The USN offers a wide range of bachelor and master degree programmes, including 8 doctoral programmes. There are 18 000 students and around 1600 staff at the university. In the strategic plan of the USN it is stated that the institution should be regionally anchored and globally competitive. Active participation in EUs educational and research programmes is one of the priorities listed for the institution. The USN has been active in international cooperation, especially within the Erasmus+ programme and in cooperation with developing countries.
The staff members involved in this application are from two different faculties, from the School of Business and the Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences. The USN is a leading institution in the field of Bio-resource Energy and Management in Norway and part of three national Centres of Environmentally Friendly Energy (FMEs). These are the centres of excellence in this field, which reflects the USN’s involvement in such important research activities and the leading role performed by its staff member. Two of the FMEs, namely “Norwegian Centre for Sustainable Bio-based Fuels and Energy” and “Mobility Zero Emission Energy Systems, focus their attention on the topic of this application.
Contribution Team From USN
Chamara Kuruppu
He is an Associate Professor at the School of Business. He has received his Master of Science in Business Administration and Doctoral Degree in Accounting from Nord University respectively in 2005 and 2010. He was the Project Coordinator of a research project funded by the European Economic Area and Norway Grant to explore Accounting Practices in the Norwegian and Czech Municipalities from 2015 to 2016. Similarly, he was a Governing Board Member of the National Research School in Business Economics & Administration, Norway between 2011 & 2013. He is presently a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management and a Governing Board Member of the Comparative Asia Africa Governmental Accounting Network. His research interest includes accounting, budgeting and accountability practices in emerging economies amongst others.
Ansgar Ødegård
He is an assistant professor at the School of Business. Ødegård is working within different areas of organization studies, like organization Identity, corporate social responsibility (CSR), public reforms and circular economy. He is an active researcher and actor working in different countries – Argentina, Uruguay with social and ecological sustainability practices at multinational companies, NGO’s and local communities.
Jarle Løwe Sørensen
He is an Associate Professor in Emergency and Crisis Management at the School of Business. He has received his Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Homeland Security Leadership & Policy from Northcentral University (USA) and Master of political science (University of Tromsø, Norway) with an emphasis on public policy and government. His current research interests include public policy, crisis management and cross-sector collaboration. He is the coordinator and lecturer for several emergency management courses at the USN.
Late Professor Rune Bakke
He was a Professor of environmental engineering at the Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences. He has received his master degree (1983) and doctoral degree (1986) from Montana State University, USA. His main teaching responsibilities are Water treatment and environmental biotechnology, and the environmental management part of the Project management and cost engineering (master level). The courses are also offered as “distance learning”, thus
involved in developing online teaching material. He has also been involved in International education projects: Program coordinator, SIU projects: (2006-2015).
Wenche H.Bergland
She is an Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at the Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences.She obtained her master degree in Process Technology from Telemark University College (TUC), Norway (1997) and received her PhD in Process, Energy and Automation Engineering University of South-Eastern (USN), Norway (2015). Her main responsibilities are teaching physical chemistry, Entrepreneurship education and student enterprises, academic leader in Inter-disciplinary project work, supervisor for bachelor projects and theses, Master in Energy and Environmental Technology, supervising master projects and master theses, and PhD supervisor in Environmental Technology Research. She is a Member of «Environmental bio-technology» with focus on biogas production in anaerobe processes. She has also been involved in SIU projects: (2006-2015) ‘Sustainable Process Development’ at University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
W.K. HiromiAriyaratne
She is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences. She received her Ph.D. in Process, Energy and Automation Engineering from Telemark University College (TUC), Norway in 2014. She obtained an M.Sc. in Chemical and Process Engineering from the University of Moratuwa (UoM), Sri Lanka in 2007 and an M.Sc. in Process Technology from Telemark University College (TUC), Norway in 2009. Her Main teaching responsibilities include tecahing Project management and cost engineering (master level). This curse is also offered as “distance learning”, thus involved in developing online teaching material. Main research area is Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling of turbulent and reactive multi-phase flows & pneumatic conveying systems, combustion of biogenic fuels in cement kilns, waste management techniques, cleaner production concepts, and process design.
Gamunu Samarakoon
He is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences. He obtained his PhD Process-, Energy-, and Automation Engineering from the University of South-
Eastern Norway (USN), Norway 2015, and M.Sc. Energy and Environmental Technology from Telemark University College in 2010. He was a post-doctoral researcher at the department of Process, Energy and Environmental Technology from 2016 to 2019. He is mainly working on conceptual and mathematical modelling of anaerobic biological processes stimulated by integrating bio-electrochemical systems (BECs) and has been involved in other research in biological waste treatment processes. He has also contributed to in academic collaboration project development (e.g.NORPART, Norwegian Partnership Programme for Global Academic Cooperation 2018 call, ERASMUS plus global mobility).