Dr. Metodi Sotirov works as research associate and scientific coordinator at the Institute of Forest and Environmental Policy, Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences, University of Freiburg, Germany. He holds MSc (2002) and BSc (2000) degrees in Forest Sciences from the University of Forestry in Sofia, Bulgaria. He obtained his PhD in Forest and Environmental Policy Studies/Natural Sciences (2009) from the University of Freiburg, Germany.

Dr. Sotirov is the scientific coordinator of large scale collaborative research project INTEGRAL “Future-oriented policy-making and integrated management of European forest landscapes” funded by the 7^th framework programme for research of the European Union (7.0 Mio EUR research grant, duration 11/2011-10/2015). He is also a postdoctoral policy researcher in the medium scale collaborative research project “Ecological, Economic, and Policy Analysis of Forest Conservation under the EU Natura 2000 Network” funded by the German Federal Ministry for Research and Education and the EU-BioDIVERSA-ERA-NET programme (1.4 Mio. EUR research grant, duration 06/2010-05/2013).

Dr. Sotirov’ research interest focus on understanding the determinants of policy change and policy integration in a multi-level system of governance. His substantive scope of research includes sustainable forestry, biodiversity conservation, bio-energy, and integrated land-use and natural resource policy at national and supranational level in European context. So far, Metodi Sotirov has applied theories of the policy-making processes and governance approaches rooted in social psychology and political economy as well as in historical and discoursive institutionalism as conceptual lenses for his research.

Prior to his research activities, he worked for more than five years at the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in the field of international cooperation and European integration on sustainable forestry and nature protection matters.

While at Yale, Metodi Sotirov is applying a methodology on studying policy changes over time and theorizing on government-governance intersections developed by his hosting faculty member at Yale Prof. Ben Cashore and colleagues. Mr. Sotirov will be glad to present his studies, and discuss them with his host and his colleagues at Yale. By so doing, Metodi is glad to contribute to the core themes of the GEM initiative at Yale’s Forestry and Environmental School.

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