Assist. Prof Ariane KÖNIG

Ariane König is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Luxembourg.  She is a member of the faculty council and evaluates interdisciplinary research for the Institute of Advanced Studies. She leads a team conducting transdisciplinary research on regenerative practices in complex Social-Ecological Systems.

The research focus is on governance in complex social-ecological-technological systems and practices to safeguard self-regeneration capabilities of living systems.  One core research question is how to organize transdisciplinary scientific inquiry and knowledge co-production for better taking into account complexity, contingency, contradictions, uncertainty, ignorance, and open futures. The research approach is transdisciplinary and involves participatory research methods including collaborative conceptual systems mapping, scenario approaches, co-design of sustainability indicators, and citizen science. König’s transdisciplinary research benefits from work experience in a multinational corporation, working with intergovernmental organisations, and as a researcher in the natural and social sciences.  König has published over 50 publications (h-index 26), edited two books. She was invited as visiting researcher to the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences, and has given over 30 invited talks, and contributed as expert to international research evaluation committees. She acquired over 2,3 M Euro research funds and (co-) supervised 5 Ph.D. candidates.University of Luxembourg, Research Scientist, Institute of Education and Society, Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences

Ariane König is the study director of the innovative Certificate in Sustainability and Social Innovation, a transdisciplinary lifelong learning programme that equips changes agents to engage in societal transformation processes for sustainability.  The programme involves two core courses, two optional courses and peer group projects.  König also teaches a transversal skills course in the doctoral school on transdisciplinary research skills and different understandings of the roles of science and scientists in society.

Ariane König is a member of the European Statistical Advisory Committee since 2016 and in 2021 she was appointed to the national Observatory for Climate Politics. She is also a board member of the Social Enterprise Youth and Work since 2018. She has completed two terms as a member of the national Conseil Supérieur pour un Développement Durable.

König obtained this University’s Marie Speyer Seal of Excellence Award in 2024.  In 2024 König was also featured as one of 25 people recognized for their future-oriented contributions to society in the ‘Faces of Luxembourg’ project. At the start of her research career she was awarded a Fullbright Scholarship for her stay at Harvard, and received the Quartercentenary grant from Emmanuel College for her Ph.D. research.

After completing her Ph.D. König first worked on environmental and health risk regulation for a leading multinational life science corporation. Thereafter she held positions at 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.

König obtained her Bachelor and Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge, Emmanuel College.