“It’s easy to work across disciplinary boundaries at Örebro University.”
Carolin Zorell’s research is part of Örebro University’s strategic initiative, Food and Health, and focuses on consumption and sustainability.
Carolin Zorell had studied and researched in Germany, the US and UK before her postdoctoral appointment within Örebro University’s strategic initiative, Food and Health. Today, she is a senior lecturer in political science at Örebro University.
I appreciate the independence while at the same time being embedded in a warm, welcoming, and collegial environment.
How has Örebro University supported you in your career?
“The university’s Food and Health initiative has been an excellent opportunity for me to work on my independent research idea while being embedded in the larger network of postdoctoral researchers. The initiative involves regular meetings and seminars with cross-disciplinary discussions, which provided me with training on various core skills. Moreover, there are various interdisciplinary networks, research groups, and departmental seminars at ORU where I’ve presented and discussed my work, which has helped tremendously improve my writing and communication with different audiences. In addition, the Office of Communication has been great in supporting my aim of getting traction for my work outside the university. And the support in Open Access publishing from the University Library is invaluable.”
What is it like to work as a researcher at Örebro University?
“It’s great – I appreciate the independence while at the same time being embedded in a warm, welcoming, and collegial environment. And there are many opportunities to get connected and collaborate across disciplinary boundaries, which in my experience hasn’t been quite the same at other universities.”
What would you say is the best thing about Örebro University?
“Since the university is not too big, I find it quite easy to get to know people from different departments and faculties. This isn’t only nice for social reasons, but it also opens many opportunities for research collaboration and the exchange of research ideas. I also appreciate the general environment that encourages working across disciplinary boundaries.”
Do you have any tips for someone thinking about a career in Örebro?
“I recommend getting informed ahead about what it means to live in Sweden and about academic career paths here. Be prepared that some things work differently here than perhaps in your home country. Finally, be open to learning Swedish, which is more important than many foreigners might think.”
What is your goal?
“Relatively recently, I started working on two research projects, so my current goal is to work on them and hopefully generate meaningful and impactful research.”