Assistant Professor

Kamilla Hauknes Sjursen

Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences
Kamilla Hauknes Sjursen
Email: Send email
Sogndal
HB, H-2060
Download contact card
See profile in CRIStin

Field of work

I am a PhD student in the Computer Science PhD programme at HVL working in the intersection of computer science and glaciology. In my PhD project I develop mathematical models to investigate past and future glacier changes in Western Norway.

I build and program mass balance models that use climatic and topographical data to simulate changes in glacier mass and runoff. The modelling focuses on Jostedalsbreen, the largest ice cap in mainland Europe, which I am lucky to have at my doorstep. The results of the modelling are a contribution to the JOSTICE project, which aims to investigate the physical and societal impacts of climate change effects on Jostedalsbreen.

A focus of my PhD project is to investigate how statistical methods (e.g. Bayesian methods and machine learning) can be used to improve predictions in glacier mass balance models. Robust models with accurate assessments of uncertainty are an important basis for evaluating the impacts of glacier melt on local tourism, hydropower production, agriculture and landscape planning.

I have a background in energy and environmental engineering and have a great interest in science and technology, especially related to energy! In addition to working on my PhD project I teach physics and technology in the teachers education and hydrological modelling in the Master's programme in Climate Change Management and in the international semester programme Geohazards and Climate Change.



Courses taught
  • Physics in MGBNA/MGUNA201 
  • Physics in MGBNA/MGUNA301 
  • Hydrological modellering in GE-487/PL4-303 (Environmental Hydrology and) Runoff Management

Research areas
  • Modelling mass balance and runoff from glaciers
  • Statistical methods and optimization in glacier modelling
  • Climate change effects on glaciers

Research groups
Courses taught
  • FE402, Applied Exercises in Energy Transitions, Fall 2024
  • FE403, Bachelor Thesis in Renewable Energy, Spring 2025
  • FE404, Mathematics for Renewable Energy, Spring 2025
  • MA415, Elementary Calculus, Fall 2024

Publications

  • A minimal machine learning glacier mass balance model

    Marijn van der Meer, Harry Zekollari, Matthias Huss, Jordi Bolibar, Kamilla Hauknes Sjursen, Daniel Farinotti (2025)
    The Cryosphere 2025

  • Minimal Machine Learning Glacier Mass Balance Models

    Marijn van der Meer, Harry Zekollari, Matthias Huss, Jordi Bolibar, Kamilla Hauknes Sjursen, Daniel Farinotti (2024)

  • Spatiotemporal variability in mass balance of Jostedalsbreen ice cap 1960-2020, using a temperature-index model with data assimilation

    Kamilla Hauknes Sjursen, Thorben Dunse, Thomas Vikhamar Schuler, Liss Marie Andreassen, Henning Åkesson (2024)

  • Modelling mass balance of glaciers in Norway

    Kamilla Hauknes Sjursen, Thorben Dunse, Thomas Vikhamar Schuler, Liss Marie Andreassen, Henning Åkesson (2024)

  • Reconstructing mass balance of glaciers in Norway using machine learning

    Kamilla Hauknes Sjursen, Jordi Bolibar, Marijn van der Meer, Harry Zekollari, facundo sapienza, Liss Marie Andreassen (2024)
Show all