About
Atle Wehn Hegnes holds a PhD in sociology and is a senior researcher at SIFO and NIBIO. He has participated in numerous national and international projects and has experience in project management at all levels. At SIFO, he previously led the project IMAGINE, which examined the significance of imaginaries of sustainable futures. He is currently leading work packages in the EU project CONVIVIUM and the Norwegian project FOODprepared, which focus respectively on European food cultural heritage and preparedness through local food systems in Norway.
Field of study
Sociology of culture Qualitative methodologies
Research groups
Research projects
Completed research projects
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IMAGINE – Contested Futures of Sustainability
When you think about the future, what do you imagine? Flying cars, tubed food, or high-tech clothing might be among the images that come to mind. IMAGINE sets out to study these images of the future as imaginaries. Imaginaries are the many ways in which we humans think about the future and ways in which they can become possible. Our project looks specifically at how we imagine sustainable futures.
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Improving aquaculture sustainability by modulating the feed-microbiome-host axis in Fish
The ImprovAFish project takes a transdisciplinary approach to address critical knowledge gaps related to the feed-microbe-host-axis in Atlantic salmon aquaculture production.
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REDUCE – Rethinking Everyday Plastics
The project will look at plastic in a systems perspective and investigate how the consumption of plastic products in everyday life can be reduced.
Publications and research
Scientific publications
Hvoslef-Eide, Trine; Bunkholt, Aasmund;
Hegnes, Atle Wehn
; Jenssen, Petter D.; Kallenborn, Roland Peter; Lyche, Jan Ludvig; Eshetu_Moges, Melesse; Tomasgaard, Trine Aulstad Sogn
(2025).
Green, circular, resilient, inclusive, prepared, safe and smart cities.
Acta Horticulturae.
https://doi.org/10.17660/actahortic.2025.1441.10
Hegnes, Atle Wehn
;
Heidenstrøm, Nina
;
Laitala, Kirsi
(2025).
Hygiene practices in everyday Life: Exploring the adoption and environmental implications of disposable gloves.
Laursen, Linda Nhu; Hansen, Andreas Kornmaaler (Ed.).
Proceedings of the 6th Product Lifetimes and the Environment Conference (PLATE2025). p. 626-631.
Aalborg University.
https://doi.org/10.54337/plate2025-10318
Flyen, Anne Cathrine; Flyen, Cecilie;
Hegnes, Atle Wehn
(2024).
Balancing tourism and cultural heritage conservation in Svalbard: Challenges and sustainable practices.
Boffill, Yosbel; Lombillo, Ignacio; Blanco, Haydee; Alfonso, Lozano (Ed.).
UNIVERSITY OF CANTABRIA.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3834305
Hegnes, Atle Wehn
(2024).
Food Cultures and Geographical Indications in Norway.
ISBN: 9781003143024.
148 p.
Routledge.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3662284
Flyen, Anne Cathrine; Flyen, Cecilie;
Hegnes, Atle Wehn
(2023).
Exploring Vulnerability Indicators: Tourist Impact on Cultural Heritage Sites in High Arctic Svalbard.
Heritage.
Vol. 6.
https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6120405
Cavicchi, Bianca;
Hegnes, Atle Wehn
(2021).
Scoping Out Elements of Sociocultural Adaptation in European Urban Agriculture.
Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems.
Vol. 5.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.701160
Hegnes, Atle Wehn
; Nordhagen, Eirik; Gobakken, Lone Ross
(2021).
Understanding and practicing wood waste qualities in Norway – A case of adaptation work in circular bioeconomy.
Nissen, Nils F.; Jaeger-Erben, Melanie (Ed.).
PLATE – Product Lifetimes And The Environment. Proceedings
3rd PLATE CONFERENCE, BERLIN, GERMANY 18–20 September 2019. p. 331-335.
Universitätsverlag der TU Berlin.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3506591
Amilien, Virginie
;
Bergflødt, Sigurd
;
Hegnes, Atle Wehn
(2021).
“Hommage ou rébellion?” – Le rôle du modèle culinaire français dans la culture de l’alimentation norvégienne.
Laurioux, Bruno; Stengel, Kilien (Ed.).
p. 199-230.
Presses universitaires François-Rabelais (PUFR).
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3452953
Hansen, Anders Chr.; Clarke, Nicholas;
Hegnes, Atle Wehn
(2021).
Managing sustainability risks of bioenergy in four Nordic countries.
Energy, Sustainability and Society.
Vol. 11.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13705-021-00290-9
Gustavsen, Geir Wæhler;
Hegnes, Atle Wehn
(2020).
Individuals? personality and consumption of organic food.
Journal of Cleaner Production.
Vol. 245.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118772