Barbara Smetschka

Barbara Smetschka is a Senior Scientist at the Institute for Social Ecology (SEC), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). Since 2025, she leads research on sustainable urban transitions, and previously served as Deputy Director of SEC at BOKU Vienna (2018–2024). Her work bridges socio-ecological research, time use analysis, and participatory methods for climate-resilient development.

• Education: PhD in Social and Human Ecology (2018) from Alpen-Adria University Klagenfurt, Vienna, and Graz; MA in Ethnology (1995) from University of Vienna.

Research Interests center on sustainable urban development, time use patterns, gender and sustainability, participatory research, and inter-/transdisciplinary science-policy interfaces. She explores how time allocation impacts carbon footprints, care work's role in climate mitigation, and gender dynamics in sustainable systems. Her projects often involve urban digital twins, positive energy districts, and climate-adaptive land-use strategies.

Publication Trends highlight her expertise in time-use-climate linkages (2023–2025), participatory urban energy transitions (2025), and gender-sensitive sustainability frameworks (2023–2024). Keywords span Social Ecology, Climate Policy, and Gender Studies, with sub-fields like Positive Energy Districts, Time Policy, and Urban Metabolism.

Scientific Awards

• 2024 ÖGUT Umweltpreis
• 2022 BOKU Nachhaltigkeitspreis nomination
• 2020 Sustainability Award (1st Place, Regional Cooperation)
• 2019 'Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung. Best of Austria' award
• 1994 Dr. Maria Schaumayer-Stiftung Förderpreis

Advising and Grants include supervising theses on community gardens and urban sustainability (2022–2025). She has secured funding from EU programs (e.g., 'Biodiv Vienna'), national agencies (FFG), and public institutions for projects on climate-resilient urbanism, time use, and participatory governance.

Labs and Teams involve collaboration with BOKU's Institute for Social Ecology, participation in the Social Ecology Department, and contributions to international initiatives like the APCC Special Report and REAL CORP conferences. She co-develops living labs and digital twin frameworks for stakeholder-driven urban energy systems.