ASA Program aims to discover, develop, and deploy new, more effective, and efficient ways of infusing systems science into policy and decision making for sustainable development.

Despite numerous success stories, many policies and decisions that currently aim to deal with global change are not sufficiently informed by cutting-edge science. Among the major barriers that prevent the effective input of science into policy are perceived shortfalls in agility, realism, and relevance of the current generation of methods and models from the standpoint of end users. To address these barriers, ASA strives to advance agile, realistic, and relevant systems analytical tools and methods, and facilitate a shared understanding of the capabilities and limits of these tools and methods with end users. Consequently, ASA’s efforts span the full range, from advancing research methods and tools of systems analysis to innovating at the interface between policy- and decision making, as well as with society at large. 

ASA Program’s major objectives are:

  • To innovate approaches and tools to analyze increasingly systemic, social-ecological risks and support decisions aimed at enhancing resilience and facilitating sustainability transitions and transformations.
  • To further the capacity of agile, on-demand systems analysis underpinned by a suite of modeling frameworks of appropriate complexity.
  • To mobilize multiple sources of data and the power of data science to diagnose and identify solutions to reduce vulnerabilities and risks. 
  • To advance feasible and effective ways of engagement with policymakers, the private sector, and citizens. 
  • To enhance trust and shared understanding of systems analysis methods and tools, in particular, through open science.

Models, tools, datasets

Overhead aerial view of city streets

Earth Observation & Citizen Science (Geo-Wiki)

Aerial of crops

Picture Pile

Projects

Space satellite orbiting the earth

Open-Earth-Monitor Cyberinfrastructure (OEMC)

INQUIMUS conference 2022

Transformations within Reach (TwR-II)

Staff

Robert Sakic Trogrlic profile picture

Robert Sakic Trogrlic

Research Scholar (SYRR)

Åke Brännström profile picture

Åke Brännström

Guest Senior Research Scholar (EM, CAT)

Gergely Boza profile picture

Gergely Boza

Guest Research Scholar (EM, CAT)

Matthias Wildemeersch profile picture

Matthias Wildemeersch

Research Scholar (EM)

News

taking a soil sample for a soil test in a field.

14 May 2024

Study confirms giant store of global soil carbon and highlights its dynamic nature

Discussions around soil carbon have traditionally revolved around organic matter, overlooking the substantial contribution of soil inorganic carbon. A recent study published in Science by an international team of researchers, however, addresses this oversight.
Gaza_Food_Crisis

13 May 2024

Analyzing the underlying causes of the food crisis in Gaza

IIASA research highlights that besides the devastating impacts of the Israel-Hamas War, there are additional longstanding causes for the ongoing food crisis, and tailored strategies are urgently required to resolve it.
Green seedlings in various stages of growth

02 April 2024

CROPS: a new EU-funded project to grow citizen science in Europe

In February 2024, a new EU-funded project kicked off. CROPS – short for curating, replicating, orchestrating, and propagating citizen science across Europe – is a three-year project that brings together six partners from six different countries to develop and demonstrate a modern, inclusive mechanism to support the upscaling of citizen science activities in Europe and beyond.

Focus

29 April 2024

Food insecurity in the Gaza Strip: An urgent priority with deep roots

Policy Brief #43, April 2024. Beyond the current conflict, longstanding issues must be addressed to ensure lasting food security in the Gaza Strip.
PB43
Citizen science and its power to engage the public with scientific endeavors.

11 April 2024

Breaking boundaries through citizen science

The way we do science has come a long way—from having only experts work on scientific projects, to where many projects now also include members of the public as participants. This change is thanks to citizen science, which creates opportunities for science to be taken to the next level.

Publications