Project Manager. Works in the Division of Research at HVL. Masters degree in Political Science from the University of Bergen. Marthe has many years experience with international projects - she works since 2013 with international education and research projects as an advisor/coordinator.

Maria is Associate Professor for Innovation and Regional Development at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences in Bergen. She holds a PhD in Local Development and Global Dynamics from the University of Trento and has been a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oslo and Lund University. She received the RSA Early Career Grant (2019) and currently coordinates the Horizon Europe project SkillResilience4EU. Her research explores the links between geography, innovation, and sustainability—focusing on spatial aspects of innovation, the twin transition, green and digital regional development, and knowledge transfer in Europe. Methodologically, she works with quantitative analysis, related diversification, and social network analysis. She also serves as RSA territorial representative for Norway and is on the editorial board of Review of Regional Research.

Nora G. Bækkelund is Associate Professor in innovation and regional development at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. She holds a PhD in Innovation and Regional Development and has a background in economic geography. Her research focuses on regional industry development, with particular attention towards the role of agency in shaping this developmet. She employs qualitative methods to explore the dynamics of place- and industry development and transition procesess. Bækkelund combines approaches from Evolutionary Economic Geography, Human Geography more broadly, and Neo-Institutional Theory to analyse place-specific procesess in conjunction with broder industrial and political developments.