News archive

Massive growth of urban sprawl in Austria 1975-2020

New Study co-authored by Anna-Katharina Brenner, Tobias Krüger, Helmut Haberl, Gernot Stöglehner and Martin Behnisch (Journal of Land Use Science).

VIVA VOCE

Benjamin Fleischmann

Biomass as a material basis of social-ecological transformation? Analyzing strategies for the bioeconomy within biophysical limits

Time / Place: October 06, 2026, 15.00 / Institute of Social Ecology, Schottenfeldgasse 29/3, 1070 Vienna, SR 31 or Zoom

An Environmental and Military History of the Ottoman Danube (1500-1700)

112. ZUG-Minisymposium

Presentation: Deniz Armağan Akto, Universität Wien;
Time: 15.10.2026, 18:15 Uhr;
Place: BOKU University | Standort Schottenfeldgasse 29/3, 1070 Vienna, SR 31

Dissertation Defense

Carmen Séra-Penker

The energy transition in Barbados: Energy dependency, power relations in the energy system and the role of island spatiality

Time / Place: September 04, 2026, 11.00 / Institute of Social Ecology, Schottenfeldgasse 29/3, 1070 Vienna, SR 31

Dissertation Defense

Tamara Artacker

Doing, Knowing and Being: Power in Peasant Integration into the Agro-industrial Dispositif in Ecuador

Time / Place: September 04, 2026, 14:30 / Institute of Social Ecology, Schottenfeldgasse 29/3, 1070 Vienna, SR 31

Material stocks in a circular economy

How much material has Europe accumulated, and what does that mean for the circular economy transition? A new European Environment Agency briefing assesses material stocks in a Circular Economy.

The exploitation of hydropower under the Karavanks and Julian Alps (1880–1941)

111th Minisymposium of the Centre for Environmental History

Presentation: Sara Šifrar Krajnik, University of Bern and Institute of Contemporary History (Ljubljana)
Time: 15.06.2026, 6:15 pm
Place: BOKU University | Standort Schottenfeldgasse 29/3, 1070 Vienna, SR 31

Social Ecology Day 2026

On April 22, the Institute of Social Ecology held its annual SEC Day.

Environmental History with a Focus on Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research

Public scientific presentations

Time: 30.04.2026, 8:00 – 11:15 / online link: https://bokuvienna.zoom.us/j/68889490789

Between monopolizing knowledge and techno-solutionisms in a finite world

SEC Lecture, 12.05.2026

Presentation: Cecilia Rikap (Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose of the University College London); Moderation: Melanie Pichler; Place: BOKU University, Schottenfeldgasse 29, 1070 Vienna, SR 31 / Time: 12.05.2026, 12 pm oder via Zoom

Public Habilitation Colloquium: Dominik Wiedenhofer

Invitation

Place: BOKU University, Gregor-Mendel-Haus, 3. Stock, HS 31, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Wien / Time: Friday, 20 March 2026, 10:00 a.m. (CET)
https://bokuvienna.zoom.us/j/97629998718

REMASS Workshop: Who makes the city? Working together torwards transformation

Join in as representatives from Paris and Vienna share their experiences and engage in dialogue over who makes the city.
Zeit / Ort: March 4th 2026, 14:00-17:00 / Central European University, Quellenstraße 51, 1100 Vienna

In memoriam

Prof. Stephen BOYDEN (1925-2025), pioneer in the field of Human Ecology

In memory of stimulating discussions on the interdisciplinary foundations and mutual learnings between Human Ecology and Social Ecology.

Congratulations to Hanspeter Wieland

We warmly congratulate Hanspeter Wieland on defending his doctoral thesis with distinction!

Dissertation Defense

Hanspeter Wieland

Slicing up the Social Metabolism with Physical Input-Output Techniques

Time / Place: January 30, 2026, 14:00 / Institute of Social Ecology, Schottenfeldgasse 29/3, 1070 Vienna, SR 31

Job opening: Career position (tenure track)

The Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Institute of Social Ecology wishes to fill a career position in compliance with § 99 (5) UG (tenure-track) in the field of Environmental History with a focus on long-term socio-ecological research
Closing date for applications: 06.01.2026

Verena Winiwarter Prize

The International Consortium of Environmental History Organizations (ICEHO) is proud to announce the Verena Winiwarter Prize for the best article that contributes to global environmental history.

Deadline for submissions is August 15, 2026.

Why history matters in ecology: traditional woodland management and its legacy in nature conservation

SEC Lecture, 16.12.2025

Presentation: Péter Szabó (Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno); Moderation: Simone Gingrich; Place: BOKU University, 1190 Wien, Peter-Jordan-Straße 82, Wilhelm-Exner-Haus, EXNH-HS 03

60 percent of the world's land area is in a precarious state

Press release

A new study (conducted by PIK in collaboration with BOKU/SEC) maps the planetary boundary limits of the “functional integrity of the biosphere” in spatial detail and over centuries. According to the study 60 percent of land areas are outside the locally defined safe zone, and 38 percent are already in the high-risk zone. The study has now been published in the renowned journal One Earth.

Reconceptualizing the role of socioeconomic material stocks in the leverage points framework to enable transformative change

New article by Haas, W., Abson, D.J., Haberl, H., Spittler, N., Wiedenhofer, D., and Dorninger, C.

Bina Agarwal Prize

Christian Dorninger was awarded the prestigious Bina Agarwal Prize for outstanding research achievements in the field of ecological economics.

Call for applications: Postdoctoral Research Associate

The Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Institute of Social Ecology, is currently seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate. Closing date for applications: 24.10.2025

PhD Workshop: Rethinking Social Metabolism in Times of Crisis

Call for applications

with Keynotes by Melanie Pichler & Helmut Haberl; Time: October 9 - 10, 2025; Place: Vienna; Closing date for submission of abstracts: August 18, 2025

Reflecting Oil

As a part of the artistic research project “Reflecting Oil” at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, an anthology of the same name has now been produced and is also available as an open access e-book. Simone Gingrich (ISEC) and Johannes Schmidt (INWE) contributed to it.

Second Austrian Assessment Report on Climate Change

The report summarises the current state of research, analyses the consequences of climate change, and presents options for action in Austria. Eleven researchers from the Institute of Social Ecology contributed to the report, including Karlheinz Erb and Barbara Smetschka, who acted as coordinating lead authors.

Congratulations Sarah Matej

We warmly congratulate Sarah Matej on defending her doctoral thesis with distinction!

Rigorosum

Sarah Matej

Patterns, dynamics and interlinkages of biomass consumption, land use and biodiversity: an assessment across scales

Zeit / Ort: 13 June 2025, 16:15 / Institute of Social Ecology, Schottenfeldgasse 29/3, 1070 Vienna, SR 3a

Fitness for future

Veronika Gaube is co-author of a new paper by Ohnemus, T., et al., 2025. Fitness for future: eLTER RI's representation of climate and land use change. Ecological Indicators 171

Rethinking Growth: Green Growth

In an interview with Icarus Complex Magazine, Helmut Haberl explains the links between economic growth, the circular economy, and economic and societal well-being.

Congratulations Lisa Kaufmann

We warmly congratulate Lisa Kaufmann on defending her doctoral thesis with distinction!

Rigorosum

Lisa Kaufmann

Socio-Metabolic Insights into Sustainability: Exploring Socioeconomic Carbon Pools and Regional Food Systems

Time / Place: 21.03.2025, 15:00 / Institute of Social Ecology, Schottenfeldgasse 29/3, 1070 Vienna, SR 3a

Unmute biodiversity risks of free trade? The EFTA–Mercosur Agreement (Swiss) case study

New article by Willemin, Rémi, Cornelia B. Krug, Nicolas Roux, Elisabeth Bürgi Bonanomi, Marc Chesney, Benjamin Curnow, Sierra Deutsch et al.

New paper by Willi Haas, André Baumgart, Nina Eisenmenger, Doris Virág et al.

How decarbonization and the circular economy interact: Benefits and trade‐offs in the case of the buildings, transport, and electricity sectors in Austria.

Recent Advances in Social Metabolism Research: Sources and Methods

Special Issue in Historical Methods: guest edited by Andrew Watson, Simone Gingrich and Joshua MacFadyen

Unpacking the Path toward a Sustainable Circular Economy through Industrial Ecology

Magnus Fröhling, Chika Aoki-Suzuki, Bhavik Bakshi, Sina Leipold, Xin Tong, Hannah Su-Han Wang and Dominik Wiedenhofer published a special issue of "Journal of Industrial Ecology"

Habilitation Willi Haas

Congratulations to Willi Haas on the successful completion of his habilitation.

Postgraduate Research Associate

Vacancy

We are currently seeking a Postgraduate Research Associate on Political Dimensions of Social-Ecological Transformations. Deadline for applications: 06.01.2025

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Vacancy

We are currently seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the field of Political Ecology. Deadline for applications: 06.01.2025

Highly Cited Researchers

Ranking

Karlheinz Erb and Helmut Haberl are among the most cited researches in the world. Category: Cross-Fields

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Vacancy

We are currently seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the fields of social ecology, ecological economics or similar. Deadline for applications: 06.01.2025

Congratulations Harald Grabher

We warmly congratulate Harald Grabher on defending his doctoral thesis with distinction!

Congratulations Kathrin Kaltenegger

We warmly congratulate Kathrin Kaltenegger on defending her doctoral thesis with distinction!

Congratulations Anna-Katharina Brenner

We warmly congratulate Anna-Katharina Brenner on defending her doctoral thesis with distinction!

Environmental History

Public Presentations Professorship

Simone Gingrich

Scientific presentation: Uncovering the history of current sustainability challenges: a long-term socio-ecological research agenda.

Lecture: „Was können wir aus der Umweltgeschichte für einen sozial-ökologischen Wandel hin zu einer nachhaltigen Zukunft lernen?“

Time/Place: 11.10.2024, 09:00 / hybrid event

Dissertation Defense

Anna-Katharina Brenner

Path dependencies and transformative actions towards sustainability. How actors, institutions and material dimensions shape urban built environments

Time / Place: 07.10.2024, 15:00 / Institute of Social Ecology, Schottenfeldgasse 29/3, 1070 Wien, SR 3a

Dissertation Defense

Katrin Kaltenegger

Analyzing flows of reactive nitrogen on different scales - global to urban perspectives

Time / Place: 07.10.2024, 13:00 / Institute of Social Ecology, Schottenfeldgasse 29/3, 1070 Wien, SR 3a

Dissertation Defense

Harald Grabher

Household energy services from biomass and their interrelations with material stocks and flows: A socio-ecological case study in Ethiopia

Time / Place: 05.11.2024, 14:30 / Institute of Social Ecology, Schottenfeldgasse 29/3, 1070 Wien, SR 3a

Sanitary Danube Capital: sewerage reform in late 19th century Budapest

105. ZUG-Minisymposium

Time: 21.11.2024, 18:15 Uhr, Ort: BOKU University | Standort Schottenfeldgasse 29, 1070 Wien, SR 3a oder online via Zoom