Laura Beyeler

Laura Beyeler is a Researcher at the Department of Sociology of Technology and the Environment within the Faculty of Spatial Development at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg. She holds a PhD funded by the German Environmental Foundation and specializes in circular economy and sufficiency strategies. Her work bridges theoretical research with practical applications, emphasizing behavioral and systemic changes over purely technological solutions.

• Affiliations: BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, German Environmental Foundation (doctoral funding)

Education: Master's in Sustainability Economics & Management (Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg) and Bachelor's in Business Administration (University of Bern). Her master's thesis analyzed European plastic policy frameworks.

Research focuses on sufficiency strategies that reduce production/consumption volumes through innovative business models like 'less, slower, more regional' approaches. She critiques over-reliance on technological fixes in sustainability discourse, advocating for socio-technical practices aligned with planetary boundaries.

• Awards: German Environmental Foundation Doctoral Scholarship

Publications explore themes such as stakeholder engagement in circular economy research, care-based business practices, and non-binary approaches to systemic transformation. Her 2022 article How to make more of less became a foundational text in sufficiency-oriented business studies.

Laura advises projects on participatory climate action (BTU4Future) and contributes to sustainability education initiatives. She actively collaborates with NGOs and policymakers to translate academic insights into actionable strategies.