Photo credits: Andrés Vargas.
Hyunjin Park successfully defended her PhD thesis, Reorganization of Bio-Based Innovations Towards Inclusion: Insights Into Responses, Constraints, and Governance Challenges. Her work was carried out at the Thaer-Institut für Agrar- und Gartenbauwissenschaften under the supervision of Philipp Grundmann, with Peter Feindt supporting her membership in IRI THESys. The defense took place on 31 October 2025, and she received the final grade Magna cum laude.
Her dissertation investigates the governance challenges and responses to reorganization within European bio-based innovations facing pressures for change toward greater inclusion. Through three papers, it examines inclusion in policy narratives, institutional practices, and local stakeholder engagement. The findings show that responses to reorganization toward inclusion are mostly incremental and limited by existing power structures and institutions. The study concludes that achieving an inclusive bioeconomy requires continuous reflection, adaptability, stakeholder participation, and close attention to power dynamics in governance.
She recently completed a short exploration of Korean academia and is now looking for new opportunities.
We congratulate Hyunjin on the completion of her doctoral thesis and wish her all the best for her future!
