Birgit Müller

Prof. Dr. Birgit Müller is a Professor at the Department of Ecological Modelling at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Leipzig, Germany. She leads the POLISES working group, focusing on policy instruments and socio-environmental systems under global change. Her research integrates agent-based models and ecological modelling to explore governance of socio-ecological systems, climate risk management, and agricultural policy impacts. Key projects include POLISES, BESTMAP, and NamTip, addressing global food security, climate adaptation, and resource management in drylands.

Research interests center on process-based models for socio-ecological systems, policy evaluation, and human decision-making representation in models. She is an editorial board member of the journal SESMO and advises the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC). Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, model reusability, and equity considerations in environmental decision-making.

Current projects explore formal/natural/social insurance mechanisms for farming resilience and behavioral tools for agricultural policy. Past projects include SEEMI (microinsurance impacts) and collaborative synthesis of human decision-making frameworks. Müller’s research bridges theory and practice, aiming to inform sustainable governance through innovative modelling strategies.