I describe my core research focus as a multidisciplinary investigation of the governance of climate change, and of the transition or transformation to climate neutrality and sustainability.

I ask questions about political feasibility, policy processes, policy coherence and integration across policy and political objectives, institutional set-up and design, social acceptability, power structures, and knowledge exchange in democratic governance systems (predominantly in Europe). I am interested in learning about (overcoming) the societal, political and economic barriers to sufficient and just climate action, at multiple levels of governance.

While I was awarded a PhD in political science at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Free University of Brussels) in 2013, my research interests have always taken me beyond the political science community.

Here you can find a selection of my ongoing, funded research projects:

• GreenDeal-NET ‘Governing the EU’s climate and sustainability transition’ (2022-2025). This Erasmus+ funded network brings together scholars from multiple disciplines and from across Europe studying the governance of the climate neutrality and sustainability transitions. The network includes legal scholars, political scientists, policy scientists, sociologists, economists, public administration researchers, critical scholars. Together, we bring out new social science insights on the governance challenges and opportunities of the climate and sustainability transition in Europe. To learn more, and to join the network, please visit our website.
• SOB4ES ‘Integrating soil biodiversity with ecosystem services: testing the cost effectiveness of soil indicators to build better land management solutions that effectively implement the EU’s soil health and food mission’ (2023-2028). This interdisciplinary research project kicked off in June 2023 and brings together researchers from both natural and social sciences, across 19 universities and research institutions, with University of Vigo coordinating. My team’s role in the project includes highlighting social and political aspects around improving soil biodiversity in Europe, preparing public participation efforts, helping to investigate just transition aspects, and working at the science-policy interface with EU-level policymakers.
• RETOOL ‘Strengthening democratic governance of climate transitions’ (2024-2027). This project kicked off in February 2024, with Dublin City University coordinating. The overall goal of the RETOOL project is to advance our understanding of how to address the twin challenges of responding to the climate imperative along with strengthening and reinvigorating democratic governance.