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The Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ Centre for Global Challenges is very pleased to announce that Carla Alvial Palavicino (PhD) has joined the Centre as postdoctoral researcher. She will be working closely with Professor Johan Schot on addressing the Centre’s Flagship programme ‘Transforming our World: addressing the Sustainable Development Goals through Transformative Change’. The focus of her work will be on the design and implementation of experimental governance for science, technology and innovation policy working with the and the project team.   

Carla is an interdisciplinary researcher from Chile with a background in Innovation Studies, in Science and Technology Studies (STS), and Sustainability Science. She has worked in Japan at the ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ of Tokyo and at the ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ of Twente in the Netherlands. Carla also has experience in the private sector (energy) as well as in the public sector (science, technology, and innovation policy).

Interdisciplinary approaches

‘I came to work at the Centre for Global Challenges because I believe that interdisciplinary approaches, especially involving the humanities and social sciences, are extremely relevant in addressing sustainability and environmental challenges’, says Carla. 'The work currently conducted by Johan Schot and the Centre combines academic excellence with work with policy makers and other societal actors. I was interested in not just doing desk research, but integrating research and stakeholder engagement to addressing problems in different areas of society.’

Carla enjoys being back in the Netherlands: ‘I did my PhD in the Netherlands, and I like how Dutch academia are open to work with other stakeholders and look for pragmatic solutions. I think there is a lot to learn from that.’