Background and research interests
My main interests lie at the intersection between material culture and history of knowledge. I am interested in the interconnectedness of collection, display and scientific practices. I have worked with the connection between landscape representations and science in the 18th century, international exhibitions in the 19th century, and on a contemporary basis on natural and cultural histories are produced and displayed - in exhibitions and museums and the society at large.
Theoretically and methodically I have been interested in feminist science studies, new materiality studies, and science and technology studies.
I did my undergraduate studies in political science and history of ideas, and received my Cand. philol. (MPhil) in history of ideas in 1994 at the University of Oslo. I completede my Dr.art.(PhD) at Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture, University of Oslo in 2002. During the years 2002-2007 I worked as a researcher and post.doc. at the same institution. I have had shorter visits at CSI in Paris 4 months 1998, been a visiting post.doc. 5 months at Max Planck Institut für Wissenshcaftsgeschichte, Berlin in 2005, and a visiting scholar at HPS Cambridge for four months in 2009.
Teaching and tutoring
I am head of the Museology programme at IKOS, and teach first and foremost Museology and Museum Studies, but also history of knowledge more broadly with an emphasis on practice and materializations.
Appointments
- Deputy leader of the board of the University Museum and Academy of Arts at the University of Tromsø 2017-2023
- Member of the board of Valdresmusea 2018 -
- Member of the board of Anno Museum AS 2012-2017
- Chief editor for the journal Nordisk museologi/Nordic Museology 2013 - . Country editor 2010-2012.
- Head of National Academic Board for Cultural History, Cultural Science and Museology 2012-2018
- Member of the Institute board of IKOS 2009-2012
- Member of steering group for MusForsk, a research initiative for museums funded by The Arts Council of Norway 2009-2012
- Expert member of MusVit, a museological research initiative by Norwegian University Museums, funded by the Norwegian Research Council 2009-2010.
- Board member for Norsk Selskap for 1700-tallsstudier/Norwegian Society for 1700 century studies 2008-2011, 2021-2023.