Sabine Hielscher

Sabine Hielscher is a Visiting Fellow at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) within the University of Sussex Business School and holds a Research Fellow position at the Technical University of Berlin since 2015. Her work bridges sustainability transitions, civil society-driven innovations, and smart energy systems. She completed a PhD in Art and Design at Nottingham Trent University (funded by EPSRC) and a BA (Hons) in Eco-Design at Goldsmiths College, London.

Her research focuses on three core areas: civil society initiatives for sustainability (e.g., community energy projects, repair initiatives), sustainable design/consumption practices in everyday life, and smart energy futures. Notable projects include studying grassroots innovations in Germany and the Netherlands, analyzing product longevity through citizen science, and investigating smart meter rollouts through an energy justice lens.

Recent publications emphasize social innovation’s role in accelerating energy transitions, power dynamics in sustainability projects, and institutional adaptation strategies. She has secured grants such as the EU-funded SONNET project (2019–2022) and contributed to interdisciplinary research teams. Sabine advises PhD candidates including Bryony Parrish and Franco Ivan Gonzalez Zenteno, focusing on qualitative methods and practice theory in sustainability research.

Key grants include £1.4M for Wind Energy Development Studies (2022–2025) and £0.5M for the Design Research Get Lost project (2015). Her work integrates transdisciplinary approaches, drawing on sociology, design studies, and science and technology studies.