Franca holds a PhD in Political Science from Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, where she wrote her dissertation Essays on (Mal)Adaptation to Climate Change and Environmental Problems. She was also part of the EU-funded project Baltic Gender during that time, addressing gender equity and institutional change in marine sciences.

Franca works in interdisciplinary contexts to advance our understanding of why and how people and institutions change. Her research integrates language and framing analysis, behavioural science, computer-based linguistics, and stakeholder engagement to understand how communication shapes decision-making. She applies methods such as linguistic data analysis, behavioural change experiments, and design thinking/scenario work to develop strategies for effective science communication and policy implementation.

Before joining INSUGO and her current project at Leuphana University, Franca worked as a Lecturer at Lincoln University, New Zealand, Department of Environmental Management, where she was the academic Co-ordinator for the Master of Natural Resource Management and Ecological Engineering, a joint programme with BOKU, Vienna. Between 2023 – 2024, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the School of Earth and Environment, Canterbury University, New Zealand, funded by Bioprotection Aotearoa, the National Science Challenge Resilience to Nature’s Challenges, and Te Punaha Matatini. For an overview of this work, click here.

Previously, she worked on Baltic Gender projects at the Geomar Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, collaborating with the Women’s Executive Board on structural equity in marine sciences.

Beyond academia, Franca has worked as a community builder and freelancer, helping to make research findings more accessible and actionable.She was also employed as a project coordinator and community manager at the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Schleswig-Holstein during that time, involved in and leading projects on ocean health and societal transformation. She is passionate about translating complex research into practical insights, integrating interdisciplinary perspectives, and ensuring that knowledge drives meaningful change.

Publications

2025

Nissen, S., Buelow, F.A., Taitingfong, R., Black, A. 2025. Engagement for genetic modification technologies in conservation: For whom, how, and for what ends? Environmental Science and Policy 171, 104190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104190

Buelow, F.A., Liao, A., Cradock-Henry, N., Brower, A. 2025. Communicating change, transition, and transformation for adaptation in agriculture: a comparative analysis of climate change communication in Aotearoa New Zealand. Reg Environ Change 25, 97. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-025-02427-4

Buelow, F., Gibston, J., Vargoczky, N., Brower, A., Black, A. 2025. Promoting Diversity of Thought: Bridging Knowledge Systems for a Pluriverse Approach to Research, Earth Science, Systems and Society. DOI 10.1144/esss2024006.

Buelow, F., Brower, A., Cradock-Henry, N. 2025. Framing resilience: Post-disaster communication in Aotearoa-New Zealand. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 117, 105167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.105167

2024

James, A., Buelow, F., Gibson, L., Brower, A. 2024. Female-dominated disciplines have lower evaluated research quality and funding success rates, for men and women. eLife 13:RP97613. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.97613.3

Buelow, F., Desaut, L., Brower, A. 2024. How does collaborative freshwater governance affect legitimacy? Comparative analysis of 14 cases of collaboration in Aotearoa New Zealand between 2009 and 2017. ̇ Policy Studies. DOI: 10.1080/01442872.2024.2321898

Elliot Noe,E., Stolte, O., Buelow, F., Wreford, A. 2024.“It all depends on what you value”: Value hierarchies as barriers to native biodiversity on dairy farms, Journal of Rural Studies 111, 103411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103411

Brower, A., Hoyle, J., Gray, D., Buelow, F., Calkin, A., Fuller, I. et al. 2024. New Zealand’s braided rivers: The land the law forgot. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 49(1), 10–14. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5728

2023

Buelow, F., Brower, A. 2023. Structural adaptation triggers in the CAP: regional implementation 2007-2013 in the East Midlands, England. ̇ Case Studies in the Environment. DOI: 10.1525/cse.2023.2003039

Barrett-Walker, T., Buelow, F., Te Ata o Tu MacDonald, L., Brower, A., James, A.  ̄2023. Stochastic modelling of intersectional pay gaps in universities. Royal Society Open Science. DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230615

Brower, A., Hoyle, J., Gray, D., Buelow, F., Calkin, A., Fuller, I., Gabrielsson, R., Grove, P., Brierley, G., Louie, A.J.S., Rogers, J., Shulmeister, J., Uetz, K., Worthington, S., Vosloo, R. 2023. New Zealand’s braided rivers: The land the law forgot. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms.

Gibson, J., Buelow, F., Black, A.,Te Ata o Tu MacDonald, L., Brower, A. 2023.  ̄ Co-Management of Kauri Dieback in the Wait ̄akere Ranges, Aotearoa New Zealand. Case Studies in the Environment. 7 (1): 1830829. DOI: 10.1525/cse.2023.1830829

Vosloo, R., Buelow, F., Page, J., Brower, A. 2023. Braided rivers: Between land and water, between law and science. New Zealand Journal of Environmental Law. 26:255-269.

2021

Fountain, J., Cradock-Henry, N.A., Buelow, F., Rennie, H., 2021. Agri-food tourism, rural resilience and recovery in a post disaster context: insights and evidence from Kaik ̄oura-Hurunui, Aotearoa-New Zealand. Tourism Analysis. DOI: 10.3727/108354221×16079839951420

2019

Cradock-Henry, N.A., Buelow, F., Fountain, J. 2019. Social–ecological inventory in a postdisaster context: the 2016 Kaik ̄oura earthquake, Aotearoa-New Zealand. Ecology and Society. 24(3):9. DOI: 10.5751/es-11075-240309

Cradock-Henry, N.A., Buelow, F., Flood, S., Blackett, P., Wreford, A. 2019. Towards a heuristic for assessing adaptation knowledge: impacts, implications, decisions and actions. Environmental Research Letters. DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ab370c

Cradock-Henry, N.A., Flood S, Buelow, F., Blackett, P., Wreford, A. 2019. Adaptation knowledge for New Zealand’s primary industries: known, not known and needed. Climate Risk Management 25, 100190. DOI: 10.1016/j.crm.2019.100190

2018

Cradock-Henry, N.A., Fountain, J., Buelow, F. 2018. Transformations for Resilient Rural Futures: The Case of Kaik ̄oura, Aotearoa-New Zealand. Sustainability. 10, 1952. DOI: 10.3390/su10061952

Buelow, F., Cradock-Henry, N.A. 2018. What You Sow Is What You Reap? (Dis-) Incentives for Adaptation Intentions in Farming. Sustainability. 10, 1133. DOI: 10.3390/su10041133

Ricart, S., Rico, A., Kirk, N., Bülow, F., Ribas, A. and David Pavon. 2019. How to improve governance in multifunctional irrigation systems? Balancing stakeholder engagement in hydrosocial territories. International Journal of Water Resources Development (CIJW). DOI: tps://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2018.1447911

2017

Buelow, F. 2017. Doing everything you can, but still not getting it right: How Great Expectations for Water Quality in Brussels are dashed in the Province. Case Studies in the Environment. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/cse.2017.sc.452733

Book Chapters

Buelow, F. 2019. Wasserpolitik in Schleswig-Holstein: Ein Beispiel für Umweltpolitik im Mehrebenensystem. In: Wilhelm Knelangen und Friedhelm Boyken (Hrsg.),
Politik und Regieren in Schleswig-Holstein, p.303-317, Springer, Wiesbaden.

Inclan, T., Bartmann, I., Buelow, F. 2015. Die Zukunfsmacher. Nachhaltigkeit in Kiel. Christoph Corves (Hrsg.), Muthesius Kunsthochschule. ISBN 978-3-00-051704-4.

Journal Articles (not Peer-Reviewed)

Buelow, F. 2017. Nachhaltigkeit auf die Felder und den Tisch. Von SoLaWi, GAP und Foodsharing. Forum Recht./17: Umweltzerstörung – ein Survival Kit. http://forum-rechtonline.de/wp/?p=1842.

Policy briefs and reports

Cradock-Henry, N, Flood, S., Bülow, F. 2018. Technical Note: Synthesis and Systematic Review of Climate Change Adapation in New Zealand’s Primary Industries. Prepared for Ministry of Primary Industries ‘Mind the Gaps’: Synthesis and Systematic Review of Climate Change Adaptation in New Zealand’s Primary Industries.

Cradock-Henry, N, Flood, S., Bülow, F., Blackett, P., Wreford, A. 2018. Mind the Gaps: Synthesis and Systematic Review of Climate Change Adaptation in New Zealand’s Primary Industry. Ministry of Primary Industries Technical Paper No.54 ISBN No: 978-1-77665-965-4 (online).

Zhu, X., van Ierland, E.C, Biewald, A., Bülow, F., Kontogianni, A., Skourtos, M., Tourkolias,C. , Kampas A. 2015. Mind the Gaps: Synthesis and Systematic Review of Climate Change Adaptation in New Zealand’s Primary Industry. . Report on the policy and decision context of CAP reform in the context of climate change adaptation and sustainable resource management. WP 7, ECONADAPT, (www.econadapt.eu).