Genevieve Metson

Associate professor, Docent

I examine how cities and farms (and the relationship between them) can better manage resources to ensure food security and water quality in a rapidly changing world.

Presentation

I focus on how we can better manage nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, and carbon) in diverse socio-ecological contexts.

I use quantitative (substance flow analysis, spatial mapping, statistical analyses) and qualitative (stakeholder workshops, interviews, surveys) methods when answering research questions about

how resources flow across landscapes,
the effect of cross-scale socio ecological context on resource flows,
how socio-ecological context creates barriers and enablers to sustainable transformations, and
how the management of one resource interacts with other sustainability priorities like climate change in order to help transform urban and agricultural landscapes towards sustainability.

CV in short

Previous positions

2015-2017: Postdoctoral Research Associate. National Research Council, National Academies of Science with the US Environmental Protection Agency Western Ecology Division and Visiting Scholar at School of the Environment, Washington State University, Vancouver Campus, WA

2015: Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology, Sydney Australia.

Education

PhD. – Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University
Advisor: Elena Bennett
Thesis: Urban phosphorus sustainability: how human diet, urban agriculture and socioecological context influence phosphorus cycling and management

M.Sc. – School of Sustainability, Arizona State University
Advisors: Daniel Childers and Rimjhim Aggarwal
Thesis: Phosphorus Cycling in Metropolitan Phoenix

B.Sc. – University of California San Diego -Environmental Systems Program (Earth Science track)
Honours Thesis: Changes in life habits and environments of the Arcidae (Bivalvia, Mollusca) in response to the rise of the Isthmus of Panama (Supervised by: Jeremy B.C. Jackson and Jill Leonard-Pingel)

Publications

2023

2022

Research

Projects

End-of-wastewater

END-OF-WASTEWATER is a transdisciplinary research project running from 2020-2023.

Future land use in Sweden

Planning for nutrient and energy recovery through biogas for future sustainable food systems.

Urban Agriculture as Blue-green Infrastructure

Urban agriculture is increasing in popularity but is understudied in terms of nutrients. This project fills part of this knowledge gap by looking at food gardens and nutrient cycling in Linköping.

The URBWAT project

This project aims to improve access to water and sanitation for all by working in close cooperation with inhabitants of informal settlements to implement innovative grey-water reticulation and treatment systems.

The image shows people at a food market set among tall buildings

The consumer’s role in sustainable nutrient management

In this project we are looking into how consumers contribute to and are affected by nutrients management.

Nutrient recycling in Pakistan

This project focuses on the capacity of recycling organic waste to close yield gaps and meet sustainable development goals.

Research division

Computational code frog and network system.

Research in ecological and environmental modelling

Our research uses mathematical, computational, and statistical modeling techniques to integrate knowledge from large datasets across a variety of specialities.

Teaching

2021—present: Instructor, “Sustainable Resource Management” 1st year MSc, Thematic Studies, Linköping University. Responsible for development and teaching for one module called: Human excreta: a small but essential part of a truly circular biobased economy. (746A81)

2020—present: Instructor, “Ecological Systems” 3rd year BSc, Biology, Linköping University. (NBIC64)

2020—present: Instructor/Examiner, "Being a good reviewer and a good author in the context of peer-review". Graduate level open to all departments, Linköping University.

2019-present: Instructor, “The Challenges of Urban Planning”. 1st year BA Urban Planning, Linköping University
Teach two modules: Sustainable sanitation and urban agriculture. (709G05)

2019—present: Instructor, “Methods in Ecology”. 1st year MSc Biology, Linköping University. (NBID73)

2018—present: Instructor/Examiner, “Ecological Applications in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries”. 1st year MSc in Biology, Linköping University. (NBID77)

News

Two young women collecting samples in a urban garden in front of city houses.

Urban agriculture – is it all good?

Many cities are seeing an increasing interest for homegrown food. But researchers want to find out: is there also a downside to urban agriculture in the shape of nutrient loss to waterways?

researchers taking water samples on an allotment.

Urban agriculture pros and cons studied by researchers

It is becoming increasingly popular to grow food in cities. But how much nutrients do vegetables need? Can superfluous nutrients end up in the water? A research project led by Geneviève Metson look into different aspects of urban agriculture.

Tractor spreading fertiliser in a field.

Biogas from excrement to reduce environmental impact

Researchers at LiU have shown that coordinated management of excrement from animals and humans could save nearly EUR 100 million each year. The key is to produce the biogas from the excrement before it is used as fertiliser.

49 million Swedish crowns for research into sustainable development

Ten researchers at LiU have been awarded grants by the Formas research council. The projects include research into urban cultivation, the possibility of capturing carbon dioxide after emission, and the welfare of laying hens.

Wetlands to purify water in South African informal townships

Karin Tonderski of the Division of Biology has been awarded SEK three million over three years from Formas to contribute to installation of wetlands in South African informal townships.

Reconnecting The Phosphorus loop

Geneviève Metson, researcher at Linköping University interviewed in the Atlantic: “We have a too-little-too-much problem”

External media

Biogas from excrement can save Sweden one billion kronor

Östgöta Correspondenten April 25, 2021

Biogas av bajs kan spara Sverige en miljard kronor

Think of phosphate in the long run

French Economie Matin January 30, 2020)

Penser le phosphat sur le long term

Organisation

Ecological and Environmental Modeling (ECOMOD)

The research in the division of Theoretical Biology is based on mathematical modelling. Using this approach we study the structure and dynamics of different kinds of large scale biological systems, such as ecological and epidemiological systems.

Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM)

Undergraduate teaching and research in the areas of biology, chemistry, materials and applied physics and theory and modelling are conducted at this department.

Genevieve Metson

Presentation