Johan Holmén

Johan Holmén holds a PhD in Physical Resource Theory from Chalmers University of Technology and currently serves as Lecturer in Sustainable Development at University West. His research explores the intersection of complex societal challenges, sustainability transitions and transformations, navigational governance, and social learning systems.

He has extensive experience in research, education, and practice through inter- and transdisciplinary work across various levels and contexts, including energy, transportation, healthcare, climate, and industrial transitions. He is initator of the Education and Learning in Sustainability Transitions thematic group within the International Sustainability Transitions Research Network (STRN). He is also connected to the Swedish Platform for System Innovation Research in Interaction.

From 2022 to 2024, Johan was part of the Postdoc Academy for Transformational Leadership, an initiative by the Robert Bosch Foundation in collaboration with Humboldt University of Berlin, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Stockholm Resilience Centre, and the Dutch Research Institute for Transitions.

Scholar profile

LinkedIn

Selected publications 

Holmén, J., & Lönngren, J. (2025). Expanding sustainability learning in engineering education through emotional scaffolding. European Journal of Engineering Education, 1-27.

Williams, S., Holmén, J., & Holmberg, J. (2024). Multi-level learning for systemic transformation: Experiences from an expedition in North Mid Sweden. Environmental Science & Policy, 156, 103740.

Saglietti, C., Holmén, J. & Holmberg, J. (2023). Just Sustainability Transformations by Deliberate Social Collaboration: Furthering the Learning-oriented ‘Docking Phenomenon’ in Public Institutions to Enhance Engagement, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. I Luksic, A. A., Jovanovska, S., Tepez, K. & Remic, B. (Ed.), Overcoming the Inequalities of Green Transition. Institut za ekologijo: Ljubjana

McCrory, G., Holmén, J., Schäpke, N., & Holmberg, J. (2022). Sustainability-oriented labs in transitions: An empirically grounded typology. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 43, 99–117.

Holmén, J., Williams, S., & Holmberg, J. (2022). Comparing sustainability transition labs across process, effects and impacts: Insights from Canada and Sweden. Energy Research & Social Science, 89, 102522.

Holmén, J., Adawi., T., & Holmberg, J. (2021). Student-led sustainability transformations: employing realist evaluation to open up the black box of learning in a Challenge Lab curriculum. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 22 (1)

Holmberg, J., & Holmén, J. (2020). Medskapande Omställningsarbete – Backcastingexpeditioner för Agenda 2030. Report to the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner)