Sandra Schwindenhammer

Professor Sandra Schwindenhammer serves as University Professor and Chair of Social Science Sustainability Research with a focus on Sustainable Food Systems at Justus Liebig University Giessen's Faculty of Social Sciences and Cultural Studies, Department of Sociology. She is actively engaged in groundbreaking research on food system transformation, particularly examining the intersection of political science, sustainability, and agri-food governance. Her academic leadership extends to multiple institutional roles including Spokesperson of the GGS-Sektion 'Normen und Wandel in der Weltpolitik', Member of the Zentrum für Nachhaltige Ernährungssysteme (ZNE), and Official Representative of Justus Liebig University at the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR).

Professor Schwindenhammer's research focuses on sustainability transformation in urban food systems, global norm contestation (particularly Sustainable Development Goals), political authority of private organizations, and the dynamics of politicization and depoliticization in food policy. She specializes in the integration of wastewater treatment and food production through nutrient recovery, leading the BMBF-funded SUSKULT project which develops sustainable cultivation systems for resilient metropolitan regions. Her methodological approach emphasizes inter- and transdisciplinary research, qualitative and participatory methods to address norm contestation, power imbalances, and social exclusion in sustainability transitions.

Her recent publications demonstrate a strong trajectory in examining the political dimensions of sustainable food systems, with particular focus on urban agriculture, circular economy approaches, nutrient recovery technologies, and the implementation challenges of sustainability norms in global governance frameworks. The research shows increasing engagement with practical policy applications and transdisciplinary knowledge integration.

• Wolfgang-Mittermaier-Preis für herausragende Leistungen in der akademischen Lehre, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen (2017)
• Stipendium VolkswagenStiftung, Winter School 'Limits to Growth Revisited' (2012)

Professor Schwindenhammer currently leads the BMBF-funded SUSKULT-2 project (2025-2028) as part of the 'Agricultural Systems of the Future' initiative, building on her previous leadership of the SUSKULT project (2019-2024) and TANNRE project (2017-2021). She supervises students across multiple programs including BA Social Sciences, teacher training programs, and MA programs with a focus on environmental justice and sustainability. Her teaching covers sustainability transformation, food democracy, and environmental justice, with several courses offered in English through international programs.

As head of the SUSKULT Research Group (http://www.suskult.de), Professor Schwindenhammer oversees a transdisciplinary team working on circular urban food systems that connect wastewater treatment with food production. The research group collaborates with numerous institutional partners including Fraunhofer UMSICHT, DFKI, and multiple universities across Germany and internationally. The group regularly organizes events like the SUSKULT Nachwuchscamp to foster networking and knowledge exchange among early-career researchers in sustainability science.