Gidske Leknæs Andersen

Position

Associate Professor

Affiliation

Research groups

Short info

My research focuses upon vegetation-, landscape- and environmental change in time and space and how these changes are influenced of both social and natural factors.
Research

I am an ecologist and geographer specializing in vegetation changes, cultural landscapes and spatial analyses. My research focuses on the long-term interaction between human activity and natural processes, and I am interested in how changes in use interact with environmental and climate effects. 

I have had a particular emphasis on traditional land use systems in arid areas and have conducted extensive fieldwork in North Africa, especially in Sudan and Egypt. A recurring theme has been how pastoralism and nomadic practices have shaped and maintained landscapes over the centuries. 

In my research, I combine GIS, remote sensing, and field studies with ethnographic and historical approaches to document and analyze landscape transformation and cultural heritage. Local and traditional ecological knowledge is an important source of knowledge for sustainable resource management, especially in regions undergoing rapid environmental and socio-economic transitions. 

In addition to my research, I teach GIS, remote sensing, cartography and environmental geography, and supervise students working with landscape analysis and environmental monitoring.

Teaching
Publications
Projects

SNAC Sudan-Norway Academic Cooperation

  • This project is a collaboration between Sudanese and Norwegian academic institutions. We aim to contribute to high quality research and policy development on current challenges facing Sudan.

Anarchiving the Bergen Sudan Archives

  • This project aims to reground/disseminate/ the Sudan collection held at the University of Bergen for usage by Sudanese scholars and students as well as Sudanese people in general.