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.

I'm responsible for teaching within GIS, Remote sensing and cartography. We offer the following courses:

• GEO110 / Cartography and Thematic Maps
• GEO215 / Geographical Information Systems: Theory and Practice
• GEO313 / Field and Laboratory Methods in Physical Geography
• GEO316 / Practical skills in remote sensing and spatial analyses
• GEO620 / Introduksjon til geografiske informasjonssystem (GIS) og geovisualisering

Jeg underviser også på følgende emner:

• GEO113: Food, Environment and Sustainable Development
• GEO291: Field Course in Physical and Environmental Geography

Journal issue

• Olena Dubovyk; Gidske Leknæs Andersen; landman, tobias (2024). Remote Sensing for Land Degradation and Drought Monitoring II. (external link)

Conference lecture

• Olena Dubovyk; Gidske Leknæs Andersen (2024). Role of CLMS in Geography Education: Examples from UiB, Norway and UHH, Germany. (external link)
• Gidske Leknæs Andersen (2025). Sustaining Desert Ecosystems and Conserving Natural Resources: Insights from Coupled Human- Environment Systems of Eastern Sahara. (external link)
• Heidi Lie Andersen; Gidske Leknæs Andersen; Knut Krzywinski (2015). The difference in genetic population structure of Acacia tortilis ssp. raddiana (Savi) Brenan between the continuous populations East of the Nile and the isolated populations in the West.. (external link)
• Gidske Leknæs Andersen (2015). A desert forest - a regional resource base in the Red Sea Hills of Egypt and Sudan. (external link)

Academic article

• Gunhild Bødtker; Beate Hovland; Eivind Bastesen et al. (2025). Plastjord – økologiske konsekvenser av at plast blir en del av naturen. (external link)

Research report

• Gidske Leknæs Andersen; Sven-Erik Gabrielsen (2013). Hydromorfologiske endringer i Vikja som følge av regulering. (external link)

Media interview

• Gidske Leknæs Andersen (2015). Romlige data avgjørende for å nå bærekraftsmålene. (external link)

See a complete overview of publications in NVA.

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.