VISTA was established in 1985 to promote the co-operation between Statoil and academia in Norway and to strengthen the capacity and quality of science in areas of particular interest in the oil and gas industry.
Sleipner. Photo: Dag Myrestrand/Statoil
The priority areas are:
- Exploration
- Improved oil recovery
- Oil and gas processing
- Environment
- Biotechnology
The objectives are:
- to establish efficient and multidisciplinary communication between Statoil and Norwegian basic research communities through The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
- to stimulate and promote Norwegian scientists and basic research communities in priority areas
- to ensure efficient organization and competent human resources in basic research projects
The VISTA-programme is led by the VISTA board, with representatives from both The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and Statoil. VISTA is administered by Statoil's program manager and a coordinator from The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. The board decides which researchers or research groups should be funded and what projects should be undertaken, based on direct invitation. Each research area is led by a scientific committee consisting of a division head from Statoil and a board member from The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.
Applying for VISTA funding
Basic research communities and individuals may contact VISTA directly at any time and apply for project support. VISTA aims to fund approximately 25 projects on PhD and Post Doc level, in addition to VISTA Professorships each year.
VISTA Scolars from right to left: Fengliu Lou, Baohan Zhou, Yizhen Tang, Fulong Ning. Photo: Trine Gerlyng
What does VISTA support?
VISTA supports PhD and Post Doc projects, and also VISTA Professorships. All VISTA projects are required to have a dedicated scholar and a project manager approved by VISTA and by the scholar's
host institution. The project reports twice a year to VISTA. VISTA pays for salaries and covers project operation costs for PhD and Post Doc projects for up to 4 years. VISTA funds highly competent researchers to facilitate full-time research in their field of expertise. VISTA currently funds Professor
Bjørn Ursin's professorship. Among previous VISTA Professors is Ivar Giæver, Nobel Laureate in Physics in 1973.
Key Statistics
Since 1985 Statoil has contributed with more than NOK 250 million to the VISTA-programme. In 2008, Statoil and The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters signed a new 5-year contract that will contribute NOK 15 million annually for the period 2009 - 2013 to petroleumrelated basic research. Additionally, VISTA can apply for 25 % of this amount from The Research Council of Norway.
PhD/Post Docs 1985 - 2010
From 1985 - 1.1.2010 VISTA had funded a total of 222 PhD and Post Doc projects. 71 PhD projects were fully funded while 12 were partially funded. 63 PhDs had external salaries with running costs funded by VISTA. 48 of the completed projects were Post Doc projects. As of 1.1.2010, there were 28 active projects, including one VISTA Professorship.
Publications 1985 - 2010
Throughout VISTA's 25 years of operation, there have been more than 830 publications in international journals, among others in Nature and Science. VISTA organizes two yearly events; the VISTA-day at The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, and the Scholars' day at Statoil's research centre, Rotvoll, that brings together young scientists from VISTA projects.
VISTA Board:
- Tor Ulleberg, Vice President Technology, Statoil
- Leif Lømo, Special adviser, Statoil
- Reidun Sirevåg, Professor of Microbiology (emeritus),
University of Oslo
- Nils Christian Stenseth, Professor of Biology,
University of Oslo
- Bjørn Jamtveit, Professor of Geophysics,
University of Oslo
- Tore Vorren, Professor of Geology,
University of Tromsø
- Helge Holden, Professor of Mathematics, NTNU
- Odd Stokke Gabrielsen, Professor of Biochemistry and molecular
biology, University of Oslo
VISTA Administration:
Cato Wille, Program Manager, Statoil
Trine Gerlyng, Coordinator,
The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
Richard Kvile, Head Accountant,
The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
Drammensveien 78, 0271 Oslo
P: 22 12 10 93 | Fax: 22 12 10 99
E-mail: vista@dnva.no
