Lecture “The nature of cities”
Who are we and how do we live? What is nature to us? Starting with our highly individual and personal relationships with nature, Prof. Andersson will describe our dependence on nature, how urbanisation over time has estranged us from the very foundation of our existence, describe how nature is slowly making its way back into our cities, to then finally conclude by returning to our everyday lives and experiences.
The lecture will be conducted in English.
Professor Erik Andersson
Professor Erik Andersson is a staff member at Stockholm University, where he works at the highly acclaimed and influential Stockholm Resilience Centre. Professor Erik Andersson is also employed at the University of Helsinki. As of 2019, he is also a visiting scholar at The New School in New York (in the United States) and at North-West University in Potchefstroom, South Africa.
He received his PhD from Stockholm University in 2007. Prof Andersson's research experience includes academic fields such as systems and landscape ecology, geography, urban studies, landscape management, participatory research, transdisciplinary research, climate change adaptation, and action research.
Professor Erik Andersson's research interests are in socio-ecological aspects of blue and green infrastructure in cities, ecosystem services, multifunctionality of green spaces, biodiversity and its perceived value.
Andersson has successfully led a number of major European projects investigating broad sustainability issues and how green infrastructure and nature-based solutions contribute to improving urban socio-ecological systems.
Professor Erik Andersson is the author of more than 70 articles published in leading international scientific journals, as well as chapters in academic monographs.
In addition to his research, Prof Andersson also has 15 years of experience working at the interface between academia and the wider society. He is a member of the editorial boards of recognised journals: Ambio, Sustainability Science and Frontiers in Environmental Science. He has also been editor of special issues published in several other recognised scientific journals (including Ecosystem Services and Ecology and Society). Professor Erik Andersson collaborates with researchers from many scientific institutions around the world, including the University of Lodz.
Universitatis Lodziensis Amico
In 2022, Professor Andersson was awarded the Universitatis Lodziensis Amico (Friend of the University of Lodz Medal), which is awarded as an honourary distinction in recognition of his contribution to the University of Lodz:
The medal will be presented to Professor Andersson on 17 November 2022 by the Rector of the University of Lodz, Professor Elżbieta Żądzińska, at the Biedermann Palace prior to the lecture.
Professor Erik Andersson's collaboration with the University of Lodz dates back to 2013, when Jakub Kronenberg from the University of Lodz joined the URBES (Urban Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) project, funded under the EU ERA-NET mechanism (BiodivERsA programme). Subsequently, from 2013 to 2017, the two researchers co-led a work package on the economic aspects of urban green infrastructure management within the EU project GREEN SURGE (Green Infrastructure and Urban Biodiversity for Sustainable Urban Development and the Green Economy), funded by the EU's 7th Framework Programme. Meanwhile, Professor Erik Andersson was also involved in a Polish-Swedish-Japanese project on urban resilience, which resulted in the organisation of an international scientific symposium at the University of Lodz entitled Urban Resilience and Sustainability Science, 12 October 2017. Finally, from 2016 to 2020, Professor Erik Andersson led the ENABLE project (Enabling Green and Blue Infrastructure Potential in Complex Social-Ecological Regions: A System Approach for Assessing Local Solutions), funded by the EU ERA-NET mechanism (BiodivERsA programme), which also involved a research team from the University of Lodz (Jakub Kronenberg, Edyta Łaszkiewicz, Magdalena Biernacka, Karolina Koprowska). Thanks to the hard work of the entire team, the project was honoured with the BiodivERsA Prize for Excellence and Impact, awarded annually to the best project funded by the BiodivERsA programme.
Professor Erik Andersson has visited the University of Lodz several times, working primarily with staff from the Faculty of Economics and Sociology, as well as the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection. During his visits, he gave lectures and also looked with interest at the field research carried out by the staff of these faculties.