Background and activities

Current position: Professor in Health Science

Educational background: I am trained as a reg. nurse (1983) and postgraduate in care of the elderly (1990). My clinical practice is from orthopaedic ward, children's ward, and elderly care in nursing homes. I hold a Master (hovedfag) in Sociology (1995) and a PhD (Doctor rerum politicarum) in Sociology (2000).  

I achieved professor competencies in Early Childhood Special Education in 2008, and professor competencies in Health Science in 2009. 

Research competencies: Since I started my academic career, I have been doing research on social inclusion/exclusion and social participation in horizontal relations in childhood and adolescents; health, welfare, and educational services. I have focused on groups of people who in public policy often are referred to as marginal or fragile and who have not achieved/struggle to achieve full human rights. Disabled children/young people are one such group and disability studies are one of my main research interests. I was the president of the Nordic Network on Disability Studies (NNDR) (2007 - 2011) and are still member of the network. My research has also given attention to children as relatives, both minor children and adult children. I have been, and still is, member of the National Research Network on Children as Relatives, established in 2010 by the Norwegian Health Directorate, and run by BarnsBeste (Children's Best) at Sør-landet Hospital, Kristiansand. During the last years my research has also included health services for refugees as well as qualitative methodological issues.  Through all my research activities I am experienced in multidisciplinary research-collaboration.

Heading the research project: Inclusive and healthy spaces in early childhood (2015 – 2020). Financed by Queen Maud University College and NTNU.

Heading the research project Silent Space Speech: A study of health promotion and service providing for young single resident refugees (2019 – 2023). Financed by Trondheim University Municipality and NTNU.

Member of the Editorial Board of the Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research (SJDR) https://www.sjdr.se/about/editorialteam/

Doing reviews for the following research journals: Disability & Rehabilitation, Alter, SJDR, Nordic Early Childhood Education Research Journal, Spesialpedagogikk

I am running the multidisciplinary research-group: Children and young people's health & welfare, including the Think-tank: Gaze on Children (Blikk på barn)

Teaching competencies: I have been teaching and supervising in health sciences, educational sciences, sociology and medicine at Universities and University Colleges since late 1980-ties, and since 2002 mostly at Master and Phd level. Most of the teaching and supervision have been at NTNU, but also at other universities in Norway and abroad. The topics circles around my research competencies and qualitative research methodologies. I have supervised close to forty master-students and eight PhD students and do still supervise at these levels.

I give lectures at different educational programs, and today I am professionally responsible for the following courses at Master level at the Faculty of Medicine & Health Science:

FH 3003: Children and Young People: Public Health 1                                                         MH 3004: Qualitative Research Methods in Medicine & Health Science

Participate in the educational project:   Global health and disability - a lifespan perspective (2016 – 2021). Headed by Professor Marianne Hedlund, NTNU. A collaboration between NTNU and SPPU, Pune - India. Financed by: The Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Education (SIU)

 

 

Scientific, academic and artistic work

A selection of recent journal publications, artistic productions, books, including book and report excerpts. See all publications in the database

Journal publications