Alumni of the GRASS Graduate School
This section showcases previous PhD candidates from the GRASS graduate school.
Department: Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering; Civil Engineering and Built Environment
Project in GRASS: Gotland’s sustainable energy system transition: resources, demand and planning.
Thesis defence: 31 October 2025
Thesis: Building Sustainability in Regional Energy Transition: Large-Scale Energy Demand Modelling Considering Socio-Economic Factors and Heritage Values. The thesis in DiVA.
Short description: The thesis develops open-data-based methods to model and reduce building energy demand, balancing climate goals with cultural heritage. Using case studies in Uppsala, Gotland, and Stockholm, it refines the UBEM approach to support sustainable renovation strategies and improve modelling accuracy.
Contact:
Department: Department of Law
Project in GRASS: Getting the balance right? Applying legislation when seeking a balance between energy transition and conservation of cultural value.
Thesis defence: 29 August 2025
Thesis: Powering Preservation: Balancing Heritage Conservation and Energy Transition in World Heritage Cities. The thesis in DiVA.
Short description: The thesis highlights how legal obligations related to cultural heritage and climate issues are balanced in three World Heritage cities – Visby, Jaipur, and Bath. It focuses on the practical implementation of these obligations, the engagement of local stakeholders, and the promotion of sustainable management of cultural environments.
Contact:
Department: Department of Archaeology, Ancient History and Conservation; Archaeology
Project in GRASS: Fisheries and coastal development in a small island context: the past, present and future.
Thesis defence: 16 May 2025
Thesis: Fishscapes: Exploring a long-term perspective of fisheries and aquatic habitat structures in the Baltic Sea region through interdisciplinary studies. The thesis in DiVA.
Short description: The thesis explores the role of fishing and the interaction between humans and fish on Gotland and Åland from a long-term perspective. The study focuses on three historical periods marked by significant environmental and societal changes, during which access to fish bone material enabled in-depth analysis.
Contact:
Department: Department of Earth Sciences, NRHU
Project in GRASS: Sustainable Destination Development.
Thesis defence: Fie discontinued her PhD studies early to take up a position as Project Manager for Sustainable Tourism at Region Gotland.
Short description: Fie's PhD research explored how the Right of Public Access ('Allemansrätten') shapes nature-based tourism. Using a strong sustainability lens and benchmarking, she examined cultural ties to nature and their role in sustainable tourism, aiming to support local stakeholders in enhancing destination sustainability.
Listen to Fie in the podcast Det tredje örat, recorded in March 2024.
Contact: Fie Broker-Bulling on LinkedIn
GRASS – First Round
The alumni listed above participated in the first round of the GRASS research school.