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Michael Thompson, 1937 – 2026  Soldier, mountaineer, anthropologist, systems thinker, cultural theorist. He spent his life studying what societies throw away and left behind an intellectual legacy that only grows in value. The world lost Michael Thompson on 17 March 2026. Through a long and varied career, he was a professional soldier, Himalayan mountaineer, anthropologist, and one of the most ori

It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing of Uno Svedin on Friday, 30 January 2026. Uno was a pioneer in transdisciplinary science, whose work spanned multiple dimensions of sustainability and resilience, with a special focus on systems, agriculture, and urban issues. He was a true systems thinker, who held a deep philosophical perspective on systems analysis. As we remember this remar

It is with deep sorrow that we share the news of the passing of Dr. Fortune Gomo, an alumna of the 2019 Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP), who tragically lost her life in Dundee, Scotland, last week. Fortune joined IIASA in 2019 for a summer as part of the Water Security Research Group, contributing to the ISWEL project under the joint supervision of Bárbara Willaarts and Michiel van Dijk. He

With great sadness, we remember the life of William P. “Bill” Butz, an renowned economist, demographer, and cherished member of the IIASA community.Bill's career spanned research, leadership, and public service, with roles at the RAND Corporation, the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Science Foundation, and as President and CEO of the Population Reference Bureau. His expertise in demography and ec

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Robert (Bob) Corell, a distinguished climate scientist and a steadfast supporter of IIASA.Bob was internationally recognized for his immense contributions to climate science, particularly in understanding the rapid changes occurring in the Arctic for which he served as the Chair of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA). He played a pivotal ro

IIASA mourns the passing of Academician Alexander Borisovich Kurzhanski, who passed away on 8 February 2025. As a renowned expert in control theory and systems analysis, he made foundational contributions to the study of uncertainty in dynamic systems, advancing methods in estimation, optimization, and mathematical modeling.During his time at IIASA, Kurzhanski played a pivotal role in advancing in

SGCI Academic Symposium: Knowledge exchange and speed networking  Supportive information may be found here to Dr. Felicity Addo's presentation on 15 November 2024 during the SGCI Academic Symposium in Botswana.  1. The FABLE Calculator was showcased in the knowledge exchange as an example of a systems analysis tool. This is an excel accounting tool that studies the potential evolution of food and

During the Science Summit at the 78th UN General Assembly, IIASA co-convened a session with Belmont Forum on Developing Equitable Partnerships for Open Science and Innovation in the Era of AI. The following White Paper was prepared based on the insights provided during this session and submitted to the conference to be included in what is presented at the UN General Assembly.  This session topic f

This report was co-convened by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to focus on the importance and potential benefit of synergistic action regarding climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).IIASA Emeritus Research Scholar @Luis Gomez-Echeverri is one of the co-leads of the pro

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Howard C. Kunreuther on 1 August, 2023; a remarkable scholar and esteemed member of the IIASA community. Howard's profound impact on risk management and decision processes is immeasurable.Joining IIASA in 1980, he led the Risk Program, delving into the complexities of risk perception and public engagement where his visionary approach fostered

Join us in honoring the remarkable journey of Nebojsa “Naki” Nakicenovic as he completes half a century of groundbreaking contributions to IIASA. From visionary research to inspiring leadership, Naki has been at the forefront of shaping a sustainable future for our planet. Let's come together to celebrate this incredible milestone and acknowledge his unwavering dedication to global challenges.Cong

It is with great sorrow that we mourn the loss of Sabine Messner, who passed away in May 2023. Sabine found her calling in scientific and technical work and enjoyed many beautiful and successful years alongside her partner, Manfred. After his passing, she embarked on a new chapter, finding joy in her residences in Mödling and at Lake Attersee.Throughout her life, Sabine was guided by her passion f

IIASA’s demography community celebrated the Institute’s 50th Anniversary at the Population Association of America 2023 Annual Meeting in New Orleans on April 12-15. A special session dedicated to IIASA’s contributions to Multidimensional Demography and a reception co-organized with the US National Academy of Sciences (the US NMO) and the Friends of IIASA were the highlights of the extensive IIASA

It is with great sadness that IIASA marks the passing of Cesare Marchetti on 16 April 2023.An Italian physicist and systems analyst, he was a renowned researcher in the fields of energy technology and systems theory, and is known for his work on the Marchetti Constant and Curve.Marchetti began his career in physics at the University of Pisa, before moving to the CISE Institute in Milan and the Bat

Discover the first comprehensive global assessment of the current state of Carbon Dioxide Removal.The report was launched on Thursday, 19 January 2022 and is a first-of-its kind, independent, scientific assessment, tracking the development of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) globally.IIASA alumni @Oliver Geden, currently at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, SWP, and @Gregory

Sarath K. Guttikunda is a true trailblazer in the field of urban emissions research and now, his hard work and dedication have been recognized with the prestigious 2022 American Geophysical Union (AGU) International Award. As a 1999 IIASA YSSP alumnus in the former Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases Program (AIR), he spent his career tirelessly working to understand and address the issue of air poll

We are happy to inform you that the recordings of the IIASA-OeAW Systems Analysis for Reducing Footprints and Enhancing Resilience conference are now publicly available and they can be accessed from the IIASA 50th anniversary events webpage and the IIASA Youtube channel.   📢Spread the word and have fun watching!

As 4 October 2022 marks the 50th Anniversary of IIASA, and alumni in Hungary hosted a celebration on the 28 October, where our alumnus and donor @István Sebestyén shared a presentation, which you can read about in the text below. If you would also like to share a blog, let us know. The “applied systems analysis impact" of IIASA on the popular ITU (CCITT) JPEG-1 still image standardization (1986-19

As 4 October 2022 marks the 50th Anniversary of IIASA, we share a note from our alumna Cynthia Enzlberger-Vaughan below. If you would also like to share a blog, let us know. IIASA’s vision from its conception was that another world is possible. Before the 4 October 1972, years of international negotiations and planning paved the way to that historical day when its inaugural meeting took place in L