The role of the Science Advisory Committee (SAC) established by the IIASA Council in 2002, is to ensure that IIASA work continues to meet the highest standards in both scientific and policy relevant communities.
The SAC was established in 2002 by the IIASA Council – the governing body of the institute – and is tasked with ensuring that IIASA work continues to meet the highest standards in terms of both scientific merit and policy relevance.
The Science Advisory Committee is an advisory structure constituted of independent scientists appointed by the IIASA Council with the task of providing scientific guidance and a research assurance function for IIASA. SAC reports directly to the IIASA Deputy Director General for Science and engages with the Director General, and indirectly to the Research and Engagement Committee of Council.
SAC members are appointed by the Council to three-year terms (for a maximum of six years), from a list of nominations solicited from IIASA Member Organizations, staff, and the IIASA scientific network. Members are selected based on their scientific and policy experience in the areas of IIASA research, with attention to balance regarding scientific disciplines, world regions, gender, and experience in global science-policy activities.
The committee meets approximately once per year, or more often if required, and the SAC Chair is invited to attend Council meetings as a guest.
Professor Yacob Mulugetta is the sixth SAC Chair, succeeding Professor John R. Birge of the University of Chicago.
Current SAC members
Chair from January 2024 to December 2026
Professor Yacob Mulugetta
Professor of Energy and Development Policy; Department of Science, Technology, Engineering & Public Policy (STEaPP) at the University College London (UCL), UK;
Founding Member of the African Climate Policy Centre (ACPC) at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
* Member from Jan 2022 to Dec 2024
Dr. Marianne Fay
Director for Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay
World Bank
* Member from Jan 2022 to Dec 2024
Prof. Leiwen Jiang
Founding Director and Professor, Asian Demographic Reserach Institute (ADRI), Shanghai University, China
Senior Associate, advisor for Population, Environmental Risks, and Climate Change Initiative, Population Council, New York, USA
* Member from Jan 2023 to Dec 2025
Prof. Marina Jirotka
Professor of Human Centred Computing
Department of Computer Science
University of Oxford
UK
*Member from Sep 2023 - Aug 2026
Prof. Barbara Keyfitz
Professor Emeritus
Department of Mathematics
The Ohio State University
USA
* Member from Jan 2024-Dec 2026
Dr. Olga KORDAS
Director of Viable Cities (a Swedish strategic innovation programme for smart and sustainable cities)
Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
Sweden
* Member from July 2020 to June 2026
Professor Dr. Christoph MEINEL
Internet Technologies and Systems
Hasso-Plattner-Institute
University of Potsdam
Germany
* Member from July 2020 to June 2026
Professor Dr. Taikan OKI
Professor, Graduate School of Engineering
University of Tokyo
Japan
* Member from Jan 2022 to Dec 2024
Professor Ahti Salo
Professor in Systems Analysis
Systems Analysis Laboratory
Department of Mathematics and Systems Analysis
Aalto University School of Science
Finland
* Member from Jan 2023 to Dec 2025
Professor Dr. Sonia Seneviratne
Professor for Land-Climate Dynamics
Department of Environmental Systems Science,
ETH Zürich
Switzerland
* Member from Jan 2023 to Dec 2025
Professor Dr. Diana Ürge-Vorsatz
Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy;
Central European University
Austria
* Member from Jan 2022 to Dec 2024
Professor Elke U. WEBER
Gerhard R. Andlinger Professor in Energy and the Environment
Professor of Psychology and Public Affairs
Princeton University
USA
* Member from July 2020 to June 2026