Presentations
Solheim has presented her research at many different arenas, such as at international academic conferences, to local, regional and national policy-makers, NGOs, businesses and other key stakeholders.
Her focus is on making a thousand diverse flowers bloom, through a focus on fostering innovation through diversity and inclusion.
Driving diversity
‘It is hardly possible to overrate the value…of placing human beings in contact with persons dissimilar to themselves, and with modes of thought and action unlike those with which they are familiar…Such communication has always been, and is particularly in the present age, one of the primary sources of progress’
The quote above made by Mill in 1848 is easily applicable in contemporary society, as one of the pivotal challenges in modern work-life is changing the demographics of the workforce.
Companies must move from (solely focusing on) diversity as ‘tokenism’ towards incorporating diversity and inclusion practices into formal and informal organisational routines and structures. It is about moving from thinking about diversity as a goal of itself, towards incorporating diversity and inclusion practices into organizational routines and structures .
Selected presentations for policy-makers and businesses
Solheim has been invited to present her research to a vast array of external businesses, organizations, and policymakers.
These include, but are not limited to, presentation to the largest employer organisation, NHO, to all county managers in Rogaland, Subsea 7, Samfunnsbedriftene, Technip FMC, to 300 top-leaders in Schibsted, to Swedish branch of Schibsted, organized by the Swedish Aftonbladet, to various policymakers such as annual meeting for Rogaland Venstre, different chamber of commerce in various cities, such as in Stavanger and Drammen, to trainees in Sogn & Fjordane, and in the Stavanger-region.
Solheim has presented at various conferences, such as the regional innovation conference in Sola, Norway, and at the public service forum in Svolvær, Lofoten, Norway, and at various conferences organized by Kommunenes sentralforbund, and for the SIKT alumni conference organized by the Crown Prince of Norway.
Solheim was for 5 years a regular contributor to the first certification in diversity managament offered by the national centre in diversity management, Seema, in Oslo, Norway. Through this, she have held more than 30 presentations for top executives in many different organizations, such as for COOP, Posten, MENY, the Police, Hydro, Yara, Stormberg, Schibsted, PWC, NRK, DNV, UiO, BIR, NAV, Norsk misjonsselskap, KPMG, PST and more.
Selected presentations in academic settings.
– Keynote: “Diversity and Innovation: Barriers and Opportunities”, EnANPAD, Brazil, 2021 (virtual).
– Keynote: “Knowledge, Skill and Regional divides”, CIMR debates and workshops in public policy, Birkbeck University, England, 2021.
– Keynote: “Service innovation at the intersection between collected worker experience and creativity stimulating methods”, The Spatial and Regional Economics Research Seminar, Cork University Business School, Ireland, 2021.
– Keynote: “Research Dissemination”, Nordic Research School of Innovation (NORSI), 2018 & 2020.
– Keynote: “Diversity and Innovation: Lessons from research”, Utrecht University, Netherlands, 2019.
– Presentation on “Migration and Innovation”, & panel debate, during EU Regions Week, Brussels, Belgium, 2019.
– “Innovation & Diversity: Drivers and Barriers”, at the Regional Studies Association Summer College, (for PhDs and ECRs) in Cagliari, Italy, invited instructor, 2019.
– Keynote: “Diversity and Innovation, research dissemination”, UNISINOS, Puerto Alegre, Brazil, 2019.
Solheim has also participated in several panel debates: i.e. “The power of inclusion”, NORDIC EDGE conference, the largest conference in the Nordics on Smart Cities, 2019 and Kåkånomics, 2019 and 2022 discussing diversity and inclusion.
Presentations in 2023
In 2023, Solheim has conducted numerous presentations for diverse audiences, addressing both large-scale events and smaller gatherings of policy-makers, business leaders, investors, and the general public. The two first photos captured by Tord F. Paulsen at the Bjergstedconference in November 2023 where Solheim discussed how the cultural field can contribute to diversity and inclusion. The third photo was captured at the Chamber of Commerce in the Stavanger – region where Solheim discussed inclusion and story telling in November 2023.
Presentations in 2022
In 2022, Solheim held many presentations to different audiences. She has spoken at larger events as well as for smaller groups of policy-makers, business leaders, investors and the public.
The two first pictures below were taken at #SHEINVESTS event in Stavanger, Norway, (November 2022). Over 500 people were gathered to learn about making investments. Solheim spoke about diversity regarding diversity in teams and on the investment/entrepreneurial side (see blog post about this event here). Pictures were taken by Mikkel Gythfeldt.
The third picture is from a large conference (November 2022) named “FOLK” (translated into “People”) organized by the chamber of commerce in the Stavanger-region and “The Yellow Bank” (Sandnes Sparebank). Around 400 people were gathered and Solheim spoke about the importance of inclusion for value creation and innovation.