Swati Aggarwal is a Professor in Artificial Intelligence at the Faculty of Logistics, Molde University College (HiMolde). Her research focuses on AI applications in healthcare, ethics, cognitive development, and neural networks. She holds a PhD in Neutrosophic Neural Networks, a Master's in Information Technology, and a Bachelor's in Computer Science and Engineering. Previously, she was a Marie Curie Postdoc Fellow at NTNU, working on AI models for cognitive assessment in infants (AIM_COACH project). Research Interests - AI in Health/Medicine - Ethics in AI and Societal Impact - EEG/BCI for Cognitive Assessment - Machine Learning and Deep Learning Publications Her recent work spans AI ethics, BCI applications, adversarial attacks, and healthcare diagnostics. Notable contributions include EEG-based infant perceptual monitoring (2025) and malaria detection via EfficientNet (2023). She also explores cross-lingual adversarial robustness and blockchain in hospitality systems. Labs/Teams - ABC-AI: Applied, Basic, and Conscientious AI Group - Virtual Technologies and Learning Research Group
Monika Abels is an Associate Professor at UiT The Arctic University of Norway , affiliated with the Child development research group. Her work focuses on cross-cultural child development, infant socialization, emotion regulation, and the impact of digital technology on parental responsiveness. Research Interests : Child development, cross-cultural parenting, emotion understanding, hunter-gatherer societies, and fieldwork ethics. Labs/Teams : Member of the Barns utvikling (Child Development) research group at UiT. Recent Research Trends : Her publications highlight comparative studies across Norway, Tanzania, India, and sub-Saharan Africa, examining infant sleep, parental phone use, triadic interactions, and cultural differences in hidden emotion understanding. Collaborative work with African communities (San, Hadza) explores regulatory and ethical fieldwork challenges. Email : m.abels@uit.no
Sissel Merete Finholt-Pedersen is externally affiliated with the University of Stavanger (UiS), Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Care and Ethics. She is a postdoctoral researcher on the QUALITECH project, funded by the Research Council of Norway, focusing on care ethics in technology-mediated healthcare. Her academic background includes a Ph.D. from Roskilde University and a theological degree from the Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society, with additional studies in psychology from the University of Oslo. Her research centers on professional identity, relational work, care ethics, and psycho-social analysis . She explores how professionals in care and theology construct their identities through life experiences, societal relations, and institutional contexts. Her interdisciplinary approach draws from qualitative methodologies, psychoanalytic theory, and cultural studies to examine subjective experiences within professional roles. The analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on ethics in elderly care, digitalization in health services, and infant user participation . Her work frequently investigates how economic rationality, technology, and policy shape care practices and professional self-understanding. She applies depth-hermeneutical and qualitative methods to uncover underlying psychosocial dynamics in professional and caregiving relationships. Scientific Contributions: Active member of the International Research Group for Psycho-Societal Analysis Involved in the project Give the children a better start Researcher on infant voice and user participation in early life Published in journals such as Qualitative Studies , Journal of Psychosocial Studies , and Tidsskrift for kjønnsforskning She has contributed to advising through collaborative research and presentations within the QUALITECH project. While no formal students are listed, she plays a mentoring role in qualitative research and interdisciplinary ethics. She has not received any explicitly mentioned scientific awards. Her work is supported by research grants from the Research Council of Norway and institutional funding at UiS. She is involved in the QUALITECH research team and collaborates with scholars across disciplines on topics including professional development, ethical challenges in training, and user participation in vulnerable populations. Her work bridges theology, psychology, nursing, and ethics, contributing to a holistic understanding of care in modern society.
Efthymios Papatzikis is a Professor of Infant Brain Development at Oslo Metropolitan University’s Faculty of Education and International Studies. He leads the Advanced Health Intelligence and Brain-Inspired Technologies (ADEPT) Research Group, focusing on brain development in the first 1500 days of life using neuroimaging, behavioral analysis, and AI-driven tools. Research Focus: Multimodal neuroimaging (qEEG, ABR, aEEG), computational neuroscience, AI in NICU diagnostics, and personalized sound/music interventions. Collaborations: Harvard University, Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, UCL, and Bergen University. Editorial Roles: Associate Editor for Frontiers in Pediatric Psychology, Guest Editor for Frontiers in Pediatric Neurology. His work bridges neuroscience with clinical neonatal care, emphasizing family-centered medicine and precision diagnostics. Recent projects include EU Cost Action CA22111 on real-world environments’ impact on brain development. Scientific Awards: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), UK Certified Specialist in Social Prescribing by the World Health Organization He contributes to journals as reviewer and editor, co-develops computational tools for NICU EEG analysis, and advises international foundations on maternal/child health and early childhood education.
Norwegian University of Science And TechnologyNorway
Daniel Groos is a Researcher at the Department of Computer Science, NTNU, specializing in the development of machine learning models for medical and sports-related motion analysis. His work focuses on applying deep learning techniques to video-based movement analysis for early detection of cerebral palsy in infants and performance analysis in elite sports. Education: PhD in Medical Technology (NTNU, 2018-2022), MSc in Computer Science with specialization in AI (NTNU, 2013-2018). Research interests include interdisciplinary collaborations with St. Olavs Hospital and Norwegian Open AI Lab. Key topics are deep learning applications in healthcare, computer vision for movement analysis, and sports biomechanics. Publications emphasize automated clinical analysis, video-based diagnostics, and human pose estimation. Notable projects include a deep learning method for cerebral palsy prediction and motion tracking systems for elite ski jumpers. Collaborations with institutions like the Centre for Elite Sports Research and Olympiatoppen highlight his work in sports performance analysis. No formal scientific awards listed but active in academic outreach with lectures at European conferences on childhood disability and movement analysis.
Queen Maud University College of Early Childhood EducationNorway
Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter is a Professor at the Physical Activity and Health Research Group within the Department of Science, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences at Queen Maud University College. She holds a master’s in sports science from the Norwegian School of Sports Science and a doctorate in psychology from NTNU. Sandseter’s research focuses on risky play in early childhood education, emphasizing how physical environments shape children’s exploration of limits and developmental opportunities. Education: Major in sports (Norwegian School of Sports Science), PhD in psychology (NTNU) Her work challenges Western societies’ overemphasis on safety in childhood environments, advocating for free outdoor play to build resilience and self-efficacy. Current projects like ViRMa (Virtual Risk Management) use VR and motion capture to study how risky play fosters risk assessment skills. Previously, she led the EnCompetence project, linking physical environments to play behavior and activity levels. Her academic output spans behavioral studies, psychometric assessments, and policy advocacy, with keywords including child development , virtual reality , and play-based learning . She actively disseminates findings through international lectures and collaborations, particularly on ethical challenges in risky play. No scientific awards or student advisement details are listed in the provided text.
Jill Duerr Berrick is the Zellerbach Family Foundation Professor at UC Berkeley's School of Social Welfare and a Professor II at the University of Bergen's Department of Government. Her research focuses on improving child welfare systems, particularly foster care and family poverty interventions. She emphasizes integrating service users' perspectives into policy and practice. Education: Ph.D. Social Welfare, UC Berkeley (1990) M.S.W., UC Berkeley (1987) B.A. History, UC Santa Cruz (1983) Research Interests: Systems of Care for Children/Families/Older Adults Family Policy Child and Family Poverty Child Abuse and Neglect Foster Care Reform Cross-National Child Protection Systems Her work examines global child protection frameworks, including a forthcoming Oxford Handbook of Child Protection Systems analyzing 50 countries. Advocacy & Campus Involvement: Co-founder of Berkeley Hope Scholars supporting foster care alumni Lead advocate for eliminating foster care fees for birth parents Chair of the School of Social Welfare's undergraduate program Collaborations: Works with Prof. Marit Skivenes on global child protection typologies and public attitudes across Norway and the U.S.
Dr. Ngoc Nha Vi Tran is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. She holds a PhD from UiT and was a visiting scholar at Rutgers University, USA. Her research focuses on high-performance and energy-efficient computing, machine learning, and bioinformatics. She is a member of the NORA.startup Steering Group and leads the Arctic Green Computing Group. Education: PhD in Computer Science (UiT), M.Sc. in Software Engineering via Erasmus Mundus (Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden & Technical University of Kaiserslautern, Germany). Research interests include energy-efficient algorithms, bioinformatics tools (e.g., vCOMBAT), and applications of machine learning in healthcare and robotics. She teaches courses such as INF-2200 Computer Architecture, INF-2900 Software Engineering, and INF-2202 Concurrent Programming. Her work spans computational models for antibiotic target-binding, runtime energy optimization (REOH framework), and power models for embedded systems (RTHpower/ICE). She contributed to the EXCESS project on energy-efficient computing systems. Labs/Teams: Arctic Green Computing Group, EXCESS consortium.
Ingunn Tho is a Professor at the Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo. Her research focuses on patient-centered drug formulations, pediatric drug delivery systems, and mucoadhesive buccal films. She leads collaborative projects on nanoparticulate systems and solid dosage forms, emphasizing personalized medicine and compatibility of parenteral drugs. Key research interests include mucosal drug delivery (e.g., vaginal and buccal formulations), nanotechnology applications in drug delivery, and pharmaceutical additive manufacturing. Her work addresses challenges in pediatric care, such as dose adjustment through tablet manipulation and compatibility testing of intravenous drug mixtures. Tho has authored over 100 publications, with recent contributions on drug-polymer solubility prediction, meso-fluidic permeability assessment, and 3D-printed drug formulations. She collaborates with institutions like the Nordic Institute of Dental Materials and Åbo Akademi University. Her projects include the Nordic POP initiative and the Lumiblast research program. Her expertise spans pharmaceutical formulation design, quality-by-design principles, and in vitro evaluation methods. She is actively involved in the Controlled Release Society (CRS) Nordic Chapter and contributes to guidelines for parenteral nutrition compatibility testing.
Natalia Meireles Santos da Costa is an Associate Professor at Oslo Metropolitan University, affiliated with the Faculty of Teacher Education and International Studies and the Department of Kindergarten Teacher Education. She serves as Study Leader in Area 1 and is actively involved in multiple research groups, including those focused on Sustainability, Nature, Health and Movement; Cultural Diversity and Multilingualism in a Global Perspective; and Methodological Developments in Kindergarten and Educational Research (MUBU). Her research centers on early childhood education, particularly the transitions of infants and toddlers into educational care settings. Key interests include locomotor development, socio-emotional experiences, outdoor learning, time-space organization in routines, and cultural-historical approaches to pedagogy. She frequently employs qualitative and microgenetic methods, with a strong emphasis on embodied and interactive processes in early development. The analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent focus on infant agency, movement, and pedagogical responsiveness in ECEC environments. Her work spans Brazilian and Nordic contexts, contributing to intercultural dialogues in early education. Themes such as corporeality, rhythm, inclusion, and spatial experience recur across her research, reflecting a deep commitment to understanding and improving early educational transitions. She has participated in numerous international research events, including symposia and panels on educational transitions, and has delivered guest lectures on human development and inclusive education. Her collaborations extend across institutions in Brazil, Finland, and Norway, particularly through the TRACE research team. Research Groups: Sustainability, Nature, Health and Movement Cultural Diversity and Multilingualism in a Global Perspective Methodological Developments in Kindergarten and Educational Research (MUBU) Though no formal advising or grant information is listed, her extensive dissemination activities and collaborative research suggest active engagement in academic leadership and knowledge exchange. She contributes significantly to both scientific and professional discourse in early childhood education.
Liv Elin Torheim is a Professor in the Department of Nursing and Health Promotion at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet). Her academic work is deeply rooted in public health nutrition, with a focus on food security, sustainable diets, nutrition policy, and food environments. She serves as Head of Studies in her department and is actively engaged in both national and international research collaborations, particularly with the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Her research interests include: Public Health Nutrition Nutritional Epidemiology Global Health and Food Security Infant and Complementary Feeding Sustainable and Climate-Friendly Diets Food Environment Policies (e.g., Food-EPI) Human Rights in Nutrition Growth and Development Her recent publications span high-impact journals such as The Lancet , Nutrients , and Food & Nutrition Research , reflecting a strong trend toward policy-relevant research on food insecurity, dietary guidelines, and the evaluation of public health interventions. She has contributed significantly to the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 and led projects assessing food environments in universities and municipalities in Norway. Her scientific contributions include policy evaluations, scoping reviews, and large-scale epidemiological analyses. She has no listed scientific awards in the provided text, but her work is widely disseminated through research reports for governmental bodies and public health institutions. Liv Elin Torheim advises on public health nutrition policy and has been involved in projects funded by national and international research initiatives. While no formal list of students is provided, her leadership in research projects suggests active mentorship. She is part of the Public Health Nutrition research group and collaborates extensively on interdisciplinary projects related to food systems and health equity. Her ongoing work focuses on strengthening food environments, monitoring youth nutrition, and advancing sustainable dietary practices in Norway and beyond.
Zada Pajalic serves as Vice Dean for the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences at the University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), with specific responsibility for Research, Development and Innovation. Her strategic leadership focuses on advancing research activities and strengthening academic collaborations across departments, disciplines, and campuses within USN's health and social science domains. Dr. Pajalic has earned professor-competency designations across multiple specialized fields including health promotion and preventive work (2024, University of Stavanger), nursing (2019, Inland University College; 2024, Mittuniversitetet), e-health (2021, University of Agder), health sciences (2019, VID University College), and healthy aging and rehabilitation (2019, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences). Her research portfolio demonstrates significant expertise in maternal health, oxytocin physiology, and welfare technology applications. Analysis of her publication record reveals a strong focus on systematic reviews across health sciences, particularly examining oxytocin dynamics during childbirth and breastfeeding, maternal-newborn health, assistive technologies for vulnerable populations, and digital health solutions. Her work spans multiple disciplinary intersections including obstetrics, endocrinology, gerontology, and health informatics, with increasing publication output in recent years. Dr. Pajalic actively participates in national and international academic and research policy forums, contributing her expertise to advance faculty interests and promote sustainable social development through innovation. Her strategic leadership extends to overseeing the faculty's PhD program and working to increase publications while strengthening externally funded research projects.
Tamara Kalandadze is an Associate Professor at the Department of Education, ICT and Learning at Østfold University College in Norway. She also holds an Associate Professor position at the Knowledge Center for Education at the University of Stavanger and has previously worked as a Senior Lecturer at OsloMet and as a Researcher at the Knowledge Center for Education, Norwegian Research Council. Her academic expertise bridges special education, developmental science, and research methodology with a strong commitment to open and reproducible research practices. Education: 2019: PhD in Special Education, Department of Special Education, University of Oslo 2008: Master's degree in Special Education, Department of Special Education, University of Oslo 2006: Applied Linguistics, Department of Linguistics and Nordic Studies, University of Oslo Tamara Kalandadze's research spans multiple interconnected domains with a central focus on open science methodologies within educational and developmental contexts. Her work significantly contributes to understanding neurodiversity, particularly autism spectrum disorder, developmental language disorders, and figurative language comprehension. She has pioneered approaches to 'open evidence synthesis' including meta-analyses that prioritize transparency and reproducibility. Her scholarship bridges special education, developmental psychology, and research methodology, with particular attention to how research practices can be made more inclusive of neurodivergent perspectives. Kalandadze actively promotes participatory research models where neurodivergent individuals contribute to the research process itself. Analysis of Kalandadze's recent publication record reveals a strong trajectory toward integrating open science principles with neurodiversity research. Her work demonstrates growing emphasis on methodological transparency in developmental science, with increasing focus on participatory approaches that center neurodivergent voices. The publications show evolution from traditional meta-analyses of autism research toward more innovative frameworks that combine open science practices with neurodiversity-affirming approaches. A notable trend is her development of the NIRO (Non-Interventional, Reproducible, and Open) evidence synthesis framework, which has gained recognition across multiple disciplines. Leadership and Editorial Roles: Associate Editor, Infant and Child Development (2023-) Topic Editor for Wiley's Special Issue on Neurodiversity (2023) Initiator and Leader of RIOT (Reproducible, Interpretable, Open and Transparent) Science Club Deputy Leader of the DeveLeP research group Local Node Lead for Norwegian Reproducibility Network (NORRN) Kalandadze actively supervises master's students at both Østfold University College and the University of Oslo, and serves as co-supervisor for PhD candidate Malin Dahlby-Skoog at Karolinska Institutet. Her supervision focuses on research methodology, particularly open and reproducible approaches to studying neurodevelopmental conditions. She has developed and leads a PhD course on 'Open and Credible Science,' reflecting her commitment to training the next generation of researchers in transparent research practices. Her collaborative network spans multiple international institutions including University College London, University of Oslo, University of Stavanger, University of Copenhagen, and institutions in Georgia. As founder of the RIOT Science Club in Norway, Kalandadze has established a vibrant community focused on advancing open science practices. She is actively involved in the DeveLeP research group (Development Learning and Psychological Processes) which investigates developmental trajectories in learning and psychological processes. Her work with the Communicative Processes (ComPros) research group focuses on language development and communication challenges, particularly in neurodivergent populations. These research environments provide interdisciplinary spaces where methodological innovation meets practical application in educational and clinical settings.
Western Norway University of Applied SciencesNorway
Kristine Berg Titlestad is a Professor at the Department of Welfare and Participation at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. She is a clinical nurse with expertise in autism spectrum disorders, developmental care, and bereavement studies following drug-related deaths. Leader of the END project (2021–2024) studying bereavement after drug-related deaths Project leader in Cochrane Norway promoting knowledge synthesis in practice Specializes in evidence-based practice implementation in nursing education Her research focuses on: Evidence-based healthcare interventions Environmental therapy for individuals with disabilities Life-course perspectives on health and learning Knowledge synthesis methodologies (qualitative reviews, scoping reviews) She teaches courses in evidence-based practice, environmental therapeutic work, and nursing theory. Current projects include knowledge translation in healthcare education and methodological development.
Maria Teresa Grønning Dale is an Associate Professor at the University of Oslo's Department of Psychology, affiliated with the Methodology, Work, Cultural and Social Psychology division. She holds dual roles as a researcher at the Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies (NKVTS) and an Associate Professor II/Lecturer in the Psychology Department. Her academic journey includes a PhD from the National Institute of Public Health (2009-2012) and postdoctoral research there until 2018. Research Interests: Her work focuses on quantitative methods, trauma and disasters, prenatal risk factors, positive psychology, and personality psychology. Key projects include studies on workplace trauma, maternal health outcomes, and the psychological impacts of terrorism and congenital heart defects. Publications: Dr. Dale's research spans epidemiological studies, longitudinal cohort analyses, and clinical psychology. Recent work examines childhood trauma and adult revictimization (2025), post-terrorist attack psychosocial factors (2021), and prenatal dietary impacts on birth outcomes (2019). Her earlier studies (2011-2013) explored maternal well-being in families with congenital heart defects. Affiliations: She teaches courses like PSY1010 (Methodology) and PSY4020 (Quantitative Research Methods). Her research collaborations include NKVTS and the National Institute of Public Health. Professional experience includes roles in HR consulting and Red Cross leadership. Labs/Teams: Active in NKVTS trauma research and affiliated with the Psychology Department's quantitative methodology group.
