Dr. Pia-Johanna Schweizer

Pia-Johanna Schweizer studied Sociology and English & American Literature at University of Stuttgart (Germany) and University of Aberdeen (UK). In 2008, she gained a Ph.D. in Sociology (summa cum laude) from Stuttgart University with a dissertation on discursive governance. From 2002 until 2003 she was a researcher at the Academy for Technology Assessment in Baden-Württemberg (Germany). From 2003 until 2008 she was a researcher at the Institute of Social Sciences, Department of Technology and Environmental Sociology of Stuttgart University. From 2008 until 2012 she was a senior researcher and project leader at the Interdisciplinary Research Center Risk and Sustainable Technology Development (ZIRN) at Stuttgart University. From 2009 until 2016 she led the unit on risk governance at the non-profit institute for communication and cooperation research DIALOGIK. She was a visiting scholar at Michigan State University, Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability (CSIS) from 2013 through to 2014. From 2012 until 2016 she was a senior researcher and project leader at the Center for Interdisciplinary Risk and Innovation Research (ZIRIUS) at Stuttgart University, where she coordinated the Helmholtz Alliance ENERGY-TRANS research field "Planning Governance". Pia-Johanna Schweizer has led the research group "Systemic Risks" since joining the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) in September 2016. The research group analyses the complex interface of science, economics, and civil society with regard to systemic risks such as climate engineering and financial risk, paying particular attention to complexity, uncertainty and ambiguity. The research group seeks to identify the "trigger points" that lead to cascading effects in various social sub-systems and will develop governance strategies for improved decision-making.