IIASA welcomes senior researchers, senior policy-makers and leaders from around the world to bring their sabbatical to IIASA and become a Guest Affiliate of the Institute, for a duration of three to twelve months.
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Becoming a IIASA Guest Affiliate will enable you to spend time with a cohort of system thinkers, allowing you to return home and serve in your position applying a "systems analysis lens" to your work. While being here, you'll be able to familiarize yourself various IIASA models and research tools, as well as benefit from a multicultural, interdisciplinary team of colleagues with different backgrounds, trained in different methods and modes of thinking.
All Guest Affiliates are responsible to organize their own funding to bring their sabbatical to IIASA. Many universities have provisions for taking sabbaticals and spending time abroad. In addition, IIASA has Member Organizations (MOs) in 20 countries, some of which are willing to fund the living costs for a researcher to bring their sabbatical to IIASA. It is recommended that you directly reach out to your MO, to establish which type of support (if any) could be provided.
Read testimonials below to see how the being a Guest Affiliate at IIASA has impacted researchers from all over the world - here some impressions from those who came in 2024 and 2023.
I came to IIASA to deepen collaboration with both the energy and climate modelling team and the biodiversity team. On the climate modelling side, we have been pursuing joint work on modelling the climate impact of buildings for countries in Europe, addressing embodied emissions associated with construction materials and circular strategies for reducing those emissions. With the biodiversity team, we have been exploring diet shifts, and the biodiversity benefits and employment impacts of a transformative change in the agri-food system, including plant-forward diets. I have learned a lot from all the excellent colleagues at IIASA and have benefited from interacting with many visitors. In addition, I have enjoyed rich cultural life of Vienna and the lovely wine-growing area south of Vienna and west of Laxenburg, where I pass through every day. Edgar Hertwich spent his sabbatical in 2024 at IIASA. He is a professor of Industrial Ecology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and a former YSSP.
https://www.ntnu.edu/employees/edgar.hertwich
Being at IIASA, a globally recognized research institute dedicated to tackling some of the most pressing issues of our time, provided me with a unique opportunity to engage with a vibrant and diverse research community. I came to IIASA to understand how the "MESSAGEix" model works and to compare a study my colleagues and I conducted on the assessments of Israel’s electricity sector in 2050 with the results of the "MESSAGEix" model. During my time at IIASA, I greatly appreciated the youthful and dynamic atmosphere, particularly among the YSSP (Young Scientists Summer Program) students, who brought enthusiasm, curiosity, and a genuine drive to contribute to solving global challenges. It was a pleasure to mentor one of the YSSP students, and this experience was both fulfilling and energizing. Vienna offered an incredible cultural backdrop, with its world-renowned music, museums, and art. Living in this beautiful city, combined with the excellent public transportation system, made my time outside the institute just as enjoyable. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with IIASA researchers, and I look forward to maintaining these connections as I continue my work at Afeka College, where I teach in the School of Mechanical Engineering. Moshe Tshuva spent his sabbatical at IIASA in 2024.
https://www.afeka.ac.il/en/faculty-en/moshe-tshuva
I collaborated with colleagues from IIASA to devise a methodology for forecasting the dynamic N2O EF (emission factor) across diverse climate and management scenarios. The dynamic EF is a crucial yet uncertain coefficient in N2O assessment and prediction. The utilization of the default EF value from the IPCC over various spatial and temporal dimensions has demonstrated challenges in numerous studies. Our approach involved integrating process-based modeling, a machine learning framework, and the GAINS model to assess the impact of dynamic EF prediction on the evaluation of N2O emissions and the identification of nitrogen abatement strategies. By combining these methods, we aimed to enhance the precision and relevance of N2O assessments, addressing the limitations associated with static EF values in previous research. It has truly been a memorable experience. IIASA provides a very open and international working environment, which makes collaboration rather easy and efficient. I am excited about the prospect of writing up our work, presenting it at the coming AGU, and expanding our collaboration into various aspects. Additionally, my family has thoroughly enjoyed life in Vienna, from visiting beautiful palaces to savoring delicious food, including the must-try Sturm and homemade poppy seed cake! Weekends spent traveling around, especially Upper Austria that has breathtaking views, all add to the great experience. During her 2023 IIASA sabbatical, Chaoqun worked as a Guest Research Scholar in the Pollution Management research group, Energy, Climate and Environment (ECE) Research Program. Dr Lu is an Associate Professor at Iowa State University, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology.
https://www.clu-lab.com/
During my time at IIASA, I have been actively engaged in air pollution management. It has been a rewarding experience, contributing to policy making. Undoubtedly, this has been a memorable experience. The collaborative environment, cutting-edge research, and the warm camaraderie among colleagues have made my time here truly special. During his 2023 IIASA sabbatical, Yun worked as a Guest Research Scholar in the Pollution Management research group, Energy, Climate and Environment (ECE) Research Program.