Sara Talebian

Sara Talebian is a Research Fellow at SEI Headquarters, International Climate Risk and Adaptation Team, Global Agendas, Climate and Systems Division. Her main field of expertise is futures studies and strategic foresight, with an emphasis on exploratory scenarios, horizon scanning, and decision making under uncertainty.

Sara works on developing foresight methodologies for application across a range of SEI projects. Her current research focuses on transboundary climate impacts and adaptation governance. She is interested in the use of future thinking and scenario planning to explore future risks and vulnerabilities to climate change, and consequently, design and implement robust adaptation actions. Sara also has a keen interest in multi-scale scenarios, and how linking scenarios across scales can enhance better understanding of futures driving forces, disruptions, and prospects at compound levels, and maintaining relevance and coherence across multiple decision-making scales.

Prior to joining SEI, Sara worked with an independent, self-governed, and non-governmental research group, named The Iranian Institute for Futures Studies, Ayandeban. In her role as a research fellow, she was involved in research projects focusing on foresight methodologies and consulted a variety of organizations to make proactive and robust decisions in the face of futures complexities and uncertainties. Sara collaborated with Finland Futures Research Centre (FFRC) on research projects investigating low-carbon transition, and the socioeconomic aspects of upscaling clean energy production. She also has over 7 years of experience working as a journalist in Iranian press and news agencies.

Sara holds a MSc in Media and Global Communication from the University of Helsinki and a degree in Futures Studies from Turku School of Economics, Finland. Sara also received a BSc in Media Studies and Communication Technologies and a MA in Journalism from Allameh-Tabataba’i University, Iran.