Bieke Gils

I am a scholar specializing in sports and culture, with expertise in the history, sociology, and ethnography of gender and intersectional diversity within various institutional and organizational contexts, both past and present. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Sport Management (cum laude) from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium; a Master’s degree from the University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada; and a PhD and postdoctoral fellowship from the University of British Columbia, Canada. My research has primarily focused on female leading figures in diverse contexts, including the North American entertainment industries around 1900, physical education in Canada during the 1960s and 70s, and elite coaching in Norway. Since moving to Norway in 2018 and joining the University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), I have collaborated with the Norwegian elite sports organization, Olympiatoppen, on issues related to gender, leadership, and culture. Currently, I am leading a three-year institutional ethnography/evaluation research project (2022-2025) in partnership with Olympiatoppen, Talent Norge, and USN. This project aims to investigate diversity, equity, and inclusion within the elite sports and arts sectors in Norway. Specifically, it seeks to support these organizations in increasing the diversity of individuals in leadership positions, including leaders within these organizations, elite coaches, leaders in sports federations, and artistic leaders across various art fields.