Current employment and workplace

Salt Lofoten AS

How did I become interested in my field of research?

Through engagement in nature and sustainability from a young age, and later, personal experiences with marine plastic litter.

What am I most passionate about in my work?

The potential of influencing decision-making processes and contributing to positive change in the form of reduced plastic pollution.

In the long term, what impact can my research have on society?

Improved circularity of plastics value chains, especially within fisheries. Improved environmental quality as a result of less plastic pollution and a just transition from a malfunctioning, linear plastics economy to a sustainable, circular one.

What made the strongest impression on you during my PhD defense?

The variation in the level of detail and difficulty of the questions presented by the committee.

What piece of advice would you offer current PhD fellows who want a career outside academia?

Engage with interesting stakeholders during your PhD project and be mindful of the kind of impact you're hoping to have through your work outside academia.

Don't be afraid of reaching out to actors outside your research group.

A little bit about the person behind the researcher?

I enjoy spending as much time as possible in nature, especially with my family.
I experience skiing, surfing and trail running as meditative and use these activities to disconnect from work. Sometimes I however end up solving work-related problems during these outdoor activities.

I'm personally engaged in the topics I work with, which is why the line between work and free time is sometimes hard to define. The clearest definition of free time is when I spend time with my two young kids.

Vilma Havas on LinkedIn