Currently, I am the principal investigator for the PELAGIC project (Plankton size and planktivore competition along the Norwegian coast and fjords: ecological implications of warmer and darker waters), a young researchers project funded by the Norwegian Research Council (2023-2027). The aim of this project is to understand how foraging opportunities for pelagic fish (herring, sprat, mackerel etc.) may change as a result of two climate change assoicated stressors: warming and coastal water darkening. Both warming and coastal water darkening are expected to alter the size structure within plankton communities that have rapid life cycles and respond fast to changes in the environment. In this project we expose historical zooplankton samples to new technology for revealing community size structures, and incorporate plankton size in an existing ecosystem model for Norwegian coastal waters. With this we aim to enhance our understanding of how temperature and light affects the size structure within planktonic communities along the Norwegian coast, both historically and in the future, which ultimately affects the feeding opportunities for fish.
I am also involved in several projects (CoastRisk, CoastShift, Multistress Skagerrak, CoastSUPPORT) focusing on integrated ecosystem assessment, and cumulative impact assessments in particular. Coastal nations like Norway are becoming increasingly dependend on marine resources and maritime activities, a trend often referred to as the "Blue Economy" or "Blue Acceleration". This means that over the next decades, the intensity and diversity of cumulative anthropogenic pressures to the ocean will increase. In cumulative impacts assessments, we systematically evaluate how sectors through their activities are drivers for pressures on the marine environment, and thus contributing to risk of negative impacts on different components of the ecosystem. Cross-sectoral assessments like these are a key step in ecosystem-based management, and we use our results both to inform managers and stakeholders, and also for method development to improve and make these assessments even more relevant for marine management.
WORK EXPERIENCE:
2021 - Research Scientist, Institute of Marine Research
2019 - 2021 Postdoctoral research fellow, Nansen Legacy project/Institute of Marine Research
2016 - 2019 PhD candidate, Institute of Marine Research
2013 - 2016 Consultant, Norwegian Trekking Association (Den Norske Turistforening, DNT)
2009 - 2012 HR advisor, Norsk Gjenvinning corporation
EDUCATION:
2016 - 2019 PhD in marine ecology, University of Bergen
2008 - 2009 Master in European Business (junior MBA), ESCP Europe
2006 - 2007 MSc in Fisheries Biology and Management, University of Bergen
2002 - 2005 Bachelor in General Biology, University of Bergen
PROJECT MANAGEMENT:
2023 - 2027 Project leader for PELAGIC: Plankont size and plaktivore competition along the Norwegian coast and fjords: ecological implications of warmer and darker waters. Funder: Norwegian Research Council.
2022 - 2023 Work package leader in CoastRisk, IMR strategic institute project. Funder: Norwegian Research Council.
2019 - 2022 Main developer of C. glacialis indivdual-based model, Nansen Legacy project. Funder: Norwegian Research Council.
OTHER RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES:
2023 Invited co-chair of session "Natural disasters, multiple stressors and cumulative impacts along sub-arctic and arctic coasts", ESSAS Annual Science Conference.
2022 - 2023 Invited guest editor for Nansen Legacy special issue "Seasonality and interannual variability of physical, chemical and biological states and processes in the northern Barents Sea and adjacent areas", Progress in Oceanography.
2022- Chair-invited member of the ICES Working Group on Integrative, Physical-biological and Ecosystem Modelling.
2021 Invited member of the science committee for Arctic Frontiers 2021 session 5 "The coupled Arctic ecosystem - lessons learned from recent international campaigns.
2020 - 2021 Invited member of "Vest ut og Fram", network for females working in industries and research institutions within the ocean and energy sectors. Organizer: Vestlandets Innovasjonsselskap (VIS). Funder: Norwegian Research Council and Vestland fylkeskommune.
SELECTED POPULAR OUTREACH:
2024 NorFishing, popular science outreach at Forskningstorget. Organizer: Norwegian Research Council.
2024 Intervju VG (printed + online): Dette skaper krise i Oslofjorden. https://www.vg.no/nyheter/i/dRdPKo/dette-skaper-krise-i-oslofjorden
2024 Podcast NRK Ekko: Ekko forklarer plankton. https://radio.nrk.no/serie/ekko/sesong/202404/MDFP02006124
2024 Researcher Friday Bergen Aquarium: Det usynlige livet i havet. https://www.akvariet.no/tidligere-forskerfredager
2023 Podcast Havpodden: Slik blir kysten satt under press. https://havpodden.podbean.com/e/risikokartet-slik-blir-kysten-satt-under-press/
2023 Newspaper intervju Verdens Gang (VG): Slik endres Norge. https://www.vg.no/spesial/klima/slik-endres-norge/artikler/havets-bunn/
2023 Invited speaker One Ocean Conference Bergen: The cumulative footprint on the ocean - is there space for everyone?
2023 Invited speaker "Fjord i Nord". Organizer: Institute of Marine Research.
2022 NorFishing, popular science outreach at Forskningstorget. Organizer: Norwegian Research Council.
2022 Arendalsuken, invited speaker. Organizer: Institute of Marine Research.
2022 Newspaper interview Verdens Gang (VG, online edition): https://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/i/lVPok7/nytt-prosjekt-de-skal-gi-deg-sannheten-om-vannet-ditt
2021 Arendalsuken, invited participant to public debate. Organizer: Norwegian Polar Institute.
2021 Pint of Science, invited speaker. Organizer: Pint of Science Bergen
2020 Research elevator pitch, YouTube and Facebook. Organizer: Nansen Legacy project. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVMVFZrZR58
2019 Newspaper chronicle, Aftenposten (printed edition)
2018 Participant in "Researcher Grand Prix". Organizer: Forskningsdagene i Bergen/NRK