May Thorseth

May Thorseth is a Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at NTNU, affiliated with the Faculty of Humanities. She serves as Deputy of Research and Innovation IFR and Director of NTNU's Programme for Applied Ethics since 2001. Her roles include leadership in NTNU Sustainability (since 2014), the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters (DKNVS Board President since 2020), and Norway's Ethical Council for the Defense Sector (member since 2019). She has held roles in multiple national and international ethics committees including REK, NEM, and Bioteknologirådet.

Research Interests: Ethics and political philosophy; applied ethics; environmental ethics; AI ethics; multicultural conflicts; democracy and fundamentalism. Her work bridges theoretical ethics with practical applications in defense, sustainability, and technology.

Recent Projects: Lead roles in Horizon 2020 projects like ULTIMATE (water sustainability), GOODANIMAL (animal welfare), and STOP-IT (water infrastructure security). Her work emphasizes ethics in digital defense, circular economy, and climate policy.

Publications focus on ethical frameworks for technology governance, intergenerational justice, and moral functioning in crises. Recent themes include ethical preparedness in defense sectors, climate ethics, and AI responsibility.

Advisory and Grants: Ethics Officer in EU-funded projects, grant leadership in NRC and BIONÆR initiatives. Active in policy advisory roles regarding nuclear power (Kjernekraftutvalget) and rural studies (Ruralis).

Thorseth’s lab focuses on applied ethics in technology, governance, and environmental policy, collaborating with institutions like PRIO, NORDE, and KWR Watercycle Research Institute.