Systems thinking and transdisciplinarity

Athina Petsou is a chemical and materials engineer specialised in historic buildings and conservation. She is a lecturer at The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, UCL, and is undertaking a PhD in Environmental Design and Engineering at UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering.

Koko Zhou is a systems scientist in sustainable urban environment decision-making. Her research integrates complex systems interactions into strategic management and public policies, using interdisciplinary approaches and systems science methods, including systems mapping and modelling. Koko's work spans environmental issues, including social housing, urban regeneration, water neutrality, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and health equity.

Adam MacKenzie-Jones leads the net-zero systems team within the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero. He is an experienced Analyst with over 15 years experience working in UK government. 

Arfenia is a PhD researcher at UCL. Her research specializes in Systems Thinking Competencies (STC), focusing on developing a conceptual framework for how participatory system dynamics facilitate decisionmakers' systems thinking competencies and enhance institutional strategies to manage these competencies as valuable assets. Her previous experience includes an academic role in a decision-making research group, alongside professional roles in mining, nance, and startup business ecosystems.

Nici Zimmermann is Professor of System Dynamics at the UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, working on sustainability-related topics of housing, cities and people's wellbeing as well as decision-making and change. She has been a jury member for the Gert von Kortzfleisch Prize, Policy Council member of the System Dynamics Society, repeat Strategy Thread Chair and 2022 Programme Chair for the International System Dynamics Conference.