Benjamin Hofmann
Publications
Main Focuses
Evidence for sustainability
Inter- and transdisciplinarity
Global environmental politics
Pesticide governance
Ocean and shipping governance
Swiss-EU energy relations
Education
- Ph.D., International Affairs and Political Economy, University of St.Gallen, Switzerland, 2015-21
- CAS, Learning and Teching in Higher Education, University of St.Gallen, Switzerland, 2016-18
- MA, Political Science, Minor: Economics, University of Salzburg, Austria, 2010-12
- Guest Semester, Political Science and Economics, Aarhus University, Denmark, 2009-10
- BA, Political Science, Minor: European Languages, University of Salzburg, Austria, 2006-09
Professional Career
- Postdoctoral Researcher, Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology), since 2021
- Lecturer for Political Science, University of St.Gallen, since 2021
- Research Assistant Energy Governance, IPW-HSG, 2015-21
- Policy Officer to the Secretary-General and Carlo-Schmid Fellow, Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR), Strasbourg, France, 2012-15
- Research and Teaching Assistant for International Relations, Department of Political Science, University of Salzburg, Austria, 2010-11
Teaching Activities
- Global Environmental Politics (Spring 2018-19, Autumn 2021-ongoing)
- Spring Project: International Climate Politics (Spring 2021)
- International Relations Theory: Independent Studies/Exercises (Spring 2016-21)
- Qualitative Methods: Independent Studies (Autumn 2017)
- Multi-Level Energy and Climate Governance (Spring 2017)
- Praxisprojekt Energie: Die Zukunft des St.Galler Energiekonzeptes (Spring 2016)
Projects
- Transformation in Pesticide Governance (TRAPEGO, funded by SNSF, ongoing)
- The Coproduction of Business Practices and International Maritime Environmental Regulation (Ph.D. project, completed)
- The European Integration of the Swiss Energy System (funded by SNSF, completed)
- SCCER CREST White Paper on Swiss Multi-Level Energy Governance (supported by Innosuisse, completed)
- The Future of St.Gallen’s Energy Concept 2050 (funded by the City of St.Gallen, completed)
Affiliations
- Research Fellow, Earth System Governance Network, since 2021
- Participant, Postdoc Academy for Transformational Leadership, 2021-23
- Member of Working Group on Integration Experts and Expertise, Global Alliance for Inter- and Transdisciplinarity (ITD Alliance)
- Member of Expert Roaster, UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, UNESCO
- International Maritime Organization, Marine Environment Protection Committee (IMO MEPC): Observer in Swiss delegation, 2017-19
- EU Expert Groups: Emissions from Non-Road Mobile Machinery Engine (GEME), Future Transport Fuels (EGFTF), and TEN-T Rhine-Alpine Corridor Forum, on behalf of the CCNR, 2013-15
Awards
- Selection for Postdoc Academy for Transformational Leadership, Robert Bosch Stiftung, 2021-23
- St.Gallen Wings of Excellence Award, 2nd Prize, St.Gallen Symposium, 2017
- Carlo-Schmid scholarship, German Academic Exchange Office (DAAD), 2012/13
- Excellence scholarships for Bachelor's and Master's studies, University of Salzburg, 2010, 2012
Talks
- Science to the rescue? Evidence types, political economy, and the wicked problem of pesticide risk reduction, Earth System Governance Conference, Toronto/online, 2022
- Barriers to a Transformative Impact of Cumulative Knowledge: Insights from Pesticide Research & Governance, Earth System Governance Conference, Bratislava/online, 2021
- Technological Arguing: Innovation, Business Practices, and the International Environmental Regulation of Maritime Shipping, Earth System Governance Conference, Utrecht, 2018 | SPSA Annual Convention, Zurich, 2019 | ISA Annual Convention, Toronto, 2019 | ECPR General Conference 2020
- Saving Liberalism: Governance through Global Hanses, St.Gallen Symposium, St.Gallen, 2017 | Global-Local Action Networks: A Future for All Communities, MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, Mass., USA, 2017
- Arctic Environmental Regulation of Maritime Industries in Comparative Perspective, Arctic Frontiers, Tromsø, 2017 | Globalizing Polar Issues, Swiss Polar Institute, Crans-Montana, 2017
- Design of International Environmental Regulations & Maritime Industries, SPSA Annual Convention, St.Gallen, 2017 | ECPR General Conference, Prague, 2016 | ECPR Graduate Conference, Tartu, 2016
Research Cooperation
- Evidence-based Transformation in Pesticide Governance (Trapego, SNSF Sinergia), 2021-25
- Center for Energy Innovation, Governance and Investment (EGI-HSG), 2015-21
- Swiss Competence Center for Research in Energy, Society and Transition (SCCER CREST), 2015-20
Additional Information
- Languages: German, English, French, Danish
- Moderation experience at the science-policy-practice interface