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Student Research

Preston Mitchell

Preston Mitchell

Preston Mitchell graduated with an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology from UT. He conducted a Chancellor’s Honors Program project with Dr. van Riemsdijk that examined the influences and motivations of undergraduate students to choose STEM disciplines.

Scott Basford

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Scott Basford studied international student migration as a development tool, investigating the Norwegian quota scheme. He received a McClure grant from the University of Tennessee to conduct fieldwork in Oslo and Bergen in May 2013.

David Natvig

David Natvig

David Natvig is a Ph.D. student in Scandinavian Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he studies Norwegian dialects and linguistics. He joined the research team in Fall 2012 to translate interview notes and transcribe interviews, ranging from officials in the oil and gas industry to HR managers and the Norwegian Department of Labor.

Gareth Butler

Gareth Butler

Gareth Butler joined the research team in October 2013. He is majoring in Biology with a minor in Nutrition and a Pre-Medical concentration. Gareth conducted research for the skilled migration project and developed an independent research project on the recruitment of engineers to Norway’s oil and gas industry..

Alana Burnham

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Alana Burnham joined the research team in January 2014. She transcribed interviews and developed an independent research project. Alana graduated from UT with a major in Environmental and Soil Sciences, concentrating in Environmental Sciences. She also pursued minors in Biology and Watershed.

Valerie Galloway

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Valerie Galloway, a junior at the University of Tennessee, joined the research team in August 2013. She is majoring in Global Studies with a Pre-Medical concentration. Valerie conducted research for the skilled migration project, and developed an independent project on the experiences of “lovepats” (i.e. migrants who join a significant other) in Norway.

Matthew Cook

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Matt Cook was a member of the research team from May 2012 until August 2013. He assisted with fieldwork in Oslo in June 2012 and May 2013, scheduling and conducting interviews with stakeholders in international skilled migration, and co-authoring a report for interview participants. Matt created a scale and network map, he coded and analyzed a survey for foreign-born skilled workers, and he was the web master for the project.

Jaylyn Johnson

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Jaylyn Johnson worked on the project from September 2012 until May 2013. He conducted research on stakeholders in international skilled migration and company strategies to attract skilled migrants. Jaylyn developed an independent project on the enrollment of students in the STEM disciplines in Norway, and he presented his findings at the EUReCA competition for undergraduate students in March 2013. He assisted with fieldwork research in Oslo in May 2013, funded by a NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates supplement.

Ben Todd

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Ben Todd conducted an Honors project with Dr. van Riemsdijk in Fall 2012 on global skill shortages, and he used Norway as a case study to investigate factors that contribute to engineering shortages. He continued his work on the project in Spring 2013 and presented his research at the EUReCA student competition in March 2013. He also assisted with fieldwork research in Oslo in May 2013, funded by a NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates supplement. Ben graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Major in Global Studies and a Minor in Geography in Summer 2013.

Grace Levin

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Grace accompanied Micheline van Riemsdijk to Oslo in June 2012 to assist with fieldwork research. She received an Undergraduate Internship grant from the Office of Research and a Ready for the World grant. Grace conducted research on the Global Mobility Forum and developed an independent project on engineering companies in Kongsberg. She wrote a paper for the Office of Research and she presented her findings at the EUReCA competition in March 2013. Grace’s research experiences have been featured in Quest Magazine of the Office of Research at the University of Tennessee.