Gender science and technology research group
Gender, Science and Technology Research Group
GST examines the societal, ethical, legal and cultural implications of new technologies, with a particular focus on healthcare and ICT, as well as gender, equality, and diversity in scientific and academic institutions. It operates across two centres within the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture: Gender, Equality, and Diversity (SKF) and Science, Technology, and Society Studies (STS). The group conducts high-level research and innovation and collaborates with partners beyond academia.
Current projects
The theme of “work-life balance” is a classic one in Scandinavian feminism, and it has recently gained new vigor in the face of the digitalization of work accelerated by the pandemics. Particularly the themes of remote work and travel practices across genders have been the object of recent scholarly research, that has however focused on the exceptional lockdown situation. This project is instead investigating continuity and change in working practices (and constructions of “normal” working practices) within the academic profession today compared to before the pandemics, as well as expectations, hopes and fears for the long-term future. Key topics I explore through qualitative interviews in one Norwegian higher education institution include: the relation between remote work and travel practices on the one hand, and job satisfaction, health and within-family relationships on the other; as well as academics´ sense of agency (with respect to their own working practices) and boundary management practices.
Contact: Sofia Moratti
Duration: 2023-2024
Funding: NTNU Fremtidens Campus
GENDIM investigate gender imbalance in academia through a concept of epistemic living spaces that broadly describes the conditions of academic work. This means that we examine the connections and dynamics between different academic arenas that help to create and maintain gender imbalances in top positions, with a special focus on the situation at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The background of the study is the varying gender imbalance at the local level, right down to the research group level. This indicates that gender balance policies are created and mediated differently in different arenas and levels. We want to examine the dynamics between these, and how university employees navigate between these arenas through practices and strategies. It thus combines managerial, administrative and collegial approaches to the study of gender imbalance. Furthermore, we use the analytical concept of epistemic living spaces that we explore through data on scientists and scholars' individual and collective understandings of and narratives about academia, and how this contribute to shape their practices and strategies. Gender plays an important role in these understandings and narratives. The project addresses four arenas: 1) Norwegian institutions that create policies for research and higher education, 2) top management at Norwegian universities, 3) faculty, departments and research groups, and 4) individual researchers. We will examine the dynamics between these arenas with regard to how gender imbalance is created and maintained, but also what activities and interventions that contribute to improved gender balance.
Project leader: Vivian A. Lagesen
Funding: The Research Council of Norway
Duration: 2019-2023
To improve the gender balance and other forms of diversity in academia are important goals not only for reasons of justice but because this enhance quality and innovation in research and education. Achieving such goals also make for better work environments. Since 2015 our research group have through several research project contributed to a better understanding of how gender balances among faculty may be improved and implemented this knowledge in practice. We are increasingly also exploring other forms of diversity, what they mean and how this may be improved.
NTNU site for Gender balance and diversity in higher education (Project group)
Project leader: Vivian A. Lagesen (NTNU)
Contact person: Vivian A. Lagesen (NTNU)
Funding: The Research Council of Norway
Duration: Ongoing
NTNU site for Gender balance and diversity in higher education (Project group)
LIFEBOTS Exchange aims at enhancing cross-sector, international and interdisciplinary collaboration in the area of social robotics technology. The project will particularly focus on the health and care sector, and examines how social robots can be included into people's life.
Contact: Roger A. Søraa
Funding: EU H2020 Marie Skłodowska-curie Research And Innovation Staff Exchange
Duration: 2020-2024
The LIFEBOTS-Exchange-Extended (LEE) project brings together Norwegian companies and public organizations with academic experts to envision the future of robotics in the healthcare sector and expand the impact and reach of LIFEBOT Exchange.
Project leader: Artur Serrano (NTNU)
Contact person: Roger A. Søraa (NTNU); Mark Kharas (NTNU); Yu Cheng (NTNU)
Funding: The Research Council of Norway
Duration: 2019-2023
DRIVERS (Digitalization of the road sector and its consequences: the role of driving) investigates the current and future role of drivers in a digitalized transport sector to meet the goals of Transport 2025 of generating knowledge and solutions for the development of an integrated, future-oriented transport system that meets the needs of trade, industry and society at large for effective, sustainable transport.
Contact: Tomas Moe Skjølsvold
Funding: The Research Council of Norway - Transport 2025
Duration: 2019-2023
Robotics4EU aims to ensure a more widespread adoption of (AI-based) robots in healthcare, inspection and maintenance of infrastructure, agri-food, and agile production.
Funding: EU H2020 Coordination and Support Action (2021-2023)
Contact person: Roger A. Søraa
Funding: Horizon 2020 (Research and Innovation programme)
Duration: 2020-2023
The AUTOWORK project is an interdisciplinary and international research project between NTNU Social Research, four departments at NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology led by the Department of Social Anthropology and Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.
Contact: Roger A. Søraa
Funding: Research Council Norway
Duration: 2019-2024
The project investigates the use of Artificial Intelligence in the labor market, and how biases in hiring and promoting processes based on personal characteristics are potentially reproduced with AI-based systems.
Contact: Roger A. Søraa
Funding: Horizon Europe (RIA)
Duration: 2022-2026
Prosjektet EpiJustInf utforsker styring og ledelse av risiko i informasjonssamfunnet med hensyn til epistemic justice eller kunnskapsrettferdighet. Kunnskapsrettferdighet tematiserer ideen av at ikke alle slags kunnskap blir vurdert på samme, rettferdige måte. Ekspertkunnskap, som framkommer fra universiteter, forskningsorganisasjoner og andre anerkjente kilder, er spesielt overlegen når det gjelder innflytelse i debatten og styrings og ledelsesprosesser. Selv om ekspertkunnskap er verdifull, betyr dette at andre slags kunnskap ikke blir inkludert i slike prosesser. Prosjektet vil gi innsikt som hjelper å forbedre innovasjon og styring i kunnskapssamfunnet, ved å inkludere en bredere rekke av kunnskapsarter enn det er tilfellet i dag.
Prosjektleder: Govert Valkenburg (NTNU)
Samarbeidspartnere: Govert Valkenburg (NTNU); Sofia Moratti (NTNU); Maja Urbanczyk (NTNU)
Finansiering: Norges Forskningsrådet
Varighet: 2020-2024
Completed research projects
The ProGender digital hub promoted tri-lateral online activities with a focus on gender perspectives on the COVID-19 crisis and its aftermath. The activities included guest lectures by prominent international experts, seminars, workshops and inter-sectorial policy discussion panels.
The project partners were:
- The Centre for Gender Studies at Panteion University, Athens, Greece
- The RIKK- Institute for Gender, Equality and Difference at the University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
- The Center for Gender Research and the Gender, Science & Technology Research Group at NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
The thematic focus of ProGender was five-fold:
- Gender, care & labour
- Gender-based violence
- Women & gender in science
- Gender & communities, with a focus on migration
- Women in governance
Project coodinators: Sofia Moratti and Siri Øyslebø Sørensen
Project duration: 2021-2023
Financing source: EEA Liechtenstein-Iceland-Norway grants.
Inclusion of women in ICT subjects and engineering education
(2000-2004)
How do parents regulate their children's gaming practices when they themselves are gamers?
This study investigated parents who are gamers themselves, in order to gain insight into how parents with high gaming skills approach, negotiate and manage their children's gaming habits. Studies of gamers show that conflicts between parents and children are also characterized by a conflict between gamers and non-gamers, where the parents' lack of experience with computer games in itself creates problems. We asked, What happens when the parents themselves are experts in games?
Based on qualitative interviews with Norwegian gamer parents, we used, among other things, domestication theory to analyze negotiations around games. Questions we examined were: What knowledge base and sources do they base their regulation on? What do they understand as risky behavior related to gambling? What strategies do they use to regulate gambling behavior in their children and in themselves?'
Funding: Spillforsk (completed 2020)
Contact: Priscilla Ringrose
Social Sciences and Humanities for Advancing Policy in European Energy
SHAPE ENERGY is the €2m European platform for energy-related social sciences and humanities (energy-SSH). Social sciences and humanities research has played less of a role to date in shaping European energy policy than Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. SHAPE ENERGY aims to develop Europe’s expertise in using and applying energy-SSH. Our innovative Platform bring together those who ‘demand’ energy research – including businesses, policymakers, and NGOs, who can use it to develop practical initiatives – with those who ‘supply’ that research.
The project looked at the robotisation of agriculture. Goals for increased sustainable production of food provide opportunities for new smart technology adapted to small and large uses. Changing market conditions, socio-economic factors and established practices affect how new technologies are adopted in agriculture. Knowledge of how the farmer, as the central player in agriculture, can best take advantage of new technological developments is a key issue.
The ambition for the SmaT project was to contribute to developing, adapting and implementing new sustainable technology in Norwegian agriculture in a sustainable way. This could be, for example, robot and drone technology, digitalisation, sensor technology, electrification, precision agriculture and so on. We surveyed ongoing technology development projects, assessed the technology's maturity, examined how the technologies affect social and structural conditions in agriculture, and studied market development and market opportunities for new technologies. SmaT also included innovation work to actively develop and promote specific technology development projects and business establishments. The project was a collaboration between Ruralis - Institute for Rural and Regional Research Felleskjøpet Agri, Norwegian Agricultural Association, Mære Landbrukskole, and Landbruk21 Trøndelag. KULT contributed to the work package on technology domestication.
Funding: Research Council Norway, Forskningsmidlene for jordbruk og matindustri (2019-2023)
Contact: Terje Finstad
The aim of the INTMANG project was to provide an increased understanding of how international researchers experience their everyday work at NTNU, and how the reception apparatus, in the form of management and administration centrally and locally at the institutes, met international researchers. The report also provided an overview of existing research on international diversity at Norwegian universities.
Project leader: Siri Øyslebø Sørensen
Duration: juni 2019-februar 2020
Funding: Utvalg for likestilling og mangfold NTNU
The project aimed to develop innovative and engaging learning opportunities for Norwegian upper secondary school students and young migrants in order to improve academic results and promote integration. The work package DigiTac, which was based on KULT, examined the role digital technology can have in creating meaningful meeting places between Norwegian students and young migrants, as well as how digital technology can be used to strengthen learning and integration in classroom activities. Digitac developed courses in multimodal storytelling as part of the teaching program We are all wanderers and analyzed the use of digital technology in the implementation of the teaching.
The project's interdisciplinary team was from NTNU's departments of Language and Literature, Teacher Education, Interdisciplinary Cultural Studies and Pedagogy and lifelong learning, and collaborates with researchers from the University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin University. In addition, LIM collaborated with local teachers and pupils on development, piloting and implementation.
Funding: Research Council Norway FINNUT (Completed in 2020)
Contact: Kristine Ask
The main objective was to enhance gender balance at the professorial level at NTNU, through action-oriented research. Our goal was to improve professional quality, attractiveness and inclusivity in local academic communities. Specific measures were devised and directed at the executive level of the organization: departments and research groups.
As a result of this project, we made a tool box for local leaders in academia who want to improve gender balance in their respective units:
Affiliated Researchers
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April Maja Almaas PhD Candidate
+47-73412819 april.m.almaas@ntnu.no Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture -
Silvia Ecclesia PhD Candidate
+47-73559278 silvia.ecclesia@ntnu.no Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture -
Julie Katrine Flikke Researcher and University Lecturer
+47-73559862 julie.k.flikke@ntnu.no Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture -
Berit Gullikstad Professor em
+4798291183 berit.gullikstad@ntnu.no Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture -
Ida Marie Henriksen Postdoctoral Fellow
+4747347377 ida.marie.henriksen@ntnu.no Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture -
Lucy Pius Kyauke Research Scientist
+4798826723 lucy.kyauke@ntnu.no Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture -
Vivian Anette Lagesen Professor
+4791172760 vivian.lagesen@ntnu.no Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture -
Kyriaki Papageorgiou Marie Curie Fellow
kyriaki.papageorgiou@ntnu.no Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture -
Roger Andre Søraa Professor
roger.soraa@ntnu.no Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture -
Knut Holtan Sørensen Professor emeritus
+4791897365 knut.sorensen@ntnu.no Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture -
Siri Øyslebø Sørensen Professor, head of Center for gender research
+47-73598259 +4791633827 siri.sorensen@ntnu.no Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture -
Maja Urbanczyk PhD Candidate
+47-73412877 maja.urbanczyk@ntnu.no Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture -
Govert Valkenburg Research professor
+4794896748 govert.valkenburg@ntnu.no Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture -
Shan Wang PhD Candidate
+47-73412931 shan.wang@ntnu.no Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture