Prof. Dr. Daniel J. Lang

Head of research group
Research group “Designing Real-World Laboratory Research”
Room: 205
Phone: +49 721 608-22336
daniel lang ∂does-not-exist.kit edu

Institut für Technikfolgenabschätzung und Systemanalyse (ITAS)
Postfach 3640
76021 Karlsruhe

Current positions

Professor for Real-World Laboratory Research, KIT
Head of Research group “Designing real-world laboratory research”, ITAS
Co-leader of the real-world laboratory “Autonomous Driving in the Mobility System of the Future”
Chair holder of the UNESCO-Chair in Higher Education for Sustainable Development, Leuphana University Lüneburg

Fields of work

Real-world laboratories and real-world experiments
Transdisciplinarity
Sustainability science
Methods of knowledge integration and decision support in human-environment systems

Current projects

On the internet

Author IDs:
ORCID
Scopus

Social networks:
LinkedIn
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Professional background

since 2022	Professor for Real-World Laboratory Research, ITAS
since 2021	UNESCO Chair in Higher Education for Sustainable Development
2010 - 2022	Professor for Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research, Leuphana University Lüneburg
2016 - 2021	Presidents Special Advisor for Sustainability, Leuphana University Lüneburg
2012 - 2016	Dean of the School of Sustainability, Leuphana University Lüneburg
2001 - 2009	Research associate and later Senior scientist at the Institute for Environmental Decisions, ETH Zurich
2001 - 2005	PhD Studies (Dr. Sc. ETH) at the Department for Environmental Natural Science, ETH Zurich

Selected publications

Lang, D. J.; Wiek, A. (2022)
Structuring and Advancing Solution-oriented Research for Sustainability. Ambio, 51(1), 31-35.

Bergmann, M.; Schäpke, N.; Marg, O.; Stelzer, F.; Lang, D. J.; Bossert, M.; Gantert, M.; Häußler, E.; Marquardt, E.; Piontek, F. M. et. al. (2021)
Transdisciplinary sustainability research in real-world labs: Success factors and methods for change. Sustainability Science, 16(2),541-564

Caniglia, G.; Luederitz, C.; von Wirth, T.; Fazey, I.; Martín-López, B.; Hondrila, K.; König, A.; von Wehrden, H.; Schäpke, N. A.; Laubichler, M. D.; Lang, D. J. (2021)
A pluralistic and integrated approach to action-oriented knowledge for sustainability. Nature Sustainability, 4(2), 93-100
doi: 10.1038/s41893-020-00616-z

Abson, D. J.; Fischer, J.; Leventon, J.; Newig, J.; Schomerus, T.; Vilsmaier, U.; von Wehrden, H.; Abernethy, P.; Ives, C. D.; Jager, N. W.; Lang, D. J. (2017)
Leverage points for sustainability transformation. Ambio, 46(1), 30–39
doi: 10.1007/s13280-016-0800-y

Lang, D. J.; Wiek, A.; Bergmann, M.; Stauffacher, M.; Martens, P.; Moll, P.; Swilling, M.; Thomas, C. J. (2012)
Transdisciplinary research in sustainability science: Practice, principles, and challenges. Sustainability Science, 7(SUPPL. 1), 25–43
doi: 10.1007/s11625-011-0149-x

Publications

2026

PhD Theses

Seskir, Z. C.
Conditional Futures of Responsible Quantum Technologies. PhD dissertation
2026, August 5. Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT). doi:10.5445/IR/1000195495

Journal Articles

Apetrei, C. I.; Jager, N.; Lang, D. J.
Unpacking knowledge systems for collective action towards sustainability: a social network perspective
2026. Sustainability Science, 21 (5), 2723–2743. doi:10.1007/s11625-026-01865-1

Burch, S.; DiBella, J.; Farrelly, M.; Lang, D.; McCormick, K.; Ness, B.; Orr, C.; Wiek, A.
Building capacity for sustainability transformations through transdisciplinary experimentation: Empirical evidence from a novel methodology deployed in 7 countries
2026. Environmental Science and Policy, 179, 104364. doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2026.104364

Frölich, N. M.; Rhodius, R.; Jauer, L.; Mbah, M.; Weiser, A.; Lang, D. J.
Navigating four junctions: a framework to design context- and format-sensitive transdisciplinary research
2026. Sustainability Science. doi:10.1007/s11625-026-01848-2

Stein, V.; Merino-Benítez, T.; Weiser, A.; Lang, D. J.
Reading between the lines: a systematic approach to identifying underlying concepts in scientific literature – The case of interfaces between disciplinary lenses and real-world laboratory research
2026. Scientometrics, 131 (9), 6519–6544. doi:10.1007/s11192-026-05757-0

Presentations

Baack, F.; Brennecke, F.; Weiser, A.; Lang, D.
Connecting Urban Transformation Labs to Understand, anticipate and leverage resilient and sustainable cities and their surrounding areas
2026, May. European Geosciences Union General Assembly (EGU 2026), Vienna, Austria, May 3–8, 2026

Baack, F.; Khoramshahi, H.; Weiser, A.; Brennecke, F.; Hensgen, L.; Iqbal, S.; Fraske, T.; Lang, D.
Moving beyond “learning by doing” : A critical reflection on the epistemological stance of current urban experimentation and a way forward
2026. International Sustainability Transitions Conference (IST 2026), Zurich, Switzerland, August 31–September 2, 2026

Other

Bernert, P.; Egermann, M.; Laborgne, P.; Lang, D.; Ober, S.; Parodi, O.; Rhodius, R.; Schäpke, N.; Schwichtenberg, R.; Steglich, A.; Stelzer, F.; Wagner, F.; Wirth, T. von
Stellungnahme des Netzwerks Reallabore der Nachhaltigkeit zum Bundeserprobungsgesetz (BErpG)
2026, June 15

2025

Journal Articles

Fraske, T.; Weiser, A.; Schrapel, M.; Schippl, J.; Lang, D. J.; Vinel, A.
Driving change? Exploring the role of socio-technical experiments in shaping autonomous mobility transitions
2025. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 56, Article no: 100993. doi:10.1016/j.eist.2025.100993

Holst, J.; Fritz, H.; Nölting, B.; Lang, D. J.; Löde, V.-L.; Ober, S.; Parodi, O.; Potthast, T.; Scheiding, C. T.; Weynand, M.; Singer-Brodowski, M.
Exploring culture(s) of sustainability at higher education institutions: a systematic review of concepts and pathways
2025. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 26 (9), 489–506. doi:10.1108/IJSHE-08-2024-0550

König, C.; Lang, D. J.; Schaefer, I.
Sustainable Software Engineering: Concepts, Challenges, and Vision
2025. ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology, 34 (5), 1–28. doi:10.1145/3709352

Manuel-Navarrete, D.; Grauer, C.; Chilisa, B.; Brundiers, K.; Sanusi, Z. A.; Seidel, T.; Tolksdorf, F. L.; Lang, D. J.
Inclusive transdisciplinarity: embracing diverse ways of being and knowing through inner work
2025. Ecology and Society, 30 (3), art22. doi:10.5751/ES-16197-300322

Tolksdorf, F. L.; Weiss, M.; Jiménez-Aceituno, A.; Frölich, N. M.; Amoah, N. A. B.; Lam, D. P. M.; Grauer, C.; Baird, J.; Ballnat, C.; Horcea-Milcu, A.-I.; König, B.; Pedersen, R. L.; Costa, M. M.; Manuel-Navarrete, D.; Martin, D. A.; McGlynn, B.; Mehring, M.; Mühlthaler, S.; Schneider, F.; Singer-Brodowski, M.; Villalba, L.; Weiser, A.; Lang, D. J.
Why context matters: understanding transdisciplinary research through the lens of nine context factors
2025. Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research, 38 S. doi:10.1080/13511610.2025.2527104

Presentations

Albiez, M.; Parodi, O.; Ober, S.; Lang, D.
Real-world Lab vs. Real-world Experiment: what makes the difference?
2025. GAIA-Jahrestreffen anlässlich der Verleihung des "GAIA Best Paper Award" (2025), Stuttgart, Germany, April 4, 2025

Frölich, N. M.; Lang, D. J.
Why context matters: Disentangling 9 context factors that influence transdisciplinary research
2025. Transformations/Earth System Governance Conference on ‘Navigating Sustainability Transformations Towards Justice and Equity’ (TC/ESG 2025), Johannesburg, South Africa, August 18–21, 2025

Frölich, N. M.; Merino Benitez, E. T.; Lang, D. J.
Amplifying Transformative Change: Transferring, Replicating, and Scaling Transdisciplinary Practices
2025. Transformations/Earth System Governance Conference on ‘Navigating Sustainability Transformations Towards Justice and Equity’ (TC/ESG 2025), Johannesburg, South Africa, August 18–21, 2025

Other

Singer-Brodowski, M.; Holst, J.; Fritz, H.; Nölting, B.; Löde, V.; Schmitt, J.; Betz, C.; Lang, D.; Ober, S.; Parodi, O.; Schaltegger, S.; Scheiding, C.; Weynand, M.; Potthast, T.
"Kulturen der Nachhaltigkeit von Hochschulen“ – ein konsolidiertes Arbeitsverständnis des Verbundprojekts KuNaH
2025. Freie Universität Berlin. doi:10.17169/refubium-48838

2024

Journal Articles

Bernert, P.; Weiser, A.; Kampfmann, T.; Lang, D. J.
Impacts beyond experimentation ‐ Conceptualising emergent impacts from long-term real-world laboratory processes
2024. GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, 33 (1), 18–25. doi:10.14512/gaia.33.S1.4

Holst, J.; Potthast, T.; Fritz, H.; Nölting, B.; Singer-Brodowski, M.; Albiez, M.; Betz, C.; Lang, D. J.; Meyer, S.; Ober, S.; Parodi, O.; Schaltegger, S.; Scheiding, C.; Weynand, M.
Vom Ziel zur Normalität
2024. Deutsche Universitätszeitung, (2), 20–23

Horcea-Milcu, A.-I.; Dorresteijn, I.; Leventon, J.; Stojanovic, M.; Lam, D. P. M.; Lang, D. J.; Moriggi, A.; Raymond, C. M.; Stålhammar, S.; Weiser, A.; Zimmermann, S.
Transformative research for sustainability: characteristics, tensions, and moving forward
2024. Global Sustainability, 7, 16 S. doi:10.1017/sus.2024.12

Kampfmann, T.; Bernert, P.; Lang, D. J.; Drautz, S.
Governance for urban sustainability through real-world experimentation – Introducing an evaluation framework for transformative research involving public actors
2024. Cities, 153, Art.-Nr.: 105301. doi:10.1016/j.cities.2024.105301

Kampfmann, T.; Lang, D. J.; Weiser, A.
Analyzing the political impact of Real-world laboratories for urban transformation in eight German ‘Cities of the Future’
2024. Environmental Science & Policy, 162, 103923. doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2024.103923

Parodi, O.; Ober, S.; Lang, D. J.; Albiez, M.
Reallabor versus Realexperiment: Was macht den Unterschied?
2024. GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, 33 (2), 216–221. doi:10.14512/gaia.33.2.4

Pfendtner-Heise, J.; Ackerschott, A.; Schwenck, C.; Lang, D. J.; von Wehrden, H.
Making mutual learning tangible: Mixed-method Delphi as a tool for measuring the convergence of participants’ reciprocal understanding in transdisciplinary processes
2024. Futures, 159, Art.-Nr.: 103365. doi:10.1016/j.futures.2024.103365

Wanner, M.; Augenstein, K.; von Wirth, T.; Lang, D. J.
Impacts of urban real-world labs: Insights from a co-evaluation process informed by structuration theory in Wuppertal-Mirke
2024. GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, 33 (1), 102 – 109. doi:10.14512/gaia.33.S1.15

Presentations

Bernert, P.; Weiser, A.; Lang, D.; Ober, S.; Steinbrügge, F.
Case Reporting als gute Praxis der Reallaborforschung
2024. "Reallabore – ExperimentierRäume für den Weg in eine nachhaltige Gesellschaft" (2024), Dresden, Germany, April 11–12, 2024

Fraske, T.; Weiser, A.; Lang, D. J.
Technologische Innovation trifft Reallaborforschung: Zum inter- und transdisziplinären Umgang mit digitalen Lösungen für die Nachhaltigkeitstransformation
2024. "Reallabore – ExperimentierRäume für den Weg in eine nachhaltige Gesellschaft" (2024), Dresden, Germany, April 11–12, 2024

Parodi, O.; Ober, S.; Lang, D. J.
Reallabor und Realexperiment - Eine theoretische Unterscheidung
2024. "Reallabore – ExperimentierRäume für den Weg in eine nachhaltige Gesellschaft" (2024), Dresden, Germany, April 11–12, 2024

Stein, V.; Weiser, A.; Lang, D. J.
Wie viel „Disziplin“ steckt im Reallabor? Einblicke aus der Literatur
2024. "Reallabore – ExperimentierRäume für den Weg in eine nachhaltige Gesellschaft" (2024), Dresden, Germany, April 11–12, 2024

2023

Book Chapters

Weiser, A.; Meyer, S.; Bernert, P.; Lang, D. J.
Problem- und projektorientierte Lehre transdisziplinär gestalten
2023. Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung in der Hochschule. Hrsg.: G. Michelsen, 25–44, Verlag Barbara Budrich

Journal Articles

Barth, M.; Gossen, M.; Lang, D. J.; Santarius, T.
Sustainable digitalization ‐ fostering the twin transformation in a transdisciplinary way
2023. GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, 32 (S1), 6–9. doi:10.14512/gaia.32.S1.3

Barth, M.; Jiménez-Aceituno, A.; Lam, D. P. M.; Bürgener, L.; Lang, D. J.
Transdisciplinary learning as a key leverage for sustainability transformations
2023. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 64, Art.-Nr.: 101361. doi:10.1016/j.cosust.2023.101361

Bernert, P.; Wahl, D.; von Wehrden, H.; Lang, D. J.
Cross-case knowledge transfer in transformative research: enabling learning in and across sustainability-oriented labs through case reporting
2023. Urban Transformations, 5 (1), Art.-Nr.: 12. doi:10.1186/s42854-023-00056-w

Parodi, O.; Schwichtenberg, R.; Stelzer, F.; Rhodius, R.; Schreider, C.; von Wirth, T.; Lang, D. J.; Marg, O.; Wagner, F.; Egermann, M.; Bauknecht, D.; Wanner, M.
Stellungnahme des Netzwerks Reallabore der Nachhaltigkeit zur Reallabore-Gesetz-Initiative
2023. GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, 32 (4), 399–401. doi:10.14512/gaia.32.4.14

Weiser, A.; Wanner, M.; Stelzer, F.; Lang, D. J.; Berger, H.; Förster, A.; Liedtke, C.; Micklitz, H.-W.; Niewöhner, J.; Parodi, O.; Potthast, T.; Schneider, F.; Sörgel, F.; Ziehl, M.; Ziemer, G.
Exploring fruitful links between real-world laboratory and disciplinary research : Introduction of the DKN Future Earth working group LinkLab
2023. GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, 32 (3), 335–337. doi:10.14512/gaia.32.3.13

Conference Papers

Gerling, K.; Vinel, A.; Müller, K.; Nierling, L.; Stiefelhagen, R.; Karmann, C.; Lang, D.; Asfour, T.
Technology-Centric Real-World Labs: Challenges and Opportunities for a New Mode of Participatory Research From the Perspective of Computer Science
2023. 10. Workshop Mensch-Maschine-Interaktion in sicherheitskritischen Systemen, Gesellschaft für Informatik (GI). doi:10.18420/muc2023-mci-ws02-431

Presentations

Weiser, A.; Fricke, A.; König, A.; Lang, D.
Selbstexperimentieren für die Transformation – Verschiedene Ansätze zur Wissensproduktion und Wissensdomänen für die Nachhaltigkeitsforschung und -praxis
2023, October 16. Workshop "Die Vielfalt des Wissens und seine Relevanz: Was können wir im Hinblick auf den gesellschaftlichen Wandel lernen?" (2023), Karlsruhe, Germany, October 16–17, 2023

Other

Parodi, O.; Schwichtenberg, R.; Stelzer, F.; Rhodius, R.; Schreider, C.; Wirth, T. von; Lang, D.; Marg, O.; Wagner, F.; Egermann, M.; Bauknecht, D.; Wanner, M.
Stellungnahme des Netzwerks „Reallabore der Nachhaltigkeit“ zur Initiative des Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK) für ein Reallabore-Gesetz
2023. Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)

2022

Journal Articles

Fritz, H.; Holst, J.; Lang, D. J.; Nölting, B.; Parodi, O.; Potthast, T.; Singer-Brodowski, M.
Transformationspfade für eine Kultur der Nachhaltigkeit an deutschen Hochschulen [Pathways of transformation towards a culture of sustainability in German higher education institutions]
2022. Gaia, 31 (4), 254 – 256. doi:10.14512/gaia.31.4.14

2021

Journal Articles

Bergmann, M.; Schäpke, N.; Marg, O.; Stelzer, F.; Lang, D. J.; Bossert, M.; Gantert, M.; Häußler, E.; Marquardt, E.; Piontek, F. M.; Potthast, T.; Rhodius, R.; Rudolph, M.; Ruddat, M.; Seebacher, A.; Sußmann, N.
Transdisciplinary sustainability research in real-world labs: success factors and methods for change
2021. Sustainability science, 16 (2), 541–564. doi:10.1007/s11625-020-00886-8

2020

PhD Theses

Beecroft, R.
Das Reallabor als transdisziplinärer Rahmen zur Unterstützung und Vernetzung von Lernzyklen. PhD dissertation
2020. Leuphana Universität Lüneburg

2019

Journal Articles

Keeler, L. W.; Beaudoin, F.; Wiek, A.; John, B.; Lerner, A. M.; Beecroft, R.; Tamm, K.; Seebacher, A.; Lang, D. J.; Kay, B.; Forrest, N.
Building actor-centric transformative capacity through city-university partnerships
2019. Ambio, 48 (5), 529–538. doi:10.1007/s13280-018-1117-9

2018

Journal Articles

Keeler, L. W.; Beaudoin, F. D.; Lerner, A. M.; John, B.; Beecroft, R.; Tamm, K.; Wiek, A.; Lang, D. J.
Transferring sustainability solutions across contexts through city-university partnerships
2018. Sustainability, 10 (9), 2966. doi:10.3390/su10092966

2016

Journal Articles

Luederitz, C.; Schäpke, N.; Wiek, A.; Lang, D. J.; Bergmann, M.; Bos, J. J.; Burch, S.; Davies, A.; Evans, J.; König, A.; Farrelly, M. A.; Forrest, N.; Frantzeskaki, N.; Gibson, R. B.; Kay, B.; Loorbach, D.; McCormick, K.; Parodi, O.; Rauschmayer, F.; Schneidewind, U.; Stauffacher, M.; Stelzer, F.; Trencher, G.; Venjakob, J.; Vergragt, P. J.; Wehrden, H. von; Westley, F. R.
Learning through evaluation : A tentative evaluative scheme for sustainability transition experiments
2016. Journal of cleaner production, 169, 61–76. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.09.005