Academic Education:
- BSc – Aquaculture and Fisheries Science, Arctic University of Tromsø, Norway (2013-2016).
- MSc – Marine Resource Management, Arctic University of Tromsø, Norway (2016-2019)
- PhD – Marine Biology, University of Haifa, Israel (2021-current)
Background:
Ole grew up in a small sailing and fishing village on the south coast of Norway, where most of the summer days were spent foraging oysters, fishing, diving, boating, and later on working at the local fishmonger. His fascination with marine ecology grew stronger after completing an open-water SCUBA course in Australia in 2011. This experience marked the beginning of numerous years spent exploring various underwater environments across the globe. Eventually, Ole found his way to Tromsø, Norway, where he pursued a multidisciplinary BSc in aquaculture and fisheries sciences. As a dedicated research student, he investigated the effects of seasons and benthic substrates on a fish community within a shallow coastal region. He employed a range of techniques to analyse population dynamics and identify the environmental factors influencing key fish species. If left to his own devices, Ole will go freediving, spearfishing, or enjoy a good treasure hunt at the beach with his children.
Current Research:
Ole is now in his second year as a PhD student, under the supervision of Prof. Dan Tchernov. His research takes a seascape ecology approach, to investigate how habitat traits at multiple spatial scales are affecting fish communities in the Mediterranean rocky reefs. Using novel habitat mapping, Ole is developing a model to predict fish abundance in an understudied depth zone.
Publications:
- Sørensen, O. J. R., & Pedersen, T., Effects of season, bottom substrate and population dynamics on fish communities in shallow subarctic northeast Atlantic waters. Journal of Sea Research, 178, 102136.
