Monica F. Solberg

Monica Favnebøe Solberg
Researcher professor (1183), Section of Population Genetics, Institute of Marine Research, Norway.

DOB: 07.03.1984. Nationality: Norwegian. 

FORMAL EDUCATION:

2023. Micro-degree, leadership. University of Oxford, Saïd Business School. Oxford Women's Leadership Development Programme

2010 – 2013. PhD, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Norway. Supervisors: Dr. Kevin Glover (IMR) and Prof. Frank Nilsen (UiB)

2008 – 2009. Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)/ Praktisk pedagogisk utdanning (PPU), Faculty of Psychology, Department of Education, University of Bergen, Norway.

2006 – 2008. MSc in Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Norway. Supervisors: Prof. Arne Skorping (UiB) and Prof. Frank Nilsen (UiB)

2003 – 2006. BSc, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Norway

EMPLOYMENT AND WORK EXPERIENCE:

2021-              Research professor (1183), IMR

2016 – 2021   Senior researcher (1110), IMR

2020               Guest researcher, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (6 months)

2015 –  2016  Researcher (1109), IMR

2013 – 2015   Post doctor, IMR

2010 – 2013   PhD candidate, IMR

2009 – 2010   Lecturer, Natural Science, Upper Secondary Education, Langhaugen vgs

PROJECT MANAGEMENT:

2024-2027. IdentiFish: Digital tools for the reliable identification of escaped and wild salmon 

Role: Project leader
Funding: Norwegian Seafood Research Fund (FHF)
The project's goal is to train an artificial intelligence model to recognize escaped farmed salmon from images. The machine vision model will be made publicly accessible and integrated into the Elveguiden app.
Partners: Institute of Marine Research (HI), Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Rådgivende Biologer, Elveguiden

2023 –   Ecological Effects of Pink Salmon
Role: Project Leader
Funding: Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Fisheries (NFD)
The project aims to provide essential knowledge to understand the ecological effects of the increasing pink salmon invasion in Norway, as well as to generate general knowledge about the biology of pink salmon.

2021 – Risk Assessment of Escaped Farmed Salmon
Role: Project Leader
Funding: Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries (NFD)
The project's aim is to assess the risk of further genetic change in wild salmon due to escaped farmed salmon, by production area and individual populations.

2017 – 2022. Ecological Effects of Escaped Farmed Fish
Role: Project Leader
Funding: Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries (NFD)
The overarching goal of the project was to address current issues related to the ecological effects of escaped salmon, including the history of escapes using fatty acid profiling.

2020. CanInteract: Interactions between Domesticated and Wild Atlantic Salmon - collaboration between Norway and Canada. 

Role: Project Leader
Funding: The Research Council of Norway (RCN,mobility grant)    
Partners: Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)

POSTDOCTORAL PROJECT:

QUANTESCAPE I and II : A HAVBRUK Knowledge Platform (2013-2020)

Quantifying genetic effects of Escaped farmed salmon on wild salmon (I) and Quantifying ecological effects of Escaped farmed salmon on wild salmon (II) . QuantEscape is a research project studying the genetic interaction between wild and farmed salmon, documenting how escapes from aquaculture facilities affect wild salmon populations. I was employed in work package 2: Quantification of natural selection and its strength to “naturalize” farmed salmon - How do farmed salmon respond to natural selection, and potentially adapt to the natural environment?  In order to answer this question, a series of common-garden experiments will be conducted under hatchery and semi-natural conditions using farmed and farmed x wild hybrid salmon that have survived for a generation in the wild.

Work package manager: Kevin A. Glover (IMR). Project manager: Kjetil Hindar, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA).  Research partners: Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), the Institute of Marine Research (IMR), the Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (Nofima) and the Centre for Integrative Genetics (CIGENE).

PhD PROJECT:

INTERACT : A Strategic Institute Program (2010-2014)
Farmed escaped salmon represent a significant threat to the genetic integrity of wild populations. Each year, thousands of farmed salmon escape into the wild, and some of these are observed on the spawning grounds - ready to introgress with wild populations. This Norwegian research council funded project aims to delineate and quantify genetic differences between wild and farmed salmon and cod, including work packages on modelling. This includes 2x PhD students and 1x post Dr Researcher. Project manager Dr. Kevin Glover.