Doktorsritgerðir- HÍ

Varanleg URI fyrir þennan undirflokkhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/84

Skoða

Niðurstöður 1 - 20 af 603

A Study in Textual Transmission: Egils rímur and the “Younger Egla”
(University of Iceland, School of Humanities, Faculty of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies, 2026-02-28) Macháčková, Nikola; Svanhildur Óskarsdóttir; Íslensku- og menningardeild (HÍ); The Faculty of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies (UI); Hugvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Humanities (UI)
Egils saga er varðveitt í allnokkrum handritum og handritsbrotum og er elsta brotið frá miðri þrettándu öld (AM 162 A θ fol.). Viðfangsefni þessarar ritgerðar eru hinsvegar mun yngri birtingarmyndir sögunnar, Egils rímur frá miðri sautjándu öld, og „Yngri Egla“, prósaverk sem er að miklu leyti byggt á rímunum. Yngri Egla er varðveitt í fjórum handritum frá sautjándu og átjándu öld. Þrátt fyrir ótvírætt mikilvægi þeirra hafa þessar síðari alda umritanir ekki notið jafnmikillar fræðilegrar athygli og hin forna saga. Í þessari rannsókn er fjallað um aðlögun og viðtökur Egils sögu innan þeirrar breytilegu bókmenntamenningar sem ríkti á fyrri hluta nýaldar á Íslandi. Með því að rannsaka sex lykilhandrit sameinar rannsóknin hefðbundna textafræði og efnislega textafræði til að kanna textatengsl og það menningarlega samhengi sem hafði áhrif á þessar aðlaganir. Sá gjörningur að snúa sögum í bundið mál og svo aftur í prósa er algengur í íslenskri bókmenntahefð en þetta fyrirbæri hefur ekki verið rannsakað ítarlega hingað til, sérstaklega ekki í sambandi við Íslendingasögur. Varðveisla og endursköpun texta þessarar vinsælu sögu á sautjándu og átjándu öld getur gefið okkur innsýn í viðtökur sögunnar, samfélag þessa tíma og breytingar á bókmenntasmekk. Greiningin kortleggur tengslin milli Egils rímna og handrita af C-grein Egils sögu hinnar eldri, auk þess að rannsaka endursköpun þessara rímna í prósaverkinu „Yngri Eglu“. Í rannsókninni er sjónum einnig beint að félags- og efnahagslegu baksviði handritanna, ætlaður tilgangur þeirra og lesendahópur er skoðaður og sú algenga skoðun dregin í efa að „Yngri Egla“ sé „ómerkilegra“ verk en miðaldasagan. Þess í stað er leitast við að setja þetta prósaverk í stærra samhengi endurritunar yfir á ný form og bókmenntasmekks á fyrri hluta nýaldar á Íslandi. Þessi ritgerð felur í sér útgáfu (þá fyrstu sem unnin hefur verið) og greiningu á Egils rímum og endurmat á „Yngri Eglu“ og er þannig til þess fallin að auka skilning á þróun bókmenntagreina á tímum mikilla menningarbreytinga. Hún er bæði framlag til handritafræða og til íslenskrar bókmenntasögu og niðurstöðurnar varpa ljósi á flókin endurritunarferli og viðtökur sem einkenna bókmenntalandslagið á Íslandi eftir siðbreytingu.
Folklore as Intellectual Property: Attempts to Create an International Convention to Protect Traditional Culture
(University of Iceland, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Anthropology and Folkloristics, 2026-03-19) Karlsson, Áki Guðni; Valdimar Tr. Hafstein; Félagsfræði-, mannfræði- og þjóðfræðideild; Faculty of Social Sciences, Anthropology and Folkloristics; Félagsvísindasvið; School of Social Sciences
This dissertation is a study of approaches to the protection of traditional cultural expressions as intellectual property, debated at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) since 2001. The research focuses on the history of intellectual property for traditional culture, and the various ways in which the debate is framed. I analyse these frames in the context of geopolitical power struggles and groups fighting for cultural self-determination, while identifying stakeholder interests and the key actors involved. Based on my findings, I argue that the difficulty of defining traditional cultural expressions as intellectual property derives from the way intellectual property was conceived, by distinguishing modern art and the modern bourgeois artist, mostly based in the metropoles of European empires, from traditional art, created by people living in the provinces and colonies of the former. Intellectual property regulations created a situation where the former category of artists was able to benefit financially by creating art derived from the latter, but not the other way around. This imbalance lies at the root of repeated attempts to accommodate traditional culture within current standards of intellectual property. I argue that without substantial revision of those standards, such attempts are doomed to fail. My research is based on participant observation at meetings of WIPO’s Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) in Geneva, Switzerland, in depth interviews with its delegates, as well as an extensive study of related historical archives, to lay bare the genealogy of these 21st century debates in the context of the legal, cultural, and political history of the 20th century, as well as the intertwined histories of copyright and the field of folklore in the 19th century. This brought me to examine the long document trail left by decades of meetings, while focusing on the current talks in the IGC. I have attempted to identify the voices behind different policy positions. I have also endeavoured to trace the development of these positions, which sometimes extend far back in time. In many parts of the world, we find examples of conflict between people involved in traditional cultures that fall outside the purview of intellectual property law, and people whose cultural productions and inventions are directly derived from these traditions yet are protected as intellectual property. The rift that was put between these two types of creativity, is also the founding moment of “folklore” as a concept dedicated to the traditional arts. While attempts to settle the matter within WIPO have at the time of writing (in 2025) largely been in vain, the long intergovernmental debate (extending back more than 60 years) has led to several international conventions related to folklore, traditional culture vi and traditional knowledge, and a proliferation of literature dealing with the concept of cultural property from the standpoint of different scholarly disciplines. The present study is my contribution to a growing field of inquiry related to fundamental questions of cultural rights, cultural property, the possibility of balanced cultural exchanges, and the place and value of tradition in modern society.
Landslag í mótun: Örnefni og ferli nafngifta í Surtsey
(Háskóli Íslands, verkfræði og náttúruvísindasvið, líf- og umhverfisvísindasvið, 0026-03-04) Lárusdóttir, Birna; Edda R. H. Waage; Líf- og umhverfisvísindadeild (HÍ); Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences (UI); Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI)
Markmið rannsóknarinnar er að varpa ljósi á örnefni sem hreyfanlegt og síbreytilegt afl og að draga upp mynd af því hvernig þessi hreyfanleiki hefur áhrif á landslag og sýn okkar á það. Nafngiftaferlið er í forgrunni, þ.e. að skoða hvernig örnefni og söfn örnefna verða til í tengslum við ýmsa aðra þætti. Til að draga fram inntak örnefnahugtaksins og hvernig það hefur þróast í fræðilegu ljósi eru sögu örnefnarannsókna á Íslandi gerð skil. Grafist er fyrir um viðhorf til örnefna, nafngiftaferla og örnefnasöfnunar og þar með könnuð tilurð gagna um örnefni eins og við þekkjum þau. Þá eru þekkt nafngiftaferli úr nútímanum notuð til að auka skilning á því hvernig örnefni verða til, hvernig þau endurspegla og hafa áhrif á heimsmynd okkar og varpa ljósi á menningarlegt vald yfir landfræðilegu rými og stöðum. Aðalrannsóknarefnið er örnefni í Surtsey, en hún varð til í eldsumbrotum haustið 1963. Þar gefst fágætt tækifæri til að rannsaka örnefnamyndun í nýju landi frá upphafi, en byggt er á ýmiss konar ritheimildum, vettvangskönnun og viðtölum. Aðferðafræðilegur grunnur verkefnisins er þverfræðilegur og stuðst við nálganir úr menningarlandfræði, félagslegri örnefnafræði og heimspeki. Þannig er horft á félagslegt umhverfi örnefna og m.a. hvernig þau eru ekki alltaf hlutlausir merkimiðar heldur gildishlaðin og jafnvel hápólitísk
Early Pleistocene environment and climate of the Nihewan Basin, NE China
(University of Iceland, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Earth Sciences, 2026-03-02) Moghazi, Ahmed H.; Steffen Mischke; Jarðvísindadeild (HÍ); Faculty of Earth Sciences (UI); Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI)
The Nihewan Basin in northern China preserves abundant Early Pleistocene Palaeolithic sites and represents one of the earliest locations of hominins outside Africa. Sediments from three excavation trenches at the Dachangliang ridge in the northeastern part of the Nihewan Basin were investigated in the PhD study to reconstruct the environmental and climatic changes and assess their relationship with hominin activities during the Early Pleistocene. A multi-proxy approach was applied, integrating field-based observations with grain-size, magnetic susceptibility and ostracod assemblage (bivalved micro-crustacean) analyses, as well as parameterized grain-size end-member modeling, cyclostratigraphic analysis and stable isotope analysis of ostracod shells (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values). The studied sediments were mostly interpreted as fluvially reworked, originally aeolian deposits which accumulated through six depositional cycles, alternating between dominantly a wetland with periods of lake and alluvial plain settings. The grain-size distributions of the synthetic NH-T composite section were attributed to a mixture of four distinct end members (EMs 1-4). EMs 1-3 were used to infer the history of East Asian winter/summer monsoons (EAWM/EASM) in the region. Inferred EASM conditions dominated during periods from ca. 1.66-1.62 Ma, 1.52-1.25 Ma and after 0.82 Ma, whereas EAWM conditions prevailed from ca. 1.62-1.52 Ma and during the Mid-Pleistocene transition (MPT) 1.25-0.82 Ma. The unexpectedly high δ¹⁸O-δ¹³C covariance suggests that the basin was mostly hydrologically closed, and waters affected by evaporation. Hydrological state shifts between more standing and flowing waters were detected. Assessed together with the synthetic archaeological record, hominins apparently occupied the basin during periods of prevailing EASM climate and more standing waters. Collectively, these insights refine our current perspectives of the favorable and less favorable climatic conditions that shaped the Early Pleistocene hominin activities in the region. Thus, this study establishes a foundation for continued research on the palaeoenvironments of Early Pleistocene hominins in East Asia.
Renewable conversion of CO2 to green fuels
(University of Iceland, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Physical Science, 2026-03-16) Ashraf, Naveed; Dr Younes Abghoui; Raunvísindadeild (HÍ); Physics (UI); Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI)
The excessive release of greenhouse gases has significantly endangered the Earth's ecosystem and resulted in major environmental impacts. The increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) from fossil fuel usage disturb natural cycles, increase global warming, cause glacial melting, and lead to climate change. Therefore, prompt actions are required to capture CO2 and transform it into renewable energy fuels to mitigate this problem. For decades, researchers and scientists have pursued the development of systems that can capture CO2 and transform it into valuable chemical molecules. Several techniques exist for the conversion of CO2 into valuable products, including biochemical, thermochemical, and photochemical processes; however, electrochemical approaches are particularly advantageous as they can utilize renewable energy, hence reducing the degradation of the environment. Electrocatalysis is considered a key and efficient technique for the sustainable generation of fuels and chemicals from renewable energy sources. These technologies not only diminish atmospheric CO2 levels but also serve as effective methods to meet the rapidly increasing energy demands by converting the captured CO2 into a fuel such as methane, methanol, ethanol, etc. in a renewable manner. This thesis employed the state-of-the-art Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to model more than 30 different surfaces in the rock-salt structured transition metal carbides (TMC) and in three dominant facets of (100), (110), and (111) as catalyst material for CO2 reduction reactions (CO2RR) and carbon monoxide reduction reactions (CORR). In addition to the conventional mechanism, the Mars van Krevelen (MvK) mechanism was investigated, a mechanism that is unique for these TMCs due to their crystallographic compositions. For CO2 reduction via a conventional mechanism, the (100) facet of vanadium carbide (VC) was found to enable formic acid production at an onset potential of 0.0 V. The (100) facet of wolfram carbide (WC) was identified as showing high activity for methanol synthesis at -0.36 V. From the (110) facets, tantalum carbide (TaC) demonstrated outstanding activity for C1 products, enabling formic acid formation at 0.0 V and methane formation at -0.21 V. The VC (110) facets showed relatively high activity for formic acid (-0.36 V) and methanol (-0.50 V) formation. The WC (110) was found to be a better option for generating C2 products, such as ethanol, ethane, and ethylene, with a comparatively low onset potential of -0.65 V. For CORR, our study demonstrates that CO is exergonically adsorbed on the surface of carbides, where TaC (100) and TaC (110) were predicted to have catalytic activity for methane formation at -0.32 V and -0.26 V, respectively. Overall, the analysis of CO2 and CO adsorption indicates that CO adsorption is more exergonic than CO2, hence making CORR more interesting than CO2RR on TMC catalysts. In addition, the (111) facets were found less interesting for CO2 reduction when compared with (100) and (110) facets.
Exploring the Gap Between Clinical Trials and Real World Practice in Psoriatic Arthritis
(University of Iceland, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, 2026-02-13) Palsson, Olafur; Björn Guðbjörnsson, Meliha C Kapetanovic; Læknadeild (HÍ); Faculty of Medicine (UI); Heilbrigðisvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Health Sciences (UI)
Sóragigt er langvinnur, mögulega alvarlegur bólgusjúkdómur í liðum tengdur húðsjúkdómnum psoriasis. Hann getur haft djúpar og langvarandi afleiðingar, bæði fyrir sjúklinga sem þjást af honum og fyrir samfélagið. Eftirlit og meðferð sóragigtar er afar fjölþætt og getur þarfnast þverfaglegs samstarfs. Meðferðarleiðbeiningar við sóragigt byggja að miklu leyti á niðurstöðum slembiraðaðra tvíblindra rannsókna, en við vitum að einungis um þriðjungur sjúklinga uppfyllir inntökuskilyrðin í rannsóknirnar, oft vegna aldurs eða of lítillar sjúkdómsvirkni við inntöku. Í fyrstu greininni sýnum við fram á að sjúklingar með sóragigt sem uppfylla ekki inntökuskilyrði slembiraðaðra rannsókna á líftæknilyfjum fá jafn mikinn ávinning af slíkum lyfjum og halda áfram notkun þeirra í sama mæli eins og þeir sem uppfylla inntökuskilyrðin. Einn þáttur meðferðar við sóragigt er að stilla langvinna liðverki. Bólgueyðandi gigtarlyf eru hornsteinn verkjameðferðar sóragigtar en af þeim er hægt að fá aukaverkanir sem geta jafnvel verið alvarlegar. Í annarri greininni sýnum við fram á að við upphaf líftæknilyfjameðferðar með TNF hemlum minnkar notkunin á bólgueyðandi gigtarlyfjum um 40-50%. Þetta gefur til kynna óbeinan öryggisávinning af því að hefja slíka meðferð. Markmið meðferðar við sóragigt er að upphefja öll einkenni og teikn um sjúkdóminn ef það er hægt, með öðrum orðum að koma sjúklingum í sjúkdómshlé, helst án nokkurra aukaverkana meðferðar. Að ná og viðhalda sjúkdómshlé yfir lengri tíma, svo kallað viðvarandi sjúkdómshlé, hefur sýnt sig bæta langtímahorfur í iktsýki í gegnum aukið líkamlegt hreysti, betri lífsgæði og minni þróun liðskemmda. Áhrif viðvarandi sjúkdómshlés hefur hingað til ekki verið mikið rannsakað í sóragigt. Í þriðju og fjórðu greininni skoðum við tíðni viðvarandi sjúkdómshlés og forspárþætti fyrir því bæði í Svíþjóð og á Íslandi. Þrátt fyrir gott aðgengi að lyfjameðferðum upplifir helmingur sjúklinga aldrei sjúkdómshlé og færri en þriðjungur þeirra fá viðvarandi sjúkdómshlé. Karlkyn og minni þreyta við upphaf meðferðar spá fyrir betri líkum á að ná viðvarandi sjúkdómshlé.
Exploration of microbial communities from Icelandic marine waters using metagenomics
(University of Iceland, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, 2024-12-18) Jégousse, Clara; Viggó Þór Marteinsson, María Guðjónsdóttir; Matvæla- og næringarfræðideild (HÍ); Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition (UI); Heilbrigðisvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Health Sciences (UI)
Marine microorganisms are vital in maintaining ocean health by supporting food webs and regulating biogeochemical cycles. The ocean around Iceland, where warm Atlantic and cold Arctic currents meet, is a unique marine environment. While primary production in Icelandic waters has been monitored since the 1950s with microscopy and satellite imaging, molecular insights into microbial taxonomic and metabolic diversity remain limited. This thesis investigates the microbial communities in Icelandic marine waters using metagenomics. The main objectives were to find out what species can be detected in Icelandic marine waters? in what proportions? what is their potential function in the marine ecosystem? and how do environmental factors shape their distribution? The findings of this thesis offer insights into the relationships between microbial communities and their environments, establishing a foundation for future research. The publicly available datasets from this study serve as a baseline, supporting ecosystem modelling and sustainable management of Icelandic marine waters in a changing climate.
The immunomodulatory role of LL-37 in the pathogenesis of psoriasis
(University of Iceland, School of Health Science, Faculty of Medicine, 2025-03-14) Sigurgrimsdottir, Hildur; Björn Rúnar Lúðvíksson, Jóna Freysdóttir; Læknadeild (HÍ); Faculty of Medicine (UI); Heilbrigðisvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Health Sciences (UI)
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease of the skin, and the most common form, plaque psoriasis, is characterized by raised, well-demarcated, erythematous plaques with adherent silvery scales. The immunopathogenesis has a mixed Th1 and Th17 inflammatory profile, and keratinocytes in the basal layer of the skin hyperproliferate and do not mature properly, causing elongated rete ridges and parakeratosis. Alterations in the immune biomarker microenvironment accompany the pathogenesis of psoriasis, both in skin and blood. LL-37 is an anti-microbial peptide of the innate immune system that has extensive immunomodulatory functions besides having an anti-microbial function. LL-37 takes part in the induction of psoriasis, with a potential role as an autoantigen. In this project, we wanted to further define the immunomodulatory effect of LL-37 upon various immune biomarker secretion by keratinocytes and white blood cells. Blood and skin samples were obtained from psoriasis patients undergoing phototherapy. When analysed, the results corroborated the role of T17 cells, both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, as the percentage of Th17 and Tc17 cells was reduced following phototherapy. In addition, the reduction of Th17 cells positively correlated with both PASI and the histological Trozak score. Within the skin, the number of T cells reduced with psoriasis treatment, and the intensity of immunofluorescent staining of IL-17 in the dermis correlated to the PASI score. There was also a reduction in the percentage of skin-homing CLA+ T cells, both in T17 cells and T22 cells, as well as in CD103+CLA+ skin-homing T cells. Further phenotypic analysis of these skin-homing T cells in psoriasis patients was performed by measuring the expression of the chemokine receptors CXCR3, CCR4, and CCR6. Two groups of CXCR3 expressing T cells were observed, expressing high or intermediate levels, and these two groups were subsequently analysed separately. Different chemokine receptor expression patterns emerged when T cells were subtyped based on the expression of CLA and CD103. When peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were stimulated in vitro with two distinct stimulations mimicking the Th1 and Th17 microenvironment, various biomarker secretory patterns emerged, particularly in association with the presence of LL-37. Due to the differences in CXCR3hi expression of T cells between psoriasis patients and healthy controls (HC), their functional capacity was analysed further. CXCR3hiCD4+ T cells cultured using Th1 and Th17 stimulation, secreted lower levels of IL-10, CXCL8, and IL-1β than CXCR3negCD4+ T cells. The pathogenesis of psoriasis is in part driven by the secretion of immune biomarkers by keratinocytes. Thus, given the above findings, investigation of their inflammatory profile in the same immunomodulatory microenvironment as for the PBMC was performed, focusing on LL-37. The results demonstrate that primary keratinocytes secrete a wide array of chemokines, growth factors, and cytokines that can be significantly affected by Th1 and Th17-driven stimulation. Furthermore, their immune biomarker fingerprinting was frequently altered in the presence of LL-37. In many instances, LL-37 reduced the secretion of immune biomarkers when added to Th1 stimulation as compared to Th1 stimulation alone. Under Th1 and Th17 inflammatory stimulation, LL-37 modulated the secretion of keratinocytes towards a more inflammatory response by increasing secretion of CXCL8 and IL-1β and decreasing secretion of IL-10. In addition, LL-37 also affected the intracellular signalling pathways of keratinocytes by decreasing the phosphorylation of ERK1/2. When the expression of LL-37 in psoriatic skin was analysed, a change in expression pattern of psoriasis patients was observed following treatment, from being distributed all over the epidermis to being defined to the basal layer as also was found in HC skin biopsies. Taken together, this research details the changes in circulatory T cells and the microenvironment in psoriatic plaques, both at cellular and molecular levels, that occur concomitant to phototherapy. We document the secretory potential of PBMCs and keratinocytes of immune biomarkers after stimulation that mimics the psoriasis microenvironment. Furthermore, the immunomodulatory properties of LL-37 on secretion and intracellular signalling pathway activation are described, both in keratinocytes and PBMCs, as well as the biological expression of LL-37 in psoriatic skin. A more detailed understanding of the fundamental pathways that contribute to the pathogenesis of psoriasis is a driving force in more focused therapy. The effects of immunomodulatory agents such as LL-37 need to be mapped out in diverse biological mimicking situations, and we think that we have contributed to this field. This research adds to the basic knowledge regarding the pathogenesis of psoriasis, concerning cellular and molecular changes occurring following psoriasis treatment, and what effects different inflammatory microenvironments and LL-37 have thereon.
Intertwined Threads: The Value and Function of Vaðmál as Cloth and Money, and Beyond
(University of Iceland, School of Humanities, Faculty of Philosophy, History and Archaeology, 2026-02) Korten, Meghan Anne; Sverrir Jakobsson; Deild heimspeki, sagnfræði og fornleifafræði (HÍ); Faculty of Philosophy, History and Archaeology (UI); Hugvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Humanities (UI)
Vaðmál was the main commodity currency and trade good of medieval Iceland but also a pragmatic fabric for clothing and other textile needs. While previous scholarship has focussed on vaðmál ́s role in the economy and gendered labour relations, this study considers how the material qualities of this textile impacted its value as currency and export good, but also its role as a social object used in display and extra-economic exchange. In doing so, it investigates the economic, social, and cultural impact of vaðmál. It aims to demonstrate an expanded understanding of vaðmál to mean a material, economic, and social object, which in turn reveals intertwined connections between the different sectors of the home, the political, the social, gender, the economic, and international exchange. Focussing on written evidence from the late eleventh to late fourteenth century, this dissertation uses a close reading of the Íslendingasögur, samtíðarsögur, Grágás and Jónsbók, and máldagar, charters, and annals to determine the intended meaning of vaðmál via specific terms (vaðmál, vara, varavoð, söluvoð, hafnarvoð, gjaldavað, and mórent) to gauge the function and context of use to categorize by function and subsequent value. The main findings of this project are that all five functions—material, aesthetic, fungibility, biography, and expense and exclusivity—demonstrate an intertwined meaning of cloth and money that are not easily distinguished from each other, especially when considering the chaîne opératoire and stages of consumption of a textile object, and these functions reflect the needs and desires of this medieval society. Vaðmál’s impact is that it was a tool used by people to meet goals and to help them live their lives: it was an object used to differentiation in social relations, used to form relationships, used to communicate identity and status within society, and use to connect Iceland to markets and cultures abroad through trade. Vaðmál was a complex textile imbued with multiple social and economic meanings, separately or at the same time and by the same or different people, which ultimately show cooperation for survival and success, but also to establish position and prestige in society.
Challenges and responses of the Nile perch fishery to evolving policies and resource base on Lake Victoria with emphasis on Uganda.
(University of Iceland, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Economics, 2026-01-16) Mpomwenda, Veronica; Daði Már Kristófersson, Jón Geir Pétursson; Hagfræðideild (HÍ); Faculty of Economics (UI); Félagsvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Social Sciences (UI)
This thesis contains an analysis of Lake Victoria´s Small-Scale Fishery (SSF), aiming to provide a novel perspective and framework for understanding this intricate and dynamic system. The thesis is dedicated to evaluating the Nile perch fishery in Lake Victoria, focusing on the evolution of fishing patterns, adaptation strategies, and the effectiveness of fishery management institutions in implementing existing policies and legislation. The research focuses on Uganda in three out of four papers, while in the first paper, the technical efficiency of the Nile perch fishery provides a comparison among the three riparian countries. Data sources include Catch Assessment and Frame Survey datasets from the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO) and the National Fisheries Resources Research Institute databases, fishery export data, and crosssectional qualitative and quantitative survey data. Quantitative data, organized as panel datasets, are employed to analyse fish catch, fishing effort, and Nile perch exports, while qualitative data obtained through interviews with fishers and law enforcement officials supplement the available quantitative data. Data analysis methods vary depending on the objectives of each paper, including descriptive statistics and econometric analysis. Using diverse datasets, the thesis addresses four primary objectives across four papers. Paper I delves into the analysis of the technical efficiency of the Nile perch fishing fleet on Lake Victoria across Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, highlighting the significant increase in the number of motorized vessels, particularly in Uganda, alongside a decline in paddled vessels due to stringent law enforcement targeting illegal gear and vessel sizes. Paper II examines fishersperspectives on future fisheries management regimes in the context of the current military intervention on Lake Victoria. Paper III analyses trends in fishing effort and catch variables among gillnet fishers on Lake Victoria, emphasizing adaptive strategies employed, based on the Nile perch population structure and economic needs, while underscoring the necessity of considering fisher behaviour in policymaking for sustainable resource use and livelihood development. Paper IV investigates the effects of transitioning from cooperation to coercion in managing the Nile perch fishery in Uganda's Lake Victoria, highlighting concerns regarding declining catches and overcapacity in the motorized fleet. The study underscores the importance of tailored policies addressing regional economic disparities and the complex interplay between fisher behaviour, regulatory compliance, and resource health, referred to as the biological condition of the fishery resource and the broader ecological state of the lake.
Kynferðisleg áreitni og ofbeldi í starfs- og námsumhverfi á meðal íslenskra kvenna: Áfallasaga kvenna
(University of Iceland, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, 2026-01-22) Jónsdóttir, Svava Dögg; Arna Hauksdóttir; Læknadeild (HÍ); Faculty of Medicine (UI); Heilbrigðisvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Health Sciences (UI)
Bakgrunnur og markmið: Kynferðisleg áreitni og ofbeldi i starfs- og námsumhverfi er alvarlegt lýðheilsuvandamál sem getur haft víðtæk áhrif á heilsu og starfsferil kvenna. Þrátt fyrir vaxandi þekkingu á algengi slíkra upplifana skortir enn þýðisrannsóknir sem kanna áhættuþætti og tengsl við andlega heilsu. Markmið þessarar ritgerðar var að kanna algengi kynferðislegs ofbeldis á vinnustað meðal íslenskra kvenna, tengsl við andleg og líkamleg einkenni, og tengsl við ávísanir á lyfseðilsskyld lyfja í kjölfarið. Til að svara rannsóknarspurningunum voru gerðar þrjár rannsóknir: Rannsókn I skoðaði algengi kynferðislegs ofbeldis á vinnustað eftir lýðfræðilegum þáttum og starfsgreinum. Rannsókn II skoðaði tengsl kynferðislegs ofbeldis á vinnustað við andlega og líkamlega heilsu. Rannsókn IIIs kannaði hvort konur sem hafa orðið fyrir kynferðislegu ofbeldi á vinnustað væru líklegri til að tarshefja meðferð með þunglyndislyfjum, kvíðastillandi- og svefnlyfjum eða verkjalyfjum en konur sem ekki urðu fyrir slíkri reynslu. Efniviður og aðferðir: Í rannsókn I og II var notast við gögn úr rannsókninni Áfallasaga kvenna sem framkvæmd var frá 1. mars 2018 til 1. júlí 2019. Þátttakendur voru íslenskar konur á aldrinum 18–69 ára sem svöruðu spurningalista á netinu sem innihélt, auk bakgrunnspurninga, spurningu um kynferðislega áreitni og ofbeldi á vinnustað (núverandi, fyrri, eða bæði) og spurningar sem sneru að andlegri líðan (t.d. PHQ-9, GAD-7, PSQI, WMH-CIDI). Í rannsókn III voru þessi gögn einnig tengd við gögn úr Lyfjagagnagrunni (þunglyndislyf, kvíðastillandi/svefnlyf og verkjalyf). Tvíkosta-, Poisson- og Cox-aðhvarfsgreiningar voru notaðar til að meta tengsl kynferðislegs ofbeldis á vinnustað við ýmsa heilsufarsþætti, þar á meðal staðlaðar mælingar á andlegri og líkamlegri heilsu, og nýjar lyfjaávísanir á lyfseðilsskyld lyf. Líkön voru leiðrétt fyrir lýðfræðilegum þáttum á borð við aldur, hjúskaparstöðu, menntun og tekjur, auk vinnutíma og áföllum í æsku eftir því sem við á í hverri rannsókn. Niðurstöður: Alls tóku 30.403 konur þátt og var hlutfall þeirra sem luku spurningalistanum um það bil 88%. Rannsókn I: Spurningunni um útsetningu fyrir kynferðislegu ofbeldi á vinnustað var bætt við 4. maí 2018 og 15.799 konur fengu spurninguna lagða fyrir og svöruðu henni. 5.291 (33,5%) höfðu upplifað slíkt einhvern tímann, og 1.178 (7,5%) höfðu upplifað það í núverandi starfi. Núverandi áreitni/ofbeldi var algengast meðal ungra kvenna (18–24 ára: PR 3,89; 95% CI 2,66–5,71), einhleypra kvenna (PR 1,27 [CI 1,12–1,43]) og kvenna í vaktavinnu (PR 2,32 [CI 2,02–2,67]). Starfsgreinar með hæsta algengi voru meðal opinberra aðila (15,67%), kvenna í ferðaþjónustu (15,01%) og innan dómskerfis og öryggisgeira (13,56%). Samkynhneigðar og tvíkynhneigðar konur voru líklegri til að hafa orðið fyrir kynferðislegu ofbeldi á vinnustað en gagnkynhneigðar konur (PR 1,35 [CI 1,24–1,46]). Rannsókn II: Kynferðislegt ofbeldi á vinnustað tengdist auknu algengi á þunglyndi (PR 1,50), kvíða (PR 1,49), félagsfælni (PR 1,62), sjálfsskaða (PR 1,86), sjálfsvígshugsunum (PR 1,68), sjálfsvígstilraunum (PR 1,99), ofdrykkju (PR 1,10), svefnvandamálum (PR 1,41), líkamlegum einkennum (PR 1,59) og veikindafjarvistum (PR 1,20). Rannsókn III: Meðal 15.812 kvenna í langtímaeftirfylgd yfir 4,5 ár, voru nýjar lyfjaávísanir skráðar hjá 16,9% óútsettra og 20,2% útsettra fyrir þunglyndislyfjum, 17,2% vs. 20,1% fyrir kvíðastillandi/svefnlyf og 45,4% vs. 48,1% fyrir verkjalyf. Konur sem höfðu orðið fyrir kynferðislegu ofbeldi á vinnustað höfðu aukna áhættu á að fá ávísun á þunglyndislyf (HR 1,17 [CI 1,06–1,29]), kvíðastillandi/svefnlyf (HR 1,18 [CI 1,08–1,30]) og verkjalyf (HR 1,10 [CI 1,02–1,18]), þó tengslin dvínuðu eftir leiðréttingu fyrir áföll í æsku. Ályktanir: Kynferðislegt ofbeldi á vinnustað virðist algengt meðal kvenna í norrænu velferðarsamfélagi og tengist fjölbreyttum heilsufarsvandamálum og aukinni notkun lyfseðilsskyldra lyfja. Niðurstöðurnar undirstrika mikilvægi stefnumótunar og aðgerða til að koma í veg fyrir ofbeldi á vinnustöðum og bæta öryggi og geðheilsu kvenna. Frekari rannsóknir ættu að kanna hvernig áföll í æsku móta viðkvæmni kvenna gagnvart slíkum upplifunum og áhrifum þeirra á heilsu.
Mælskur af bræði. Reiði, heimsveldi og nýlenduminni í íslenskum nútímabókmenntum.
(University of Iceland, School of Humanities, Faculty of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies, 2026-01-14) Hjörvar, Rósa María; Gunnþórunn Guðmundsdóttir; Íslensku- og menningardeild (HÍ); Faculty of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies (UI); Hugvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Humanities (UI)
Markmið þessarar ritgerðar er að rannsaka hlutverk og birtingarmyndir reiðinnar í íslenskum samtímabókmenntum og öðlast dýpri skilning á því hvernig reiði er mótandi og mótuð af menningarlegu valdi, frásagnarvaldi og tengslum miðju og jaðars. Rannsóknin byggist á greiningu þriggja skáldsagna: Tómas Jónsson metsölubók (1966) eftir Guðberg Bergsson, Innansveitarkroniku (1970) eftir Halldór Laxness og Höfundur Íslands (2001) eftir Hallgrím Helgason. Í þessum verkum er reiðin greind sem lykilþáttur í samtali um þjóðernishyggju, mótun þjóðarsjálfs og stöðu einstaklingsins í samfélagi þar sem forræði og hugmyndum um karlmennsku og frásögn. Megináhersla er lögð á að kanna samband reiði og sjálfsmyndar, reiði og kyngervis, og reiði og ímyndar eftirlenduþjóðar. Í því skyni er reiðin sett í samhengi við kenningar innan eftirlendufræða og tilfinningafræða, þar sem hún er skoðuð sem tilfinningalegt afl sem getur bæði styrkt og veikt mótstöðu gegn ríkjandi hugmyndafræði. Með því að nota greiningarhugtök frá meðal annars Frantz Fanon, Gayatri Spivak, Judith Butler og Homi K. Bhabha er reynt að varpa ljósi á það hvernig reiði virkar sem birtingarmynd togstreitu milli nýlendu og nýlenduherra, miðju og jaðars, ríkjandi frásagna og andófs, með því að setja spurningamerki við gjörning þjóðernis, karlmennsku og frásagnar. Í öllum þremur verkum er karl aðalpersóna sem tekst á við það að vera miðja í eigin frásögn, á meðan formgerðir verkanna grafa undan sjálfri hugmyndinni um miðju. Þessi togstreita veldur reiði og afhjúpar mismunandi hliðar hins reiða manns. Í ritgerðinni er sett fram hugtakið grótesk reiði til að lýsa þeirri sérstöku tegund reiðitjáningar sem tekist er á um í verkunum. Grótesk reiði brýtur niður hefðbundin lögmál tilfinninga og frásagnartækni; hún er ofsafull og andófskennd, óstöðug, ómarkviss og oft tengd háði. Þessi reiði er ekki beinlínis siðferðilega réttlætanleg eða miðlunarhæf, heldur opnar hún nýjar leiðir til að tjá upplausn sjálfsmyndar, kynbundinnar stöðu og þjóðarímyndar innan skáldsagnanna. Hún truflar, afbyggir og krefst nýrra túlkunarleiða. Með greiningu á þessum þremur verkum er ætlunin að sýna hvernig íslenskar nútímabókmenntir nýta reiði sem birtingarmynd andófs og sjálfsskoðunar og hvernig þær varpa ljósi á valdakerfi, karllæga þjóðernismýtur og skáldsöguformið sjálft. Reiðin er ekki aðeins viðfangsefni, heldur einnig frásagnarleg aðferð sem beitt er meðvitað og markvisst af höfundum sem vilja endurskilgreina tengsl Íslands við fortíð sína, sjálfsmynd sína og stöðu sína í menningarlegu samhengi. 2 Verkefnið reynir þannig að tala inn í umræðu um tilfinningar í bókmenntum, sérstaklega í ljósi eftirlendufræða, og opnar fyrir nýja túlkun á íslenskum nútímabókmenntum sem vettvangi tilfinningalegrar og frásagnabundnu andófi.
Ordering in multistable magnetic nanostructures
(University of Iceland, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Physical Sciences, 2026-01-16) Schrautzer, Hendrik; Pavel F. Bessarab; Raunvísindadeild (HÍ); Faculty of Physical Sciences (UI); Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI)
Magnetic nanosystems hosting co-existing localized magnetic textures beyond skyrmions are of great interest for fundamental science and technological applications, but their characterization is challenging due to the complexity of the energy surface. This energy surface is uniquely determined by the underlying interactions between magnetic moments and can exhibit numerous local minima associated with metastable states. Within harmonic transition state theory or Kramers/Langer theory, the identification of first-order saddle points on this surface is essential for calculating transition rates between metastable states and thus for quantitative assessment of the thermal stability of localized magnetic structures. In this work, a theoretical framework is developed and implemented that enables the systematic identification of first-order saddle points on the energy surface of magnetic systems. In contrast to methods based on finding minimum energy paths, the developed approach does not require prior knowledge of the final state of the transitions. The approach does not rely on phenomenological models and subjective assumptions, thereby opens the door for highly predictive simulations of long time-scale thermal dynamics of multistable magnetic systems and systematic sampling of the energy surface based on recursive traversing between energy minima via saddle points. The methodology is applied to various systems capable of hosting a large diversity of localized magnetic textures including two- and three-dimensional chiral magnets and transition-metal ultrathin film and multilayer systems. In particular, a hierarchy of transition mechanism universal for various topological textures in two-dimensional chiral magnets is discovered and the interplay between the topology of a texture and its thermodynamically accessible collapse paths is investigated. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that long-range dipole-dipole interactions lead to a vastly increasing complexity of transition mechanisms of three-dimensional textures such as chiral bobbers, skyrmion tubes, and globules. In ultrathin transition metal systems, prototypical for applications, the method reveals that higher-order exchange interactions can strongly enhance the lifetime of skyrmions and antiskyrmions. Together with the presented applications, the developed methodology constitutes an important advancement for the theoretical prediction of the long time-scale magnetization dynamics and characterization of the energy surface of complex, technologically relevant magnetic systems
Cell factory and cell-free conversion of brown seaweed into valuable compounds by metabolic engineering
(University of Iceland, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, 2026-01-09) Moenaert, Antoine; Snædís Huld Björnsdóttir; Líf- og umhverfisvísindadeild (HÍ); Faculty of life and environnmental sciences (UI); Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI)
In the context of fossil fuel shortage and the need for more sustainability, recent emphasis has been put on finding new biomasses suitable for biotechnological applications, such as brown seaweed. They are the most abundant seaweed in Northern Europe and contain laminarin and alginate as main carbohydrates. The aim of this study was to utilize this biomass as a feedstock for microorganisms, using metabolic engineering, both in vivo and in vitro, to improve conversion of these carbohydrates to value-added products. The anaerobic thermophilic bacteria Thermoanaerobacterium AK17 was used as a cell factory and engineered to produce ethanol as the sole fermentation product. The resulting strain AM6 reached an ethanol yield close to the maximum theoretical yield (95%), using mannitol, glucose and oligosaccharides from seaweed hydrolysate. Further genetic manipulations could increase the productivity of this new strain, by enabling the use of alginate and by increasing the ethanol tolerance. A cell-free approach was also considered, and a cascading enzymes reaction was designed to produce KDG, a precursor for bioplastic production, from alginate and laminarin, using different thermophilic enzymes. After fine tuning various enzymatic parameters, such as pH and temperature, KDG could be produced from alginate, but further optimizations are needed to produce it also from laminarin. In this context, a gene encoding a novel laminarinase was cloned and the recombinant enzyme characterized. Overall, this study is a proof of concept for brown seaweed valorization using metabolic engineering and paves the way toward a more sustainable world.
Poetiske fortællinger i traumatiske tider. Om jordiske relationer, resonans, bearbejdelse og alternative levemåder i dansk samtidslitteratur og samtidskunst.
(University of Iceland, School of Humanities, Faculty of Languages and Cultures, 2026-01-08) Sigurðardóttir, Sigrún Alba; Gísli Magnússon; Mála- og menningardeild (HÍ); Faculty of Languages and Cultures (UI); Hugvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Humanities (UI)
Doktorsritgerðin fjallar um jarðnesk tengsl, samsveiflu (þ. Räsonanz), trámaúrvinnslu og hugmyndir um annars konar lifnaðarhætti í dönskum samtímabókmenntum og samtímamyndlist. Kenning mín er að loftslagsbreytingar, og þær loftslagshamfarir sem nú eiga sér stað, hafi orsakað trámatískt rof í ríkjandi hugmyndaheimi og því þekkingarrými (fr. épistémè) sem við búum við í dag. Með hugtakinu þekkingarrými, sem sótt er til franska heimspekingsins Michel Foucault, er átt við möguleika og takmarkanir hugsunarinnar hverju sinni. Í ritgerðinni eru færð rök fyrir því að sú breyting á hugarfari sem hið trámatíska rof hefur orsakað endurspeglist á markverðan hátt í dönskum samtímabókmenntum og samtímalist. Í stað þess að líta til verka sem á augljósan hátt vilja vekja til umhugsunar um loftslagsbreytingar og hafa áhrif á hegðun fólks er sjónum beint að verkum sem bregðast við ástandinu á hljóðlegan og ljóðrænan hátt sem ég skilgreini sem ljóðrænar frásagnir. Hugtakið um ljóðrænar frásagnir hef ég þróað á grunni fræðitexta og kenninga sem sóttar eru til fyrirbærafræðinganna Hartmut Rosa og Gaston Bachelard, sem og frásagnakenninga Walters Benjamin. Ég nota hugtakið til að sýna fram á hvernig hægt er að vinna markvisst með vitund um jarðnesk tengsl og samsveiflu í listum og bókmenntum, og hvernig ljóðrænar frásagnir geti gagnast okkur við að bæði skynja og skilja heiminn, vinna úr trámatískum upplifunum, hugsa út frá öðrum forsendum en þeim sem við höfum tekið í arf, efla sköpunarkraft og sjá fyrir okkur aðra mögulega lifnaðarhætti. Í þessu samhengi fjalla ég um og greini verk eftir listamennina Astrid Kruse Jensen, Trine Søndergaard, Mathias Svold og Ulrik Hasemann, sem öll vinna með ljósmyndun í verkum sínum, ásamt Rune Bosse sem vinnur einkum með innsetningar og skúlptúra. Flest verkin sem ég tek til umfjöllunar eru frá tímabilinu 2017-2024. Ljóðrænar frásagnir leika einnig hlutverk þegar kemur að greiningu minni á því hvernig danskir listamenn og rithöfundar hafa unnið úr því tráma sem loftslagsbreytingar hafa skapað. Í þessu samhengi skoða ég ítarlega verk eftir rithöfundana Solvej Balle og Theis Ørntoft, en fjalla einnig um Har døden taget noget fra dig så giv det tilbage eftir Naju Marie Aidt og ljósmyndaverkið The Evening Before eftir Astrid Kruse Jensen til að útskýra þátt frásagnarinnar í trámatískri úrvinnslu. Ég færi rök fyrir því að verk Theis Ørntoft, ljóðasafnið Digte 2014 (2014) og skáldsögurnar Solar (2018) og Jordisk (2023), megi lesa sem samhangandi trámaúrvinnslu á því ástandi sem loftlagshamfarir og umhverfiskrísa hafa skapað, og sýni jafnframt fram á hvernig Ørntoft nýtir sér ýmsar kenningar um jarðnesk tengsl og annarskonar lifnaðarhætti í Jordisk um leið og hann varpar nýju ljósi á þær kenningar sem hann vinnur með. Í því samhengi er lögð sérstök áhersla á úrvinnslu hans á kenningum Donnu Haraway. Ég færi einnig rök fyrir því að lesa megi skáldsögu Solvej Balle, Om udregning af rumfang IV (2020-2023), sem uppbyggilega úrvinnslu á því trámatíska ástandi sem við búum við í dag, og sem tilraun til að ímynda sér líf í annars konar þekkingarrými. Eins og Balle sýnir fram á getur verið gagnlegt að hverfa frá línulegri hugsun um tímann, þar sem litið er á hvert skref sem framfaraskref, og skapa sér þess í stað rými til að hugsa hvernig við getum aðlagast nýjum heimkynnum og lifað í betri sátt við Jörðina. Við slíkar aðstæður skapast nýjar forsendur fyrir annars konar lifnaðarháttum þar sem markmiðið verður að viðhalda lífi, bæði sínu eigin og annarra, rækta tengsl, sýna umhyggju, safna frásögnum og vera til staðar í þeim tíma sem við óhjákvæmilega erum hluti af. Gagnrýni Walters Benjamin og Ursulu Le Guin á sögu sigurvegaranna, sem og gagnrýni þeirra á línulega framfarasögu, leikur stórt hlutverk í greiningu minni á skáldsögu Balle. Helsta niðurstaða ritgerðarinnar er sú að í Danmörku, þar sem náttúran er einstaklega viðkvæm og berskjölduð fyrir áhrifum loftslagsbreytinga, megi greina trámatísk viðbrögð við loftslagsbreytingum í bæði samtímabókmenntum og samtímalist. Í gegnum umfjöllun og greiningu á verkum eftir danska listamenn og rithöfunda er sýnt fram á hvernig uppbyggileg trámaúrvinnsla, sem meðal annars á sér stað í gegnum ljóðrænar frásagnir, getur átt virkan þátt í móta gagnrýnið viðhorf til mannmiðaðs hugsunarháttar og skapa möguleika til að endurhugsa jarðnesk tengsl og sjá fyrir sér annars konar lifnaðarhætti en við búum við í dag. Fyrir utan sálgreininguna og fyrirbærafræðina eru það einkum textar um jarðnesk tengsl eftir Bruno Latour, Donnu Haraway og Emanuele Coccia sem móta þann fræðilega og kenningalega grunn sem ritgerðin byggir á, auk skrifa Walters Benjamin um díalektískar myndir og frásagnir, hugtök Michels Foucault um þekkingarrými og heterótópíur, og hugtak Hartmuts Rosa um samsveiflu. Þar fyrir utan hafa textar eftir heimspekingana Jacques Derrida og Paul Ricoeur haft mikil áhrif á túlkun mína á kenningum sálgreiningarinnar um trámaúrvinnslu og þá sérstaklega um þátt frásagnarinnar í úrvinnslu trámatískra minninga.
Volcano-tectonic Controls on Ground Deformation across Temporal Scales: Insights from the Krafla Volcanic System, Iceland
(University of Iceland, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Earth Sciences, 2026) Yang, Yilin; Freysteinn Sigmundsson; Jarðvísindadeild (HÍ); Faculty of Earth Sciences (UI); Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI)
Measurements of ground movements in volcanic regions and interpretation of observed deformation is important for understanding of volcano behavior and their subsurface processes. Observed deformation often reflects the combined effects of multiple processes. The Krafla volcanic system in North Iceland lies at the divergent plate boundary between the North American and Eurasian plates. A rifting episode in 1975–1984, five decades of geothermal exploitation and extensive geodetic observations make Krafla an ideal natural laboratory to investigate volcano deformation across multiple temporal scales and explore underlying geophysical processes. For short-term deformation, a period of accelerated westward motion during 2014–2015 at Krafla is identified from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) time series using Bayesian inference. These deformation anomalies occurred concurrently with the near-field precursors of the 2014 Bárdarbunga dike intrusion, ~120 km to the south, indicating potential coupling between volcanic systems along the rift. For the decadal deformation associated with the 1975–1984 rifting episode, a revised numerical model of repeated dike intrusions is developed to incorporate realistic dike geometries and crustal behavior. The model reproduces first-order regularities of the 1975–1984 dike sequence and highlights the critical role of tectonic stress and topography in driving lateral dike propagation, allowing magma flow into dikes or eruptions under low pressure. For long-term deformation, velocity fields derived from GNSS (2002–2024) and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR; 2015–2023) constrain a six-segment plate boundary model for central Krafla. The inferred plate boundary central axis follows recent eruptive fissures and aligns with mapped fracture orientations. Locking depth variation along the fissure swarm implies a dome-shaped rheological transition. Residual velocities reveal three local deflation patterns related to geothermal activity and lava subsidence. Together, these results advance understanding of volcano-tectonic interactions at divergent plate boundaries, while the methodological developments have broader practical value.
The Nuns of Nidaros: Female Monasticism in the Archdiocese of Nidaros, c. 1152–1537
(University of Iceland, School of Humanities, Faculty of Philosophy, History and Archaeology, 2026-01) Hannesdóttir, Sigrún; Steinunn Kristjánsdóttir; Deild heimspeki, sagnfræði og fornleifafræði (HÍ); Faculty of Philosophy, History and Archaeology (UI); Hugvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Humanities (UI)
This thesis presents a study of female monasticism within the Archdiocese of Nidaros, with a primary focus on Norway and Iceland, from the establishment of the first monasteries in the early 12th century to their abolishment during the Reformation in the mid-16th century. While more than forty male monasteries were established under Nidaros, only ten female houses are known, most of which were Benedictine. Female religious houses have traditionally been marginalized in monastic scholarship—often treated as less significant variants of male monasteries—but this study approaches them on their own terms, highlighting their distinctive role in medieval society. Drawing on both archaeological and historical sources, the thesis seeks to rebalance the part of female religious houses in monastic studies, as well as to contribute to the increasing literature of transnational approaches in the field. The thesis reviews the state of research on female monasteries in Iceland and Norway, with particular attention to the influence of gender in scholarly approaches. It explores the social, cultural, and religious backdrop for the foundation of female monasteries within these countries and the economic strategies that sustained them. Evidence for the architecture of the monasteries in question is assessed in the context of continental norms and patterns in male monasteries in the area. Moreover, the thesis considers the customs and practices related to daily life within the monasteries and evaluates women’s reasons for taking the veil in medieval Iceland and Norway. Although considerably fewer in number than male monasteries in the Archdiocese of Nidaros, the thesis argues that the female monasteries played a meaningful role in medieval society. Not only did they offer women the rare opportunity of education and authority, but they also exerted influence beyond the cloister walls, shaping the wider cultural and religious landscape of Nidaros.
Molecular Motors and Chiral Media
(University of Iceland, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Physical Sciences, 2025-12) Tambovtsev, Ivan; Hannes Jónsson; Raunvísindadeild (HÍ); Faculty of Physical Sciences (UI); Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI)
Light-driven second-generation molecular motors offer a route to controllable nanoscale motion and energy conversion. This dissertation applies established electronic-structure methods to quantify and tune their photophysical and kinetic properties, with emphasis on both the optical absorption that initiates rotation, characterized using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT), and the thermal steps that set the overall timescale of rotation. The limitations of standard TDDFT for complex, multi-chromophoric systems are also assessed, validating a time-independent orbital-optimized approach for systems featuring coupled chromophores and spatially separated excitations. Minimum-energy paths are obtained with the climbing-image nudged elastic band method using energy and atomic forces coming from density functional theory calculations, and rate constants are estimated via harmonic transition state theory.Two general substitution patterns emerge across representative overcrowded-alkene scaffolds. Replacing the methyl group at the stereogenic center by bulkier or more electronegative substituents such as trifluoromethyl, trichloromethyl, tert-butyl, or fully fluorinated tert-butyl consistently increases the rotational speed and often enlarges the spectral separation between stable and metastable states, improving selective photo-addressability. In contrast, replacing hydrogen at the stereogenic center by fluorine or chlorine slows down the rotation, narrows the spectral gap, and can even alter the reaction mechanism by favoring a competing pathway. Across all systems studied, barrier shifts dominate the kinetics while the prefactor does not change much.These results establish simple chemical rules for controlling the timescale and spectral properties of molecular motors through targeted substitution. Beyond benchmarking motor–motor comparisons, these guidelines support the design of responsive materials, including motor-doped cholesteric liquid crystals, where light-controlled actuation, reconfigurable photonics, and the transport of chiral textures - which are shown to be governed by attractive and anisotropic inter-soliton forces - become accessible. The unified workflow from density functional theory to minimum-energy paths and harmonic transition state theory provides a practical route to predict and optimize motor performance in diverse materials contexts.
Efficient Exploration of Chemical Kinetics -- Development and application of tractable Gaussian Process Models
(University of Iceland, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Physical Sciences, 2025-12-18) Goswami, Rohit; Hannes Jónsson; Physical Sciences (UI); Raunvísindadeild (HÍ); School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI); Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ)
Stjórnun efnakerfa í rúmi og tíma til að hafa áhrif á samverkandi efnahvörf hefur verið markmið efnafræðinnar allt frá dögum gullgerðarlistarinnar. Í dag er mat á afurðum og hraða efnahvarfa, ásamt mati á stöðugleika efna og efniviða, grundvallarverkefni í efnaiðnaði. Þrátt fyrir stökk í stærðfræðilegri líkanagerð, með nákvæmum lýsingum á rafeindaskipan til að lýsa fjöleinda skammtafræðikerfum, og þrátt fyrir aðgengi að stórauknu reikniafli (exascale), vantar enn skilvirkar aðferðir til að ákvarða hvarfhraða í stórum hermunum. Bein hermun á gangverki atóma takmarkast af stuttum tímaskala og litlum lengdarkvarða. Nýlega hefur orðið hröð framþróun í gerð vélrænna mættisfalla (machine learned potential functions), en þær krefjast stórra gagnagrunna sem inntaks og eru ekki hagnýtar þegar verkefnið er að skima hratt í gegnum þúsundir efna eða efniviða til að finna bestu kandídatana fyrir tæknilega nýtingu. Þær hafa ennfremur hingað til takmarkast við svæði þar sem atómin eru í stöðugri uppröðun og eru ekki áreiðanlegar fyrir hvarfástand (transition state regions) sem ákvarða að miklu leiti hvarfhraðann. Tilraunir til að kanna hvarfanet á sjálfvirkan hátt með nægilegri nákvæmni fela í sér of háan kostnað við reikninga í rafeindaskipan. Einfaldandi nálganir fyrir hraðaútreikninga gera ráð fyrir því að efnahvörf séu hægir ferlar miðað við titring atómanna svo að varmalegt jafnvægi náist og nýta því tölfræðilegar nálganir fyrir útreikninga á hvarfhraða. Í einföldustu nálguninni, kjörsveifilsnálgun (harmonic approximation) við virkjunarástandskenninguna (transition state theory), snúast þær um að finna fyrsta stigs söðulpunkta á orkuyfirborðinu sem lýsir því hvernig orka kerfisins er háð staðsetningu atómanna. Jafnvel þá er reikniþörfin við leit að söðulpunktum of mikil í mörgum tilfellum, sérstaklega þegar orka og atómkraftar eru fengnir úr reikningum í rafeindaskipaninni. Hröðun á söðulpunktaleit byggð á staðgengilslíkönum (surrogate models) hefur verið lýst sem vænlegri á nærri áratug, en hefur í reynd verið hömluð af mikilli yfirbyggingu og tölulegum óstöðugleika sem gera að engu ávinninginn í rauntíma.Þessi ritgerð kynnir lausn sem byggir á heildrænni nálgun á þessu verkefni sem samþættir hönnun á eðlisfræðilegri framsetningu, tölfræðilegu líkani og kerfisarkitektúr. Þessi hugmyndafræði birtist í Optimal Transport Gaussian Process (OT-GP) umgjörðinni, sem notar eðlisfræðilega meðvitaða (physics-aware) framsetningu byggða á mælikvörðum fyrir bestun flutnings (optimal transport) til að búa til þjappaðan og efnafræðilega viðeigandi staðgengil fyrir stöðuorkuyfirborðið. Þetta skilgreinir tölfræðilega trausta nálgun og notar markvissa sýnatöku til að draga úr reikniþörfinni. Samhliða endurskrifun á EON hugbúnaðinum fyrir hermun á löngum tímaskala, er sett fram styrktarnámsnálgun (reinforcement-learning) fyrir lágháttarfylgni (minimum mode following) aðferðina þegar lokaástand er ekki tiltekið og hnikateygjubands (nudged elastic band) aðferðina þegar bæði upphafs- og lokaástand eru tilgreind. Samanlagt marka þessar framfarir nýja hugmyndafræði fyrir hermun á efnahvörfum sem byggir á framsetningunni fyrst (representation-first) og er þjónustumiðuð (service-oriented). Árangur þessarar aðferðafræði er sýndur með stórum viðmiðunarprófunum sem sýna góða frammistöðu, greinda með líkönum Bayes. Með því að þróa aðferð fyrir afkastamikil opinn-hugbúnaðar (open-source) verkfæri, umbreytir þessi vinna gömlu fræðilegu loforði í hagnýta tól til að kanna gang og hraða efnahvarfa.
Young disabled people at times of transitioning: Possibilities and challenges ‘I don’t care what they think—I’m happy with who I am’
(University of Iceland, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics, 2025-12-08) Ingimarsdóttir, Anna Sigrun; Snæfríður Þóra Egilson; Félagsfræði-, mannfræði- og þjóðfræðideild (HÍ); Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics (UI); Félagsvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Social Sciences (UI)
Transitioning into adulthood presents challenges for all youth, but particularly so for young disabled people, whose lives are shaped by normative expectations around age and ability. This doctoral research explores young disabled people’s reflections and lived experiences regarding the possibilities and challenges they faced before, during, and beyond their transitions into adulthood. It investigates how deeply embedded societal assumptions about disability and youth shape their pathways, opportunities, and self-image during these critical life stages. This study comprises four articles. The first one explores how disabled children and youth understand their possibilities for participation and wellness at home, in school, and in their communities, and how socio-material conditions intersect to shape their situations. The second article highlights the views of young people currently navigating transitioning to adulthood well as those reflecting on their experiences retrospectively. It provides a broad view of the transitioning process by capturing both individual and shared experiences. The third article offers insights into young disabled people’s partying experiences, to understand what partying meant for them and how they navigated party spaces. The fourth article draws on the larger LIFE-DCY project and provides a reflexive account of its methodological, conceptual, and ethical considerations and synthesizes of key findings. The study was conducted within the framework of the LIFE-DCY project, funded by the Icelandic Centre for Research (174299-051), and employed a qualitative, multi-method research design. It included in-depth case studies with disabled children aged 11–15 and key figures in their lives, as well as focus groups with young disabled people aged 18–35. The research was informed by constructivist grounded theory and emphasized the co-construction of meaning between the researcher and the participants. Inspired by critical disability studies and youth studies, the research drew on the concepts of ableism and adultism to illuminate how normative structures and beliefs systematically constrained the young people’s experiences. In keeping with the principles of critical disability studies, the research was committed to centering on the voices and experiences of the young people, who were seen not only as participants but as experts with vital insights into their lives. The young disabled people actively sought to engage in transitional milestones and peer activities, which they saw as essential during their transition to adulthood. However, participation often involved navigating a range of barriers—such as inaccessible built environments, pervasive stereotypes, low expectations, and inadequate support. The findings showcase the widespread impact of ableist and adultist attitudes that shaped interactions in schools, services, and public life, often in ways that reduced opportunities for participation, belonging, and recognition. Whether, and to what extent, the young people were able to participate alongside their peers depended on socio-material arrangements such as access, the availability of appropriate support and how well they assimilated the taken-for-granted norms. While many sought to meet these norms to attain a valued adult life, they also pushed back against the ableist ideals underpinning them. The analysis yielded three key insights. First, the young disabled people had to navigate complex barriers - including inaccessible systems, low expectations, and limited opportunities to participate in meaningful settings. These challenges disrupted their transition to adulthood and hindered their efforts to move forward. Second, they were caught in a double-bind of ableism and adultism as they were simultaneously held back and held to impossible standards—expected to ‘act their age’ while being denied the support and freedoms typically associated with that age. Third, structural gaps and poorly aligned services compounded the young people´s marginalization, making it difficult for them to participate meaningfully in society on their own terms. These structural failures often had significant consequences for their sense of self, social inclusion, wellness, and their experience of emerging adulthood. The study highlights how dominant narratives about transition and adulthood draw upon rigid, linear, and able-bodied timelines that fail to account for the diversity of young people’s lives. Inaccessible environments, fragmented services, and normative assumptions create barriers that undermine young disabled people’s efforts to be seen, heard, and supported on their terms. Ultimately, this dissertation study contributes to ongoing discussions and debates in disability and youth research, advocating for a reimagining of transition frameworks, calling for more inclusive, flexible, and justiceoriented approaches that recognize the structural, cultural, and relational dimensions of growing up disabled. The findings highlight how ableist assumptions, often reinforced by inaccessible environments and a lack of awareness about their needs continue to shape how YDP are seen and treated in ways that undermine their emerging sense of self. Notions regarding transitioning and emerging adulthood are rigid and ingrained with unfair and often unrealistic markers that may fit some but not all.

Skoða

Nýlegt