Our Advisors
Research Advisory Board
The following 6 distinguished European researchers and research managers establish the Research Advisory Board (RAB) of the GreenFORCE project with the aim of validating the research and also contribute knowledge to the co-design, co-creation and co-assessment process implemented further in workshops with regional societal actors.
Prof. Dr. Simin Davoudi
Newcastle University – UNITED KINGDOM
Simin Davoudi is the holder of the Newcastle University Chair of Town Planning at the School of Architecture, Planning & Landscape, as well as the Co-Director of the Centre for Researching Cities....With a background in architecture and expertise in spatial planning, she has dedicated three decades of research and scholarship to exploring the intersections between governance processes, power-knowledge, justice, and democracy. Her work encompasses various areas such as cities, spatial planning, environmental governance, climate change, resilience, spatial imaginaries, and civil societies. Professor Davoudi is particularly interested in the influence of certain concepts on everyday discourse and has extensively examined and analyzed concepts like polycentricity, evidence-based policy, city-region, space and place, environment and nature, resilience, knowledge and knowing, imagination and imaginaries, and civil society. Throughout her career, she has led or been involved in 34 research projects with funding from prominent institutions including the UK Research Councils, European Commission, United Nations, and UK Government Departments, among others, totaling around £20 million in value.
Dr. Kjell Nilson
Nilson Landscape – SWEDEN
Kjell Nilsson was the Director of Nordregio from 2013 until January 31, 2021. He has held positions such as Head of the Department of Parks and Urban Landscape and Deputy Director at the Danish Ministry of...Throughout his career, Kjell Nilsson has led interdisciplinary research projects nationally and internationally. Notable projects include "Boundaries in the Landscape" in Denmark, "PLUREL" (Peri-urban Land Use Relationships) under the 6th EU Framework Program, and "NORDGREEN" funded by NordForsk. Kjell Nilsson has made significant contributions to Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. He played a pivotal role in establishing a leading research environment in this field during the late 1990s. He also served as chairman for two COST Actions, focusing on urban forests, trees, and human health. Currently, Kjell Nilsson's main focus is on urban and rural development in the Nordic Region. He is particularly interested in areas such as remote Arctic regions, immigrant integration into the labor market, green transition and climate policy, the impact of nature on health and well-being, and Nordic sustainable cities. He has authored over 400 publications, including scientific articles and edited research anthologies.
Prof. Dr. Maros Finka
Slovac University of Technology in Bratislava – SLOVAKIA
Maroš Finka is a highly accomplished academic and expert in the field of spatial planning. He has held numerous prestigious positions, including President of the Association of European Schools of Planning,... Director of the Institute of Spatial Planning at the Slovak University of Technology, and Vice-Chancellor of the University. He has also served as a guest professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and East China Normal University in China, and as an expert for organizations such as UN Habitat III and the Office of the Vice-Prime Minister for Investment. With a vast involvement in national and international research projects, he has demonstrated leadership in topics such as European spatial planning, urban development, regeneration, and environmental planning. Prof. Finka has been recognized as a member of national and international scientific boards, including the German Academy for Spatial Research and Planning. He has contributed his expertise to advisory boards of several government ministries and has published extensively in books and international planning journals. Furthermore, he actively participates in initiatives such as the SPA-CE.NET and the Alliance of the EU and Chinese Universities for Smart Sustainable Development and Innovations. Prof. Finka's significant contributions to the field have earned him prestigious awards, including Scientist of the Year in Slovakia and the International Danubius Award in 2017 for his research.
Dr. Bianca Mitrica
Institute of Geography, Romanian Academy – ROMANIA
Bianca Mitrică is Head of the Human Geography and Regional Development Department and member of the Scientific Council and Administrative Council of the Institute of Geography, Romanian Academy. ...Her main fields’ works are: Geography of Human Settlements, Geography of Population, and Economic Geography.These studies have been carried on within the framework of 20 research projects financed by the Romanian Academy and 50 interdisciplinary research projects financially supported by different institutions at home and abroad. She published over 130 publications on urban and rural geography, vulnerability to climate change, local and regional development, cross-border cooperation and presented over 200 papers at various national and international conferences.
Dr. Kai Bohme
Spatial Foresight – LUXEMBURG
Kai Böhme is the founder and director of Spatial Foresight, specializing in European regional and territorial research and policies, as well as international comparative studies in regional development,... spatial planning, and the territorial impacts of sector policies. With a strong European background, he brings extensive experience in policy advice at both the European and national levels, along with managing international applied research and consultancy projects. He has previously worked at organizations such as SWECO in Sweden, the European Spatial Planning Network (ESPON) Secretariat in Luxembourg, Nordregio in Sweden, and the Secretariat for Future Studies (SFZ) in Germany. Dr. Böhme holds a PhD in Management Science from the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands and a Master's degree in Spatial Planning from the University of Dortmund in Germany. He is also a member of the German Academy for Spatial Research and Planning (ARL).
Ms. Ethel Forsberg
Nordic Council of Ministers
Ethel Forsberg is a trained landscape architect with extensive experience in senior positions across various organizations, including the Federation of Swedish Farmers, the Swedish Ministry of Environment,... the Stockholm City Administration of Health, Environment and Food Safety, and the Swedish Consumer Cooperative Association.As Director-General of the Swedish Chemicals Agency, she played a key role in implementing the EU Reach Regulation, which aims to ensure safer chemicals in Europe. Following her tenure as Director of Urban Planning for Region Gotland, Forsberg was appointed Director-General of the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare – Forte. Forsberg has been appointed as a special investigator three times by the Swedish Government, focusing on food safety (2005), safe handling of nano materials (2013), and waste management (2021). She is also the author of the book "MAKT, PLAST, GIFT & Våra Barn" (2014), which explores hazardous chemicals and their impact on children. Since retiring in the spring of 2020, Forsberg's expertise is still highly sought after, and she serves on several boards in the field of science and various organizations.