Research
In my research, I am particularly interested in how linguistics can contribute to our understanding of some of the key societal challenges of our time. Since 2020, I have been researching the linguistic characteristics of fake news and other forms of misleading information. My current research includes investigating the linguistic characteristics of AI-generated disinformation and other forms of misleading information produced by large language models.
I currently lead the interdisciplinary research projects Towards Detecting AI-Generated Disinformation: Fakespeak in the Age of Large Language Models (NxtGenFake) and MINDCRAFT, funded by the Research Council of Norway and the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, respectively. I also lead the linguistics project Fakespeak Meets the Barents Observer, funded by Fritt Ord.
From 2020 to 2025, I led the interdisciplinary research project Fakespeak – The Language of Fake News: Fake News Detection Based on Linguistic Cues, funded by the Research Council of Norway. The project investigated the extent to which fake news can be identified on the basis of linguistic features, and whether fact-checking tools can be improved by incorporating such linguistic cues. The project also received support from Fritt Ord through the sub-project Fakespeak Operations.
Previously, I conducted research in theoretical linguistics, with a particular focus on Slavic aspect semantics, primarily in the imperative. Over the course of my research career, I have also worked on a range of other languages and linguistic phenomena, including discourse particles in Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, and Turkish, Slavic noun phrases, and primae chet forms in Biblical and Modern Hebrew. I have also transliterated, transcribed, and translated into English a Turkish-Bosnian versified glossary dating from 1631.
Education
1998–1999: Russian Language and Officer Candidate Course (Norwegian Defence Intelligence and Security School), at the time accredited as both a non-commissioned officer training program and an undergraduate-level course in Russian
2000: Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian Language Course (Norwegian Defence Intelligence and Security School)
2006: MA in Slavic Languages (University of Oslo)
2013: PhD in Linguistics in Slavic Languages (University of Oslo)
2014: MA in Turkish Language with a 40-credit component in Hebrew (University of Oslo)
Awards
2014: H.M. The King of Norway’s Gold Medal for best dissertation in the humanities (University of Oslo)
Research Grants (and role)
2025–2029: Researcher Project, DEMOKRATI OG GLOBAL UTVIKLING, Research Council of Norway (PI)
2026: Project funding, Norsk journalistikk, Fritt Ord Foundation (PI)
2026–2028: Research Project, Grant Scheme of the Ministry of Defence, Norwegian Ministry of Defence (PI)
2020–2025: Researcher Project, SAMRISK, Research Council of Norway (PI)
2020–2025: Project funding, Norsk journalistikk, Fritt Ord Foundation (PI)
Other
From 2015 to 2020, I worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oslo, where I have continued as a researcher since 2020. My teaching experience spans both bachelor’s and master’s levels and includes courses in Russian language, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian language and literature, and comparative Slavistics. I have supervised master’s students and currently serve as the main supervisor for two PhD candidates at the University of Oslo. I also hold a position as Associate Professor at the Language and Intelligence Academy at the Norwegian Defence University College, https://www.forsvaret.no/en/research/staff/alvestad-silje-susanne