Assist. Prof Ariane KÖNIG

Ariane König is Assistant Professor of Regenerative Social-Ecological Systems at the University of Luxembourg.  She and her team are engaged in research projects to facilitate and learn from social processes with experts and stakeholders to co-design, set up, scale up, and transfer ideas from place-based projects to regenerate diverse and climate resilient ecosystems, also as basis for human health, well-being and flourishing. The research focus is on food and water and land-use systems as well as ecosystems as tightly coupled social-ecological-technological systems. The work seeks to better understand and act on the interdependencies and feedback loops between transformations within the spheres of society, technology, ecology and the personal spheres. Much of the research work is in the form of participatory inquiry and develops and implements methods for collaborative systems mapping and scenario approaches and citizen science. König also built and coordinates an innovative study programme in “Sustainability and Social Innovation” that seeks to equip change agents and 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. in Biochemistry 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. Her first employment was as Regulatory Affairs Manager in the agrifood section of a leading multinational life science corporation. Her role at the interface of science, the law, politics and public acceptance involved compiling and presenting environmental and health impact assessment data and engagement in regulatory processes in over 30 countries, three continents and at EU level.  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 and the co-production of science, technology, knowledge and social norms and practices. 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!

u003cbru003eCareer Overview

• 1 January 2023

  Assistant Professor, lead Group on Regenerative Social-Ecological Systems, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences

• 1 January 2016 – 31 December 2022

  University of Luxembourg, Research Scientist, Institute of Education and Society, Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences

• 1 June 2009 –  31 December 2015

  University of Luxembourg, Research Scientist, Institute of Education and Society, Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences

• 1 August 2012 –u003cbru003e31 December 2015

  University of Luxembourg (UL), Senior Researcher, Institute for Geography and Spatial Planning, , Faculty of Language and Literature, Humanities, Arts and Education (50% FTE)

• 1 October 2007 –u003cbru003e31 July 2012

  University of Luxembourg, Advisor to the Rector (Conseillère auprès du recteur).  (As of 1 June 2009 with 50% FTE)

• 1 November 2004 –u003cbru003e1 August 2009

  Associate Fellow at the University of Oxford with a consulting contract to conduct research from 1 April 2006 – 31 March 2007.

• 15 November 2005 –u003cbru003e30 September 2007

  Independent consultant (registered in Luxembourg) providing intellectual services to the Universities of Wageningen and Oxford.

• 24 May 2004 –u003cbru003e15 November 2005

  University of Oxford, Research Fellow employed at the James Martin Institute for Science and Civilization at the Saïd Business School (start of maternity leave on 1 November 2004).

• 1 May 2002 –u003cbru003e30 December 2003

  Harvard University, employed as Senior Research Associate at the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, Harvard School for Public Health. Left voluntarily to relocate to Europe.

• 1 September 2000 –u003cbru003e30 June 2004

  Harvard University, Fellow at the Science, Technology and Public Policy Program, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Kennedy School of Government. 

• 4 January 1997 –u003cbru003e31 August 2000

  Monsanto International Services S.A., Regulatory Affairs Manager and Scientific Affairs Coordinator, Agricultural Sector.

• 1 April 1996 –u003cbru003e30 September 1996

  European Commission, Stagiaire in DG 3. Enterprise. Unit on Biotechnology.  Head of Unit: Mr G. Cozigou.  I quit this internship position to start a Masters of Science in EU: Law, Government and Policy at the London School of Economics on 1.10.1996-31.12.1996. Completed the section on Law, including an advanced course on competition law, before I received a job offer by Monsanto (see above).

• Curriculum Vitae