What does it take to feed a growing and more demanding global population while staying within planetary and social boundaries? And how do we get there - how do we minimize trade-offs and maximize synergies; how do we make sure that all voices are heard and represented?

I am a systems thinker and modeler with a passion for learning in and about food and other social-ecological systems. In my research, I explore the role that system dynamics analysis and modeling techniques play in facilitating transformation processes in social-ecological systems, such as the transition towards sustainable agri-food systems on local, national and international levels. My goal is to provide guidelines for learning about complex dynamic systems and for making information about climate change, agriculture and food security both accessible and relevant for action. I work both in Europe and in several sub-Saharan African countries.

I am particularly passionate about engaging with a wide range of stakeholders by creatively adapting proven tools and techniques from systems thinking and system dynamics modeling to advance decision-making in social ecological systems and to achieve breakthrough moments of understanding for those stakeholders to become champions of change towards resilience and sustainability.

2025. Women in Systems. Inspiring and Empowering Women in Systems. https://www.pacoaraujo.com/team/birgit-kopainsky

2024. NESC Energy Work Programme: Systems Workshop on 19/11/24. https://www.nesc.ie/news-events/events/nesc-energy-work-programme-systems-workshop-on-19-11-24/ 

2024. Studenter undersøkte potensialet for bildeling i Vestland. https://www.klimapartnere.no/studenter-undersokte-potensialet-for-bildeling-i-vestland/ 

2023. 12 questions to Birgit Kopainsky. GAIA. 32(4): 344-345. https://www.biomagazin.de/_files_media/zeitschriften/artikel/GAIA_2023_04_344.pdf

2023. Fra krisestemning til jubel: Fikk flere søkere til tross for studieavgift. https://khrono.no/fra-krisestemning-til-jubel-fikk-flere-sokere-til-tross-for-studieavgift/778368

2023. New tuition fees are coming: – We don’t think we will get a lot of international students next year. https://www.studvest.no/new-tuition-fees-are-coming-we-dont-think-we-will-get-a-lot-of-international-students-next-year/

2022.09.27. Panelist. BOOK LAUNCH: Systems Mapping: how to build and use causal models of systems by Pete Barbrook-Johnson and Alexandra Penn. https://www.cecan.ac.uk/events/book-launch-systems-mapping-how-to-build-and-use-causal-models-of-systems-by-pete-barbrook-johnson-and-alexandra-penn/

2022.08.30. Episode 6, Systems Science in Public Health podcast series. https://soundcloud.com/user-776545020/sets/systems-science-in-public 

2022. En mulighet for småbønder i Afrika. https://www.bistandsaktuelt.no/matsikkerhet-matvarepriser-tanzania/en-mulighet-for-smabonder-i-afrika/308328

2021. PhDs stepping up to policy brief call. https://www.uib.no/en/sdgbergen/146088/phds-stepping-policy-brief-call

2021. Practitioner Profile: Birgit Kopainsky, University of Bergen (UiB), Norway. System Dynamics Blog WiSDom. https://systemdynamics.org/practitioner-profile-birgit-kopainsky-university-of-bergen-uib-norway/

2021. Group Model Building Online. Experiences and Insights. System Dynamics Society Seminar Series. 10.03.2021:

• Recording, presentation and templates: https://systemdynamics.org/event/group-model-building-online-experiences-and-insights-seminar/.
• Follow-up blog post: https://systemdynamics.org/webinar-qa-group-model-building-online/

2020. Når systemet kollapser må system-tenkerne innovere – for å innovere. OPPkvikker - faglig frokostmøte med Universitetet i Bergen. Innovasjonsuken OPP. https://www.innovasjonsukenopp.no/arrangement/oppkvikker-faglig-frokostmoete-med-universitetet-i-bergen/

2019. A first of its kind (pioneer): PhD Interdisciplinary course at UiB. https://www.slate.uib.no/single-post/2019/10/23/A-first-of-its-kind-pioneer-PhD-Interdisciplinary-course-at-UiB.

2019. FN gir ph.d.-kandidatar ved UiB ei utfordring / Creative problem solving. The UN gives PhD candidates at UiB a challenge. University of Bergen Aktuelt / News. https://www.uib.no/svf/126248/fn-gir-phd-kandidatar-ved-uib-ei-utfordring / https://www.uib.no/en/svf/126252/un-gives-phd-candidates-uib-challenge

2017. Med blikk på bærekraften i europeisk landbruk / EU funding for climate dynamics project. University of Bergen Aktuelt / News (interview). http://www.uib.no/svf/104655/med-blikk-p%C3%A5-b%C3%A6rekraften-i-europeisk-landbruk / http://www.uib.no/en/svf/104634/eu-funding-climate-dynamics-project

2015. UiB-forskere lytter til afrikanske bønder / Listening to the voices of Africa's farmers. University of Bergen Aktuelt / News (interview). http://www.uib.no/aktuelt/92385/uib-forskere-lytter-til-afrikanske-b%C3%B8nder / http://www.uib.no/en/news/92401/listening-voices-africa%E2%80%99s-farmers

2014. På randen av en matkrise. HUBRO, 20-21. (interview)

2014. On the verge of a food crisis. The UiB Magazine, 2014/2015, 24-25. (interview)