Dr. rer. pol. (Economics and Social Sciences) 

How can everyday practices and corporate cultures be transformed toward sustainability? Elisabeth Süßbauer works at the IÖW on systemic solutions for sustainable production and consumption. The sociologist employs participatory approaches such as design thinking, citizen science, and real-world laboratories, working on topics as waste prevention and reuse, (organizational) climate adaptation strategies, and dealing with uncertain knowledge. Among others, she is involved in the board of the European Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production (ERSCP) Society.

Main focus

• Waste prevention and reuse strategies
• Transformation of everyday practices
• Participatory innovation processes
• Climate change adaptation of/by organizations

Experience

• Since 09/2025: Researcher at the IÖW
• 2015 – 2025: Research Associate at Centre for Technology and Society (ZTG), Technische Universität Berlin
• 2010 – 2014: PhD student at Helmholtz Centre for Environment Research (UFZ) Leipzig
• 2008 – 2010: Research Assistant at Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy

Education

• 2014: PhD in Economics and Social Sciences, University of Kassel
• 09/2005 – 02/2006: Study abroad at the University of Salamanca, Spain
• 2002 – 2008: M. A. in Sociology (major) with minors in Political Science and Romance Studies, University of Münster

Commitment and committees

• Since 2025: Member of DFG-Network “Act Now – Enhancing Psychological Interventions to Strengthen Pro-Environmental Behavior”
• Since 2024: Board Member of the ERSCP Society – European Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production
• Since 2022: Board Member of the Section on Environmental and Sustainability Sociology, German Sociological Association (DGS)
• Since 2020: Member of Future Earth – Systems of Sustainable Consumption and Production (SSCP), WG “Social Change Beyond Consumerism”