Dr. Cory Whitney (Horticultural Sciences group) successfully defended his Habilitation thesis on 14 January 2026. The thesis, entitled “Holistic Modeling Approaches for Supporting Sustainability Transitions,” synthesizes his long-standing work on decision analysis, probabilistic modelling and participatory approaches in agroecology.In his defense lecture, “Probabilistic Tools for a Sustainable Future: Applications and Limitations in Agroecology,” Dr. Whitney provided a critical overview of applied decision-analysis tools in sustainable agriculture. Drawing on a portfolio of real-world applications from water management to carbon markets he illustrated the versatility of methods such as expert elicitation and stochastic simulation, while also reflecting on their practical limitations and implementation challenges.
With the successful completion of the Habilitation, Dr. Whitney is awarded the venia legendi for “Agroecology and Sustainable Development.” His inaugural lecture is scheduled for 20 May 2026.
The Horticultural Sciences group congratulates Dr. Whitney on this important academic milestone.
