About
I am professor of theory of science and research methods for the aesthetic disciplines, and work mainly with art, technology and the environment, with a particular focus on ethics, experiential dimensions and links to societal development, e.g. climate change and the bioeconomy. In addition, I am interested in representations and metaphors in new technology, artistic research, and conceptual understanding within art and media theory. I am currently leading the work package Experiential Soils in the project Anthropogenic Soils: Recuperating Human-Soil Relationships on a Troubled Planet (2022-2028), funded by the Research Council of Norway and the University of Oslo. In addition to my main position here at OsloMet I am also professor of art and media studies at Nord University.
Background
PhD in philosophy of science and ethics from the University of Bergen (2016).
My academic background includes art history, philosophy, literary theory, media studies and theatre studies.
Previously worked as assistant professor at Maastricht University in the Netherlands (2016-2020), and associate professor at Nord Universitet (2020-2025) and NTNU (2023-2025).
Intermittent work as an art critic and curator, e.g. of the Article biennial in Stavanger in 2016, and as coordinator for Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) at the Center for Digital Life (2016).
Research
I mainly do research on:
1. bio- and eco art, i.e. art that explores the living world around us, and in this context was until recently lead researcher at NOBA: Norwegian Bioart Arena at Vitenparken Campus Ås.
2. representations and narratives of climate change and new technologies
3. knowledge views in artistic research.
Teaching
I am responsible for the theory of science and methods courses in the master's degree in aesthetics, and am also involved in the teaching of master's courses in the department's teacher education (LUPE), and in the PhD programme in Innovation for Sustainability.
Can supervise master's and doctoral students on topics related to (new) media, art, technology and science studies, ethics, philosophy, climate narratives and the like.
Have previously taught at BA, MA and PhD level in art history, philosophy of art and sociology of art, media aesthetics, philosophy of science, research ethics, bioethics, theory of science, etc. at NTNU, Nord Universitet, Maastricht University and the University of Bergen.
Publications and research
Scientific publications
Vaage, Nora Sørensen
; Lie, Merete
(2024).
Blood, sweat and tears: Kinning otherwise through art.
Technoetic Arts: A Journal of Speculative Research.
Vol. 22.
https://doi.org/10.1386/tear_00121_1
Vaage, Nora Sørensen
(2022).
The Entanglement of Technology and Art.
Swierstra, Tsjalling; Lemmens, Pieter; Sharon, Tamar; Vermaas, Pieter E. (Ed.).
The technical condition: The Entanglement of Technology, Culture, and Society. p. 147-169.
Uitgeverij Boom.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/5207751
Vaage, Nora Sørensen
(2021).
Trading between science and art worlds: From biology laboratory to art exhibition.
Rogers, Hannah Star; Halpern, Megan K.; Hannah, Dehlia; Ridder-Vignone, Kathryn de (Ed.).
Routledge Handbook of Art, Science, and Technology Studies. p. 277-294.
Routledge.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/4993497
Barendregt, Laura;
Vaage, Nora Sørensen
(2021).
Speculative Design as Thought Experiment.
She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation.
Vol. 7.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sheji.2021.06.001
Ballo, Ingrid Foss;
Vaage, Nora Sørensen
(2021).
Public Reasoning in "Post-Truth" Times: Technoscientific Imaginaries of "Smart" Futures.
Rommetveit, Kjetil (Ed.).
Post-Truth Imaginations: New Starting Points for Critique of Politics and Technoscience. p. 138-162.
Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429053061-8
Vaage, Nora Sørensen
(2020).
Wisdom in Artistic Research: An Alternative to the Discourse of Art as Knowledge Production.
Borgdorff, Henk; Peters, Peter; Pinch, Trevor (Ed.).
Dialogues between Artistic Research and Science and Technology Studies. p. 61-75.
Routledge.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/4909202
Vaage, Nora Sørensen
(2019).
Living Machines: Metaphors We Live By.
NanoEthics.
Vol. 14.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11569-019-00355-2
Sluijs, Jeroen P van der;
Vaage, Nora Sørensen
(2016).
Pollinators and Global Food Security: the Need for Holistic Global Stewardship.
Food Ethics.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s41055-016-0003-z
Vaage, Nora Sørensen
(2016).
2016 World Congress on In Vitro Biology, June 11-15, San Diego, California : Late Submission Abstracts.
In vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology-Animal.
Vol. 52.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11626-016-0064-7
Vaage, Nora Sørensen
; Slaattelid, Rasmus Tore;
Haagensen, Trine Krigsvoll
; Smith, Samantha L.
(2016).
Images of Knowledge.
Vaage, Nora Sørensen; Slaattelid, Rasmus Tore; Haagensen, Trine Krigsvoll; Smith, Samantha L. (Ed.).
Images of Knowledge: The Epistemic Lives of Pictures and Visualisations. p. 9-19.
Peter Lang Publishing Group.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/4039351
