Bioteket

Purpose of the space

Bioteket is the central meeting point for our members and is designed to drive interaction and connections. It is an open office space, where all members are welcome to work at the unassigned touch-down desks, or to use one of the small or medium meeting rooms for meetings or video-conferencing. There is also a lounge, which is optimal for that inspiring biodiversity discussion over a cup of coffee. The centre's staff have their offices in Bioteket. 

Location

Bioteket is found in the bottom floor of the Botan building at the University of Gothenburg. The visiting address is Carl Skottbergs gata 22b, Gothenburg. Please note that this space is only accessible with an access card, and is generally not open to the public. 

Shared space with Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre

The Centre for Sea and Society shares Bioteket with the Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre (GGBC), a centre hosted by the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Gothenburg. GGBC also welcomes their members to use the space. The Centre for Sea and Society and GGBC share many common aims, especially relating to the Sustainable Development Goals. Many members of the Centre for Sea and Society are also members of GGBC, and the centres take advantage of our shared working space to work together in many initiatives.

The story of Bioteket: Gothenburg humour

The space where Bioteket is now found was for many years the University of Gothenburg biology library. However, the library was moved out in the 2010s and sat empty for several years. The space was eventually repurposed as the University of Gothenburg's first collaborative open office space. Bioteket was officially inaugurated in the autumn of 2018, during which a contest to name the space was held. There were many strong suggestions, but in the end an open vote settled on the name Bioteket, a nod to the space's early days. Bioteket is a wordplay on the Swedish word "biblioteket," meaning library.

Events at Bioteket

Bioteket is a place for both everyday activities and events. The Centre for Sea and Society have regular lunch talks where marine researchers present research projects to the general public. Every Monday, the GGBC holds "Monday Meetings" where members present early stage projects for discussion. These are followed by coffee before the working week starts. The space is also used for occasional open events, such as nature film screenings and discussion, lectures and student events.

Interested in joining these open events? Make sure to sign up for our newsletter to get updates and news about upcoming events and other activities in and outside of Bioteket.