Rafaela Schinegger

Rafaela Schinegger is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning within the Department of Ecosystem Management, Climate and Biodiversity at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). She is also a Global Fellow at Michigan State University's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (2023–2025). Her work focuses on integrating freshwater and terrestrial ecosystem conservation, strategic planning for EU directives like the Water Framework and Habitats-Directives, and addressing human stressor impacts on biodiversity.

Research Interests: Rafaela specializes in conservation planning, freshwater ecology, ecosystem management, and science-policy interfaces. Her studies emphasize riparian zones, ecological connectivity, and reconciling energy development with environmental protection. She investigates how human activities destabilize ecosystems and proposes frameworks for sustainable river basin management.

Publications Trends: Her recent articles analyze cross-continental fish assemblage responses to stressors, EU-level conservation strategies, and freshwater biodiversity under climate change. Keywords span ecology, river systems, policy, and interdisciplinary approaches, with sub-fields like longitudinal connectivity, stressor interactions, and ecosystem-based planning.

Scientific Awards:

• Global Fellow (2023), Michigan State University
• Jubiläumsfonds der Stadt Wien (2022)
• Dr. Reinhard Liepoltpreis (2017)
• ASEA UNINET Stipendium (2016, 2014)
• Austria Visiting Fulbright Scholar (2015)