Technology and innovation can quickly seem abstract when no one takes the time to explain them. This fall, we’ll be getting help from someone who’s willing to do just that. Oda Verstegen is the new communications intern at Nordic Edge, and her background is a great fit for the day-to-day work of the cluster.
Oda (23) is in her final year of a master’s degree in public communication at the University of Agder. She already holds a bachelor’s degree in urban planning. She wanted to try something completely different from what she had done before, and when she heard about Nordic Edge, everything fell into place.
“When I read more about what Nordic Edge does, I realized that it combines both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in a really great way. Here, I get to work with communication at the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and forward-looking urban development, and I find that very exciting,” says Oda.
She chose communication because the field can be applied to many different areas. She enjoys writing and communicating, and thrives when she gets to work creatively.
Oda will be joining the communications team, led by Inger Hanne Vikshåland
– We work with topics that are often complex, ranging from agricultural technology to smart cities. That’s when we need people who ask, “What does this actually mean?” Oda has exactly that curiosity, and she brings a professional background that’s a great fit for us. She tackles real-world tasks and takes responsibility for delivering content for our website and social media. An added bonus is that we’re also learning a lot from her, ” says Inger Hanne, Head of Service Development and Communications at Nordic Edge.
What Oda is most looking forward to is seeing how communications work in practice, and what it’s like to be at the center of several sectors that don’t always have the same needs.
“ It sounds both challenging in a good way and complex.”
She hopes to become better at communicating difficult topics in a simple way and at reaching target audiences she hasn’t worked with much before. If she could choose a new project with us, she would focus on generating more engagement around technology and innovation.
– After all, it’s a big part of our future and can help solve challenges. But it has to be communicated in an understandable way. It can quickly become uninteresting if it gets too complicated and abstract.
Oda describes herself as curious, thoughtful, and caring. She enjoys learning new things and is keen to understand how others view an issue. She recognizes much of this in Nordic Edge’s culture. At the same time, she’s honest about the fact that the fast pace can be a challenge.
“My impression is that Nordic Edge has a dynamic culture where it’s important to be flexible and spontaneous. That can challenge me a bit, since I like to work in a structured way and have a clear overview, but I think it can contribute in a positive way.”
A sense of accomplishment and the feeling of doing something meaningful are what drive her. From her internship, she hopes to gain a broader understanding of what smart cities are all about and how technology can be used to create good solutions for society.
In five years, she hopes to have a permanent job she enjoys. She isn’t planning any further ahead than that.
– I try to take things as they come. The most important thing for me is to be somewhere where I can learn and grow, and where what I do makes a difference to others.
We look forward to seeing what Oda accomplishes this fall and to learning from the perspectives she brings to the team.