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Information about the professorship
The Chair in āSustainable Transformation Processes in Business and Societyā sees itself as an interdisciplinary bridge between engineering, the natural sciences, business, society and professional practice. Its focus is on transformation processes arising from the challenges of climate change and advancing digitalisation.
A key focus is on the interplay between digital and sustainable transformation, particularly on issues relating to artificial intelligence and sustainability, as well as the āTwin Transitionā. In addition, the Chair addresses environmental and climate adaptation strategies. To this end, the BlĆ¼hwiesenLab was established at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences in the summer semester of 2026 and integrated into the teaching programme for the Energy and Environmental Management degree course. Among other things, the lab investigates the ecosystem services provided by urban green spaces and their contribution to climate-resilient structures.
In both research and teaching, scientific and technical approaches are combined with technology assessment, education for sustainable development, and inter- and transdisciplinary teaching formats. Systems thinking is used to highlight the interactions between ecological, technical and societal factors in the context of climate change. The aim is to examine technical and societal transformation processes not in isolation, but in terms of their interrelationships and practical opportunities for shaping the future.
Interdisciplinary teaching
- Consequences of climate change and sustainable adaptation
- Technology and innovation impact assessment
- Sustainability in a business context
- Twin Transition in the European Context (Micro-Credential within the European university alliance EURECA-PRO)
- Project module with the Faculty of Social Sciences on āSocial Justice and Climate Protectionā (Winter Semester 25/26 to Summer Semester 2026)
- Fundamentals of Natural Sciences (in the context of renewable energy)
Publications (excerpt)
Eichentopf, I.-M., & Seelig, L. (2026).
Between Promises and Hidden Complexities: The Sustainability Challenges of Artificial Intelligence.
In Kusche & Spranger (Eds.), NextGen Scientific Review ā Annual Perspectives on Next Generation Science (Vol. 4).
Mittweida University Press.
Eichentopf, I.-M., & Kasperidus, H. D. (2025).
Integrating technology assessment, systems thinking, and system dynamics in sustainability education: The need for an interdisciplinary framework.
International Journal of Educational Research Open, 9, Article 100535.
Eichentopf, I.-M., & Kasperidus, H. D. (2025).
Understanding the World Wide Web of Systems? The crux of systemic thinking in higher education: A first test of studentsā systemic thinking abilities.
In Kusche & Spranger (Eds.), NextGen Scientific Review ā Annual Perspectives on Next Generation Science (Vol. 3).
Mittweida University Press.
Herrmann, V. J.; Heimer, A.; Eichentopf, I.-M.; SĆ¼Ć, G. (2024):
From Diverse Perspectives to Unified Strategies: European University Alliances and the Development of Adaptable Science Communication Concepts.
In: Berg- und HĆ¼ttenmƤnnische Monatshefte, 169, pp. 86ā91.
A complete list of publications containing the papers is
available on Google Scholar:
Presentations and posters (extract)
Inga-Maria Eichentopf, Vanessa Herrmann and Gunter SĆ¼Ć,
Green Promises and Material Costs: The sustainability paradox (of AI) in the Twin Transition,
EASST Conference: More than now: Exploring resilient futures, KrakĆ³w (Poland), 8ā11 September 26
Inga-Maria Eichentopf and Gunter SĆ¼Ć,
The Double-Edged Role of AI in Shaping Sustainable Futures,
4S 2025 Conference: Reverberations, Seattle (USA), 3ā6 September 2025
Inga-Maria Eichentopf and Laura Seelig,
The Sustainability Myth of AI: Progress and Unintended Outcomes,
STS Conference, Graz, 5ā7 May 25
Inga-Maria Eichentopf and Laura Seelig,
Out of the Box, but Inside a Box ā the Crux of Interdisciplinary Studies in a Disciplinary-Oriented Setting
(Poster), STS-Hub, Berlin, 11ā14 March 25
Inga-Maria Eichentopf, Hans Dieter Kasperidus,
Education for a Sustainable Future ā Bridging Knowledge and Action,
fPET, Karlsruhe, 17 September 24
Inga-Maria Eichentopf, Ralf Hartig, Gunter SĆ¼Ć,
Preparing Students for Creating a Sustainable and Climate-Sensitive Future ā A Concept for Education Beyond the Boundaries of Disciplines (Poster),
3rd EURECA-PRO Conference on Responsible Consumption and Production,
Chania (Greece), 26ā29 September 2023
Inga-Maria Eichentopf, Gunter SĆ¼Ć;
Education Beyond the Boundaries of Disciplines ā A Mission Statement and Concept for a Climate-Sensitive Study Programme;
Higher Education with Impact;
Hasselt, 15 December 23
Inga-Maria Eichentopf, Keynote Lecture
āThe global trend in science communication ā science communication for coping with a changing worldā,
WASCAL SCIENCE SYMPOSIUM,
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; 6 December 2022