“Erik Johannesen Bakke started as a PhD student at Dsolve in January this year. He contributes to Research Area 4, where he will examine microplastic emissions from aquaculture and the environmental and socio-economic consequences they may cause. Erik has completed a bachelor's and master's degree in fisheries and aquaculture science from The Norwegian College of Fishery Science and has an interdisciplinary background with fisheries and aquaculture as a common denominator. Erik's master's degree focused on environmental economics, and he is now contributing to the research group in environmental and resource economics at NFH.
Throughout his studies, Erik has been well acquainted with CRI Dsolve, particularly regarding work done in fisheries and the use of biodegradable gear to address ghost fishing. So far, bio-based materials for the aquaculture industry have been little researched, and this will be the focus of Erik’s PhD project. Working on issues that have been little explored makes it hard to predict exactly what the outcome of the PhD project will be – and this is precisely what motivates Erik.
Erik’s interdisciplinary background aligns well with the Dsolve project. Here, he will be able to work on economic issues within a multidisciplinary theme while having the opportunity to collaborate across disciplines with his research question. Through his PhD project, he hopes to contribute to both knowledge development and increased sustainability in aquaculture concerning microplastics. In addition, he aims to lay the foundation for further exploration of potential bio-based materials that can be used in various components of the aquaculture industry, such as feed tubes or net pens.
We look forward to following Erik and his PhD project – welcome to Dsolve!”