Elisabeth Gsottbauer

Elisabeth Gsottbauer is Endowed Professor for Environmental Economics and Sustainability at unibz, a position funded by the Südtiroler Sparkasse Foundation and Bank for an initial period of three years. She also serves as Director of the Competence Centre for Sustainability.

Her research focuses on how to design and evaluate effective climate policies through behavioral experiments, exploring how interventions influence individual and societal choices. She studies the conditions under which people adopt more sustainable behaviours and how policy tools can contribute to this.

Erwin Rauch

Erwin Rauch is Endowed Professor for Sustainable Manufacturing at the NOI Techpark in Bruneck, a position established through a collaboration between the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano and Automotive Excellence Südtirol (AES). His research focuses on advancing sustainable industrial production by promoting regenerative circular systems, resource efficiency, decarbonization, and ethically and socially responsible manufacturing.

The professorship aims to support South Tyrol’s transition toward climate-neutral production while ensuring regional competitiveness. It builds on Rauch’s expertise in Industry 4.0 and the “twin transition” of digitalization and sustainability, bridging cutting-edge research with practical applications in local and international industrial contexts.

Massimiliano Renzi

Massimiliano Renzi is Endowed Professor for Sustainable Hydrogen Technologies at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, supported by a three-year partnership with Alperia, South Tyrol’s leading energy provider. Based at the university’s Competence Centre for Sustainability, Renzi leads research on green hydrogen—produced from renewable sources—as a key enabler of sustainable energy systems and regional decarbonization.

His work spans the entire hydrogen value chain: from production and storage to distribution and application, particularly in energy systems and mobility. In collaboration with the Hydrogen Center in Bolzano and the ERE2 research group at NOI Techpark, his team explores hydrogen's role in heating networks and partners in EU-funded projects with both local and international actors, including Eurac Research.

This professorship strengthens the university's multidisciplinary approach to sustainability and supports South Tyrol’s green energy strategy through applied research, student engagement, and industry collaboration.