PROFILE & CAREER PATH
Sustainable transformation doesn't arise from isolated solutions, but from the collaborative thinking and design of ecological, economic, and social systems. My life combines practice, research, and communication. Focus: creating spaces for collaborative solutions.
Die Vision
In den Hügeln des Roero im Piemont steht das Castello Pocapaglia, ein Schloss, das bereits im Jahr 998 erwähnt wurde.
Anstatt daraus einfach ein Hotel zu machen, möchten wir daraus einen Living Commons entwickeln.
Einen Ort, an dem zusammenkommen:
Gastronomie und Weinkultur
regenerative Landwirtschaft
kultureller Austausch
resiliente Infrastruktur
neue Formen von Gemeinschaft.
Das Schloss wird zu einem lebendigen Labor für europäische Kultur und Zukunftsgestaltung.
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practice-oriented
Extensive experience in food systems, agriculture and value chains.
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Scientifically sound:
Interdisciplinary studies in gastronomic sciences, environmental management and sustainability.
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Systemic:
Focus on overarching questions – how are sustainable systems created? What role do actors, institutions and governance play?
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Mediating:
Translation between science, practice and politics to enable shared spaces for action.
Culinary art as a starting point
Source of the questions
The starting point was a physical intolerance to highly processed foods. This was followed by a practical exploration of food systems, agricultural processes, and value chains. This led me to work early on. The real-world contexts made it clear that sustainability is not achieved through isolated measures, but through the interplay of many actors, framework conditions, and interests.
Psychology, agricultural sciences, sustainability and landscape design
Research as a means of reflection
The need for deeper analytical understanding arose from practical experience. Studies in psychology, gastronomy, environmental management, and sustainability served to develop a scientific framework for describing, comparing, and critically examining complex systems. Research in quality of life and oncology was not seen as the antithesis of practice, but rather as a means of classification, contextualization, and reflection. The goal was to gain a better understanding of practice.
Systems thinking
Projects as synthesis
As the process progressed, the focus shifted from individual projects to overarching questions. Key questions came to the fore: How do sustainable systems emerge? What role do institutional frameworks, governance structures, and political steering play? How can ecological, economic, and social dimensions be considered together without oversimplifying them? This phase was characterized by the realization that transformation is not linear and cannot be solved solely through technical or economic means. Systems thinking became the necessary framework for making complexity visible and manageable.
Real-world laboratories and application
Bridges to Practice
The connection between research and reality found its expression in real-world laboratories and practice-oriented projects. These served not primarily for implementation, but for testing, learning, and feedback. Real-world laboratories became places where theoretical assumptions could be tested, adapted, or discarded. Here, practice functioned as a touchstone for research, and science as a space for reflection on practice.
Philosophy, role diversity and mediation
Process of sharpening and deepening
Today, my work lies at the intersection of several roles. As a researcher, the focus is on the analytical exploration of transformation processes. As a practitioner, I draw on experience from real-world projects and development processes. As a mediator, my task is to translate between different stakeholders, forms of knowledge, and expectations. These roles are not separate but deliberately intertwined. It is precisely in this translation work between academia, practice, and institutions that added value is generated. This is grounded in the study of social design and philosophical discourse.
Attitude and understanding of work
Responsibility and deceleration
The underlying attitude is characterized by a reluctance to offer simple answers and an openness to contradictions. Transformation is not understood as a technical optimization problem, but as a social, political, and cultural process. Accordingly, the focus is not on a quick solution, but on carefully examining questions, structures, and decision-making spaces. Uncertainty is not seen as a deficit, but as a necessary component of learning and development processes.
Open workspaces
Invitation to dialogue
Torre San Teobaldo was born from this understanding. It's not a personal showcase or a classic service presentation, but rather open workspaces where experiences are pooled, research is further developed, and thought processes are deliberately kept open. Here, development doesn't culminate in a finished product, but in an ongoing process.
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Expo 2015
As a keynote speaker at Expo 2015, in the Slow Food Pavilion in Milan. Topic: The triad of Japanese cuisine, traditional medicine, and culture. A lecture on sustainability in gastronomy and the importance of seasonal ingredients. The result of a research trip to Mie Prefecture in Japan. This received enthusiastic feedback from industry experts and led to new initiatives for environmentally conscious cooking.
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Lead Auditor
UNI EN ISO 14001:2015, UNI CEI EN ISO 50001:2011, EMAS, CO2, water and energy footprint. As well as environmental law, life cycle analyses, circular economy, strategy and risk analyses.
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International cooperation
ISGSS, The International Society for Gastronomic Sciences and Studies – The International Society for Gastronomic Sciences and Studies. The society is dedicated to promoting research and studies in the field of sustainable food sciences, taking into account local knowledge, in order to achieve an advanced, independent and equitable economic model.
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Collectives
JIEN LLP A collective of diverse talents in the fields of architecture, social design, site-specific and resilience-promoting educational models, and the regeneration of agricultural and ecological systems.
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Associations
Ahrtrüffel eV - President
Slow Food eV
German Biochar eV
UNISG Alumni Network
University of Padua Alumni Association
Student Association for Social Design eV
International Society of Gastronomic Sciences and Studies (ISGSS)
Zukunftsregion Ahr eV
