Dirk Scheer

Dr. Dirk Scheer is a Lecturer at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) since 2023 and at TU Darmstadt since 2017. He serves as a Senior Researcher at the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS) and leads the Research Group 'Sociotechnical Energy Futures.' Dr. Scheer is also a member of the spokesperson team for the BMWK network 'Energy Transition and Society' and sits on the ITAS Institute Steering Committee. His work bridges social science research with energy policy development.

Dr. Scheer's research focuses on social science energy research, technology acceptance, knowledge transfer and management at the science-policy interface, participation and risk research, and future knowledge development. His work examines socio-technical energy systems and long-term governance challenges in the energy transition. He investigates how policy instruments can effectively address municipal heat transition and sector coupling while considering social dimensions and stakeholder perspectives. His interdisciplinary approach integrates social science methodologies with energy system analysis to inform evidence-based policy development.

Dr. Scheer's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on long-term governance frameworks for energy transition, municipal-level energy system transformation, and socio-technical aspects of sector coupling. His work increasingly integrates decision theory perspectives with practical policy instruments, particularly for heat transition challenges. The research shows a progression from theoretical frameworks toward actionable strategies for municipalities, with growing emphasis on participatory approaches and knowledge transfer between scientific assessment and policy implementation.

Dr. Scheer leads multiple significant research projects including 'Municipal heat transition as a socio-technical system' (KOMM-WÄRME), 'Long-term Governance,' 'ESD for 2030: Teaching tools for sustainable product development' (NaProIng), and 'reFuels – Rethinking Fuels.' His grant portfolio demonstrates expertise in securing funding for interdisciplinary energy transition research that bridges social science, technology assessment, and policy development.

Dr. Scheer leads the Research Group 'Sociotechnical Energy Futures' at ITAS and contributes to the BMWK network 'Energy Transition and Society.' He is an active member of the ITAS Institute Steering Committee and collaborates with multiple research teams across Germany on energy transition projects. His work often involves interdisciplinary teams combining social scientists, engineers, and policy experts to address complex energy system challenges.