Dr. Ariane König
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| Faculty or Centre | Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences | ||||||
| Department | Department of Social Sciences | ||||||
| Postal Address |
Campus Kirchberg, Université du Luxembourg 6, rue Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi L-1359 Luxembourg |
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| Campus Office | D04 | ||||||
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| Telephone | (+352) 46 66 44 6233 | ||||||
| Speaks | English, French, German, Italian, Luxembourgish, Spanish | ||||||
| Research Stays in | Luxembourg, United Kingdom, United States of America | ||||||
- Profile
- Research
- Teaching
- Expert and Advisory Positions
- Edited Volumes and Special Issues
- Publications
Ariane König is a Research Scientist at the University of Luxembourg, where she and her team are engaged in research projects to facilitate and learn from social processes with experts and stakeholders to address complex sustainability challenges. The research focus is on food and water and land-use systems as tightly coupled social-ecological-technological systems. The work seeks to better understand and inform how developments and transformations within the spheres of society, technology, ecology and the personal sphere are interdependent to inform policies and action for deliberate transformations for a more sustainable society. Much of the research work is in the form of participatory inquiry and develops and implements methods for systems and scenario approaches and citizen science. König also built and coordinates an innovative study programme in “Sustainability and Social Innovation” that is open to students and professionals. Apart from her membership of the national government advisory gremium Observatoire de la Politique Climatique, König is a member of the European Statistical Advisory Committee and has completed two terms as a member of the national Conseil Supérieur pour un Développement Durable.
König obtained her Bachelor and Ph.D. at the University of Cambridge, Emmanuel College. She also completed a first trimester on European Law and Competition Law of the Master in European Law, Government and Policy at the London School of Economics. She first worked as Regulatory Affairs Manager compiling and presenting environmental and health impact assessments of genetically modified crops for a leading multinational life science corporation. Thereafter she joined the universities of Harvard and Oxford, where she conducted research and taught post-graduate and executive training courses on governance of new technologies and risk, with a focus on sustainable agricultural food production. She has also worked as an independent scientific consultant for the OECD, the European Commission, and EU research consortia. She has over 50 publications, her most recent book ‘Sustainability Science: Key Issues’ was published by Routledge in 2018.
Motto: Let’s work together for healthy ecosystems, social systems, and lifestyles!
Download Ariane König's full CV.
Last updated on: Friday, 20 January 2023
CURRENT RESEARCH INTERESTS
Field of knowledge and core concepts: Social and transformative learning for sustainability in complex social-ecological-technological systems; with a current focus on the regeneration of renewable resources such as water and fertile top soil.
Central research question: how to organize transdisciplinary scientific inquiry for better taking into account complexity, contingency, contradictions, uncertainty, ignorance, and open futures, as we shape our intentions and actions on sustainability challenges.
Research approaches and methods: collaborative conceptual systems mapping, scenario and visioning methods, and the co-design of sustainability indicators, citizen science projects, and living laboratories.
Experiences drawn upon: Dr König’s transdisciplinary research and teaching benefits from a unique combination of career experiences including as a researcher in the natural and social sciences in academia, as well as working in the private sector, and for intergovernmental organisations. Her work in the area of governance and risk regulation, technology impact assessment, Science and Technology Studies (STS), epidemiology and (eco-)toxicology, genetic engineering and biochemistry in diverse organisational settings all prove highly salient in her current transdisciplinary research and teaching on sustainability science for transforming human-environment interactions.
OVERVIEW ON MAIN CURRENT RESEARCH THAT I RAISED FUNDS FOR AND LEAD AS PI
| Project |
Duration |
Budget (kEuro) |
Core questions and methods |
Human resources |
Funded by… |
| NEXUS FUTURES |
2017-2022 |
943 |
Can we improve understandings and action repertoires on challenges at the water-soil nexus with collaborative conceptual systems mapping, and scenarios approaches? |
1 Ph.D. (4 years), 1 Post doc (5 years) |
Ministry for Sustainable Development and the University of Luxembourg |
| WATGOV |
2017-2021 |
187 |
Can citizen science play a role in improving water governance in Luxembourg? |
1 Ph.D. (3+1 years) |
An Internal Research Project (IRP) grant of the University of Luxembourg set up to foster interdisciplinary and cross-faculty research. |
| SCHOOL FUTURES |
2017-2021 |
200 |
Can scenario and systems approaches be designed in order to foster ‘transdisciplinary’ learning at schools? |
1 Ph.D. (4 years) |
Ministry for Education, and the Service for Coordination of Research and Innovation and Technologies (SCRIPT)) |
| BIOSPHERE INVEST |
2020-2021 |
54
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Innovative future financial instruments to fund the regeneration of resilient ecosystems that provide fundamental ecosystems services with associated impact assessment schemes (first focus on forests). |
1 Research Associate (1 year) |
The European Investment Bank (STAREBEI scheme) |
FUNDING RESPONSIBILITIES AT VARIOUS CAREER STAGES INCLUDED
2020-2021: Project BiosphereInvest, PI: Ariane König. Budget: 54 k Euro.
2017-2022: Project ‘NEXUS FUTURES’, PI: Ariane König. Budget: 943 k Euro
2017-2021: Project ‘WATGOV’ PI: Ariane König. Budget: 187 k Euro
2017-2021: Project ‘SCHOOL FUTURES’, PI: Ariane König. Budget: 200 k Euro
2009-2015: University of Luxembourg: Head of Sustainable development. Budget: ~75 000 Euro/year.
2012: Fonds National de la Recherche: Public Lecture Series on Sustainable Development’: 3000Euro
2010: Grant by Fonds National de la Recherche for ISCN Symposium in China. Budget: 10 000 Euro.
2005-2007:Part-time independent consultant. Received fees in the order of 15 000 - 20,000 Euro/year.
1998-2000: Monsanto. Head of Scientific Affairs Europe / Africa. Budget of ~1.4 M USD / year.
1993-1995: ESRS grant in support of Ph.D.
RESEARCH TRAINEES – Ph.D. LEVEL
- Kristina Hondrila ‘What is actionable knowledge for sustainable water governance?’ started on 15 March 2017 – December 2020. Successful defence on 4.December 2020. Role: Supervisor, PI.
- Karl Pickar ‘Co-design of a citizen science tool for sustainable water governance and transformative learning‘, started on 1 July 2017- ongoing. Role: Supervisor, PI.
- Bo Raber ‘Transformative learning from collaborative conceptual systems mapping and futures in schools‘, started on 15 November 2017 – ongoing. Supervisor, PI: Ariane König.
- Paula Hild ‘Implementation of the circular economy: Challenges for institutions and practices‘, Role: member of the .Committee d’Encadrement de Thèse , Supervisor: Prof. Christian Schulz, Ongoing.
- Jan Tobias-Doerr .’Learning from 30 years of transition – A reconstruction of the sustainable development of Beckerich and its implication for Luxembourgish rural development’ supervisor Prof. Christian Schulz, My role: Member of the .Committee d’Encadrement de Thèse and vice president of the jury. Completed in May 2019.
- Ante Galich ‘The co-production of policy and science in the governance of EU research & innovation policy’’ co-supervisor with Prof. Robert Harmsen- My role: Scientific contact and vice president of the jury. Completed in February 2015.
- Franklin Feyeh Bahfon on ‘Greening Local Economies in Luxembourg: Understanding Nature Parks as instruments of Sustainable Regional Development’ co-supervisor with Prof. Christian Schulz. Role : Scientific contact. Completed in May 2015.
RESEARCH SUPERVISED AT MASTERS -LEVEL
- Tea Sikharulize on ‘Exploring the challenges to participatory water governance: the case of the Upper-Sûre and Syr River Partnerships in Luxembourg’ Masters Thesis prepared as part of the Master in Geography and Spatial Planning at the University of Luxembourg, submitted in July 2018.
- Simone Kolz on ‘Climate change in the Himalayas: the role of local adaptation plans for action in Nepal’, Masters Thesis prepared as part of the Master in Geography and Spatial Planning at the University of Luxembourg, submitted in September 2016.
- Samuel Evans on ‘The governance of biotechnology at WTO: a cultural theory framework’, Masters Thesis at the University of Oxford, who was awarded the Dan Gowler Prize for prize for best dissertation in the Management Department of the year at the Saïd Business School.
- Tutorials for Masters Students at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University accompanying the course on ‘Environmental Science for Policy’. Gave supervisions and tutorials to undergraduates at Cambridge University.
Last updated on: 23 Sep 2022
| 2013-to date: Developed and direct the Certificate in ‘Sustainability and Social Innovation’ at the University of Luxembourg: An innovative study programme with 2 core courses for 6 ECTS each on ‘Science and Citizens meet Challenges of Sustainability’ and on ‘Social Enterprise and Social Innovation’, 2 auxiliary course, project work, and internship opportunities for transformative learning for sustainability. I developed the course on environmental science for ‘Global Environmental Change in the Anthropocene’ the Master in Geography and Spatial Planning that can also count towards the Certificate. 2014- 2017: Doctoral school seminars: Co-lead and development of the programme for the interdisciplinary strand on sustainability of the IPSE doctoral school. The seminar on ‘The practice of critical interdisciplinarity’ will be offered as transversal skills course at the university cross-faculty level starting in 2020. 2020-todate: Transferable skills doctoral seminar on Science in Society, University of Luxembourg. 2021: Taught a full course on future-oriented systems thinking at the Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan, on invitation by Ass. Prof. Hideki Maruyama. 2018 – to date: Invited teaching at the Université de Namur, Belgium: Contribution of lectures and workshops to a course on Systems thinking in the Master of Smart Ruralities developed by Prof. Nicolas Dendoncker. 2017 - 2019: Invited teaching at the University of Hokkaido, Sapporo, Japan: Invited to co-design and contribute lectures and a workshop to a course in Summer School of Hokkaido University on Sustainable campus development, systems thinking and futures developed by Ass. Prof. Maki Ikegami. 2009-2012: Interdisciplinary cross-faculty courses: Developed and taught the University of Luxembourg’s first interdisciplinary cross-faculty courses (for students and professionals) on ‘Science and citizens meet challenges of sustainability’; and ‘Social enterprise and social innovation’. 2002-2004: Executive training: Taught in executive training programmes on Competitive Advantage Regulation and the Environment (CARE) offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and on health risk assessment at the Harvard School of Public Health. 2001-2004: Training at post-graduate-level: Taught in post-graduate courses on environmental science for policy and environmental and health risk assessment at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Oxford University Saïd School of Business, and at Georgetown University. 1992-1995: Training at undergraduate level: Taught and supervised undergraduate students at the University of Cambridge, Emmanuel College: Taught tutorials and laboratory classes in biochemistry and molecular biology. |
Last updated on: 23 Sep 2022
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Last updated on: 23 Sep 2022
Edited Volumes
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König, A. (2018). Ed. Sustainability Science: Key Issues. Earthscan: Routledge. (Promotional flyer –click here). Sustainability Science: Key Issues is a comprehensive textbook for undergraduates, postgraduates, and participants in executive trainings from any disciplinary background studying the theory and practice of sustainability science. Each chapter takes a critical and reflective stance on a key issue or method of sustainability science. Contributing authors offer perspectives from diverse disciplines, including physics, philosophy of science, agronomy, geography, and the learning sciences. [more] |
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König, A. (2013). Ed. The Regenerative sustainable development of universities and cities: the role of living laboratories. Edward Elgar. (Promotional flyer – click here) Now that the Earth has reached the limits of its biophysical carrying capacity, we have to change technologies, social practices and social norms relating to material production and consumption to ensure that we do not further jeopardize the functioning of our planet’s life support systems. Through research, education and civic engagement, universities have a pivotal role to play in this transition. This timely book explores how universities are establishing living laboratories for sustainable development, and examines the communication networks and knowledge infrastructures that underpin impact both on and beyond the campus. [more] |
Special Issues
Van Poeck, K., Wals, A. E.J. and König, A. (2018). Guest Editors. Environmental and Sustainability Education in the Benelux Region. Environmental Education Research, Special Issue. In press.
König, A., Budwig, N. (2015). Special issue on ‘Changing requisites to universities in the face of complex challenges of global environmental change’ developed and accepted by the Journal Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, (IF = 3,1).
Last updated on: 23 Sep 2022
In press
Environmental and Sustainability Education in the Benelux Region; ;
in Environmental Education Research (in press), (Special Issue),
2021
Luxembourg 2050 - Prospects for a Regenerative City Landscape : Report Phase 2; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Report (2021)
Luxembourg 2050 - Prospects for a Regenerative City Landscape : Report Phase 1; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Report (2021)
Actionable knowledge and social learning for sustainability: Roles of professional knowledge and narratives;
Scientific Conference (2021, September)
Can citizen science complement official data sources that serve as evidence-base for policies and practice to improve water quality?; ; ;
in Statistical Journal of the IAOS (2021), 73(1), 189-204
SCHOOL FUTURES - Using scenario approaches to inform transformation initiatives in the Luxembourg school system; ; ; ;
in European Court of Auditors Journal (2021), (1), 193-199
Taking the Complex Dynamics of Human–Environment–Technology Systems Seriously: A Case Study in Doctoral Education at the University of Luxembourg; ; ; ; ; ;
in Frontiers in Sustainability (2021), 2
2020
A pluralistic and integrated approach to action-oriented knowledge for sustainability; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
in Nature Sustainability (2020)
2019
"Keine Schwarzseher" Forscher der Universität Luxemburg unterstützen Jugendliche von "Fridays for Future"; ; ; ; ;
Article for general public (2019)
2018
How can Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services help understanding and steering agroecological transitions?; ; ; ; ;
in Ecology and Society (2018), 23(1), 12
Exploring alternative futures with scenarios; ;
in König, Ariane (Ed.) Sustainability Science: Key issues (2018)
Systems approaches for transforming social practice: Design requirementsin König, Ariane (Ed.) Sustainability Science: Key issues (2018)
Sustainability science as a transformative social learning processin König, Ariane (Ed.) Sustainability science: Key issues (2018)
Community-based monitoring for improved water governance: A case study in Holbox Island, Quintana Roo State, Mexico;
in König, Ariane (Ed.) Sustainability Science: Key issues (2018)
Environmental and sustainability education in the Benelux countries: Research, policy and practices at the intersection of education and societal transformation; ;
in Environmental Education Research (2018), 24(Special Issue9-10), 1234-1250
Environmental and Sustainability Education (ESE) in the Benelux region; ;
in Environmental Education Research (2018), 24(Special Issue 9-10), 1229-1234
2017
Learning to confront complexity: What roles can a computer-based problem-solving scenario play?; ;
in Environmental Education Research (2017)
2016
Transforming the World by Transforming the University: Envisioning the University of 2040; ;
in Solutions (2016), 7(3), 12-16
Learning through evaluation e A tentative evaluative scheme for sustainability transition experiments; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
in Journal of Cleaner Production (2016), xxx
2015
Changing requisites to higher education in the face of 21st century sustainability challenges.in Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability (2015), 16
Towards systemic change: On the co-creation and evaluation of a study programme in transformative sustainability science with stakeholders in Luxembourgin Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability (2015), 16
Changing requisites to higher education in the face of 21st century sustainability challenges;
in Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability (2015), 16
2014
Workplace Relocation and Mobility Changes in a Transnational Metropolitan Area: The Case of the University of Luxembourg; ; ;
in Transportation Research Procedia (2014, December), 4
2013
Regenerative Sustainable Development of Universities and Cities: The Role of Living LaboratoriesBook published by Edward ELGAR: A family business in international publishing - 1st edition (2013)
Introduction: Experimenting for sustainable development? Living laboratories, social learning and the role of the universityin König, Ariane (Ed.) Regenerative Sustainable Development of Universities and Cities (2013)
Conclusion: a cross-cultural exploration of the co-creation of knowledge in living laboratories for societal transformation across four continentsin König, Ariane (Ed.) Regenerative Sustainable Development of Universities and Cities (2013)
What might a sustainable university look like? Challenges and opportunities in the development of the University of Luxembourg and its new campusin König, Ariane (Ed.) Regenerative Sustainable Development of Universities and Cities (2013)
2010
Compatibility of the SAFE FOODS Risk Analysis Framework with the legal and institutional settings of the EU and the WTOin Food Control (2010), 21(12), 1638-1652
The SAFE FOODS framework for improved risk analysis of foods.; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
in Food Control (2010), 21(12), 1566-1587
Environmental risk assessment for food-related substances;
in Food Control (2010), 21(12), 1588-1600
Economic assessment of food safety standards: Costs and benefits of alternative approaches;
in Food Control (2010), 21(12), 1611-1619
2009
The views of key stakeholders on an evolving food risk governance framework: Results from a Delphi study; ; ; ;
in Food Policy (2009), 34(6), 539-548
2007
Democratizing Decision-Making on Food-Safety in the E.U.: Closing gaps between principles of governance and practicein Minerva: A Review of Science, Learning and Policy (2007), 45(3), 275-294
Towards safer foods and more democratic decisions: Is this a contradictory goal?in Oléagineux, Corps Gras, Lipides (2007), 14(2), 92-99
2006
Governance of Food Safety in the European Unionin Carruth, Reba Anne (Ed.) Global Governance of Food and Agriculture Industries: Transatlantic Regulatory Harmonization and Multilateral Policy Cooperation for Food Safety (2006)
2005
A quantitative analysis of fish consumption and stroke risk.; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
in American Journal of Preventive Medicine (2005), 29(4), 347-352
Fish consumption and coronary heart disease: A review of data on the dose-response relationship; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
in American Journal of Preventive Medicine (2005), 29(4), 335-346
2004
Assessment of the safety of foods derived from genetically modified crops; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
in Food and Chemical Toxicology (2004), 42
2003
A framework for designing transgenic crops - science, safety, and citizen’s concerns.in Nature Biotechnology (2003), 21(11), 1274-1279
Book review: ‘How much risk? A guide to understanding environmental health hazards' by Inge F. Goldstein and Martin GoldsteinArticle for general public (2003)
2002
Negotiating the precautionary principle: Regulatory and institutional roots of divergent US and EU positionsin International Journal of BioTechnology (2002), 4(1), 61-81
The credibility of expert advice for regulatory decision-making in the US and EU;
E-print/Working paper (2002)
2001
Safety considerations of DNA in food; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
in Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism (2001), 45(6), 1-20
2000
Risk assessment of antibiotic resistance markers in genetically modified cropsScientific Conference (2000)
1998
Genetically modified crops in the European Union - the regulatory framework and public acceptanceScientific Conference (1998)
1997
The pipecolate-incorporating enzyme for the biosynthesis of the immunosuppressant rapamycin: Nucleotide sequence analysis, disruption and heterologous expression of rapP from Streptomyces hygroscopicus.; ; ; ; ; ;
in European Journal of Biochemistry (1997), 247(2), 526-534
1996
Organisation of the biosynthetic gene cluster for rapamycin in Streptomyces hygroscopicus: analysis of the enzymatic domains in the modular polyketide synthase; ; ; ; ; ; ;
in Gene (1996), 169(1), 9-16
Organisation of the biosynthetic gene cluster for rapamycin in Streptomyces hygroscopicus: analysis of the genes flanking the polyketide synthase; ; ; ; ; ; ;
in Gene (1996), 169(1), 1-7
The nature of the starter unit for the rapamycin polyketide synthase; ; ; ; ; ;
in Angewandte Chemie International Edition (1996), 35(19), 2249-2251
1995
Divergent sequence motifs correlated with the substrate specificity of (methyl)malonyl-CoA:acyl carrier protein transacylase domains in modular polyketide synthases.; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
in FEBS Letters (1995), 374(2), 246-248
The biosynthetic cluster for the polyketide immunosuppressant rapamycin; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (1995), 92(17), 7839-7843
1994
Cloning of structural genes for type I polyketide synthases involved in macrolide polyether biosynthesis; ;
Scientific Conference (1994)
