Junior Research Groups

Thirteen young researchers selected in the second call for junior research groups under the SÖF funding programme began setting up scientific research groups and detailing the specific subjects for their projects in 2008. The four-year funding period for these research projects began in 2009. The work done by these junior researchers will revolve in particular around climate protection, biodiversity and developing background information for use by the political sector.

The foremost aims of the funding provided under the Social-Ecological Research Programme are to

  • ensure and expand Social-Ecological Research's ability to develop solutions to societal problems,
  • improve training opportunities for junior researchers and give them a cross-disciplinary perspective,
  • initiate the establishment of junior research groups at universities and non-university institutions,
  • develop junior scientists for conducting research and teaching in the environmental, natural and social science fields and
  • help them earn qualification for heading research groups that work on an interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary basis along the interfaces between environmental science, the natural sciences and the humanities.

A further aim is to eliminate in the individual junior research groups the compartmentalisation of research approaches that is still very strong in the natural sciences, engineering sciences and social sciences. Accordingly, junior research groups are not only supposed to produce research findings in the narrower sense of the term, but also develop and foster a culture of working on an interdisciplinary basis when conducting the research projects they have selected for themselves.

These research projects run for a total of five years so that it is possible to meet the special challenges posed by interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research and, at the same time, ensure that participating junior researchers have sufficient time to earn the targeted academic qualification.

Nine research projects were selected for the first funding period (2001 - 2006). These projects examined a variety of issues relating to energy, transport, supply and disposal, climate change, urban and regional development, resource management, wealth development, societal learning and society's relationship to nature.

Issues in the areas of climate protection, biodiversity and the development of background information for use by the political sector have been the
focus of the twelve projects being conducted during the second funding period (2006 - 2010).


 

  • STOCKED FISH

    Sustainable management of coupled social-ecological systems exemplified by fish stocking in recreational angling more (URL: http://www.sozial-oekologische-forschung.org/en/1410.php)

  • BioDIVA

    Transformation knowledge towards a gender-equitable and sustainable use of biodiversity more (URL: http://www.sozial-oekologische-forschung.org/en/1431.php)

  • Biofuel as Social Fuel

    Biofuel as social fuel more (URL: http://www.sozial-oekologische-forschung.org/en/1412.php)

  • Chameleon

    Adaptation to climate change in the utility sector more (URL: http://www.sozial-oekologische-forschung.org/en/1414.php)

  • CIVILand

    The Relevance and Innovation Potential of Civil Society for Payment Systems for Ecosystem and Cultural Landscape Services more (URL: http://www.sozial-oekologische-forschung.org/en/1416.php)

  • Renewable Energy Regions: Socio-Ecology of Self-Sufficiency

    The conditions for and diffusion of concepts for the complete energy supply of municipalities and regions on the basis of renewables - main focus on bioenergy more (URL: http://www.sozial-oekologische-forschung.org/en/1076.php)

  • FAIR FUELS?

    Between dead end and energy transition: a socio-ecological multilevel analysis of transnational biofuels policy more (URL: http://www.sozial-oekologische-forschung.org/en/1418.php)

  • GETIDOS - Getting things done sustainably

    Theory, empirical basis and potential of social entrepreneurship for sustainable development more (URL: http://www.sozial-oekologische-forschung.org/en/1420.php)

  • plan B:altic - climate change and spatial development

    Adaptation strategies of urban and regional planning in urban regions of the Baltic Sea coast more (URL: http://www.sozial-oekologische-forschung.org/en/1422.php)

  • Market-based Instruments for Ecosystem Services

    Drivers, impacts and policy options using the example of climate protection and nature conservation in Central European cultural landscapes more (URL: http://www.sozial-oekologische-forschung.org/en/1424.php)

  • Innovation in Governance

    The emergence, development and expansion of new forms of governance in a social-ecological context more (URL: http://www.sozial-oekologische-forschung.org/en/1429.php)

  • PoNa - Shaping Nature: Policy, Politics and Polity

    Rural development and agro-biotechnology between criticism and vision more (URL: http://www.sozial-oekologische-forschung.org/en/1427.php)

Documents