Thilde Bech Bruun

Thilde Bech Bruun serves as an Associate Professor at the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management within the Faculty of Science at the University of Copenhagen. Her academic career spans nearly two decades with continuous progression from PhD fellow to her current position, demonstrating deep institutional commitment and scholarly development.

Education:

• PhD in Geography (2009), University of Copenhagen - Thesis: 'Influence of land use and inherent soil properties on the storage and turnover of soil organic carbon in tropical soils'
• MSc in Geography (2004), University of Copenhagen

Dr. Bruun's research focuses on agroecological systems in the Global South, examining the socio-ecological effects of land use and management changes. Her work uniquely bridges soil science with human geography and land systems science, creating an interdisciplinary approach to climate-agriculture nexus challenges. She has developed expertise in carbon and nutrient dynamics in tropical agro-ecosystems, land use change impacts on carbon storage, climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, and sustainable intensification of small-scale farming. Her methodological approach combines empirical fieldwork across multiple continents with theoretical innovation.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong thematic focus on tropical land use systems, particularly shifting cultivation transitions, carbon accounting methodologies, and the political ecology of agricultural transformations. Her work demonstrates increasing interdisciplinary collaboration, with research spanning environmental science, geography, agricultural economics, and social sciences.

Dr. Bruun has supervised 40 MSc students, six PhD candidates, and three postdoctoral researchers, demonstrating significant mentorship capacity. She leads major international research projects including Planet Chicken (2024) funded by the Australian Research Council and 'Salomonøerne' (2023) funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Her educational leadership includes coordinating the Sustainable Land Use and Natural Resource Management program (SLUSE) and teaching the core 'Climate Change - An Interdisciplinary Challenge' course for the MSc in Climate Change program.

She serves as Associate Editor for Land Degradation and Development and Carbon Footprints journals, and chairs the Working Group on 'Shifting Cultivation in Transition' under the Global Land Programme. Her international engagement includes representing the University of Copenhagen in The European Alliance on Agricultural Knowledge for Development (Agrinatura) and serving on numerous academic assessment committees.