Achieving sustainable development requires a transition from the current state of the humanenvironment
system (e.g. values, norms, policies, infrastructure and economics), to a more sustainable
one. It is agreed upon that this transition cannot be supported by single scientific disciplinary knowledge
alone. There is a need to develop tools which are able to exchange and produce knowledge at the interface
between disciplines as well as between science and society. Furthermore, science should develop
tools for anticipating potential outcomes of scenarios, strategies, e.g. societally relevant decisions and
policies and assessing them from a sustainability perspective. Thus, two elements seem key to support
a transition towards sustainability from a scientific perspective: transdisciplinarity and modeling.
The potentials of transdisciplinary research and modeling for fostering production and exchange of
knowledge between science and society to induce transitions towards sustainability are in the center of
this conference. We will analyze the communalities, differences and linkages between transdisciplinary
methods and modeling tools in the context of transition processes.

The Symposium is set up such that will be complemented with aiming at elucidating specific research gaps and a focusing on specific research areas.
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.Keynote speakers (confirmed)
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Prof. Dr. Wolfram Mauser
Prof. Dr. Claudia Pahl-Wostl
Prof. (emer.) Dr. Roland Scholz
Prof. Dr. Urs Wiesmann

key plenary sessions speed presentations
sessions poster session
April 10th to April 11th 2013
Munich
Topics
The following topics will be at the center of the conference and will be addressed from different
theoretical and methodological perspectives:
In this first thematic block the epistemological bases of transdisciplinary research and modeling
approaches in the broadest sense (e.g., qualitative mental models, quantitative simulation models)
should be elucidated and similarities and differences derived.
This block of contributions will study the different methods which aim at combining transdisciplinary
research with modeling approaches. Advantages and disadvantages of including transdisciplinary
approaches before, during, or after the modeling process can be analyzed in the light of case study
experience. Methods that can be discussed in this context are: mediated modeling, mental modeling,
participatory or facilitated simulation modeling, and participatory GIS.
Whereas the above section explored the utility of transdisciplinary approaches within the modeling
process, this section explores the utility of modeling within a transdisciplinary process. It should draw on
the experience of participants to use modeling approaches in the widest sense within a transdisciplinary
process. In particular the utility of models within roleplays, serious games, experiments etc. can be
discussed.
1. Transdisciplinarity and modeling:
2. Transdisciplinarity and modeling:
3. Transdisciplinarity and modeling:
Theoretical considerations
Methods
Knowledge integration
4. Transdisciplinarity and modeling:
[email protected]-muenchen.de
Policy support and implementation
Finally, a key issue is how transdisciplinary research coupled with modeling approaches contributes to
the development of policies and their implementation. What is the added value of combining
transdisciplinary approaches with modeling approaches from the point of view of policy making?
For details, please check our
template on the website.
Please check our website for the online submission of your abstract. For
questions, please send an email to .
will be given by January 20th, 2013.
Abstract Submission
Abstracts of 500 words must be sent before December 15th, 2012.
Please send your abstract to:
Notification of acceptance
The participation fee is 80 EUR for senior researchers and practitioners 40 EUR for
PhD students, and includes lunch, coffee break and aperitif.
Scientific Committee
Prof. Dr. Mariele Evers
Prof. Dr. Daniel Lang
(Faculty of Education and Social Sciences, University of Wuppertal, Germany)
(Institute for Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany)
Dr. Christian Pohl
PD Dr. Monika Popp
Prof. Dr. Alfred Posch
Prof. Dr. Ulli Vilsmaier
(Network for Transdisciplinary Research (td-net) of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences, Switzerland)
(Department
(Faculty of Environmental, Regional, and Educational Sciences, University of Graz, Austria)
( phana University Lüneburg, Germany)
|
Prof. Dr. Claudia Binder (Department of Geography, University of Munich, Germany)
of Geography, University of Munich, Germany)
Institute for Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research, Leu
University of Munich | Department for Geography | Human-Environment Relations | www.geographie.uni.muenchen.de