Hjort, Johan, 1869-1948

Johan Hjort was born in Christiania [Oslo] in 1869. He was educated at the University of Munich, graduating with a doctorate in 1892. In 1893, Hjort was appointed curator of the University Zootomical Museum and the following year became a research fellow in fisheries, studying physiological chemistry at Jena from 1895 to 1896 in order to widen his knowledge. Returning to Norway in 1897, he was appointed director of the Biological Station at Drobak, organizing research into the development of the Norwegian fisheries.

In 1899, Hjort suggested that the Norwegian government should build a marine research vessel, and in 1900, he led the Norwegian Oceanographic Expedition in the steamship Michael Sars to conduct a wide range of physical oceanographic, marine biological and fisheries research investigations in the Norwegian Sea. Sailing to the north coast of Iceland and northwest toward the pack ice of the Greenland Sea, the scientists on board conducted a thorough study of the waters around Jan Mayen and landed on the island at Tommerbukta.

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