Academic Career

Sebastian Fastenrath has joined GIUB in July 2025. His research and teaching focus on economic and urban geography. His work covers topics at the intersection of innovation and sustainability research, human–environment relationships, and aspects of resilient urban and regional development. He is particularly interested in transformation processes in the context of grand societal challenges. His projects usually take an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach, involving stakeholders from the public and private sectors, civil society, philanthropy, and research. Since 2022, he has also been a board member of the Association for Geography at German-Speaking Universities and Research Institutions (VGDH), having been elected to the position.

The central questions of his research are: What drives socio-technical and socio-ecological innovation processes in urban and regional contexts? Why do some cities or regions perform better in this regard? What are the barriers and challenges? His current research focuses on sustainable and inclusive regional development (TiCCA4Danu), the circular economy, and decarbonisation processes in urban and regional contexts.

Academic Positions

Curriculum vitae
07/2025 - present Substitute of the Professorship Economic Geography (Senior Research Assistant), University of Bern, Institute of Geography, Unit Economic Geography
03/2021 - 06/2025 PostDoc, University of Vienna, Department of Geography and Regional Research, Austria, Unit Economic Geography, Prof. Dr. Michaela Trippl
01/2021 - 12/2024 Honorary Research Fellow, University of Melbourne, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute (MSSI) and Melbourne Centre for Cities, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning (ABP), Australien
11/2017 - 12/2020 Research Fellow in Resilient Cities and Innovation (PostDoc, Level B), University of Melbourne, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute (MSSI), Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning (ABP), Australien
04/2012 - 09/2017 Research Assistant (including PhD, project staff member, lecturer for special tasks), University of Cologne, Department of Geography, Chair of Economic Geography and Environmental Change, Prof. Dr. Boris Braun. Visiting scholar in Queensland University of Technology (Brisbane) und University of Sydney
04/2010 - 03/2012 Student Assistant, University of Cologne, Department of Geography, Chair of Economic Geography and Environmental Change, Prof. Dr. Boris Braun

Reviewer Activity

Academic journals (selection): 
Ambio; Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society; Cities; Economic Geography; Energy Research & Social Science; Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions; Environmental Policy and Planning; Environmental Science and Policy; European Planning Studies; European Urban and Regional Studies; GAIA; Geoforum; Geographische Rundschau; International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction; Journal of Cleaner Production; Journal of Cities & Health; Local Environment; Progress in Human Geography; Regional Studies; Standort; Sustainable Development; Sustainability Science; Sustainability; Technological Forecasting & Social Change; Urban Forestry and Urban Greening; Urban Research and Policy.

Funding organisations: 
Deutsche Forschungsgesellschaft (DFG), Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)

Memberships

  • Association of Geographers at German Universities (VGDH), Germany
  • Centre for Australian Studies (CAS), University of Cologne, Germany
  • Gesellschaft für Australienstudien e.V. (GASt) (Association for Australian Studies), Germany
  • Regional Studies Association (RSA), United Kingdom
  • Sustainability Transitions Research Network (STRN)

Research

Research Interests

  • Geography and Innovation
  • Industry and Decarbonization
  • Sustainable and just Urban and Regional Development
  • Climate Change Adaption and Resilience
  • Economy and Environment
  • Rural Areas and Circular Economy
  • Sport und Sustainability

Research Projects (selection of current and completed projects)

Research Projects
2025 - 2028 Transformative Innovation for Climate Change Adaption in the Danube Region (TiCCA4Danu). Funder: Horizon Europe (HORIZON), HORIZON-MISS-2024-CLIMA-01-05, PI (Übernahme durch M. Trippl) (Universität Wien)
2024 - 2027 Regional Industrial Transitions under Multiscalar Exnovation Pressures (RITMEP). Funder: Austrian Climate and Energy Fund, Austrian Climate Research Programme (ACRP, 15th Call). WP Lead, PI: M. Trippl (Universität Wien)
2022 - 2024 Sustainable Smart Specialisation for the Re-opening of Industrial Sites (RIS4Danu). Funder: Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON), HORIZON-CL4-2021-RESILIENCE-01- 28. Co-PI mit M. Trippl 
2021 - 2023 Regional Resilience and Sustainable Industrial Restructuring (RegReSir). WP 2: Sustainable restructuring in regions, Projekt Management Team Uni Vienna; PI: A. Isaksen, University of Agder, Norway.
2020 - 2021 Place Based Methodology for Developing Resilient Communities – Strategic Community Transition.  Funder: Victorian State Government, Latrobe Valley Authority, Australia, PI mit L. Goedegebuure (University of Melbourne)
2019 Participatory governance of integrated and resilient residential and mixed-use developments. Funder: RICS Research Trust. Principal applicant: N. Naderpajouh, Other applicants: L. Coenen, S. Fastenrath, A. Whitten, R. Peihua Zhang
2018 - 2020 Gippsland Smart Specialisation Strategy (G-S3). Funder: Victorian State Government, Latrobe Valley Authority, Australia. PIs: L. Goedgebuure, L. Coenen, B. Wilson (University of Melbourne and RMIT)
2018 Healthy and sustainable cities: issues and opportunities in Melbourne’s knowledge system to transition to a healthy and sustainable city. Funding: Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, Project Manager; PIs: B. Gleeson, L. Coenen, M. Acuto 
2013 - 2016 Green building in regional strategies for sustainability: multi-actor governance and innovative building technologies in Europe, Australia, and Canada (GreenRegio). Funder: German Research Foundation (DFG), Project Manager Team University of Cologne; PIs: C. Schulz, B. Braun.

Publications

Publication Year Type