My research interests
My research interests lie in human-nature connections, in particular exploring peoples’ relationship with the sea. My previous research focused on marine environmental education, coastal communities and community engagement, ocean literacy, nature-based solutions, bioregionalism and social license to operate for aquaculture.
In my doctoral research at Landbúnaðarháskóli Íslands, I investigated public participation in marine spatial planning, particularly in remote regions like the Westfjords of Iceland. At the Stefansson Arctic Institute in North Iceland, I have worked on spatial justice in coastal and marine spaces.
I have been co-chairing the Icelandic chapter of the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists () and I work in the communications team of the Marine Social Science Network (. In 2024, I joined the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network ().
Current research projects
Unlocking the Power of Seaweed: Scaling up Seaweed Farming in the UK (UTPOS): Capturing the perspectives of community members in Pembrokeshire who are impacted by, or involved in, seaweed farming, on film. Exploring their values about their local marine space as well as issues involved in scaling up seaweed operations in the local area. Distilling context-specific measures the industry can take to improve Social License to Operate. Facilitating community dialogue about seaweed farming and ocean governance. Funded by the National Lottery Climate Fund, 2024-26
Please watch our project film '
Blue Bioclusters (BBC): Funded by EU Horizon 2020. 2022-25 See for details
International Bioeconomy Macroalgae Centre (): Development of macroalgae-based solutions to address global sustainability challenges. 2024-ongoing.
Selected past projects
Towards a Just, Ethical, and Sustainable Arctic () was an EU-funded climate action project exploring the perspectives and values that stakeholders can bring to Arctic economic decision-making. Funded by EU Horizon 2020. 2020-23
Resilient Sustainable Coasts () was a collaboration project between partners from Iceland, Finland, Ireland and Northern Ireland focusing on the future challenges and development of coastal areas. Funded by INTERREG Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme. 2020-22
Social License in Aquaculture () investigated the conditions, mechanisms and consequences of social licensing in the aquaculture sector across Norway, Iceland and Tasmania. Funded by the Research Council of Norway. 2019-22
Nature-Based Solutions () was a Nordic Countries Collaboration to map, investigate enhance knowledge on nature-based solutions, restoration, climate mitigation and blue/green infrastructure. Funded by The Nordic Council of Ministers. 2021-24
A Bioregional Learning Journey: A bioregional learning journey was a project to better understand the response to ecosystem change over time on multiple levels of governance, action and scale. Funded by Sustainametrix, COBALT. 2021-22
Peer-reviewed publications
Olsen, M. S., Amundsen, V. S., Alexander, K. A., Thorarinsdottir, R., Wilke, M., & Osmundsen, T. C. (2024). Social license to operate for aquaculture–A cross-country comparison. Aquaculture, 584, 740662.
Gómez, S., Patraca, B., Zoghbi, J., Ariza, E., Wilke, M., Einarsson, N., ... & Chambers, C. (2024). Exploring social media as a tool for disentangling cultural ecosystem service values of whale-watching to inform environmental judgements and ethics: the case of Húsavík, Iceland. Journal of Ecotourism, 1-15.
Wilke, M. (2023). Comparing Public Participation in Coastal and Marine Planning in the Arctic: Lessons from Iceland and Norway. Coasts, 3(4), 345-369.
Wilke, M. (2023). Public participation in marine spatial planning in Iceland. Frontiers in Marine Science, 10, 1154645.
Wilke, M., & Kristjánsdóttir, S. (2023). Under the surface: climatic and societal challenges in marine spatial planning in the Westfjords of Iceland. Climate, 11(8), 172.
Wearne, S., Hubbard, E., Jónás, K., & Wilke, M. (2023). A learning journey into contemporary bioregionalism. People and Nature, 5(6), 2124-2140.
Hubbard, E., Wearne, S., Jónás, K., Norton, J., & Wilke, M. (2023). Where are you at? Re-engaging bioregional ideas and what they offer geography. Geography Compass 17 (10): e12722.
Other publications
Film Coastal Voices (2025). A documentary film about how people in the St Davids area of Pembrokeshire, Wales, connect with their coast and sea, and the place it holds in their lives.
Sandin, L., Seifert-Dähnn, I., Skumlien Furuseth, I., Baattrup-Pedersen, A., Zak, D., Alkan Olsson, J., Hanson, H., Nickayin S., Wilke, M., Koivula M., Rastas, M., Enge, C., Kvile, K., Wall, L., Hoffmann, C., & Þrastardóttir, R. (2023). Working with Nature-Based Solutions: Synthesis and mapping of status in the Nordics. Nordic Council of Ministers.
Nickayin, S. S., Wilke, M., & Þrastardóttir, R. (2022). State of the art of Nature-based Solutions in Iceland. Report Rit LbhÍ nr. 159. ISBN 978-9935-512-34-5
Lecturing
MSc Aquaculture, Environment and Society: Module leader
: Lecturer in Marine Renewables and Society
Past teaching activities
Guest lecturer in Marine Spatial Planning on a postgraduate course in international environmental politics at the University of Bamberg, Germany, 14 Nov. 2025.
Guest lecturer in Marine Spatial Planning course at University of the Westfjords, 22 March 2023.
Module Leader in Arctic Planning and Environmental Changes in the MSc Erasmus Mundus Master Environmental Changes in High Latitudes Programme, 2022-2025, Agricultural University of Iceland
Conflict Resolution – MRM in Coastal and Marine Management – University Centre of the Westfjords (Course responsible, April 2024)
Opponent to master thesis defense at University Centre of the Westfjords
Professional memberships and roles
Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (): member since 2021, co-chair of Icelandic chapter 2021-24
Marine Social Science Network (): member since 2021, communications officer
British Academy Early Career Researcher Network (): member since 2024
Research expeditions
Ocean Missions Expedition, Iceland: watch on YouTube
Fieldwork Bioregional Learning Journey through the Westfjords of Iceland: watch on Vimeo
Conferences
The Sustainable Futures Conference 26 June 2025, Brussels, Belgium.
Arctic Frontiers Conference 27-20 Jan 2025, Tromsø, Norway.
UHI Research Conference 8-10 Jan 2025, Inverness, UK.
EURA Conference 22-23 June 2023, Reykjavik, Iceland.
JUSTNORTH General Conference. 14-16 June 2023, Madrid, Spain.
POLLEN Political Ecology Network. 9 Nov. 2022 online.
JUSTNORTH Conference. 10-11 Oct. 2022, Akureyri, Iceland.
ICYMARE. 13-16 Sept. 2022, Bremerhaven, Germany. I hosted the conference session “Northern coastal communities: Transforming governance for a sustainable future”.
International Mountain Conference, 5-12 Sept. 2022, Innsbruck, Austria.
PLANNORD Symposium, 23-26 Aug. 2022, Aalborg University, Denmark.
FAO Conference, 24.-26 June 2022, Rome, Italy.
Arctic Assembly, 14-17 Oct. 2021, Reykjavik, Iceland. Representing Bioregional Learning Journey Fellows, representing APECS Iceland with own info and recruitment stall.
Media coverage
Ocean Missions Marine Science and Sailing Expedition around Iceland 2021: and
Bioregional Workshop and Learning Journey: Westfjords, Iceland 2021. with embedded and
Public engagement / outreach
Guest speaker at MSP Research Group at Dalhousie University, Canada (online), 15 May 2024.
Guest speaker at UArctic Bioregioning Webinar “What is Bioregioning and how is it useful? Insights from early career researchers and practitioners”, 25 Apr. 2022.
Guest speaker at UK Bioregional Community of Practice meeting, 19 Apr. 2022.
Teaching
Guest lecturer in Marine Spatial Planning on a postgraduate course in international environmental politics at the University of Bamberg, Germany, 14 Nov. 2025.
Guest lecturer in Marine Spatial Planning course at University of the Westfjords, 22 March 2023.
Arctic Planning and Environmental Changes – MSc Erasmus Mundus EnChiL Master - Agricultural University of Iceland (2024 Course responsible; Assistant teacher in 2023 and 2022)
Conflict Resolution – MRM in Coastal and Marine Management – University Centre of the Westfjords (Course responsible, April 2024)
Opponent to master thesis defense at University Centre of the Westfjords
Courses
Obergurgl & Innsbuck, Austria with presentation at International Mountain Conference, Innsbruck, Austria.
PhD workshop ‘Planning for Urban Sustainability’, planning conference events and PLANNORD conference in Aalborg, 2022
Creating Environmentally and Socially Responsible Sustainable Energy and Resource Development in the Arctic. May 2023. PhD course at the University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, Canada.
Relevant employment history
Since 2024 Postdoctoral Research Associate Marine Social Science. SAMS
2024 Visiting Faculty (Lecturer). University Centre of the Westfjords, Iceland
2024 Visiting Faculty (Lecturer). Agricultural University of Iceland
2020-23 Researcher. Stefansson Arctic Institute
2019-20 English Teacher. Oban High School
2018-19 Guide & Environmental Educator. New Zealand Marine Science Studies Centre and Royal Albatross Centre, Dunedin, NZ
Qualifications
2024 PhD Planning: Public Participation in Marine Spatial Planning in Iceland. Landbúnaðarháskóli Íslands (Agricultural University of Iceland)
2019 Master of Resource Management in Coastal and Marine Management: Marine Environmental Education in Iceland and New Zealand.
2016 Postgraduate Diploma of Education in Teaching English, Secondary Schools. University of Glasgow
2014 BA English Literature & Linguistics. Universität Leipzig, Germany
2010 BA International Tourism Studies. Hochschule Harz (Germany) and Université d'Angers (France)