Governance of conflictual trade-off situations
Research Summary
My research focuses on the governance of the transformation of social-ecological systems towards sustainability. The goal of my work is to understand how complex multi-level trade-offs are governed in multi-actor, multi-interest governance systems. I aim to bring knowledge into action by designing research through co-production processes and by informing policies and decision-makers that improve outcomes for people and nature. My work integrates qualitative approaches with collaborative quantitative research. My background in human geography and natural science enables me to conduct interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research. I have carried out research in diverse cultural contexts, including rural areas in Switzerland, with Indigenous communities in the United States, and with farmers and industry partners in Albania.
Since 2025, I have been working as a Lecturer for Sustainability, Transformation, and Circular Economy at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU). From 2022 to 2025, I held a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Global Fellowship* within the Horizon 2020 European research program. As part of this fellowship, I conducted research and teaching stays at the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University (US), the School of Geography, Development & Environment at the University of Arizona (US), and the Wyss Academy for Nature at the University of Bern (CH). In 2024, I was a Nominated Visiting Scholar at the Ostrom Workshop at Indiana University Bloomington (US).
I hold several leadership roles in the field. Within the global research alliance Earth System Governance Project, I co-lead the international Working Group on Governance of Social-Ecological Systems. At Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, I co-lead the Sustainability focus at the Business School across research, teaching, and continuing education, and I co-lead the CAS in Sustainable Management and the CAS in Circular Economy. I was co-editor of a Special Issue in Global Environmental Politics (2024) and a Special Feature in Sustainability Science (2023).
I have extensive experience in teaching at Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD levels, across a wide range of learner backgrounds. I have taught at universities in the United States (Arizona State University, University of Arizona), Switzerland (ETHZ, University of Bern, Bern University of Applied Science, Lucerne University of Applied Science), and Germany (University of Kassel).
Grand Canyon National Park, US (Photo: Elke Kellner)
*Horizon 2020 MSCA-IF-2020 Grant No 101027966
