Actions for Sustainable Transformations

Welcome to the first edition of Umeå Transformation Research Initiatives' annual conference which aims to highlight research efforts towards a better future.

The conference will spotlight research contributions toward a sustainable world, broadening the concept of transformation and exploring how it can be applied across various research fields. The need for action is clear, and the path forward lies in interdisciplinary collaborations. The conference therefore offers opportunities for interdisciplinary meetings and a diverse range of discussion forums during the afternoon's parallel sessions.

Whether you're an early-career researcher or a senior academic, we encourage you to take part in this first edition of our annual conference and be part of the change. Participation is free of charge and includes fika and lunch. Registration is required, and can be found in the bottom. 

Moderator: Ola Nordebo, Political Editor-in-Chief at Västerbottens-Kuriren.

Keynote: Björn-Ola Linnér, professor at Centre for Climate Science and Policy/Environmental Change, Department of Thematic Studies Linköpings university. 

Participation online: We encourage you to participate on-site for the whole day, but if for any reason you are unable to attend, the first half of the programme until lunch will be available via Zoom. The afternoon sessions are only available on site.

Program 

Registration and coffee from 8.15

8.30 Welcome and introduction

8.45 What is transformation?

9.00 Keynote with Björn-Ola Linnér: Shepherding, Structures, Surprises, and Sparks: An overview of theories of transformative change
The transformation imperative permeates global sustainability governance. Many policymakers, civil society organisations, and researchers forcefully underscore that systemic transformations fundamentally vital for the Climate Convention, the Biodiversity Convention, and the efforts to deliver on the 2030 Agenda. But how could such never-before experienced societal transformations globally be realistically governed? This talk addresses the broad palette of different theories and examples of how transformations can be instigated and navigated. 

10.00 FIKA

10.30 Key transformations issues in each field
Sofia Lundberg, Professor at Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics (USBE)

Lars Samuelsson, Associate professor at Department of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies

Cornelia Redeker, Professor and Head of Department at Umeå School of Architecture

Magnus Evander, Professor at Department of Clinical Microbiology

11.30 Discussion and introduction to the afternoon.

12.00 LUNCH

13.00-14.30 Parallel sessions 1 

• Post-growth and Sustainable Transformations 
  Elias Isaksson, Political Science, Linda Lundmark, Human Geography, Maxim Vlasov, Business Administration, Danielle Wilde, Design and Stefan Westin, Technology Education. 
  The panel discussion seeks to explore critical perspectives on growth in the context of sustainable transformations, specifically focusing on the re-industrialization of northern Sweden. What do we mean by terms such as degrowth, doughnut economics, and post-growth? To what extent can these and related concepts offer valuable insights into society's dependence on continuous growth and how we might address the urgent need for rapid emission reductions? The session will highlight these issues in relation to the five central areas: transport, tourism, energy, food and education.
  
  
• Transformative research utilizing large-scale research infrastructure – structures for elements and in materials 
  Nils Skoglund, Applied Physics and Electronics
  The green transition is sometimes portrayed as having a life of its own with processes that just simply work for new energy carriers or material types. In reality, the systematic change is strongly connected to continued development of novel material designs or new ways to achieve material circularity from an elemental level to larger structures. Large-scale research infrastructures  (LSRI) such as synchrotrons or neutron sources provide unique methods for understanding materials at their most fundamental level. This talk will provide a cross-section of analytical techniques at LSRI related to changing how different elements move through society and potential ways to increase both circularity and sustainability.
  
  
• Capacity building for transformative research - workshop 
  Pamela Bachmann-Vargas, Geography, Natxo Garciá-Lopéz, Applied Physics and Irina Mancheva, Political Science
  The call for global action to transform the status quo towards a sustainable future has become a ‘must’ in research, education, and decision making, bringing to the front the question of how to operationalize the desired societal changes towards a better future. Against this backdrop, it is paramount that young researchers develop skills on cross-disciplinary and transformative research. In this session, we will share our experience from engaging in research that focuses on sustainability transformations. Building upon our study visit to the Netherlands inspired by the title of this session, and aided by interactive methods we will discuss key dimensions for capacity building for transformative research. We encourage PhD candidates and young researchers to participate and share their experiences. Given the practical nature of this workshop, registration will be required on a first come first served basis. We expect to work with up to 25 participants.

• Small Actions, Big Impact: Empowering Citizens to adopt more Sustainable Lifestyles
  Armando Perez-Cueto, Jean-Paul Garin and Arturo Turillazzi, Food, Nutrition and Culinary Science
  Following the global call to make our food systems more sustainable and healthier, we invite you to join us for a dynamic, participative workshop, where we’ll explore actionable ways everyone can drive sustainability in their daily life. This session will invite participants to join hands-on group activities, thought-provoking discussions, and practical strategies for reducing environmental impact in everyday life. Participants will engage in themed discussion tables like reducing food waste, adopting more plant-based diets, and supporting local food systems. Together, we’ll brainstorm solutions, e.g. design sustainable meal plans, feasible interventions, and share tips on how to make low-impact and tasty choices accessible and achievable to and by all. It is our expectation that participants will leave inspired with personalized commitments and resources to support our joint journey toward a more sustainable lifestyle. Discover how your daily actions can lead to big environmental changes and be part of a collective movement toward a sustainable future!

14.30 FIKA

15:00-16:30 Parallel sessions 2

• The Intelligent Human-Buildings Interactions Lab (IHBI): An Open Access Research and Innovation Platform 
  Weizhuo Lu, Kailun Feng, Chanachok Chokwitthaya, Thomas Olofsson, Applied Physics and Electronics
  We have witnessed numerous extreme weather events and various other effects of climate change. In view of this, the Intelligent Human-Buildings Interactions lab (IHBI) has been established at Umeå University. It provides state-of-the-art research facilities for conducting multidisciplinary experiments and research, where occupants can test different adaptive behaviors, experience alternative energy-efficient measures, and develop personalized resilient strategies in relation to climate change and the buildings they inhabit. The lab not only fosters occupants’ engagement in the sustainable transition but also paves the way for occupant-centric building design and renovation, promoting more effective and personalized energy-efficient solutions. With the IHBI lab, it is possible to investigate technologies and people's behaviors in present and future climate scenarios, considering the Nordic and other contexts. Welcome to the lecture section, where the IHBI group will present the recent research and share our ideas.
  
  
• Understanding climate change adaptation and disaster management together 
  Carina Keskitalo, Geography, Veronica Strandh and Malin Eklund Wimelius, Political Science
  Climate change adaptation and disaster management are strongly related. Climate change will lead to a higher incidence of extreme weather, for which all areas of disaster management are relevant, from preparedness to response. It is also particularly important to consider adaptation and climate risk as a part of disaster management.

  This session will discuss the state of integration of adaptation and disaster management, both in relation to each other and in relation to national to local systems. We invite overarching presentations on the theme as well as presentations on either of the two areas, for Sweden or other cases as well as different sectoral examples, in order to reflect on how to reach a higher integration between areas.

• Societal “green” shifts in the North as communication challenges 
  Annika Egan Sjölander, Culture and Media Studies
  This session gathers scholars from different fields interested in the communication challenges that are embedded in the societal shifts caused by the so-called green transition of basic industries in the northern regions of Sweden. Communication related to concerns of the commons (read citizens), like the environmental impact of the re-industrialisation, housing shortages in transition hot spots, welfare and quality of life for new inhabitants, increased demand on schools and other public services and not least, the possibilities for broad public participation and democratic involvement in crucial decision-making processes, are important dimensions to research. The journalistic coverage and the media industries roles are pivotal in this context, so is the multitude of communication efforts about the “green” transition initiated by municipalities, civil society organisations (Lindgren et al 2023) and other involved actors, aiming to inform, as well as to engage the public in the current development. One could argue that a ‘Land of the Future’ (Sörlin, 2024) cannot be without significant social innovation (Bonnedahl et al, 2022) including communication for sustainable transformations.
  
  

16.30  Mingle and snacks

Register now! 

Registration is open, Register here
Deadline 25 November