The Strategic Initiatives (SI) Program engages in active horizon scanning to identify initiatives of high strategic impact in order to continuously push the boundaries of systemic analyses.   

The program works closely with the IIASA National Member Organizations (NMOs) to identify NMO specific research interests and needs, and leverage the expertise available across the institute to break new ground in systems research and applications while also establishing and building strategic partnerships. IIASA strategic initiatives are time-bound and set up via periodic competitive, rigorously scrutinized, internal calls for proposals.

Initiatives are selected based on their ability to draw on cross-program expertise and expand the IIASA research portfolio beyond that identified in the research plans of other programs. The initiatives pursued under the auspices of the program are typically of value and interest to several or all NMOs and serve as a vehicle to better align the research interests of NMOs and IIASA, albeit with a clear focus on themes identified in the IIASA strategy

The objectives of a Strategic Initiative include:

  1. Leverage cross-program expertise and expand IIASA’s research portfolio beyond that identified in research plans of other Programs.
  2. Lead to high strategic impact scientific outputs
  3. Be a vehicle to better align NMOs and IIASA’s research interests, albeit with a clear focus on themes identified in IIASA’s strategy
  4. Act as a magnet for external co-funding
  5. Be set up via a formal call for proposals with a defined selection process and evaluation criteria.
Strategic Initiatives © Photo 207979263 / Strategic © Gajus | Dreamstime.com

Strategic Initiatives Program Impact:

  • SI activities lead to wide NMO engagement through opportunities to co-design overarching SI research themes as well as project proposals
  • Until now 4 SI projects (FairSTREAM, JustTrans4All, RESIST, TRUST) have been funded with active, strong input from NMO countries
  • SI provides opportunities for young and mid-career female researchers to take up the role as PI or Co-PI, thus increasing the number of women in leading positions: 3 SI projects are women-led and 1 project has a female Co-PI
  • SI facilitates cross-program collaboration that would otherwise not take place: Funded projects involve around 40 IIASA researchers from 11 research groups and 5 programs
IIASA Connect © IIASA

IIASA Connect is bringing together our NMO network and the Strategic Initiative researchers.

connect.iiasa.ac.at

Projects

Path

Just Transitions to Net-Zero Carbon Emissions for All (JustTrans4ALL)

fairSTREAM_logo

fairSTREAM

Concept of idea and innovation. Hand with a burning gear in the globe.

Tools for Raising and UnderStanding Trust in systems science through citizen engagement (TRUST)

RESIST_banner

Resilience of Ecosystem Services provided by Intact and Sustainably managed Terrestrial ecosystems (RESIST)

Staff

Steffen Fritz profile picture

Steffen Fritz

Program Director and Principal Research Scholar (SI); Principal Research Scholar (NODES)

No image available

Romain Clercq-Roques

Researcher (SI, CDAT)

No image available

Holger Hoff

Guest Research Scholar (SI)

Sandra Brozek profile picture

Sandra Brozek

Program Assistant (NODES, SI)

News

Glitter awards background

03 February 2023

Exceptional young scientists awarded

IIASA is proud to announce the winners of the 2022 Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP) awards. The awards provide financial support for three exceptional young scientists to return to IIASA for an additional three months of research.
Wooden figures around a blue glass globe. Concept of cooperation and collaboration

20 January 2023

Austrian Federal Minister for Education, Science, and Research visits IIASA

IIASA recently welcomed Austria's Federal Minister for Education, Science, and Research, Martin Polaschek, to discuss ongoing research projects and explore potential collaborations between the institute and the Austrian government.
Co-production

29 April 2022

FairSTREAM updates

In 2021, the fairSTREAM project was selected as one of the first high impact Strategic Initiatives at IIASA. Below is an update on what the project has achieved to date.

Focus

Morning fog in dense tropical rainforest

03 November 2022

How do droughts affect the ability of trees to absorb CO2?

Jaideep Joshi highlights the results of a recent study in which he and his colleagues looked into the impacts of the novel environmental conditions that plants are exposed to today as a result of the changing climate.

Tropical jungle

20 September 2022

Achieving socio-ecological resilience in the Anthropocene: opportunities and challenges

Florian Hofhansl writes about an upcoming IIASA research initiative and its successful inauguration at a recent conference of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation.

08 September 2022

Co-development – more than just a buzz word

Striving for excellence and designing truly innovative solutions in science requires many creative minds from different disciplines and parts of society to work together.
Team Partnership Collaboration Support Concept

Publications