Previous research group members

Christian Lindemann
Researcher 2015-2025
Chris was postdoctor supervised by Dag L. Aksnes then researcher and has now moved on to a permanent researcher position at Niva.

Juan Manuel Valero Rodríguez
Postdoctoral researcher 2021-2025
Juan was postdoctoral researcher funded by EU through the SEAS program at UiB. The topic of his project was seasonality-induced changes in Arctic fucoids and their distribution under a climate-change context. Supervisor was Øystein Varpe.

Ruth-Sofie Rødberg Arne
MSc student 2024-2025
I am interested in understanding how hypoxic waters affect fish. In my thesis I am looking into how the vision of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is affected by hypoxia.
Supervisors: Andrea Campos-Candela, Rachael Morgan, and Christian Jørgensen.

Malene Dekke Eik
MSc student 2023-2025
In my Master’s thesis I will use ecosystem modelling to estimate the production potential of Saccharina latissima in a low trophic farm located in a offshore wind energy area. Supervisors: Antonio Aguera Garcia (Institute of Marine Research) and Christian Jørgensen.

Rebekka Haugland
MSc student 2024-2025
I am exploring the impacts of substituting small pelagic fish with alternative protein sources from land and sea. My research focuses on greenhouse gas emissions, nutritional value, and the potential of sustainable diets. Supervisors: Gabriella Ljungström and Katja Enberg.

Brage Seime Øygard
MSc student 2024-2025
My Master’s thesis investigates how predatory fishes influence ecosystem functioning, using stereo video data collected through Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) surveys. Supervisors: Even Moland (IMR), Alf Ring Kleiven (IMR), and Katja Enberg.

Hanif Kawousi
MSc student 2022-2024
Thesis title: Population effects of fear-inducing signals in digital songbirds. [ open access pdf ]
Hanif is now PhD student in the BetweenTheFjords resarch group.
Supervisors: Sergey Budaev and Jarl Giske.

Yola Keenlyside
MSc student 2024-2025
Thesis title: Using dynamic modelling to explore the ecological niche of deepwater redfish (Sebastes mentella) — a potential ambush predator.
Supervisors: Tom J. Langbehn and Christian Jørgensen.

Bergfrid Høgås Skjæveland
MSc student 2023-2025
Thesis title: A shift in species composition, life cycle length and body size of Calanus in Svalbard waters. [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Janne Søreide (UNIS), Tom J. Langbehn, and Øystein Varpe.

Emma Atkinson
Visiting PhD student 2024 from Univeristy of Alberta, Canada
I am based in the Lewis Research Group, which has a mix of mathematicians and biologists who work on a wide range of questions and systems all loosely connected by modelling. My thesis research focuses on spot prawn population biology and their trap fishery on the coast of British Columbia. I also model population dynamics of wild Pacific salmon and their myriad stressors.

Jessica Tengvall
PhD 2020-2024
Thesis title: Unravelling the implications of natural mortality in fisheries management.
Supervisors: Katja Enberg, Fabian Zimmermann (IMR), David Miller (ICES), and Anders F. Opdal.

Kristian Rørhus Fjell
MSc student 2023-2024
I studied the gravitational carbon flux in different parts of the North Atlantic by applying machine learning to videos of sinking particles and marine snow.
Supervisors: Christian Lindemann with Webjørn Melle and Ketil Malde (both at Institute of Marine Research).

Henrik Høiberg Jessen
PhD 2020-2024
Thesis title: Evolutionary responses of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) to concurrent fisheries and climate stressors .    [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Katja Enberg and Anders F. Opdal.

Kim Scherrer
Postdoc 2022-2024
Kim Scherrer was postdoctoral researcher working with carbon emissions and sustainability within the Future Fisheries project. Kim is now working in the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries in Oslo.

Frida Wickmann
MSc student 2022-2024
I study biodiversity, ecology, and evolution. I am interested in how biotic and abiotic factors structure life history, physiology, and behavior in marine organisms. Supervisors: Andrea Campos-Candela and Christian Jørgensen.

Eirik Hoddevik Hovstad
MSc 2023
Thesis title: Tråd og tare. Korleis sikre grøn produksjon gjennom bærekraftig materialval.
  [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Gabriella Ljungström and Roger Strand (Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities).

Ingvild Marie Krohn Riska
MSc 2023
I will combine insights from an individual based model with field-based observations to study the effect of artificial light on the behaviour and distribution of pelagic organisms in the water column. Specifically, what is the sampling bias introduced by a lit research vessel.
Supervisors: Øystein Varpe, Anders F. Opdal, and Tom J. Langbehn.

Agnieszka Rumińska
PhD 2018-2023
Thesis title: Extra-pair mating and the evolution of cooperative behaviours.
Supervisors: Sigrunn Eliassen and Christian Jørgensen.
Agnieszka is now cancer researcher in Cologne, Germany.

Nadja Meister
MSc 2022
Thesis title: The role of crawling predators in the decline and distribution of blue mussels in Norwegian coastal waters. [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Tom J. Langbehn, Øystein Varpe, and Christian Jørgensen. Nadja’s MSc thesis is now published as a research arcticle in Marine Ecology Progress Series.

Daniel Ottmann
Visiting PhD student 2021
I was visiting as PhD student from Spain, where I research predator-prey interactions of larval bluefin tuna in the Balearic Sea. I collaborate with researchers at TEG to model the mechanisms that affect predation on tuna early life stages, with particular focus on the effect of light on optimal spawning time to reduce predation by mesopelagic fish. These fishes migrate vertically, and daylight duration and lunar cycles can alter exposureof tuna to predation.

Astrid Holtan Fredriksen
MSc 2021
Thesis title: Trophic structure of mesopelagic species in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean based on stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen.
  [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Eva Garcia Seoane (Institute of Marine Research), Tom J. Langbehn, and Christian Jørgensen.

Anna Ejsmond
PhD 2015-2021
Thesis title: Temporal constraints on reproduction and growth in a seasonal environment.    [ pdf ]
Supervisors: Mads Forchhammer (UNIS) and Christian Jørgensen.
Ania is now postdoctoral researcher at University of Iceland, Snæfellsnes.

Jacqueline Weidner
PhD 2016-2020
Thesis title: Modelling fish growth under hormonal regulation as a factor in Pace of Life.    [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Sigrunn Eliassen, Christian Jørgensen, and Jarl Giske.
Jacqueline is Associate Professor at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences.

Camilla Håkonsrud Jensen
PhD 2016-2020
Thesis title: Hormone strategies as a key for understanding life history tradeoffs in fish.
Supervisors: Sigrunn Eliassen, Adèle Mennerat, and Jarl Giske.
Camilla is now research statistician at Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen.

Andreas Hjartåker
MSc 2020
Thesis title: Effects of multiple mating and male harassment on female fecundity and longevity in the seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus.   [ open access pdf ]
Supervisor: Sigrunn Eliassen.

Margot Ulfsdatter Nyeggen
MSc 2019
Thesis title: Seasonal zooplankton dynamics in Svalbard coastal waters: The shifting dominance of mero- and holoplankton and timing of reproduction in three species of Copepoda.
  [ open access pdf ]
Supervisor: Janne Søreide (UNIS) and Dag L. Aksnes.

Steinar Thorsen Trengereid
MSc 2020
Thesis title: Effect of sex ratio variation on mating behaviour in a parasite, the salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis).
Supervisors: Adèle Mennerat and Sigrunn Eliassen.

Johanna Fall
PhD 2016-2019
Thesis title: Drivers of variation in the predator-prey interaction between cod and capelin in the Barents Sea.    [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Edda Johannesen (Institute of Marine Research) and Øyvind Fiksen.

Nadia Fouzai
PhD 2011-2019
Thesis title: Adaptive behaviour along environmental gradients in larval cod.
Supervisors: Øyvind Fiksen, Christian Jørgensen, and Anders F. Opdal.

Johanna Myrseth Aarflot
PhD 2016-2019
Thesis title: Three-dimensional zooplankton distributions seen through the lens of fish in the Barents Sea.    [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Hein Rune Skjoldal (Institute of Marine Research) and Øyvind Fiksen.
Johanna is researcher at Institute of Marine Research, Bergen.

Andreas Næss Holme
MSc 2019
Thesis title: Male mate choice and selectivity in relation to female body size, in the seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus.   [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Sigrunn Eliassen and Laura Hildesheim.

Sigrid Tveitnes
MSc 2019
Thesis title: Reproduktiv investering hos flekket frøbille, Callosobruchus maculatus.   [ open access pdf ]
Supervisor: Sigrunn Eliassen.

Marte Ulltang
MSc 2019
Thesis title: The effect of foraging ecology on the onset of dawn song for passerine species.    [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Sigrunn Eliassen and Christian Jørgensen.

Valeriya A. Vyalkova
MSc 2019
Thesis title: Effect of supplemented water on fecundity and longevity of female bean beetles, Callosobruchus maculatus, in sex ratio manipulated environments.   [ open access pdf ]
Supervisor: Sigrunn Eliassen.

Julianne Netteland
MSc 2018
Thesis title: Predation risk at dawn: How changing light and birds' traits affect the temporal risk landscape during sunrise.  [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Sigrunn Eliassen and Christian Jørgensen.
Julianne is working with nature management in Porsanger kommune, Northern Norway.

Kamilla Flateseth Furseth
MSc 2018
Thesis title: Fangst av krill og torsk (Gadus morhua) ved bruk av lys; effekt av lyskildens egenskaper.
  [ open access pdf ]
Supervisor: Anne Christine Utne Palm and Dag L. Aksnes.

Kristine Rokke
MSc 2018
Thesis title: Mesopelagic sound scattering layers and possible explanations for their diel variations in Bjørnafjorden, western Norway.
  [ open access pdf ]
Supervisor: Thor Klevjer (IMR), Espen Strand(IMR), Anne Gro Salvanes, and Dag L. Aksnes.

Synne Myhre Sunde
MSc 2018
Thesis title: Fødebiologi til nordlig lysprikkfisk (Benthosema glaciale, Reinhardt 1837) i fire Nordatlantiske havbassenger.
  [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Thor Klevjer (IMR), Anne Gro Salvanes, and Dag L. Aksnes.

Elinor Tessin
MSc 2018
Thesis title: Drivers of spatial variability in spring bloom onset and magnitude along a latitudinal gradient in the Nordic Seas.    [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Øystein Varpe and Dag L. Aksnes.

Ryan J. Dillon
Visitor 2016-2018
Ryan was visiting from Akvaplan NIVA, Tromsø. His PhD project was modelling predatory behavior of North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean marine mammals.

Marie Danielsen
MSc 2017
Thesis title: Effects of perceived predation risk on extra-pair mating in blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus).    [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Adèle Mennerat, Sigrunn Eliassen, and Christian Jørgensen.

Lars Kristian Landsrød
MSc 2017
Thesis title: Decision-making in a proximate model framework: How behaviour flexibility is generated by arousal and attention.    [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Sergey Budaev and Sigrunn Eliassen.

Randi Elisabeth Åsly
MSc 2016
Thesis title: Sammenhengen mellom sidefarskap og samarbeid i fuglenabolag av ulik størrelse [In Norwegian].
Supervisors: Sigrunn Eliassen and Christian Jørgensen.

Vilde Steinsdotter Ihler
MSc 2016
Thesis title: Climate change and the effect of darker coastal water on NCW euphotic zone properties: a theoretical study.
  [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Dag L. Aksnes.

Thomas Njerve Olsen
MSc 2016
Thesis title: En Killing the Winner studie av visuelle og taktile organismer i Svartehavet [In Norwegian].    [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Anders F. Opdal and Dag L. Aksnes.

Punam Sharma
MSc 2016
Thesis title: Solar radiative heating of the ocean.
Supervisors: Børge Hamre (Department of Physics and Technology) and Dag L. Aksnes.

Judy Jinn
Visiting PhD Student 2015-2016
Judy was visiting from University of California Berkeley, USA, as part of her PhD research. Here she worked with Jarl Giske and Sigrunn Eliassen.

Fabian Zimmermann
PhD 2009-2011 and PostDoc 2011-2015
Thesis title: The value of size: Bioeconomic consequences of size-dependent pricing and fishing-induced evolution. Supervisors: Mikko Heino (UiB), Stein Ivar Steinshamn (NHH), and Christian Jørgensen
Fabian is researcher at the Institute of Marine Research, Tromsø.

Rebecca E. Holt
PhD 2011-2015
Thesis title: Climate-induced evolution of the behaviour and life-history strategies of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua).
Supervisors: Christian Jørgensen and Øyvind Fiksen.
Rebecca was postdoc at Griffith University Gold Coast in Australia where she was modelling connectivity in coastal marine ecosystems and is now postdoc at the University of Oslo.

Daniel Einarsen Sellæg
MSc 2015
Thesis title: Inferring female extra-pair mating behaviour from observed patterns of extra-pair paternity with a process-based model.    [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Sigrunn Eliassen and Christian Jørgensen.

Simon Miljeteig
MSc 2015
Thesis title: Neighborhood effects of extra-pair mating on female fitness: testing model predictions on data from blue tits (Parus caeruleus).
Supervisor: Adèle Mennerat, Sigrunn Eliassen, and Christian Jørgensen.

Zofia Burr
MSc 2014
Thesis title: Breeding later at higher latitudes: explaining seabird reproductive timing in the northeastern Atlantic..
Zoe's MSc thesis was the basis for her paper Burr et al. 2016 in Ecosphere. Supervisors: Rune Rosland, Øyvind Fiksen, and Øystein Varpe.

Selina Våge
PhD 2012-2014
Thesis title: Pelagic microbial food web organization. Extending the theory for structure and diversity generating mechanisms based on life strategy trade-offs.Supervisors: Frede Thingstad and Jarl Giske
Selina landed a prestigous Bergen Research Foundation grant and is now associate professor in the research group Marine Microbiology at BIO.

Perdana Karim Prihartato
Cosupervised PhD from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudia Arabia, 2014
Thesis title: Vertical distribution of dielly migrating mesopelagic fish in respect to nocturnal lights.
Supervisors: Stein Kaartvedt (KAUST, now UiO) and Jarl Giske.

Bjørn Snorre Andersen
MSc 2014
Thesis title: Effects of genetic complexity and time resolution in an individual-based model of mesopelagic fish with hunger and fear.    [ open access pdf ]
Supervisor: Jarl Giske.

Eirik Norheim
MSc 2014
Thesis title: Distribution of mesopelagic scattering layer (MSL) in relation to the physical environment in the Norwegian Sea.    [ open access pdf ]
Supervisor: Dag L. Aksnes.

Rune Rosland
Associate professor until 2013
Rune had a long career in our group, starting out with behavioural models for mesopelagic fish during his PhD and later turning towards 3D biogeochemical models and bioenergetics of bivalves. In 2013 he decided to start working at a high school closer to home, and does wonderfully good for the students there as he did for students while he was at UiB.

Nicholas Rodriguez
PhD student
Supervisors: Rune Rosland and Øyvind Fiksen.
Nicholas is adviser for environmental protection in Bergen og Hordaland Turlag, the local branch of the Norwegian hiking organization Turistforeningen.

Jan Heuschele
Visitng researcher 2010-2013
Jan uses experimental and modeling studies to explore the influence of the biotic and abiotic environment on sexual selection in marine copepods and its potential feedback on population dynamics. Sexual selection in plankton is a fairly unexplored field, but several studies report courtship dances and other behaviors that resemble sexually selected behaviors of higher organisms.

Marco Castellani
Researcher 2010-2012
Marco worked with traits-based models for marine ecology on the TBECO project led by Øyvind Fiksen. Marco then held a researcher position at the Institute of Marine Research in Bergen before he became lecturer at the University of Birmingham. Throughout his period in Bergen, Marco also maintained active research on the Bees Algorithm.

Nicolas Dupont
PhD 2007-2010 and postdoc 2010-2012
Thesis title: Water clarity as a forcing factor of marine ecosystems. Modelling and data analysis of zooplankton vertical distribution.
Supervisor: Dag L. Aksnes.
Nicolas is researcher in the Plankton Group at the Institute of Marine Research, Bergen.

Agurtzane Urtizberea
PhD 2006-2009 and Researcher 2009-2011
Thesis title: From environment to survival. Foraging and bioenergetic models of anchovy and tuna larvae. Supervisor: Øyvind Fiksen.
Agurtzane is researcher in a technology center of marine and food research in the Basque Country, Azti-Tecnalia, working mainly on the development and applications of a Bio-Economic Impact Assessment Model (FLBEIA).

Stian Indrevåg
MSc 2010
Thesis title: Klimavariasjon eller fiske: Hvorfor silda kollapset [In Norwegian].
Supervisor: Øyvind Fiksen.

Stephanie Kramer-Schadt
Marie Curie Postdoc 2007-2009
Stephanie is researcher at Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany.

Tian Tian
MSc 2008
Thesis title: Estimating larval fish growth under size-dependent mortality - a numerical estimate of bias.    [ open access pdf ]
Supervisor: Øyvind Fiksen.

Espen Strand
PhD, PostDoc, and Researcher 2000-2008
Thesis title: Adaptive models of vertical migration in fish.
Supervisors: Jarl Giske and Geir Huse (now at IMR).
Espen is researcher in the plankton group at the Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, working mostly with krill and marine ecosystem modelling.

Trond Kristiansen
PhD 2003-2007
Thesis title: Modeling early life history of cod.
Supervisor: Øyvind Fiksen
Trond was researcher at Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, working with links between oceanography and fish larval ecology. He then moved to NIVA Updated info about Trond can always be found at trondkristiansen.com.

Thomas Torgersen
Postdoc 2002-2006
Thomas was senior scientist in the Animal Welfare research group at the Institute of Marine Research until he passed away far too early in May 2018.

Shahaama Sattar
MSc 2006
Thesis title: Optimal sex allocation in groupers: do fisheries change sex ratios?
Supervisors: Christian Jørgensen and Øyvind Fiksen.

Gyda Christophersen
PhD 2005
Thesis title: Effects of environmental conditions on culturing scallop spat (Pecten maximus).
Supervisors: Thorolf Magnesen and Dag L. Aksnes.

Tom Sørnes
PhD 2001-2005
Thesis title: Visual or tactile zooplanktivores - structuring effects of the underwater visual environment. Supervisor: Dag L. Aksnes.
Tom is researcher and Environmental Coordinator at Statoil, Bergen.

Christofer Troedsson
PhD 2002-2005
Thesis title: Opportunistic growth and reproductive allotment in the filter-feeding Appenduclarian, Oikopleura dioica.
Supervisor: Dag L. Aksnes.
Christofer was senior scientist and group leader of the Molecular Ecology Group of Uni Environment, now Norce, and is now working with tunicate aquaculture at Ocean Tunicell.

Frode Vikebø
PhD 2001-2005
Thesis title: The impact of climate on early stages of Arcto-Norwegian cod - a model approach. Supervisor in TEG: Øyvind Fiksen
Frode is senior scientis in Oceanography at the Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, and head of their research programme on processes and human impacts.

Dorothy J. Dankel (Dorothy J. Housholder)
MSc 2004
Thesis title: Evaluation of harvest control rules: simple one-parameter versus complex multi-parameter strategies.    [ open access pdf ]
Supervisors: Mikko Heino and Øyvind Fiksen.
Dorothy is now researcher at BIO.

Ketil Eiane
PhD 1995-1999
Thesis title: Pelagic food webs: structuring effects of different environmental forcing.
Supervisor: Dag L. Aksnes.
Ketil is Professor and vice rector at Nord University, Bodø, Norway.

Leif Nøttestad
PhD 1995-1999
Thesis title: Spatial aspects of life cycle adaptation and surival in adult herring.
Supervisor: Jarl Giske.
Leif is senior scientist in the Pelagic Fish Group at Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, and Adjunct Professor at BIO.

Geir Huse
PhD 1994-1998
Thesis title: Life history strategies and spatial dynamics of the Barents Sea capelin (Mallotus villosus).
Supervisor: Jarl Giske.
Geir is currently research director at the Institute of Marine Research, Bergen.

Anne Christine Utne Palm
PhD 1992-1995
Thesis title: Experimental investigations of habitat choice in fish.
Supervisor: Dag L. Aksnes.
Anne Christine is now senior scientist in the Fish Capture research group at Institute of Marine Research, Bergen.

Beatriz M. Balino
PhD 1992-1996
Thesis title: Eutrophication of the North Sea, 1980-1990: An evaluation of anthropogenic nutrient inputs using a 2D phytoplankton production model.
Supervisor: Dag L. Aksnes.
Beatriz is Chief Executive Officer at the International Project Office of the Climate & Cryosphere (CliC) Project and Science adviser at the Coordination Office for World Climate Research Programme(WCRP) Regional Activities.

Jorun K. Egge
PhD 1994
Thesis title: Nutrient control of phytoplankton growth: Effects of macronutrient composition (N, P, Si) on species succession.
Supervisors: Berit Heimdal and Dag L. Aksnes.
Jorun is professor at our Department of Biological Sciences.

Øivind Strand
PhD 1993
Thesis title: Enhancement of bivalve production capacity in Norwegian heliothermic polls.
Supervisors: Thorolf Magnesen and Dag L. Aksnes.
Øivind is researcher at the Institute of Marine Research, Bergen.