Research focus and motivation:

My research is focused on empathy, human-nature relationships, and arts-based methods. I have always had a close relationship with nature, since I grew up in the countryside, on an island in the Baltic Sea. As cheesy as it sounds, when I chose to study environmental/ sustainability science, I did so because I wanted to make the world a little better. Of course, I was a naive 19-year-old then, but to be honest, I still (need to) believe in this now. Having a way to transform all the grief and rage I feel when looking at current (social, political, environmental) developments into something positive and hopeful is the only reason I am halfway sane right now. I chose to study empathy and emotional connections to nature because I believe that we already know how to behave more sustainably, but need to feel it in our hearts to actually act on it.

Favourite BrockU experiences:

I truly enjoy all the extra training you can get at Brock (for example, the Teaching and Learning in Higher Education training, or the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Training). These are useful skills, whether you strive for a career in academia or not, and the people who teach these courses/ trainings are so warm and lovely! I also had so much fun at the Drag Show at Isaac’s – don’t forget to enjoy yourself!

Notable accomplishments:

• Selected Works:
  • Lübker, H. M., Abson, D. J., & Riechers, M. (2021). Discourses for deep transformation: Perceptions of economic growth in two rural communities in Lower Saxony, Germany. Sustainability Science, 16(6), 1827–1840. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-021-01039-1
  • Riechers, M., Brunner, B. P., Dajka, J.-C., Dușe, I. A., Lübker, H. M., Manlosa, A. O., Sala, J. E., Schaal, T., & Weidlich, S. (2021). Leverage points for addressing marine and coastal pollution: A Review. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 167, 112263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112263
  • Lübker, H. M., Keys, P. W., Merrie, A., Pereira, L. M., Rocha, J. C., & Ortuño Crespo, G. (2023). Imagining sustainable futures for the high seas by combining the power of computation and narrative. Npj Ocean Sustainability, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-023-00012-y
  • Pereira, L. M., Ortuño Crespo, G., Amon, D. J., Badhe, R., Bandeira, S., Bengtsson, F., Boettcher, M., Carmine, G., Cheung, W. W. L., Chibwe, B., Dunn, D., Gasalla, M. A., Halouani, G., Johnson, D. E., Jouffray, J.-B., Juri, S., Keys, P. W., Lübker, H. M., Merrie, A. S., … Zhou, W. (2023). The living infinite: Envisioning futures for transformed human-nature relationships on the High Seas. Marine Policy, 153, 105644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2023.105

• During my PhD, I have:
  • Sat on a panel on the topic of “Empathy for Sustainability” with my amazing supervisor and colleagues, at the PECS 3 Pathways to Sustainability Conference in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (This was my first international conference, and extremely exciting!)
  • Organized a community screening of the film ‘My Name is Wolastoq’ and moderated the associated panel discussion at the Film House in St. Catharines.
  • Attended the São Paulo School of Advanced Science on Transdisciplinarity for Transformative Change, in São Luiz do Paraitinga, Brazil. These two weeks have done wonders for my social skills and my ability to ‘get out of my comfort zone.’ I have also met the most wonderful people there as well, which I am so grateful for.

Advice for grad students:

Yes, your courses and academic achievements are important, but learning social skills is equally (if not more!) important. Saying or doing the ‘right’ thing in networking situations will take you far, and being an authentic, articulate, and entertaining person can open many doors for you.

Next steps/future goals:

I hope to finish my PhD! I will think about future plans once I get closer to reaching this big milestone. Most importantly, I finally want to find a place to call home, either in Canada, my home country of Germany, or somewhere else entirely.