Curriculum Vitae
Ingibjörg Gunnarsdóttir
Pro-rector for Research and Society
Since completing my PhD in 2003, I have undertaken diverse tasks within the institutions I have worked for, namely, the University of Iceland and one of its main partner institutions, Landspitali University Hospital.
At Landspitali, I actively participated in leadership training programs offered by the institution, including lean management and leadership training. As the head of the Department of Clinical Nutrition I was responsible for issuing quality documents and prioritizing clinical services, and worked on improving the teamwork within the unit to increase efficiency and reduce workload. I also have clinical experience.
Below, you will find information on my professional experience, institutional responsibility, research and teaching at the University of Iceland, societal engagement, and international collaboration.
Professional experience
2023 –
Pro-rector for Research (and Society from 2025), University of Iceland.
2024
Dean of the School of Health Sciences, temporary role from March 1st to June 30th.
2023 –
Researcher, Landspitali University Hospital.
2010 –
Professor, Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland.
2013 – 2023
Head of Departments: Unit for Nutrition Research & Department of Clinical Nutrition at Landspitali University Hospital.
2006 – 2010
Associate Professor, University of Iceland.
Education
2003
Ph.D. Human Nutrition, University of Iceland.
1999
M.Sc. Human Nutrition, University of Iceland (exchange student at Kongelige Veterinær- og Landbohøjskole (KVL), in Copenhagen 1998).
1997
B.Sc. Food Science, University of Iceland.
Research and impact
Over the past 25 years, I have been involved in diverse studies in the field of nutrition in collaboration with national and international research groups. Over the past 10 years, I have dedicated myself primarily to studying the nutritional status of vulnerable groups, with a special focus on pregnant women.
I have actively participated in international collaborations. I was the lead author of the iodine chapter in the 6th edition of the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (2022) and an expert in the working group for the 5th edition (2012). Domestically, I have served in numerous working groups and committees related to my field and research and have been involved in several European and Nordic research projects internationally.
Both national and international research funds have supported my research. I have emphasized the importance of disseminating research findings across various platforms—within the international scientific community, nationally, and in dialogue with stakeholders regarding the practical applications of research.
Recent examples of the societal impact of my research and that of my collaborators include changes in dietary recommendations for pregnant women concerning iodine and vitamin D and the establishment of an advisory expert group under the Directorate of Health to improve the iodine status of Icelanders, which is currently working on a risk assessment of the use of iodine-enriched salt in bread. Additionally, screening for dietary intake at the beginning of pregnancy was introduced in prenatal care in Iceland.
For more details on my published scientific papers, see the research portal.
Teaching and Supervision of Graduate Students
I started working at the University of Iceland in 2006, contributing to teaching two courses on human nutrition offered in the undergraduate food science program at the time.
As one of two permanent faculty members in the field of nutrition during this time, I played an active role in developing the BSc program in nutrition, which admitted students for the first time in 2008. Before that, only master’s and doctoral programs were offered in the field.
In addition to teaching at the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, I have contributed to nutrition education at the Faculty of Nursing and regularly meet with medical students to address key nutritional challenges and dietary interventions related to pregnancy-related issues. I have adopted various teaching methods and am highly aware of students’ different assessment and content delivery needs.
To date, more than 30 students have graduated from master’s programs under my supervision, and I served as the primary advisor for over 20 of these students. The results of my students’ master’s theses have often been published in scientific journals, both internationally and domestically. Three students have completed their PhDs under my guidance, and I have co-supervised or collaborated on the supervision of five additional doctoral students.
European and Nordic research grants
2016 – 2020 PROMISS
Prevention of malnutrition in senior subjects, Horizon 2020, grant No. 678732.
2015 – 2017 EUthyroid
Towards the elimination of iodine deficiency and preventable thyroid-related diseases in Europe, Horizon2020, grant No. 634453.
2014 – 2018 MOODFood
Multy-country collaborative project on the role of diet, food‐related behaviour, and obesity in the prevention of depression, EU FP7-KKBE-2013-2-1-01.
2013 – 2014 ProMeal
Prospects for promoting health and performance by school meals in Nordic countries, funded by NordForsk (in collaboration with Prof. Anna Sigridur Olafsdottir)
2009 – 2010 A common Nordic monitoring system on diet, physical activity and overweight,
funded by NICe (Nordic Innovation Centre) and NKMT (Nordic Working Group for Diet, Food & Toxicology).
Domestic research grants
(outside the University of Iceland and Landspitali research funds)
2021 – IceGut
Effect of Pre- and Postnatal Diets on the Infants Gut Microbiome in Iceland (Significant role, PI Viggo Marteinsson). Funded by the Icelandic Research Fund, Grant of excellence.
2015 PREWICE
Pregnant women in Iceland. The Icelandic Research and Technology fund.
2014-2016 Oral nutrition supplements vs. energy- and protein dense in between meals snacks, weight changes and functional capacity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; randomized controlled dietary intervention.
The Icelandic Research fund.
2007-2009 Iodine status of pregnant women, and adolescent girls. The Icelandic Research Fund.
2023 –
Science Committee (Chairman), University of Iceland.
2023 –
Promotion and Tenure Committee (Chairman), University of Iceland.
2023 –
Policy and Quality Council, University of Iceland.
2023 –
Evaluation System for Public Higher Education Institutions (Chairman).
2023 –
Director of the Graduate School, University of Iceland.
2023 –
One of the four UI representatives in the steering group for the establishment of a university system, University of Iceland and Holar University.
2019 –
Landspitali Scientific Council, appointed by the CEO 2019-2023 og 2023-2027.
2021 – 2023
Evaluation Committee (Chairman ), Akureyri University.
2018 – 2022
Vice-chair of the University Council, University of Iceland.
2015 – 2022
Rector’s permanent representative in Selection Committees, University of Iceland.
2023
Honorary Scientist, Landspitali – University Hospital.
2014
The Motivation Award for young scientists. The Science and Technology Policy Council.
I was born in Reykjavík in 1974, spent my early years in Akureyri, and moved to Sweden at the age of four, where my family lived for five years before returning to Iceland and settling in Húsavík. I graduated from secondary school in December 1993 and began my studies at the University of Iceland in the fall of 1994.
My husband is Ólafur Heimir Guðmundsson, working at the economics department of Hafnarfjörður Municipality. Together, we have three sons:
- Elías Rafn (b. 2000), a professional football player playing for Midtjylland in Denmark.
- Gunnar Heimir (b. 2002), BA in songwriting and production from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) in 2024, working in the UK.
- Björgvin Ingi (b. 2004), a second-year student in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Iceland.
Sports have always played a major role in my personal life. Both my husband and I have careers as national team volleyball players and with our club teams. My senior club career began with Völsungur in Húsavík and the KA volleyball team in Akureyri during my secondary school years. During my university years, I played for ÍS, the University Student Club. My 20-year competitive volleyball career ended with HK in Kópavogur, alongside active parental involvement in Breiðablik’s football division and HK’s volleyball and table tennis divisions. In addition to traditional parental roles, I have held various positions within the sports community, including serving on the national team committee of the Icelandic Volleyball Association, chairing HK’s volleyball division for a few years, and representing the club’s main board.
Quality time with my family, good food, nourishing exercise (with relaxation afterward), and sufficient sleep are what matter most to me in maintaining joy and energy for my work.