FutureLabs
FutureLabs
PIK's research departments are complemented by eight thematic FutureLabs highlighting new and emerging research topics.

The overarching FutureLab topics are being developed as exploratory interdisciplinary research initiatives, bringing together people from different research departments who share common research interests, and working also with leading disciplinary institutions like universities and other national and international research institutes. This will further raise PIK's ability to navigate the scientific frontier of a rapidly changing research landscape.

Six of the FutureLabs are time-limited and will be evaluated after five years. The permanent FutureLab Social Metabolism and Impacts aims to strengthen the institute's efforts in capacity building activities as well as its social metabolism research endeavours. The FutureLab CERES: Political Economy for Inclusive Wealth Governance and Sustainability was established in 2022 with a generous grant from the Werner Siemens-Stiftung.