April 29 marked both the last day of work at the Department of Geosciences and an impressive 35 years at the department for Kristian Backer-Owe. The day was marked with colleagues at the department, and several of his former Ph.D. students with whom he has collaborated.
Significant effort for organic geochemistry lab
Kristian Backer-Owe has been a central figure at the Department of Geosciences, and has contributed significantly to the department's research and teaching in the field of geochemistry.His work has been as a senior engineer at the Organic Geochemistry Laboratorium, which he has helped build and operate for research and education at the institute.
Research and supervision of students and research colleagues
Backer-Owe started at the University of Oslo in the field of biochemistry, but switched to geology and geochemistry. He became a Cand. Scient. with a master's thesis on Agardfjellet FM and geochemistry - Svalbard. After that, he has been a co-author of 22 scientific articles, and was the first to use statistical processing of geochemical data, especially in petroleum research.
He has also been central to teaching, including providing training and support in the geochemistry laboratory to more than 40 Cand. Scient students and master's and PhD students over the years. Some of his previous Ph.D. students also attended this event on 29 April.
His last involvement in master's student projects was done right up until his last day at work. In particular, his expertise in microthermometry and fluid inclusions has served both the geochemistry research group and the students.
He has contributed to the research area of petroleum geochemistry and petroleum systems both here in the country and internationally.
We wish good luck in the future and thank you for many years of effort at the department.
Greetings from colleagues at the Department of Geosciences