Welcome to the University of Freiburg: Dr. Ana Stritih, Junior Professor of the Modelling of Socio-Ecological Systems
Freiburg, 13.05.2025
On 1 March 2025, Dr. Ana Stritih was appointed Junior Professor of the Modelling of Social-Ecological Systems. In this interview, she provides insights into her research on forests, talks about how she is inspired by students and reveals how she likes to explore the Black Forest.
What excites you about your research?
I am fascinated by the complexity of the diverse interactions between ecosystems and humans. Although this complexity poses a challenge for research into socio-ecological systems, it also gives these systems the ability to adapt to current changes, sometimes in unexpected ways.
What solutions can you find in your research for present and future challenges?
My focus is on understanding forests as socio-ecological systems that develop through the interaction of ecological dynamics and the decisions of the people who manage them. I am interested in how these systems can adapt to global change, such as increasing forest disturbances like bark beetles, storms and forest fires. If we understand the factors that contribute to their adaptability, we can find ways to sustainably secure the important ecosystem services that we receive from forests. Such insights can help decision-makers develop informed and appropriate strategies.
What would you like to pass on to your students, and what would you like to gain from teaching?
I want to give students the tools they need to tackle complex environmental problems. I always find discussions with students rewarding, especially when they are curious, critical and engaged. I find the commitment of many students to social and climate justice very inspiring.
What topics are you personally most concerned with at the moment, outside of your research?
In addition to my research, I am currently preoccupied with the question of what role I play as a scientist (and also as a foreigner) at a time when values such as academic freedom and universal human rights, which were once taken for granted, are increasingly being called into question.
What are you looking the most forward to in Freiburg?
I am looking forward to enjoying cycling in the city and exploring the Black Forest while hiking and climbing.