Julia Tschersich

Dr. Julia Tschersich is an Assistant Professor at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University. Her work centers on transformative governance and democracy, particularly in social-ecological systems, food governance, and sustainability transitions. She leads the Capstone phase of the European CHARM-EU Master on 'Global Challenges for Sustainability' and serves as a research fellow in the Earth System Governance network.

• Research Focus: Democracy and justice in grassroots initiatives, Seed Commons, agri-food system transformations, and multi-level governance.
• Expertise: Combines transdisciplinary and qualitative research methods with participatory process design, emphasizing Global South and Indigenous knowledge systems.
• Projects: Involved in the IOS Fair Transitions platform (2022–present), analyzing institutional shifts for equitable sustainability, and led projects on democratic practices in grassroots movements (2023–2024).
• Awards: Recipient of the University Society Oldenburg Award for her PhD dissertation on Seed Commons governance.
• Collaborations: Actively participates in international conferences, including the Earth System Governance and Deep Commons events, while fostering academic partnerships through roles in organizing committees.