Biography

Sagen is a research leader at the Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center. Her expertise is in applied mathematics specialized within ocean acoustic. Her research interests are focused on using acoustic technologies and methodologies for observing and understanding the ocean environment in the Arctic and in coastal regions. From 2016, she was the deputy coordinator of the EU project INTAROS - Integrated Arctic Observation System, with particular responsibility to follow up the full data delivery chain for in situ measurements.

Since 2005, Sagen has led the development of the acoustic tomography system in the Fram Strait and central Arctic. She lead the Norwegian component of the Coordinated Arctic Acoustic Thermometry Experiment, and cooperates with partners in USA. In 2019 six acoustic tomographic moorings were deployed across the Arctic Basin from North of Svalbard to North of Alaska. The moorings was successfully recovered in 2020. Acoustic and oceanographic time series are used to evaluate the capability of climate models to estimate the mean ocean temperature. CAATEX is a forerunner for a Pan Arctic Multipurpose Acoustic Network for thermometry, underwater GPS, and passive acoustic data for detection and localisation of mammals and geophysical events. In the EU funded High Arctic Ocean Observation system a multipurpose acoustic network has been deployed in the Nansen and Amundsen Basin.

Experience in leadership:
Sagen is leading the Acoustic and Oceanography Group at the NERSC, and had leading roles in many projects.
1998-2000. AMOC: EU project Acoustic Monitoring of Ocean Climate. Deputy coordinator
2001-2005. SITHOS: Sea Ice Thickness Observation System. Responsible for in situ wave measurement in the MIZ.
2005-2010. EU - DAMOCLES IP Developing Arctic Modelling and Observing Capabilities for Long-term Environment Studies. Work-package co-leader
2008-2013. EU-ACOBAR: Acoustical observation of the interior of the Arctic Ocean. Deputy coordinator.
2010-2013: RCN - WIFAR “Waves in ice for Arctic operators. WP lead.
2013-2016: RCN - ACOBAR-II: Analysis and publication of ACOBAR results. Project leader.
2013-2017: RCN- UNDER-ICE– Arctic Ocean under melting ice. Project Leader.
2013-2017: ENGIE – UNDER-ICE. Project leader.
2016 – 2022: EU-INTAROS “Integrated Arctic Observation System”. Deputy Coordinator.
2016-2020: RCN-INTAROS project. Deputy Project Leader
2017- 2020: UAK: Useful Arctic knowledge. Deputy Project Leader
2018-2022: RCN-Coordinated Arctic Acoustic Thermometry Experiment. Project leader.
2018-2020 “Marine data i Arktis: Fra kartlegging til kunnskap” Arktis 2030 programme. Project Leader
2018-2021: ONR-global-‘CANAPE&UNDER-ICE Analysis and publication of results’.Project leader.
2020-2022: HORIZON 2020-CAPARDUS. Deputy Coordinator and WP lead.
2020 - 2024 GoNorth funded by four Norwegian Ministries. Work package lead and part of the core leader group.
2021-2029 SmartOcean: Center for Research Based Innovation. Leading a demonstration of coastal tomography. Funded RCN.
2023-2027: EU-HiAOOS "High Arctic Ocean Observation System". Coordinator.

Field experiments:
Coordinator and chief scientist in 16 major annual field campaigns under the DAMOCLES IP (2007, 2008, 2009), ACOBAR (2010, 2011,2012), WIFAR (2012, 2013), UNDER-ICE (2013, 2014, 2016), INTAROS (2018), CAATEX (2019, 2020), UAK (2020,2021), HiAOOS(2024). The field campaigns involved use of several platforms ranging from open ocean vessel (RV Håkon Mosby), icebreaker (KV Svalbard) and Hovercraft. All cruises included national and international participants, early career, and senior scientists. CAATEX cruises included deployment (2019) and recovery cruise (2020) in the Nansen and Amundsen Basin. She also led the recovery cruises in the Beaufort Sea in 2020 using KV Svalbard. Coordination and implementation of the UAK researcher school onboard KV Svalbard in 2020 and 2021. Planned and executed four aircraft research missions in the Fram strait and Barents sea (2010, 2011, 2012 (2)) in collaboration with FFI and the Royal Norwegian Air Force.

Teaching and outreach.
Sagen has supervised students at master and PhD level within ocean acoustisc in Arctic. Organised research school for students onboard KV Svalbard with training in collection of ice-ocean data in 2019, 2020. She has given several invited presentations at international conferences in acoustic and polar research, and organised several spesial sessions and workshops within polar research and acoustics. In connection with her work in the Arctic she have been interviewed in television, radio, newspapers and magazines. Several films have been produced to inform about the field experiments she has led.