Prof. Dr. Ortwin Renn

University of Stuttgart and Director, DIALOGIK, Germany

Ortwin Renn's Curriculum Vitae


Ortwin Renn serves as full professor and chair of environmental sociology at Stuttgart University. He directs the Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Risk Governance and Sustainable Technology Development (ZIRN) at the University of Stuttgart and the non-profit company DIALOGIK, a research institute for the investigation of communication and participation processes in environmental policy making. Since 2006 Renn has been elected Deputy Dean of the Economics- and Social Science Department and Acting Director of the Institute of Social Sciences at the University of Stuttgart. Ortwin Renn has a doctoral degree in sociology and social psychology from the University of Cologne. His career included teaching and research positions at the Juelich Nuclear Research Center, Clark University (Worcester, USA), the Swiss Institute of Technology (Zuerich) and the Center of Technology Assessment (Stuttgart). His scientific affiliations include memberships in the panel on “Public Participation in Environmental Assessment and Decision Making” of the U.S.-National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C., in the National Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management of the People’s Republic of China, in the Scientific and Technical Council of the International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) in Geneva and in the European Academy of Science and Arts (Vienna and Salzburg). He serves on the senate of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences (Berlin) and on the Board of Directors of the German National Academy of Technology and Engineering. His honours include an honorary doctorate from the Swiss Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), the “Distinguished Achievement Award” of the Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) and the Outstanding Publication Award from the Environment and Technology Section of the American Sociological Association for the book: „Risk, Uncertainty and Rational Action“ co-authored by C. Jaeger, G. Rosa und Th. Webler. Among his many political advisory activities is his chairmanship of the State Commission for Sustainable Development (German State of Baden-Württemberg). Renn is primarily interested in risk governance, political participation and technology assessment. His has published more than 30 books and 250 articles, most recently the monograph “Risk Governance” (Earthscan: London 2008).