Pragya Vishwakarma, Researcher in Renewables
I joined the Group R&D Renewables group of Energy Systems in October 2022. I started at DNV right after completing my PhD thesis in Space and Atmospheric Science. My research background from LATMOS (Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France) focuses on retrieval methods for cloud properties using W band radar and enhancing our understanding of atmospheric dynamics. Prior to DNV, I served as a research scientist at the North-Eastern Space Application Centre in India after obtaining my Master’s in Earth System Sciences.
At DNV, I work with the vibrant and knowledgeable Wind Energy team in Bristol. I began my adventure by learning about wake deflection behind wind turbines using Lidar remote sensing. I am currently working on the validation and development of engineering wind flow models. Additionally, I have a keen interest in exploring the future trends of renewables within the dynamic context of climate change.
With the renewable industry evolving rapidly, I am enthusiastic about utilizing and developing my skill set to drive advancements in wind energy and related technologies as part of Group Research and Development in DNV. Furthermore, I am pleased to work for DNV, which provides a wonderful workplace with compassionate and talented teammates.
Eduard Romanenko, Senior Researcher
I joined DNV and the Energy Transition Outlook (ETO) team in January 2023. At that time, I had more than 5 years of experience in system dynamics modelling for various applications, including for an integrated assessment of green storm water management solutions in Oslo and for evaluation of policies to reduce adolescent overweight and obesity in Europe. During this work, I completed my PhD in System Dynamics at the University of Bergen, where I investigated low-carbon futures with and without carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.
At ETO, I am part of the core modelling team, meaning that I primarily contribute to activities that support the system dynamics model upon which the ETO forecast rests. Beyond that, I collaborate with the team on many different activities, including research, writing, and presenting.
Every day at work brings new information and challenges, and it is exciting to see how we can incorporate that into our model and deliver a relevant, high-quality forecast. The most exciting part of my work, however, is my colleagues with their diverse backgrounds, experiences, and competences. I have had a fantastic year with DNV and am eager to dive deeper into the area of energy transition.
Erika Marino, Researcher
I joined DNV less than a year ago and am now a proud member of the Sustainable Food Systems and Supply Chains programme in Milan. Previously, I worked at Northumbria University in the UK and then for Ferrero in various EU countries in the field of food safety research and quality management.
As a sustainable food systems researcher at DNV, I identify and anticipate future trends and stakeholder needs by monitoring policy, legislation, innovation, and market trends. My research empowers our clients to continue to operate in the market by ensuring that their products comply with relevant regulations and standards. In addition, in the coming years, my team and I will be working on 2 EU Horizon projects to improve the resilience of food supply chains and reduce plastic packaging pollution. In this way, we will ensure the secure access to safe, nutritious, and sustainable food for generations to come, thereby safeguarding both life and the environment.
At DNV, I enjoy the opportunity to work with innovative clients and top experts. This allows me to progress in my career, true to my motto: ‘Sapere Aude’ – dare to know, be brave to have your own opinion – in line with our values.
Helga M. Brøgger, Principal Researcher
I joined DNV’s Healthcare R&D programme as a principal researcher in January 2023. In my previous position, as a senior advisor at the Norwegian Board of Health Supervision, I was responsible for risk assessment, information security, and audits of digital products and services in healthcare. I hold an MD and a BA in Culture Studies and Oriental Languages from the University of Oslo.
At DNV, I am currently working on projects focusing on secure exchange, use, and reuse of health data and the European Heath Data Space, leading a cross-programme project on synthetic data as well as policy development, ethical guidance, and standardization for AI.
DNV has such a long track record and proven competencies in supporting industry in transformative times. As AI is making its impact on the healthcare sector, it is a great opportunity and experience to be part of a diverse and knowledgeable team promoting the safe adoption of digital medical technologies and exploring new assurance roles for DNV in this sector.
Jorge Luis Mendez Hulett, Full-Stack Developer
I joined the DNV Simulation Technologies team in Group R&D in March 2023. Before joining DNV, I worked on an integrated risk management platform, developing both web and native mobile applications. My educational background is in software engineering, and my dissertation project focused on computer vision, providing me hands-on experience with object detection models and knowledge graphs.
At DNV, my role involves researching and developing new features for DNV’s Simulation Trust Center (STC). The STC functions as a trusted environment where key industry players can share and run simulation models in the cloud. We are actively exploring ways to automate the simulation of various scenarios, especially in the assurance process for autonomous systems. The simulation team also aims to create tools for the secure exchange, verification, and simulation of digital assets.
I am keen to delve deeper into the role simulation plays in assuring complex systems involving AI. I am proud to be a part of DNV, as it provides a diverse environment with ample opportunities to enhance my skills and learn from experts across different industries.
Mari Vold Bjordal, Aquaculture Researcher
I am a marine biologist specialized in macroalgae, and I joined the Ocean Space programme in April 2023. My previous experience includes working with environmental and sustainability topics related to aquaculture and marine ecosystems. I am now an aquaculture researcher in DNV, where I can put my expertise to good use.
In the Ocean Space programme, I have already had the opportunity to dive into various projects. These include exploring carbon dioxide removal and storage through cultivated seaweed in the Seaweed Carbon Solutions Joint Industry Programme, co-existence of nature and ocean industries in the MARCO project, and forecasting the blue economy in our Ocean’s Future to 2050 publications.
I strongly believe that the ocean will play a key role in solving some of the major global challenges we are facing today, but only if we do not compromise ocean health on the way. That is why I am thrilled to be working in a knowledgeable and motivated team that contributes to co-existence between marine ecosystems and industries operating in the ocean space.
Rahul Ravi, Senior Researcher
I joined DNV and the Group R&D Maritime programme in February 2023. I specialize in life cycle assessments (LCA), with a PhD in Bioscience Engineering from Ghent University and the University of Copenhagen. At Group R&D Maritime, we in the Zero-Carbon Fuels team strive to apply life cycle thinking in evaluating the environmental and social sustainability of next-gen fuels to decarbonize the maritime sector. In addition, I work on the ‘criticality’ aspects of raw materials and rare earth metals for supply chains related to various battery chemistries as the maritime industry is also transitioning towards electrification and battery-powered propulsion.
LCAs essentially represent mental constructs of how each economic activity interacts with the natural environment. I am eager to develop robust LCA approaches for DNV to model environmental impacts across the nine planetary boundaries. This year, I am particularly enthusiastic about fostering more collaboration, especially with the Ocean Space team, where we plan to work on quantifying biodiversity impacts from a life cycle perspective.
Stephanie Kemna, Principal Researcher
I joined the Simulation Technologies team in the Group R&D Digital Assurance programme in June 2023. My background includes a BSc & MSc in Artificial Intelligence (Netherlands); software development for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) at the NATO STO CMRE (Italy); and a PhD in Computer Science (USA) on adaptive informative sampling with AUVs. Before joining DNV, I worked on software development, project and research management for autonomous systems at Maritime Robotics. I am keen to now apply my skills in AI, autonomous vehicles, and software development at DNV.
In Digital Assurance, we work on two aspects: how can DNV (1) use digital tools and AI for assurance, and (2) do assurance of digital and AI-enabled systems? Our team has developed tools for co-simulation to run time-series simulations of digital twins. We currently research smart testing methods: in 2023, I worked on testing a framework for adaptive experimentation to find the most relevant test cases; for 2024, I look forward to taking this further in R&D projects on testing autonomous ships and ferries.
I love how DNV supports its employees by encouraging our personal development. I am excited to have very nice and knowledgeable colleagues who are enthusiastic about their work and the opportunities at DNV to learn, explore the latest technology, and collaborate. That enthusiasm is contagious and creates a fun work environment!
