Dr. Nadejda Komendantova is a person whose intellectual depth is balanced by genuine empathy and curiosity about the world. Those who work with her often describe her as both brilliantly analytical and profoundly humane—a combination that gives her leadership a rare quality of warmth and purpose.
Born with an enduring sense of wonder for how societies make decisions under uncertainty, she approaches complex global challenges not only through data and systems thinking, but also through understanding people—their motivations, fears, and hopes. She believes that real progress begins with dialogue and that knowledge only gains meaning when it serves the communities who need it most.
As a colleague and mentor, Nadejda is known for her generosity of spirit. She invests time in helping younger researchers find their voice and direction, encouraging open, critical thinking while fostering collaboration across disciplines and cultures. She listens deeply and speaks thoughtfully—always striving to connect ideas with compassion.
Outside of research, she values art, culture, and the small, human details that often get lost in grand policy debates. Whether she is discussing governance, music, or literature, she brings the same energy: a belief that understanding and empathy are the real drivers of resilience and change.
Those who meet her quickly sense that her professional achievements are guided by a deeper personal philosophy—one rooted in curiosity, humility, and a quiet determination to make the world not only smarter, but kinder.
Prof. Nadejda Komendantova is a distinguished scholar and researcher, known for her significant contributions to the fields of sustainable development, risk governance, and the socio-economic implications of climate change. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges the gap between science, policy, and society, making her a pivotal figure in addressing some of the most pressing global challenges of our time. She is leading various large-scale research projects for the European Commission and a number of national ministries and entities as well as a group of researchers of the size of over 30 people. In addition to her research, Prof. Komendantova is deeply committed to teaching and mentorship. She has mentored a new generation of scholars and practitioners, inspiring them to adopt interdisciplinary approaches and to pursue research that has real-world impact. Her courses are known for their rigor and relevance, preparing students to tackle the complex challenges of sustainable development and risk governance.
Prof. Komendantova holds a robust academic background, with advanced degrees in areas such as economics, environmental science, and political science. Her diverse educational journey has equipped her with a unique perspective on the interconnected nature of environmental and socio-economic issues. She is the author of over 200 publications in peer-reviewed journals, including Energy Policy, Natural Hazards, Renewable and Sustainable Energies Reviews, the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, Risk Analysis, and others. She is the lead author of the draft strategy of industrial development of Kyrgyzstan for the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and of the handbook on protection of electricity networks from natural hazards for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which has been translated into Russian and Arabic. She is also a contributing author to the Global Assessment Report (GAR) and the Global Renewable Energy Report (REN21), as well as the reports of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery of the World Bank, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). She has been invited to speak at various policy events and her work has been granted awards from the Academic Council of the United Nations and the Julius Raab Foundation.
Throughout her career, she has been associated with several prestigious institutions, contributing to research projects that have had a significant impact on both academic circles and policy-making processes such as ETH Zurich in Switzerland, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Advanced Management Institute for Science, Technology, and Applied Development Studies (AMISTAD) in Botswana.