Dr. Geeske Scholz
Office: NEOS 4220
E-Mail
Dr. Geeske Scholz works at the intersection of social sciences, empirical transformation research, and computational social science. Her research focuses on the analysis of social complexity, with particular attention to social learning, social identity, and group dynamics as mechanisms linking individual behaviour, collective action, and institutional change. A central aspect of her work is the formalisation of social science theory in agent-based models to analyse how micro-level interactions generate macro-level social outcomes.
Empirically, her research engages with sustainability transformations, including climate governance, energy transitions, and industrial change. By combining qualitative and quantitative empirical research with theory-driven modelling, she develops mechanism-based explanations of social dynamics in complex societal processes.
She has held academic positions in Germany, Scotland, and the Netherlands and teaches courses at Bachelor’s, Master’s, and doctoral levels. Since June 2025, she has been working as a researcher in the hyBit project and leads the subgroup Network and Stakeholders within FGRES. This group focuses on the design and analysis of stakeholder and network processes along the transition pipeline in hyBit and beyond. Within the project, her work particularly concentrates on the design and facilitation of the final workshops and the concluding project event. In addition, she contributes to the development of coordination and research structures that help build a knowledge and tool base for future projects.
Wijermans, N., Scholz, G., Chappin, ?., Heppenstall, A., Filatova, T., Polhill, J. G., Semeniuk. C., & St?ppler, F. (2023). Agent decision-making: The Elephant in the Room-Enabling the justification of decision model fit in social-ecological models. Environmental Modelling & Software, 170, 105850.
Pahl-Wostl, C., Oghenekaro, N.O., Scholz, G., De Villiers, A. & Amankwaa, E.F. (2023). The role of crises in transformative change towards sustainability, Ecosystems and People, 19:1, 2188087, DOI: 10.1080/26395916.2023.2188087
Scholz, G., Wijermans, N., Paolillo, R., Neumann, M., Masson, T., Chappin, ?., Templeton, A. & Kocheril, G. (2023). Social Agents? A Systematic Review of Social Identity Formalizations. Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, 26(2), 6.
Scholz, G & Methner, N. (2020). A social learning and transition perspective on a climate change project in South Africa. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions 34, 322-335. doi: 10.1016/j.eist.2019.10.011
Scholz, G., Austermann, M., Kaldrack, K., & Pahl‐Wostl, C. (2015). Evaluating group model building exercises: a method for comparing externalized mental models and group models. System Dynamics Review, 31(1-2), 28-45.
Scholz, G., Dewulf, A. & Pahl-Wostl, C. (2014). An analytical framework of social learning facilitated by participatory methods. Systemic Practice and Action Research, 27 (6), 575-591. doi: 10.1007/s11213-013-9310-z
Complete list:
?Geeske Scholz - ?Google Scholar
- Social complexity
- Social mechanisms of collective action (especially social learning, social identity, and group dynamics)
- Computational social science and agent-based modelling
- Formalisation of social science theory
Sustainability transformations, particularly inter- and transdisciplinary transformation research