Executive team
© IIASA
Hans Joachim (“John”) Schellnhuber
Director General
Hans Joachim (‘John’) Schellnhuber joined the IIASA executive team on 1 December 2023. He studied physics and mathematics and completed his doctorate in quantum physics at the University of Regensburg. After a postdoctoral position at the Institute for Theoretical Physics, Santa Barbara, he held full professorships at the Universities of Oldenburg and Potsdam, as well as at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. In addition, he was engaged in numerous visiting professorships (e.g., University of California Santa Cruz; Oxford University; Stockholm University; and the Santa Fe Institute). Schellnhuber received honorary doctorates from the University of Copenhagen (2011), the Technical University Berlin (2012), and the University of Exeter (2022). He has published some 300 scientific articles and books in fundamental physics, complex systems analysis, climate-change research, sustainability science, and other fields. Schellnhuber is listed as a Highly Cited Researcher (Cross Field) by Clarivate.
© Karen Lips
Karen R. Lips
Deputy Director General
Karen Lips joined IIASA on 1 July 2024 and brings a wealth of experience gained in both leadership and academic positions. She leverages over thirty years of scientific research and international policy experience to catalyze international, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral collaborations ranging from ecology to education. She has extensive experience in academic leadership, strategic planning, and educational policy; in domestic and international science policy and science diplomacy; and in program management, public engagement, and experiential training.
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Christiane Pohn-Hufnagl, Chief Operations Officer
Christiane Pohn-Hufnagl
Chief Operations Officer
Christiane Pohn-Hufnagl joined the executive team of IIASA as Chief Operations Officer (COO) on 1 July 2020. As Chief Operations Officer, Christiane Pohn-Hufnagl provides administrative leadership at the institute and ensures that IIASA researchers are supported by an operational environment that facilitates the delivery of excellent research and science.
