Alexandra Penn

Dr. Alexandra Penn is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Sociology at the University of Surrey, specializing in complexity science and participatory methodologies. She holds a MPhys in Physics from the University of Kent and Université Joseph Fourier (Grenoble), an MSc in Evolutionary and Adaptive Systems from the University of Sussex, and a DPhil in Life Sciences from the University of Sussex. Her work focuses on developing tools to help stakeholders navigate complex socio-ecological systems, particularly in industrial ecosystems and policy evaluation.

As a core member of the Centre for Evaluating Complexity across the Nexus (CECAN), Penn collaborates with UK government bodies to design complexity-aware policy frameworks. Notable projects include participatory systems mapping for the Humber Estuary’s transition to a bio-based economy and co-producing evaluation guidelines with Defra for future farming policies. Her research emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to address systemic challenges in energy, environment, and food security.

Her methodological contributions include participatory systems mapping, fuzzy cognitive mapping, and agent-based modeling, which are applied to evaluate policies in transport decarbonization, rural development, and energy systems. Penn’s work bridges theoretical complexity science with practical policy implementation, fostering actionable insights for stakeholders.