Assistant Researcher
Josepha Nestele is an interdisciplinary environmental researcher in the Environment & Climate Department, specializing in the interface of social and ecological systems. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Heidelberg University, Germany, and a Master of Science in Natural Resources Management and Development from the University of Applied Sciences Cologne, Germany. Her work integrates environmental and social science approaches, stakeholder collaboration, and project coordination to support evidence-based decision-making for sustainable environmental management. Her research experience includes assessing ecosystem-based adaptation approaches for flood management in Viet Nam, where she investigated synergies and trade-offs between environmental, social, and economic outcomes in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals. She has also contributed to remote sensing capacity-building initiatives with stakeholders of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in Costa Rica, supporting environmental monitoring and geospatial data collection. Prior to joining the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence, she worked as a Research Assistant at the United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), contributing to research on environmental vulnerability and ecosystem services. Her work included applied research, coordination of stakeholder activities, and the development of biodiversity indicator frameworks to support monitoring across agricultural value chains.
