Kentaro Aoki

Kentaro Aoki first came to IIASA in 2003, as a participant in the Young Scientists Summer Program. He rejoined the institute in 2004, and is now a member of the Ecosystems Services and Management Program (ESM). Working with the Policy and Science Interface (PSI) Group, he is contributing inter alia on the linkage between different global model frameworks for REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) issues and on biomass energy applications for sustainable development context. Dr. Aoki specialized in agricultural engineering (rural planning and irrigation systems operation) in his undergraduate study (BSc, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan) and forest ecology (hydrological process and carbon cycle) in his graduate studies (Dipl.-Ing. and Dr.nat.techn.) at the BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria.

His professional experience covers public affairs in natural resources management both at national and international levels, including a survey on the nature conservation for threatened and endangered species (1993-1995: Japan), assessing forest management practices for the drinking-water supply of the City of Vienna (2000: Austria), and investigations of national park management options for alpine forest ecosystems (2004: Austria and Switzerland). Dr. Aoki has further been involved in the design and implementation of various technical cooperation projects on sustainable forest management, biomass energy for climate change mitigation and livelihood in developing countries at United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO, 2011-2015) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO, 2015-present). He has also been serving as a visiting professor at Cooperative Research Center, Shinshu University, Japan.

His current research interest is to harmonize ecological services of natural resources and economic activities toward green development together with sustainable energy applications.

Last update: 17 FEB 2017