Leibniz-Chair: Prof. Dr. Lucia Reisch

The renowned social scientist and economist Prof. Dr. Lucia Reisch from the University of Cambridge has held a Leibniz Chair at BIPS since 2017. Leibniz Chairs express a particularly close relationship between an international researcher and a Leibniz institution.

Prof. Dr. Lucia Reisch is the El-Erian Professor for Behavioural Economics and Public Policy at the University of Cambridge. She is a behavioural economist and social scientist with a PhD in economics and social sciences (summa cum laude) and one of Europe’s leading academic experts in behavioural insights-based policies for sustainability. She has published widely cited papers on sustainable consumer behaviour, behavioural insights, and consumer and sustainability policy.

A special feature of Lucia’s academic work are interdisciplinary international research projects, often with partners from STEM, law, and psychology. These collaborations are mostly due to the large-scale European and national research projects she has attracted, all centering on behaviour change towards sustainable consumption and production.

Lucia brings two decades of experience with high-level policy consulting on consumer behaviour. She has been founding chair of the Advisory Council for Consumer Affairs of the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (2014-2018). She has also been a member of the German Bioeconomy Council, the German Council for Sustainable Development (2010-2019), and a regular member of high-level scientific committees and ad hoc groups consulting for the German Chancellor on sustainability issues (e.g., the Ethics Commission after Fukushima, 2011).

Beyond the German government, she has consulted for international organizations (EU, OECD, UNEP, World Bank, Inter American Bank) and governments worldwide on making use of behavioural insights. She is a contributing author to the IPCC 6th Assessment Report (Chapter on demand-side policies). Her academic achievement has been rewarded with being elected as a lifelong member of the German National Academy of Science and Engineering.

Leibniz Chairs express a particularly close relationship between an international researcher and a Leibniz institution. They must be of high international reputation and have rendered long-term and special service to the Leibniz Institute.

Leibniz institutes can apply centrally for the appointment of the scientist to an honorary Leibniz Chair. In case of a positive decision by the presidium, the Leibniz Institute appoints the nominee - usually for a period of five years. See more.