. This is a terrible thing,\u00ab says Anne Sofie Vedsted Hammer.\r\n\r\n\u00bbI have corresponded with mink breeders who have spent their entire adult lives breeding certain types of colours and lines, and who have the pedigrees of these lines on their farms,\u00ab she continues.\r\n\r\n\u00bbAll they want to do is save these breeding animals and the extensive selection and registration work, something that will now disappear in one go when they are all culled.\u00ab\r\n<h3>A hated industry<\/h3>\r\nMany politicians have expressed their sympathy for the mink breeders. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen shed a tear when she visited a mink farm in November.\r\n\r\nBut not everyone bemoans the end of the mink industry.\r\n\r\n<strong>READ ALSO:<\/strong> <em><a href=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/hectic-race-against-time-for-international-researchers\/\">Hectic race against time for international researchers<\/a><\/em>\r\n\r\nThe Danish society for the protection of the animals Dyrenes Beskyttelse had worked hard even before the corona outbreak to ban the mink industry, which they on their website label animal cruelty. A citizens' proposal with more than 10,000 signatures also calls for a ban, and at Christiansborg the Red-Green Alliance and the Socialist People\u2019s Party want to uphold a ban even after the corona crisis.\r\n\r\nAmong the criticisms is the fact that the mink live stunted lives in small wire cages \u2013 and the high density of mink is one of the reasons why the corona virus could spread so explosively on the farms \u2013 and that it is unethical to kill millions of animals a year to produce fur coats.\r\n\r\nSeveral European countries have banned fur farming, including the UK, Norway and Germany.\r\n\r\n\u00bbI've also met a lot of people who say that fur breeding is simply cruelty to animals when I tell them that I'm researching mink,\u00ab says Michelle Lauge Quaade.\r\n\r\n\u00bbYou are welcome to have this opinion. But you are obligated to make yourself familiar with how things are first. Most of the people I've talked to have never visited a mink farm and don't know what it's all about. They've seen an undercover programme made by TV2 in 2009 where animal rights activists went into a mink farm to document the bad living conditions of the mink. This is not a true picture of mink production. It was one-sided.\u00ab\r\n<blockquote>I've also met a lot of people who say that mink breeding is just animal cruelty.\r\n<p class=\"quotee\">Michelle Lauge Quaade, PhD student, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<em>But the criticism includes the fact that it is, in itself, unethical and unnatural to have so many mink in small cages?<\/em>\r\n\r\n\u00bbIf we are not allowed to fence the animals in, then we can hardly produce animals for any purpose. I think you need to see more sides to this question,\u00ab says Michelle Lauge Quaade.\r\n\r\n\u00bbOtherwise you would have to consider all production animals and not just mink, because there are a lot of things that are not natural. We get milk by taking the calf from a cow, even though we do not, in principle, need milk. So I think you have to be careful about criticizing an industry because you get fur out of it and not something you can eat.\u00ab\r\n\r\nAs veterinary researchers, Michelle Lauge Quaade and Anne Sofie Vedsted Hammer's task has not been to increase fur production, but to improve the animals\u2019 health and welfare on the farms.\r\n\r\nHowever, Anne Sofie Vedsted Hammer praises the Danish mink industry and says that the mink breeders have been receptive to the researchers' results and proposals. And they have supported the projects they have carried out on the farms.\r\n\r\n\u00bbWhen we have concluded something in our research results, I have often experienced these things being implemented in counselling and guidelines, almost on the same day,\u00ab she says.\r\n\r\n\u00bbIn any case, it is not animal welfare if the production moves to China or Russia \u2013 which is something that you might well expect.\u00ab\r\n<h3>Research data still relevant<\/h3>\r\nEven if mink production has left Denmark permanently, Anne Sofie Vedsted Hammer will likely not be left without a job.\r\n\r\nShe is part of the emergency response at the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, and when the University Post first turned up at the department, she had to cancel our appointment as she had to do an autopsy on some wild birds. Here, the enemy was avian influenza, yet another serious virus that would still be around when the vaccines have taken the sting out of Covid-19.\r\n\r\nYet Anne Sofie Vedsted Hammer is still unhappy with the losses to the mink research. Not least because it was one of the last research fields at the department which had the purpose of improving the health of animals, not humans.\r\n<blockquote>I am still in the process of finding my bearings\r\n<p class=\"quotee\">Michelle Lauge Quaade, PhD student, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\nThe vast majority of their colleagues' research has a human angle. The researchers use animals in experiments which, ultimately, are to learn more about how diseases develop in humans.\r\n\r\n\u00bbDenmark has historically delivered fantastic research into the health and welfare of production animals. But perhaps some of us became veterinarians because we were interested in animals and their diseases, and not so much human diseases. I think it's a real shame that with the loss of mink research there will be fewer platforms where you can do this kind of veterinary research,\u00ab says Anne Sofie Vedsted Hammer.\r\n\r\nShe explains that she has already removed 80 per cent of the content of her lectures on mink, so she no longer teaches the students about things that are unique to the animal. Now she only talks about diseases that also occur in humans or other animals.\r\n\r\nMichelle Lauge Quaade is in the process of postponing her PhD to ensure the same change of tack. The purpose is no longer to ensure better diagnostics, treatment and prevention among the Danish mink farm herds. The purpose is now is to examine what covid-19 in mink can say about covid-19 in humans.\r\n\r\n\u00bbWe've collected a whole bunch of samples from the farms, which have quickly become historical material. But I can still feel that everything is still a little vague to me now. I still have to get used to the fact that it will be something different than what I had originally intended.\u00ab\n<!-- end of module 1 -->\n","post_title":"She was doing an autopsy on a mink. Then, suddenly, her whole field of research vanished","post_excerpt":"Two mink researchers at the University of Copenhagen are shocked by a process that not only discontinued all mink breeding in Denmark, but also the purpose of their whole research.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"she-was-doing-an-autopsy-on-a-mink-then-suddenly-her-whole-field-of-research-vanished","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-12-08 08:39:37","post_modified_gmt":"2020-12-08 07:39:37","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/hun-stod-og-obducerede-en-mink-da-hendes-forskningsfelt-forsvandt\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}},{"reference":{"ID":5625,"post_author":"12","post_date":"2015-04-18 02:33:17","post_date_gmt":"2015-04-18 00:33:17","post_content":"The warm weather in Copenhagen is here. Just when you thought the cold, dark winter would never end, and any change of temperature was hopeless, the flowers blossom and the long days return.\r\n\r\nWe have compiled a list of activities, which take advantage of the warmer weather in Copenhagen. So go ahead and take off those parkas and woollen layers, dust off those sandals, and put on those sunglasses!\r\n\r\nHere is your guide to help you seize the season, a.k.a. 25 alternative opportunities that Copenhagen has to offer right now.\r\n<h2>1. Fresh, culinary delights<\/h2>\r\nThere\u2019s no better way to say goodbye to the deep frost of winter than indulging in the freshness and variety of produce. Local produce in the form of root and early leafy, green vegetables and imported exotic goodies like berries, melons and peas will appear as the weather warms. So why not go local and visit the farmers market in N\u00f8rrebro?\r\n\r\nEvery Saturday from the end of May to September from 10.00 to 14.00, you will find J\u00e6gersborggade full of life and colour. Local Danish farmers bring their fresh organic produce to you. The purpose is to lower our impact on the environment by reducing the path from their soil to your kitchen. To be even greener, ditch that bus pass and take advantage of the sunshine by riding your bike.\r\n\r\nOrganic foodies and locavores however can revel in the offerings of the fruit and vegetable stands of <a href=\"http:\/\/torvehallernekbh.dk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Torvehallerne<\/a> or at a local farm like <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fuglebjerggaard.dk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Fuglebjerggaard<\/a>. Don\u2019t forget that these establishments can also carry a nice selection of locally produced and organic meat, perfect for grilling in many of Copenhagen\u2019s local parks.\r\n\r\nWhen the sun is shining in Copenhagen, there is nothing better to do than to grab a quality ice cream on the way. Favourite establishments are <a href=\"http:\/\/paradis-is.dk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Paradis Is<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ismageriet.dk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Ismageriet<\/a> who serve homemade gelato, or go ahead and try something new, like \"gammeldags\" \u2013 an old-fashioned ice cream cone with delicious ice cream, whipped cream, jam and a \"fl\u00f8debolle\".\r\n<h2>2. Watch the Copenhagen marathon<\/h2>\r\nIt may be too late to start training for the Copenhagen marathon, which in 2015 begins on Sunday 24 May, but there are plenty of opportunities to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.copenhagenmarathon.dk\/en\/\"> watch the proceedings<\/a>, especially if you are cheering someone on.\r\n\r\nThe Nykredit Copenhagen Marathon 2015 course is a round course commencing at the harbour front on Islands Brygge, continuing through Inner Copenhagen, \u00d8sterbro, N\u00f8rrebro and Vesterbro and back to the starting point at Islands Brygge. Key viewing hotspots include places like Christianborg and Christians Brygge where refreshments are sold and viewing platforms erected. Caf\u00e9 deals and entertainment are also included in this year's event.\r\n\r\nIf you're eager to get out and running already, the <a href=\"http:\/\/kobenhavnhalvmaraton.dk\/\"> Copenhagen 1\/2 marathon<\/a> is only a few months away and provides another chance to run through the streets.\r\n<h2>3. See more of Zealand (Sj\u00e6lland)<\/h2>\r\nNaturally, the best way to get to all of the sights and activities is by bike, but make sure to check the forecast and, if necessary, bring along your rain gear because you never know when you might get caught in a spring shower.\r\n\r\nWe suggest taking the S-train. It is a great opportunity to see more of Zealand such as to the end-station of Frederikssund, which is by the picturesque Roskilde Fjord, or try travelling to the S-train station Hareskoven in the middle of a quintessentially Danish beech tree forest, or if you're in a royal mood try another end-station Hiller\u00f8d, the home of the massive renaissance castle Frederiksborg.\r\n\r\nTip: Go out to the Open-Air museum in Brede, near Lyngby. It has a whole village built up like in the past centuries.\r\n<h2>4. For the adrenalin junkies<\/h2>\r\nWhy not speed into the sun in a Lotus? Or fly high over Copenhagen in a hot air balloon? Or use the strong winds for daring wind surfing? The website <a href=\"http:\/\/www.oplevelsesgaver.dk\/\"> oplevelsesgaver.dk<\/a> with 'experience gifts' offers these activities and a lot more action from lamborghini driving to parachute jumping and from deep water diving to paragliding. Go ahead and get your heart pumping this spring with a new and daring activity.\r\n<h2>5. Pushing up daisies<\/h2>\r\nThe pop of colour that flowers and budding trees can provide is welcome after a dull, grey winter. To make the most out of the city\u2019s botanical bounty, the most obvious place to look is the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) <a href=\"http:\/\/botanik.snm.ku.dk\/english\/\">botanical garden<\/a>, which boasts the country\u2019s largest collection of living plants, a greenhouse always turned up to tropical temps, and free admission.\r\n\r\nBut if you are in need of a natural spot that\u2019s a little less 'lively', why not try visiting the city\u2019s many cemeteries? For decades Copenhageners, as natural park-like refugees, have favoured many sites like Assistens Kirkeg\u00e5rd in N\u00f8rrebro, Holmens Kirkeg\u00e5rd in the city and Bispebjerg Kirkeg\u00e5rd in Nordvest. Pick your favourite tomb-side spot with a blanket and a book, or enjoy the many tree-lined walks and beds of natural wild flowers that can be found there.\r\n\r\nThe flowers to be enjoyed now at any of these locations include bulbs like crocus, tulips and daffodils, flowering trees like cherry blossoms and magnolias and budding bushes such as forsythia and pussy willow.\r\n<h2>6. Fresh fish<\/h2>\r\nSunny days not only signal the return of warmer weather, but warmer water as well. Denmark is a country that is only too lucky to be surrounded by so much water and much of it is fishable by the public. Whether you\u2019re after coastal fishing or freshwater in lakes or rivers, fishing can prove to be the perfect springtime activity that might even end with a free meal.\r\n\r\nGear, equipment rentals and information can be secured at Copenhagen\u2019s local store <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jagtogfiskerimagasinet.dk\/kat165-Info\/\">Jagt og Fiskerimagasinet<\/a> and fishing sites can be discovered through the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.visitdenmark.com\/search\/editorial\/global?keys=international%20en%20gb%20menu%20turist%20oplevelser%20aktiviteter%20fiskevande%20fiskevande\">Official Tourism Office<\/a>. Just remember that you do need a license and\/or permit to fish in Denmark, but one can easily and cheaply be secured online.\r\n<h2>7. Set your sails for Holmen<\/h2>\r\nIt is a sad fact that most people only see the old naval base Holmen, north of Christianshavn, from the comfort of the Copenhagen canal tour boats, because the area is rich in culture and history.\r\n\r\nHere you can see the Dannebrog (Danish flag) raised at 8.00 and lowered at sunset to the sound of saluting guns, and if you are really lucky you might even catch a glimpse of the Royal Danish Naval Band practicing one of their signature tunes 'What Should We Do With the Drunken Sailor.'\r\n\r\nIf naval history does not float your boat, then Holmen still offers some of the most beautiful views of Copenhagen. Watch the sun set over the rooftops, smoke stacks, and golden spires of the city.\r\n<h2>8. Do the Copenhagen Ironman triathlon<\/h2>\r\n'Swim 2.4 miles! Bike 112 miles! Run 26.2 miles! Brag for the rest of your life', as the slogan goes. If you think you're in good shape now test yourself against some of the best amateur athletes in the world. <a href=\"http:\/\/kmdironmancopenhagen.com\/\">The Copenhagen Ironman triathlon<\/a> takes in some of the best scenery around Copenhagen, swimming off Amager Strand, cycling through the Zealand countryside and running past Copenhagen's most historic and famous attractions (but let's face it. By the time you get to the run section, you shouldn't be able to enjoy the attractions!)\r\n<h2>9. The birds and the bees<\/h2>\r\nThe arrival of spring always marks the awakening of animals big and small, but you don\u2019t have to take a major trip outside the city to get in touch with nature. <a href=\"http:\/\/bybi.dk\/?lang=en\">The Urban Beekeeping Organization BYBI<\/a> is currently gearing up for a 'sweet' honey collecting season and can arrange guided tours or even volunteer positions at one of their many sites around Copenhagen.\r\n\r\nIf insects aren\u2019t really your thing, the city\u2019s more friendly winged friends are also making a comeback. Bird walks with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dof.dk\/\">DOF Copenhagen<\/a> are frequently posted on their website or you can do one yourself by becoming familiar with the <a href=\"http:\/\/naturstyrelsen.dk\/Naturbeskyttelse\/Artsleksikon\/Dyr\/Fugle\/\">species<\/a> and places where they can be sited. Of course baby birds can always be found in late spring just by taking a walk around Copenhagen\u2019s lakes.\r\n<h2>10. Fashion faux pas<\/h2>\r\nWhile the sun may be warm and bright, April and May in Denmark are not without their quickly shifting temperatures and brisk winds. Such weather is certainly to inspire interesting clothing combinations and fashion faux pas in the coming weeks - shorts and scarves, anyone?\r\n\r\nIn order to keep yourself properly outfitted for changing weather or to score some new spring fashion why not check out the quirky, independent boutiques of N\u00f8rrebro. Designer duds can also be scored at discount events such as the spring edition of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.designerforum.dk\/Default.aspx\">Designer Forum<\/a> held in mid April in Frederiksberg.\r\n\r\nOf course, it\u2019s always trendy to score deals on second-hand clothes at the many Loppemarkeds around the city. A reliable listing can always be found with <a href=\"http:\/\/markedskalenderen.dk\/\">this calendar<\/a>, which updates listings around the whole of Denmark.\r\n<h2>11. Cool off with a beer\u2026 or ten!<\/h2>\r\nWe all know that Danes love their beer. Experience the full extent of this love at the Copenhagen Beer Festival 28-30 May at Lokomotivv\u00e6rkstedet.\r\n\r\nYou can sample a variety of exotic beers from around the world. However, if you plan on tasting a lot of beer, and making the most of your experience, make sure to drink lots of water too, and show some self-discipline because visibly intoxicated participants will be escorted out. Tickets are available for advance purchase on-line, or at the front door.\r\n\r\nFollow <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ale.dk\/index.php?id=2872\">this link<\/a> to get information about hours, prices, and a live countdown.\r\n<h2>12. 'Flea' to the markets<\/h2>\r\nIf you\u2019re in the shopping mood but also dealing with the reality of a student budget, why not make your way up to N\u00f8rrebro's Flea Markets? On every Saturday, starting in April, a wide array of vendors set up shops along Assistens Cemetery (Assistens Kirkeg\u00e5rd).\r\n\r\nYou can find everything you need here to add that vintage Scandinavian flare to your wardrobe. From 6-8 am vendors arrive to set-up and then close around 2 pm, so get there early for the best buys!\r\n\r\nAfterwards if you find yourself exhausted from shopping and feel like mingling with some famous dead Danes, feel free to go inside the Assistens cemetery to chill out with fairy tale writer H.C. Andersen and philosopher S\u00f8ren Kierkegaard.\r\n<h2>13. Ever been 'frolfing'?<\/h2>\r\nAre you tired of soccer and want to get some exercise in a new way? Try Valby's Disc Golf Park. They have built an 18 'hole' course especially for the sport in Valby Park (Valbyparken) free to the public. For those of you unfamiliar with the sport 'the object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest number of throws of the disc,' according to the Professional Disc Golf Association.\r\n\r\nThe disc is a bit like a frisbee, but you can use a frisbee as well. So gather your friends for an afternoon of 'frolfing.' Get even more into the spring and bring along some refreshing beverages and the essentials for a post-game BBQ.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.valbyparken.dk\/\">Click here<\/a> to see Valby Park's website here (in Danish).\r\n<h2>14. Build a city<\/h2>\r\nGet inspired by the good weather, get a great idea and build your 'dream city' at the Roskilde festival this summer. Read more about the competition and its rules, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.roskilde-festival.dk\/arts-events\/dream-city?utm_campaign=BITCHSLAP&utm_medium=Banner&utm_source=310*200&utm_content=Dreamcity&utm_term=Danmark\">here<\/a>. Each week the campaign has a challenge and a weekly winner is picked. So get dreaming and winning!\r\n<h2>15. P\u00e5ske treats<\/h2>\r\nRegardless of your religion or family tradition, mostly everyone is familiar with the connection between the spring season and Easter. Like many other holidays, Danes do not miss out on the chance of creating special Easter traditions, foods and of course beer. The most famous of the springy brews would be the Tuborg P\u00e5skebryg (Easter brew) but many other brands also have their own take on the tradition.\r\n\r\nP\u00e5ske \u00f8l will be around a few more weeks throughout the spring season and now is the time to sample the best that the city has to offer. Try visiting local microbreweries like <a href=\"http:\/\/www.brewpub.dk\/\">Brew Pub<\/a> or the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.noerrebrobryghus.dk\/\">N\u00f8rrebro Bryghus<\/a> or hitting up a specialty beer bar like <a href=\"http:\/\/oelbaren.dk\/\">\u00d8lbaren<\/a> also in N\u00f8rrebro.\r\n<h2>16. Play a little footie<\/h2>\r\nFootball (soccer) is the national sport of Denmark, but you don't have to be the next Lionel Messi in order to pass around a ball with some friends.\r\n\r\nWe suggest going to one of the many public pitches located around the city. For example, you might consider checking out F\u00e6lledparken in \u00d8sterbro, Kl\u00f8vermarken on northern Amager, or the fields by the DR Byen metro station.\r\n\r\nThis is a great way to make new friends, get some exercise, and soak up that sorely missed sunshine. Not all fields have regulation goals but two thirty-packs of Danish beer will surely suffice.\r\n<h2>17. Copenhagen Sakura Festival<\/h2>\r\nOne sign that spring has arrived is the cherry trees that bloom with thousands of little pink and white flowers. In 2005 Copenhagen was given 200 of these breathtaking Japanese trees on the occasion of fairy tale writer H.C. Andersen's 200th birthday.\r\n\r\nThe trees were planted along the waterfront of the citadel, Kastellet, in Langelinie Park. If you would like to see a display of Japanese culture and celebrate the coming of the cherry blossoms, make sure you mark your calendars for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sakurafestival.dk\/index.php\">Copenhagen Sakura Festival<\/a> on the 25-26th of April. Festivities include a traditional tea ceremony, Japanese drum show, and demonstrations of Aikido martial arts.\r\n<h2>18. Take it easy in Drag\u00f8r, and then do something really interesting<\/h2>\r\nDrag\u00f8r is a hidden and often forgotten gem. An old town that seems lost in time, it stands isolated on the end of Amager. Equipped with a beach, caf\u00e9s and great ice cream it is a safe haven away from the city buzz. It is easy to get there by bike, as it is just twelve kilometres from the city centre.\r\n\r\nSo, this is the interesting part. Ride your bike along the coast back to Copenhagen, east of the airport (so you have the \u00d8resund to your right). At one point, the incoming or, depending on the wind direction, outbound planes are, literally, <em>metres<\/em> above your head!\r\n<h2>19. Have a spring fling<\/h2>\r\nNow that the time of staying indoors and layering on kilos of winter clothing is over, it\u2019s no wonder that spring is the season for new love. Scores of romantic couples love flocking to the city\u2019s many romantic walks or promenades. Catch some sea breezes and rays of sun along Islands Brygge\u2019s boardwalk or blast a tune or two with friends along Dronning Louises Bro, N\u00f8rrebro\u2019s bridge.\r\n\r\nIf an April shower or two gets in the way of your romantic outdoor plans, the season for free concerts is beginning. If you're still flying solo, why not attempt this spring to try out the University Post's still relevant <a href=\"http:\/\/universitypost.dk\/article\/top-10-places-find-love\">top 10 best places to find love<\/a>.\r\n<h2>20. Stop and smell the flowers<\/h2>\r\nLiving in a new city it is hard to find the quiet place where you can appreciate Mother Nature without the urban racket. Fortunately, we have found one such sanctuary in the heart of the city, The Royal Library Garden (Det Kongelige Biblioteks Have).\r\n\r\nTucked between The Royal Danish Library, the Danish National Archives and The Royal Danish Arsenal Museum (T\u00f8jhusmuseet), the Royal Library Garden is one of the best-kept secrets in Copenhagen. Enjoy the blooming flowers, creeping vines, and luscious grass from one of the benches that surround the garden. Unlike most other parks and gardens it is not overrun with tourists.\r\n\r\nFor further information check out this <a href=\"http:\/\/www.spottedbylocals.com\/copenhagen\/royal-library-garden\/\">local travel guide<\/a>.\r\n<h2>21. Roller sports<\/h2>\r\nThe disappearance of all that ice and snow can also open up the possibility of new modes of transportation in the spring months. Rollerblading and skateboarding have become popular ways to leisurely enjoy an afternoon commute and tone up idle bodies that will be perfect for the beach in a few months time.\r\n\r\nTo capitalize on this newfound spring pastime, check out <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fns-cph.dk\/en\/home.html\">Copenhagen\u2019s Friday Night Skate<\/a> event.\r\n<h2>22. Cultural awareness<\/h2>\r\nNothing rouses one out of cabin fever like a chance to engage in culture. The city in springtime is thus full of cultural offerings from theatre, dance, art and music - many for free!\r\n\r\nOther cultural events are easily discovered by keeping an eye out for posters and flyers around the city or by subscribing to an online event calendar like <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kultunaut.dk\/perl\/view\/type-nynaut\/UK\/forside\">KultuNaut<\/a>.\r\n<h2>23. Study break at the university garden<\/h2>\r\nNew spring opportunities don't necessarily require you to travel far, sometimes they are right in your backyard\u2026 or in this case outside your classroom.\r\n\r\nThe Life Sciences garden (Landboh\u00f8jskolens Have) is a University of Copenhagen garden that was founded in 1835 and features over 600 species of exotic plants, most of which will be full of life this spring. The garden is free and open to the public from 7.00 to sunset.\r\n\r\nAnd do not forget to check out the newly renovated Greenhouse Caf\u00e9 (V\u00e6ksthuset), a student eatery where you can get a drink and bite to eat at a discounted price. But remember to save those crumbs, just in case you happen to cross paths with a hungry duck.\r\n<h2>24. Take a road trip<\/h2>\r\nTake a ride up the golden highway of Copenhagen. Kystvejen (Strandvejen) starting in Klampenborg, north of Copenhagen, is often compared to the golden highway of California for it's breathtaking beauty. It leads straight to the famous Elsinore castle and on it's way passes sandy beaches, luxurious villas, views of Sweden and a stunning maritime horizon.\r\n\r\nIf you prefer comfort, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.autoescape.dk\/\">rent a car<\/a> with a friend to take it all in at high speed. If you are into fresh air through your hair, take your racing bike. If you get tired along the way you can always take the \u00d8resundstrain back home.\r\n<h2>25. For the childish souls<\/h2>\r\nTheme parks Tivoli (in central Copenhagen) and Bakken (north of Copenhagen at the Klampenborg S-train stop) have just opened for the summer season after a long hibernation. Visit or revisit Tivoli, which apart from roller coasters also offers classical, pop and rock concerts. Bakken, in the north of Copenhagen is in the middle of scenic and green Dyrehaven (animal's garden, ed.) where deer walk freely.\r\n\r\nThere\u2019s candyfloss, roller coasters and a good excuse to get out of town and away from exams. What more could you ask for?\r\n<h2>Give us your own tips!<\/h2>\r\nSo this was it. All 25 of them. I bet there were one or two there that you would be interested in doing this coming weekend?\r\n\r\nDo you have any more ideas for outdoor activities in Copenhagen yourself? Please let us know in the comment field below!\r\n\r\nuniversitypost@adm.ku.dk\r\n\r\n<em>Like us on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UniversityPost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Facebook <\/a> for features, guides and tips on upcoming events. Follow us on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UniversityPost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Twitter<\/a> for links to other Copenhagen academia news stories. <a href=\"http:\/\/universitypost.dk\/newsletter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sign up for the University Post weekly newsletter here<\/a>, and then <a href=\"http:\/\/instagram.com\/universitypost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">follow the University Post on Instagram here. <\/a><\/em>\n<!-- end of module 1 -->\n","post_title":"25 outdoor activities in Copenhagen","post_excerpt":"These Copenhagen activities are cheap, and you won't find them in any tourist guide. This list will keep you occupied for the next couple of months","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"25-outdoor-activities-in-copenhagen","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-04-28 09:48:05","post_modified_gmt":"2021-04-28 07:48:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/?p=5625\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}},{"reference":{"ID":130330,"post_author":"83","post_date":"2022-02-21 07:51:55","post_date_gmt":"2022-02-21 06:51:55","post_content":"More students should be involved in research, according to the latest official strategy of the University of Copenhagen.\r\n\r\nBut problems can quickly arise between researchers and students. There is all too often no clear agreement on students\u2019 rights when they are affiliated to a project, according to Peter Sand\u00f8e, Professor of Bioethics and Vice-Chair of the Practice Committee at the University of Copenhagen. And that's not OK, he says:\r\n\r\n\u00bbYou need to be fair to students. You need to refrain from exploiting your position of power to get students to deliver work for you without getting anything in return.\u00ab\r\n\r\nThis is why Peter Sand\u00f8e and his colleagues in the Practice Committee, which promotes the responsible conduct of research, has just published a checklist of questions to be clarified before the collaboration starts.\r\n<h3>Students own their own work<\/h3>\r\nAnd there are many questions. Should the student, for example, be paid for their work? Or get credits? And \u2013 perhaps most importantly \u2013 should they be cited as one of the co-authors on any publications that emerge from the project?\r\n\r\n\u00bbOne thing that can go wrong is when a student affiliated with a research project has the expectation that they are to be co-author, but then are not,\u00ab says Peter Sand\u00f8e, referring to his own experience in the Practice Committee. \u00bbWe would like our colleagues to realise that students, as a rule, own the results of their own work, like for example a master\u2019s thesis project.\u00ab\r\n\r\nNot everyone believes that they do, according to Peter Sand\u00f8e.\r\n\r\n\u00bbI have some colleagues who, in all seriousness, believe that they own their students' data. But I've never believed this. In my opinion, the students have the rights to what they have created themselves.\u00ab\n<!-- end of module 1 -->\n<h3>Researchers should not exploit their position of power<\/h3>\r\nThe question of co-authorship comes down to the agreement that has been made between researcher and student before the collaboration starts.\r\n\r\nThe same applies to salary and credit transfer. The student does not necessarily have to have any of these things to participate in a research project. But in most cases it is fair that they get either one, or the other, according to Peter Sand\u00f8e.\r\n\r\nBut in all circumstances, the researcher must make the student aware of their rights and obligations. This also applies to, for example, any intellectual property rights or terms of confidentiality in connection with the project.\r\n\r\nFor Peter Sand\u00f8e, the new practice committee guidelines are to make researchers aware of their responsibilities when involving students in their work.\r\n\r\n\u00bbYou need to be fair to students. You have to refrain from exploiting your power to get students to deliver work for you without getting anything in return,\u00ab says Peter Sand\u00f8e. \u00bbFrom the outset, students need to know what they will get out of participating in a research project.\u00ab\r\n\r\nYou can read the guidelines for<a href=\"https:\/\/praksisudvalget.ku.dk\/studerendes-deltagelse-i-forskningsprojekter\/\"> student involvement in research projects here.<\/a>\n<!-- end of module 2 -->\n","post_title":"Researchers do not own the work of students: New guidelines for students involved in research","post_excerpt":"When students contribute to research projects, they are often subject to vague agreements. The Practice Committee at the University of Copenhagen has therefore published an advisory checklist to clarify students\u2019 rights.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"researchers-do-not-own-the-work-of-students-new-guidelines-for-students-involved-in-research","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-02-21 10:14:23","post_modified_gmt":"2022-02-21 09:14:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/forskere-ejer-ikke-studerendes-arbejde-ny-vejledning-om-studerende-i-forskning\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}}],"category":false,"theme":false,"number_of_posts":"4","style":"default"}]},"taxonomyData":{"category":[{"term_id":47,"name":"Opinion","slug":"opinion","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":47,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":333,"filter":"raw"}],"post_tag":[{"term_id":4781,"name":"Bioethics","slug":"bioethics","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":4781,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":2,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":5198,"name":"dyrefors\u00f8g","slug":"dyreforsoeg-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5198,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":5199,"name":"Etik","slug":"etik-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5199,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":5347,"name":"L\u00e6gevidenskab","slug":"laegevidenskab-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5347,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":585,"name":"medicin","slug":"medicin-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":585,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":5,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":586,"name":"medicine","slug":"medicine","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":586,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":8,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":606,"name":"Medicinstuderende","slug":"medicinstuderende-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":606,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":2,"filter":"raw"}],"post_format":[],"expression":[{"term_id":16,"name":"Opinion","slug":"opinion","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":16,"taxonomy":"expression","description":"","parent":0,"count":2040,"filter":"raw"}],"translation_priority":[{"term_id":5468,"name":"Optional","slug":"optional-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5468,"taxonomy":"translation_priority","description":"","parent":0,"count":672,"filter":"raw"}]},"featured_media_url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/pjimage1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=132035"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132035\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":132046,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132035\/revisions\/132046"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131863"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=132035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=132035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=132035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}