معرفی
Sara Bjørn Aaen is an Associate Professor at the Department of Sustainability and Planning, part of The Technical Faculty of IT and Design at Aalborg University. She is affiliated with The Danish Centre for Environmental Assessment and holds an ORCID identifier (0000-0001-6805-0950). Her research focuses on social impact assessment, public participation in infrastructure projects, sustainability, and energy policy. Key areas include radioactive waste management, renewable energy infrastructure, and participatory methodologies like LEGO® Serious Play.
Her work emphasizes contested knowledge in environmental decision-making, citizen engagement strategies, and innovative technologies for sustainable resource extraction (e.g., AlSiCal and REESOURCE projects). She has contributed to over 40 publications and led/co-led 11 research projects, including EU-funded initiatives on rare earth elements and decarbonized alumina production.
- Education: While not explicitly stated in the profile, her academic role implies advanced qualifications in planning, environmental studies, or social science disciplines.
Dr. Aaen has received the prestigious Årets Underviser award (2023) for teaching excellence. Her research spans environmental policy analysis, community resilience in Brexit-affected fishing ports, and decision-making processes for mega-infrastructure projects. She actively collaborates with institutions across Europe and engages in public outreach through workshops and media commentary on climate action and participatory governance.
Her current projects include:
- REESOURCE: Sustainable rare earth extraction (2023–2027)
- AlSiCal: Zero-emission alumina production (2019–2024)
- Fit4Micro: MicroCHCP energy systems (2022–2026)
- Lego Serious Play in green transition initiatives (2024)
Public engagement is central to her work, with activities ranging from organizing Fensdagene conferences to advising on radioactive waste repository public consultations. She has authored influential reports on Brexit’s socioeconomic impacts and co-developed tools for participatory method selection in planning processes.
