Alicja Dankowska

Alicja Dankowska is a Post-doctoral Researcher at the LUT School of Energy Systems within Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT), focusing on energy transitions and social justice. She holds a Doctor of Social Sciences from Kozminski University (2017–2022), a Master's in Systemic Management (2014–2016), and a Bachelor's in Ethnology from the University of Wrocław (2011–2014).

Her research addresses the intersection of urgent climate action and equitable socio-economic transformation, particularly in coal-dependent regions and Global South contexts. Key themes include energy communities, participatory decarbonization, and governance frameworks for just transitions. She has led/co-led multiple projects and authored/co-authored over 20 peer-reviewed articles.

Publications highlight challenges in implementing participatory approaches, power dynamics in social innovations, and institutional work in transitioning energy systems. Her work emphasizes multi-scalar governance and the role of social movements in reshaping fossil fuel dependencies. Current projects explore energy justice, systemic change mechanisms, and co-creation methodologies in urban contexts.

Notable contributions include analyzing fossil fuel pathway politics across Europe, designing inclusive energy transition frameworks, and developing transdisciplinary research protocols for city-based innovation labs. She advocates for integrating ethical and gender equality dimensions in research and innovation practices.