Have you ever wondered how policymakers make informed decisions for climate action? "That’s an easy one," you might say. "With science of course!" But even for scientists, understanding the world's climate is complex, and forecasting potential future developments is even more so. IIASA 2024 Science Communication Intern, Moritz Boeswirth explored this topic.
For over 45 years, the IIASA Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP) has offered opportunities for PhD students to learn about systems analysis and hone their professional skills at IIASA. As this year’s summer term comes to an end, IIASA science writer Vladimir Tarakanov interviewed Amrutha G.S., 2024 YSSP participant and Kirit Parikh Fellow, to learn more about her experiences at the Institute this summer.
Imagine a city where every neighborhood has lush green spaces that not only beautify the area but also improve the quality of life for its residents. How can we work together to make this vision a reality? Jaewon Son, a participant in the 2024 IIASA Young Scientists Summer Program shares insights into this important question.
IIASA’s first-ever Summer School for Systems Modeling took place at the IIASA premises in Laxenburg, Austria from 15-26 July 2024. Kirsten Glenn, Capacity Development Coordinator in the IIASA Capacity Development and Training Unit reflects on the successful completion of this new IIASA initiative.
To maximize the benefits of having experienced researchers from US institutions visiting IIASA as part of the Peter de Jánosi Fellowship, the current fellow was selected to train the next generation of young scientists as part of the first IIASA Summer School for Systems Modeling. IIASA Science writer, Vladimir Tarakanov, sat down with Nina Fefferman to get her first impressions of the Institute.
Prompted by a colleague’s question about whether justice is the same as ethics, Elliott Woodhouse sheds light on the nuances of justice as a specific approach to ethics and introduces the IIASA justice framework, a comprehensive tool for systems analysts to integrate justice considerations into their work.
The first Vienna Climate Biennale took place from April to July. CircEUlar was one of the scientific partners of the Biennale, contributing insights on the potential of circular economy strategies to combat climate change. Project coordinators Marina Jovanovic and Volker Krey reflect on the 100-day festival and the unique collaboration between science and art.
IIASA researchers Silvia Artuso and Juliette Martin reflect on a recent workshop presented at the Institute as part of the IIASA School Engagement Initiative, during which they introduced students to systems analysis and took them on an adventure to explore the amazing biodiversity of Laxenburg park.
The Gambia faces significant food availability issues due to low agricultural productivity. IIASA researchers and colleagues used the FABLE Calculator to explore actions to reduce the food supply-demand gap by 2050. The results, published in Food Security, reveal that current cropland will not meet food demand by 2050.
Every year, the IIASA Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP) hosts around 50 young scientists for three months over the course of the summer to undertake a scientific project within the scope of their PhD on a topic related to the IIASA research agenda. In this Q&A, Carolien Kroeze, current Rector Magnificus of Wageningen University and 1991 YSSP participant, recounts her IIASA experience.
The world's population has surged from 1 billion in 1800 to just above 8 billion today, but demographers predict this growth will halt by the end of the 21st century. IIASA researcher Guillaume Marois explains how a new human capital-weighted population metric is reshaping our understanding of global population dynamics and economic potential.
Charlie Wilson and Elena Verdolini share insights and experiences from an expert workshop on the impacts of digitalization on energy, materials, the economy, markets, lifestyles, and society, and how these impacts directly or indirectly affect greenhouse gas emissions.
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.
As the world marks the International Day of Zero Waste, Adriana Gómez-Sanabria highlights that the path to zero waste will require a shift in society’s current consumption and production patterns. Originally conceived to shield humanity and the environment from the fallout of our actions, waste management systems must now evolve into engines of sustainability.
Despite advancements in data collection and analysis, bridging the gap between Earth Observation products and policy implementation remains a critical challenge. The upcoming Open-Earth-Monitor Global Workshop 2024 provides an ideal platform to explore the pivotal role of Earth Observation in shaping policies and contribute insights to achieving a sustainable future.
In a world faced with global crises, political agendas, and copyright issues, an obstacle emerges between the public and the scientific community: the gatekeeping of information. Ramon Castañeda explores the impact of open science and its potential to make scientific knowledge more accessible.
In the era of digital communication, myriads of social media and web platforms can be used as vital sources of data, which can help us explore the patterns of how public opinion and reactions are shaped, how new trends emerge, and how the market dynamics work. Being at the forefront of exploring this promising field, IIASA researchers Hossein Hassani and Nadejda Komendantova explain what social intelligence mining is and how can it be used for our collective benefit.