ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank all the people who have given me helpful advice, suggestions and assistance that contributed to the timely completion of this thesis. First and foremost, I would like to express my deep gratitude and appreciation to my supervisor, Associate Professor Nina Katrine Prebensen for her full support and enthusiastic supervision from the beginning to the final stages of the thesis writing period. This thesis would not have been possible without her guidance and encouragement. It is an honor for me to be her student and for these reasons I am indebted to her for her assistance. I would also like to thank all the Professors and Coordinators of the NOMA FAM