Welcome to SIRaD

About the Research Group

We focus on innovative approaches from the perspective of sustainability, utilizing interdisciplinary research methods and transdisciplinary approaches to address questions holistically from ecological, economic, and societal perspectives. Through close collaboration between science and practice, applied research is used to develop and explore innovative solutions for real-world problems.

Our current research focus:

  • Innovation research and management
  • Stakeholder process facilitation
  • Energy system modeling
  • Corporate climate change adaptation

Additional fields of competence:

  • Technology impact assessment (e.g., adoption, barriers, opportunities, risks, utilization, and success of innovations)
  • Facilitation and implementation of innovative event concepts:
    Innovation workshops, digitalization initiatives, design thinking processes, hackathons, climate workshops, climate labs and much more.
  • Development of innovative solutions,
    e.g., in the areas of sustainable mobility, the future of local supply, revitalization, and strengthening of town center and much more
  • Social science support and facilitation of innovation processes
    (e.g., identification, analysis, development, implementation, and piloting of innovation systems).

Our Team

Dr.in Hilgarter Kathrin, BBSc, MSc, MA
Senior Researcher
Head of Research group SIRaD
SIRaD

FH-Prof. Mag. Dr. Jungmeier Michael
UNESCO Chair for the Sustainable Management of Conservation Areas
Professorship für Nature Conservation and Sustainability
UNESCO CHAIR

FH-Prof. Mag. Dr. Penz Holger
Head of Studyprogram Health and Social Affairs
Professorship for Methods of empirical Social Research
Health & social affairs

FH-Prof.in Dr.in Priv.-Doz. DI Mag.a
Kloss-Brandstätter Anita
Professorship for Mathematics and Statistics
WiDS Villach

FH-Prof.in Mag.a Dr.in habil. Dungs Susanne
Professorship for Ethics and Philosophy
Head of Study Program Disability & Diversity Studies
Disability, Diversity & Digitalisierung

FH-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. techn. Robert Hauser
Head of Study Program Mechanical Engineering,
and Mechanical lightweight Design
Maschinen- / Leichtbau

Marco Cecon, Bakk. rer. nat., MSc.
Junior Researcher

Contact

Research Group SIRaD
Sustainable Innovation Research and Development

FH Kärnten
gemeinnützige Gesellschaft mbH
9524 Villach, Europastraße 4
Kärnten, Österreich

Dr.in Kathrin Hilgarter, BBSc, MSc, MA

+43 (0)5 90500-4122
k.hilgarter@fh-kaernten.at
Employee profile