Simensen's research is focused on landscape characterization and mapping, landscape ecology and land use-, land cover- and landscape changes. He has 20 years of professional experience from spatial planning and nature management, including work experience from Norway, Chile, Turkey, Uganda, South Africa, and the USA. With experience as a practitioner, a government employee and as a scientist, Simensen has extensive experience in handling questions at the science-policy interface. Simensen holds a PhD in ecology from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Oslo. He holds a Master's degree (Cand. agric.) in landscape architecture from the agricultural university at Ås (NMBU).