Prof. Dr. Ortwin Renn

Internal and External Positions

• Since 2003: Scientific Director of DIALOGIK.  
• Since 2016: Scientific Director at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) in Potsdam
• Since 1994: Full Professor and Chair of Environmental Sociology and Technology Assessment of Stuttgart University (Germany).
• Honorary professorships at Stavanger (Norway), Beijing (China) and Munich (Germany)

Professional Career

• 1970-1978 University education in sociology, economics, and journalism (German diploma)
• 1980 Ph.D. in Social Psychology (Dr. rer. pol.) (summa cum laude)
• 1978-1986 Social Scientist at the Federal Research Center Juelich (Germany)
• 1986-1992 Associate Professor of Environment, Technology, and Society at Clark University (Massachusetts, USA)
• 1988-1990 Acting Director of the Center for Technology, Environment and Development (CENTED) at Clark University
• 1992-1993 Visiting Professor of Environmental Sciences at the Swiss Institute of Technology Zurich (Switzerland)
• 1993-2003 Member (from 1999-2003 Chair) of the Board of Directors at the Center of Technology Assessment in Stuttgart (Germany)
• 2012-2016 Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Risk and Innovation Research at the University of Stuttgart (ZIRIUS)
• 2013-2016 Dean of the Department of Economic & Social Sciences (University of Stuttgart)

Awards and Honors

• 2020: Honorary Doctorate for outstanding academic contributions to risk and sustainability governance from the Mid-Sweden University
• 2018: Medal of Honor awarded by the State of Baden-Württemberg for outstanding scientific and public services to the State
• 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)

Academic Membership

• Member of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences (Berlin)
• Member of the Leopoldina, German National Academy of Sciences
• Management Board of the German National Academy of Technology and Science (Acatech)
• European Academy of Science and Arts (Vienna and Salzburg)
• National Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management of the People’s Republic of China (Beijing)

Academic and Policy Oriented Activities (selection)

• Chair of the Sustainability Council of the German State of Baden Württemberg
• Chair and moderator of the Brandenburg Sustainability Platform For Civil Society Initiatives
• Chair of the Scientific Council for Citizen Assemblies on Climate Change Policies in Germany
• President of the „European Virtual Risk Institute“  Stuttgart
• President of the Association GAIA  (publisher of the Journal GAIA)
• Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Technical University Berlin
• Chair of the Jury for the Science Award of Northern Germany
• Chair of the Societal Advisory Board „High End Computing and Simulation“ at Stuttgart University
• Member of the Scientific Steering Committee of the Climate Change Platform of the German Federal Government
• Foundation Board of the International Risk Governance Council, Swiss Institute of Technology, Lausanne
• Commission for Ecology and Society of the German Catholic Bishops‘ Conference
• Sustainability Board of the Porsche Car Manufacturing Company

Past Public and Academic Service (selection)

• President of the European Society of Risk Analysis (SRA-Europe) (1998)
• German Federal Advisory Council for Global Environmental Change (1996-2000)
• Prime Minister's Future Commission in the State of Baden-Württemberg (1998-2000)
• Chair: Ad hoc Federal Commission on the Institutional and Procedural Reform of Risk Management (2002-2004)
• Expert panel on “Public Participation in Environmental Assessment and Decision Making” of the U.S.-National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. (2005-2007)
• Member of the German Government’s Ethics Committee on the Future of Energy Supply after Fukushima (2011)
• Expert Committee on Sustainability of the German Chancellor (2011-2012)
• President: International Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) from 2013-2014
• Board of Trustees of the Foundation: Environment and Disaster Prevention
• Member of the President’s Science and Technological Advisory Council to the President of the EU Commission (2014-2015)

Publications

• Author or co-author of 30 monographs
• Co-author of 34 committee reports
• Editor or co-editor of 25 edited volumes
• More than 350 articles in journals and edited volumes (230 peer reviewed journal articles)
• Hirsch Factor (Google): 81