I was born and raised in Arendal, but I have studied, worked and lived all around the world. In 2021 I returned to Arendal to join GRID-Arendal. I really love nature and being outdoors. I enjoy hiking, biking, climbing, and kayaking. I love to read, listen to music, and cultivate vegetables and flowers in my garden.

At GRID-Arendal I work in the Transboundary Governance and Environmental Crime Programme. I am focusing on illegal logging and how new technology can help fight crime and illegalities. This a complex and interesting area of work. You need to think about the living conditions of local people and their economic opportunities, you need to look at the regulatory framework, the laws, as well as law enforcement of an area, you must consider domestic and international demand for illegal goods and their accompanying supply chains, criminal networks and how they work, and what can be done to stop crime and protect nature.

I have a PhD in elementary particle physics, where I studied matter at the subatomic level. After finishing my degree, I worked for the Norwegian Government and their global program to reduce tropical deforestation. Through this work I was posted at the Norwegian Embassies in Ethiopia and Indonesia. It might seem like a sharp turn to go from particle physics to tropical deforestation, but a science education does not only give you technical knowledge, it also gives you important and efficient tools for doing analytic and strategic work – something which is useful in many areas of work.