![Ortwin Renn](/sites/default/files/styles/square_round_2_up/public/2024-08/Ortwin%20Renn.jpg?h=f0d95172&itok=GCKx3GWn)
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Ortwin Renn
Senior Research Associate
Prof. Ortwin Renn served as Scientific Director at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) from Feb. 1, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2022 (since Jan. 1, 2023 Research Institute for Sustainability - Helmholtz Center Potsdam). Until his retirement, Renn also worked as a full professor for environment and technology assessment at the University of Stuttgart. Renn is a visiting professor at Beijing Normal University (China) and at the University of Stavanger (Norway). Together with Dr. Rainer Kuhn and Agnes Lampke, he directs the non-profit research institute Dialogik, which researches and implements innovative forms of science communication and participation.
At the IASS, Prof. Renn was engaged in research projects on the implementation of the energy transition from the regional to the global scale, on the global threats posed by systemic risks, and on the impact of digitalization on sustainable development. His goal was to help establish the IASS as a world-renowned centre for transdisciplinary sustainability research.´
Renn studied economics, sociology, and social psychology and completed his master and Ph.D in social psychology at the University of Cologne. He has worked as a researcher and university lecturer in Germany, the USA and Switzerland. Renn is a member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, the German Academy of Science and Engineering Acatech (where he also serves on the Board), and the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW), among others. He is a member of numerous commissions and committees for policy advice, including chairman of the Sustainability Advisory Board and the Sustainability Platform of the State of Brandenburg and, since 2019, a member of the Steering Committee of the Federal Government's Science Platform for Climate Protection. In 2021, he assumed the chairmanship of the scientific board of trustees of the Citizens' Climate Council. Renn has received many awards, including the Federal Cross of Merit, First Class, an honorary doctorate from ETH Zurich and Mid-Sweden University, and an honorary professorship from the Technical University of Munich.
Ortwin Renn's publications include over 30 monographs and edited volumes as well as more than 250 scientific articles. Of particular importance is his 2008 monograph: "Risk Governance" (Earthscan: London).
Projects
Groups
- Risk governance (assessment, management, communication)
- Transdisciplinary research methods
- Public participation (theory and practical application)
- Sustainable development (concept, social science perspective)
- Digitalization, sustainability and societal impacts
- Technology assessment and foresight (methodology, conceptual issues, case studies)
Publications at the RIFS
Publications prior to joining the RIFS
- Bloesch, J., von Hauff, M., Mainzer, K., Mohan, V., Renn, O., Risse, V., Song, Y., Takeuchi, K. and Wilderer, P.: Sustainable Development Integrated in the Concept of Resilence. In: Problems of Sustainable Development, Vol. 10, No. 1 (2015), pp. 7-14
- Renn, O.: Towards a Socio-Ecological Foundation for Environmental Risk Research. In: S. Lockie, D. A. Sonnenfeld and D. R. Fisher (eds): Routledge International Handbook of Social and Environmental Change. London (Routledge 2014), pp. 207-220
- Rosa, E.A., Renn, O. and McCright, A. M.: The Risk Society Revisited. Social Theory and Governance. Philadelphia (Temple University Press 2014)
- Renn, O.: Stakeholder Involvement in Risk Governance. London (Ark Publications: 2014)
- Renn, O.: Sustainability: The Need for Societal Discourse. In: O. Renn, A. Reichel and J. Bauer (eds): Civil Society for Sustainability. A Guidebook for Connecting Science and Society. Bremen (Europäischer Hochschulverlag EHV 2012), pp. 18-36
- Renn, O.: The Social Amplification/Attenuation of Risk Framework: Application to Climate Change, Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change. Vol. 1, Issue 1 (January/February 2011) DOI: 10.1002/wcc.99 (2011)
- Squires, H. and Renn, O.: Can Participatory Modeling Support Social Learning in Marine Fisheries? Reflections from the Invest in Fish South West Project. Environmental Policy and Governance, Vol. 21, Issue 6 (2011), pp. 403-416
- Renn, O. and Schweizer, P.: Inclusive Risk Governance: Concepts and Application to Environmental Policy Making. Environmental Policy and Governance, No. 19 (2009), pp. 174-185
- Renn, O.: Risk Governance. Coping with Uncertainty in a Complex World. London (Earthscan 2008)
- Renn, O.: Risk Communication: Insights and Requirements for Designing Successful Communication Programs on Health and Environmental Hazards. In: R.L. Heath and H. Dan O' Hair (eds): Handbook of Risk and Crisis Communication. London (Taylor and Francis 2008), pp. 80-98
- Order of Merit of Baden-Württemberg (2019)
- 2017: Outstanding Research Award of the International Society for Integrated Disaster and Risk Management (IDRiM)
- 2013: „Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany" (Bundesverdienstkreuz Erster Klasse) in recognition of the scientific achievements in Germany and internationally
- 2012: Best Published Article in Risk Analysis 2012: Award by SRA
- 2012: Third Place in National Competition for the Best University Instructor Award
- 2011: Honorary Distinguished Professorship of the Technical University Munich
- 2009: Honorary Doctorate from the Swiss Institute of Technology (Dr. sc. h.c.)
- 2007: "Distinguished Achievement Award" of the Society for Risk Analysis (SRA)
- 2005: "Fellow": Society for Risk Analysis (SRA)
- 2004: „Fellow": American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
- 2003: Outstanding Publication Award from the Environment and Technology Section of the American Sociological Association