News from Svalbard

In Norway there is some strange law that says you have to give job applicants information on who else has applied. I assume there is a one month limit; when I applied for the job on Svalbard the deadline was August 15; I got the list of applicants on September 15th. So now I know! And three things were remarkable: first, that there were only 8 applicants. Second, that one of them was nowhere close to having the qualifications that were given as required. Some people will just try no matter what! But that's one down. And third: one I knew. He has worked here in Bangor before, and regularly comes back, for reasons of science, practicalities and friendships. I'm not sure if I can take the likes of him on! But one way to find out. It will take the Norwegians forever to make a shortlist. It would be nice if the chap I know and me are both on it; we could go and do some Svalbard scampering together maybe! I mailed him already and he thought it was a good idea. I'm sure we can resist the temptation to feed each other to the polar bears in order to reduce competition...

 Longyearbyen. The big building on the left is the university building. Pic by Bjørn Christian Tørrissen