Nele Marie Terveen Transforming the economy in science & practice

People often ask me what I really do for work. The truth? My job doesn’t fit neatly into a box. I’m a Lecturer—which, for those outside the UK, Australia, or NZ, is the equivalent of an Assistant Professor in the U.S. or much of Europe. It’s a full academic role that combines research, teaching, and leadership—not just “giving lectures” as the title might suggest.

I’m also a writer, mentor, collaborator, and bridge-builder between academia, business, and community. My work is shaped more by ideas, questions, and real-world problems than by a fixed routine. Here’s what that actually looks like:

• Teaching (but not like high school). I design and run university courses—on topics like sustainable entrepreneurship, circular economy, and innovation. I create hands-on, sometimes international learning experiences, guide student projects, and help shape how the next generation tackles global challenges. Teaching happens mainly during the semester and in intense, highly interactive blocks.

• Research is my anchor. I currently have 14 research projects running—each at different stages, from idea development and fieldwork to analysis and writing. They span themes like sustainable entrepreneurship, emotion and serendipity in ideation, and systems change. Some are deeply embedded in communities or industries; others are more conceptual or exploratory. (You can explore all of them in more detail in the “What” section.)

• Flexibility is essential. My job is about thinking, collaborating, and creating knowledge—not clocking in. I work wherever I can do that best: in the field, on campus, at conferences, or remotely with global collaborators. Some weeks I’m knee-deep in writing or data, other weeks I’m hosting workshops, giving talks, or mentoring students.

• Conferences & co-creation. I travel often—for research, academic conferences, and projects with partners. These are working trips full of idea exchange, co-design sessions, and collaborative writing—not sightseeing (though the occasional good coffee, surf or hike helps!).
  
  

• I build bridges. I work across disciplines and sectors—connecting academic insights with industry, and policy. I believe research should be useful, inclusive, and action-oriented. My passion is helping people and institutions imagine regenerative futures and build the systems to get there.
  
  

So no, I don’t have a fixed daily routine—and that’s intentional. Complex problems don’t stick to 9-to-5 schedules, and neither does meaningful, creative academic work.

Since September 2024, I have been a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Innovation & Strategy at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, as part of the Research Beacon on Circular Economy. Additionally, I am affiliated with Stanford, where I have been working since January 2024 on serendipity and sustainability problem-solving. In August 2024, I graduated with a Dr. rer. pol (PhD) in Sustainable Entrepreneurship from TU Munich (Summa Cum Laude), where I was affiliated with the TUM Venture Lab Sustainability & Circular Economy.

What I love

In my research, I explore how social and ecological problems enact new venture ideas as entrepreneurial stimuli. I am interested in complex problem-solving, creativity & AI research, and ambivalent phenomena at the intersection of capitalism and sustainability toward system transformation.

I am a dedicated researcher with time spent at HEC Paris and Harvard Kennedy School. 

In practice, I drive social and economic transformation as a Fellow in the Think Tank of the Club of Rome Germany, serve as a jury member in the Green Startup Program of the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt, and I am an Ambassador of the Economy for the Common Good.

I love running, boxing, meditating, hiking, soccer, tennis, sun & the ocean ... or trying out new raw vegan dishes - the list goes on!