Meghan Beck-O'Brien - Research Information System | University of Kassel

Dr. Meghan Beck-O'Brien

Research Areas

Research Interest

My research focuses on the transition to a resource-efficient, circular bioeconomy and the development of sustainability targets and indicators. I am especially interested in how the smart bioeconomy can bridge human-nature systems to meet Sustainable Development Goals over the short and long term. I am convinced that halting biodiversity loss is a key and urgent challenge of our time and to this end my research aims to better understand how land system change can be kept within a globally safe and just operating space and how regenerative agriculture and forestry can be better incentivized in and across borders. In particular, tackling root causes of land use change and avoiding burden shifting are high priorities and I am interested in advancing research on models of business, governance and community that promote system innovation, resilience and well-being across both value chains and multiple scales of analysis.

Work Experience

02/2017 - 12/2018	Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin, CESR, Universität Kassel
08/2008 - 12/2020	Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin, Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt und Energie

Academic background

2012 – 2015 Doctor of Engineering (Dr.-Ing)
University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany

2005 – 2007 Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Sustainable Resource Management
Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany

2000 – 2004 Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Environmental Studies
Minors in English Literature and American Studies
Elmira College, Elmira, New York, USA

Publications

2024	Beck-O’ Brien, M., Bringezu, S., Banse, M., Barrelet, J., Bezama, A., Bösch, M., Brüning, S., Bührlen, B., Cabezas, A., Cyffka, K.-F., Dzene, I., Gordillo Vera, F., Helander, H., Henke, J., Hennenberg, K., Hinz, R., Jordan, M., Kilian, D., Köppen, S., Kynast, E., Lutz, C., Pereira, S., Pfeiffer, M., Pozo Inofuentes, P., Reiss, T., Reuschel, S., Richter, S., Schaldach, R., Scheffler, M., Schomberg, A.C., Schüngel, J., Schweinle, J., Thrän, D., Wang, M., Weimar, H., Wiegmann, K., Wijesingha, J., Wilske, B., Wydra, S., Zeug, W., Zinke, C., Meyer, C., Fehrenbach, H., 2024. Monitoring der deutschen Bioökonomie - Zusammenfassung : Status, Leistung, Trends und Auswirkungen auf eine nachhaltige Entwicklung. https://doi.org/10.17170/kobra-2024111510678
2024	Beck-O’ Brien, M., Bringezu, S., Banse, M., Barrelet, J., Bezama, A., Bösch, M., Brüning, S., Bührlen, B., Cabezas, A., Cyffka, K.-F., Dzene, I., Gordillo Vera, F., Helander, H., Henke, J., Hennenberg, K., Hinz, R., Iost, S., Jordan, M., Kilian, D., Köppen, S., Kynast, E., Lutz, C., Pereira, S., Pfeiffer, M., Pozo Inofuentes, P., Reiss, T., Reuschel, S., Richter, S., Schaldach, R., Scheffler, M., Schomberg, A.C., Schüngel, J., Schweinle, J., Thrän, D., Wang, M., Weimar, H., Wiegmann, K., Wijesingha, J., Wilske, B., Wydra, S., Zeug, W., Zinke, C., Meyer, C., Fehrenbach, H., 2024. Monitoring the German Bioeconomy - Summary : Status, performance, trends and implications for sustainable Development. https://doi.org/10.17170/kobra-2024111510677
2022	Beck-O’ Brien, M., Egenolf, V., Winter, S., Zahnen, J., Griesshammer, N., 2022. Everything from wood -- The resource of the future or the next crisis? How footprints, benchmarks and targets can support a balanced bioeconomy transition. Berlin.
2022	Egenolf, V., Distelkamp, M., Morland, C., Beck-O’ Brien, M., Bringezu, S., 2022. The timber footprint of German bioeconomy scenarios compared to the planetary boundaries for sustainable roundwood supply. Sustainable Production and Consumption 33, 686–699. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2022.07.029
2021	Beck-O’ Brien, M., Bringezu, S., 2021. Biodiversity Monitoring in Long-Distance Food Supply Chains: Tools, Gaps and Needs to Meet Business Requirements and Sustainability Goals. Sustainability 13, 8536. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158536