Team : Dr. Alexandra Lux

Member of the Executive Board, Head of the Knowledge Processes and Transformations Hub
Transdisciplinarity ,  Biodiversity and People
+49 69 7076919-27 alexandra.lux@isoe.de

Alexandra Lux has been a research scientist at ISOE since 2000. Since April 2023, she has been a member of the Executive Board and, together with Johanna Kramm, head of the Knowledge Processes and Transformations hub. Previously, she headed the research unit Transdisciplinary Methods and Concepts. She studied economics at the Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg. In 2008 she received there her doctorate in the field of infrastructure development for a thesis dealing with public water supply and demographic shrinkage. Alexandra Lux has long-standing experiences in the fields of integrated water research and social-ecological biodiversity research, which are brought together on a conceptual and theoretical in her current work on transdisciplinary integration and knowledge transfer.

ResearchGate

Upcoming Event

World Biodiversity Forum 2026

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World Biodiversity Forum 2026

Universität Zürich, Davos

Workshop Alexandra Lux: „Science-Policy Interactions for Effective Collaboration: Preserving and Fostering Biodiversity Together“

copernicus

Focus of research

  • Resource economics
  • Social-ecological integration concepts (e.g. ecosystem services, supply systems)
  • Transdisciplinarity and knowledge transfer

Memberships

  • International Society for Ecological Economics (ISEE)
  • European Society for Ecological Economics (ESEE)
  • Global Alliance for Inter- and Transdisciplinarity (since 2021 ISOE’s contact person for the Alliance; 2021-2025 member of the Leadership Board)
  • Associated member of DKN Future Earth (2015–17)

Publications

Download (PDF)

Current Publications

Projects

  • Transdisciplinarity in biodiversity research
    Biodiversity

    Transdisciplinarity in biodiversity research

    The project is developing new approaches to comprehensively research biodiversity, ecosystem services and human interventions on ecosystems.

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  • Biodiversity and Climate: Socio-ecological Biodiversity Research
    Biodiversity

    Biodiversity and Climate: Socio-ecological Biodiversity Research

    In cooperation with the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), ISOE is investigating what reduced biodiversity means for the provision of ecosystem services to society.
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  • transform-R – Shaping the energy and mobility transition as a socio-ecological transformation in the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region
    Sufficiency Mobility Transformation

    transform-R – Shaping the energy and mobility transition as a socio-ecological transformation in the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region

    The mobility transition requires cooperation between political, civil society and economic players. Innovative measures and social innovations are being tested in real-world laboratories.

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  • Business for Biodiversity: T-Labs for social-ecological change
    Biodiversity

    Business for Biodiversity: T-Labs for social-ecological change

    In so-called Transformation Labs, the project works with companies in the food industry to research how measures to promote biodiversity can be effectively designed and implemented.

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  • Platform tdAcademy for transdisciplinary research and studies
    Knowledge and Participation

    Platform tdAcademy for transdisciplinary research and studies

    The tdAcademy platform promotes transdisciplinary research by generating knowledge for its effective design, evaluating new methods and formats and offering an international fellowship program.

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  • Training scientists for transdisciplinary research
    Knowledge and Participation Transformation

    Training scientists for transdisciplinary research

    In September, 2024 ISOE was commissioned by the Austrian Science Fund FWF to offer scientists training in transdisciplinary research.

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  • DINA – Diversity of Insects in Nature protected Areas
    Biodiversity

    DINA – Diversity of Insects in Nature protected Areas

    The aim of DINA is to test standardized monitoring of flying insects and to analyse factors that correlate with the drastic decline of insects in nature reserves. 

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  • MORE STEP – Mobility at Risk: Sustaining the Mongolian Steppe Ecosystem (Phase I)
    Biodiversity Land Use Climate Adaptation

    MORE STEP – Mobility at Risk: Sustaining the Mongolian Steppe Ecosystem (Phase I)

    The MORE STEP research project investigates processes of change in the ecosystem of the Mongolian steppe and their socio-economic and ecological causes and consequences. The mobility of wild and domesticated herd animals plays a central role here.

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  • s:ne – System Innovation for Sustainable Development
    Knowledge and Participation Transformation

    s:ne – System Innovation for Sustainable Development

    The central element of the s:ne transfer project is an innovation and transformation platform (ITP), which aims to facilitate cooperation with political, social and economic players as well as research institutions in the region.

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  • Transdisciplinarity in climate change adaptation research
    Knowledge and Participation

    Transdisciplinarity in climate change adaptation research

    Research findings must be combined with impulses for social change processes. In a study, ISOE explores transdisciplinarity as a research mode in the complex field of climate adaptation.

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  • Societal impacts of research institutions: ARL Effectiveness Study
    Abstraktes Bild, Luftaufnahme Platz mit Menschen, die durch Linien verbunden sind
    Knowledge and Participation

    Societal impacts of research institutions: ARL Effectiveness Study

    The ARL – Academy for Territorial Development in the Leibniz Association works in an inter- and transdisciplinary manner. Our study highlights the added value of this approach.

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  • Knowledge transfer of the results of basic scientific research
    Knowledge and Participation

    Knowledge transfer of the results of basic scientific research

    The project identifies transfer potential within the framework of research at the Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung. Taking into account the knowledge needs of target groups, transfer products are identified and designed in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders.

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  • Cognitive integration and innovation
    Knowledge and Participation

    Cognitive integration and innovation

    The aim of the project is to dynamically integrate current advances in socio-ecological research in relevant scientific fields.

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  • TransImpact – Effective Transdisciplinary Research
    Knowledge and Participation

    TransImpact – Effective Transdisciplinary Research

    The TransImpact project analyzes how and with which methods transdisciplinary research can achieve the desired social and scientific effects.

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  • NaCoSi – Sustainability controlling of the domestic water management
    Water Chemical Risks

    NaCoSi – Sustainability controlling of the domestic water management

    The goal of the joint project is to develop a sustainability controlling for the domestic water management, thus minimising the risks that compromise sustainable development and improving the viability of the water sector.
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  • CuveWaters – Sustainable Water Management in Namibia
    Water

    CuveWaters – Sustainable Water Management in Namibia

    The aim of CuveWaters is to support and improve Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the northern Namibian Cuvelai-Etosha Basin. ISOE is supervising and co-ordinating this international joint project.
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  • Eliminating micropollutants in sewage plants
    Chemical Risks Water

    Eliminating micropollutants in sewage plants

    This project looks into how active drugs substances and micropollutants can be extracted via sewage plants. The part played by ISOE is to investigate how such inputs can be avoid.
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  • demons – Supplying the Population

    demons – Supplying the Population

    The scientists of the demons junior research group examined links between demographic developments, needs and supply systems.
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  • netWORKS – Transformations in Network Related Infrastructure Sectors
    Water Climate Adaptation

    netWORKS – Transformations in Network Related Infrastructure Sectors

    The goal of the project group was to develop strategies and instruments that enable municipal decision-makers to take forward-looking action in the current process of transformation to the infrastructure systems.
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  • Support for the Projects for Sustainable Economies

    Support for the Projects for Sustainable Economies

    ISOE provided support for the “Regional Approaches to Sustainable Economic Development” initiative funded by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research.
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  • Gender Impact Assessment of the EU-Programme "Enviroment and Sustainable Development"

    Gender Impact Assessment of the EU-Programme "Enviroment and Sustainable Development"

    The EU ordered the 5th Framework Programme for Research to be examined for gender-specific implications. As part of this process, ISOE carried out a gender impact assessment (GIA) within the sub-programme "Environment and Sustainable Development". The scientists began by developing evaluation criteria and scrutinising the main areas of research for gender-specific approaches. Finally, they ascertained the participation of women in institutions and petitions/applications. From this the team drew up recommendations as to how the participation of women could be improved and gender aspects taken up in environmental and sustainability research.
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  • Privatisation in the Water Sector
    Water

    Privatisation in the Water Sector

    ISOE compiled this exploratory study for the "Social Ecological Research" funding programme of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The scientists ascertained research needs for sustainable development in water resource management.
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  • Sustainability Audit
    Transformation

    Sustainability Audit

    In collaboration with the Ökobank, ISOE penned some preliminary ideas for a sustainability audit. The “normal” EC Eco-Audit aims at process-driven improvements in a company's immediate environmental impact, for instance reduced consumption of paper and energy or a reduction in CO2 emissions. The sustainability audit combines the Eco-Audit with a social audit.
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