BEGIN:VCALENDAR PRODID:-//eluceo/ical//2.0/EN VERSION:2.0 CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VEVENT UID:5848d625668c521eaf78e975b4d70810 DTSTAMP:20261109T053011Z SUMMARY:Dynamics of nitrogen in rainfed lowland rice intensification system s in Benin: characterization and modeling DESCRIPTION:Public Thesis Defense of Sabi Kidirou Gbedourorou \;"Dynami cs of nitrogen in rainfed lowland rice intensification systems in Benin: c haracterization and modeling" \; \;Summary \;TBA \; \; Jury members \;SupervisorsProf. Marnik VANCLOOSTER (Supervisor\, UCLou vain) \;Prof. P. B. Irénikatché AKPONIKPE (Co-Supervisor\, Universit y of Parakou\, Benin) \;Chairman: Prof. Frédéric GASPART (UCLouvain) Prof. Charles BIELDERS (Secretary\, UCLouvain) \;Dr. Bernard VANLAUWE ( Member\, IITA\, Kenya)Dr. Pierre G. TOVIHOUDJI (Member\, University of P arakou\, Benin) \; \; URL:https://uclouvain.be/en/calendar/eli DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261127T161500 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261127T191500 LOCATION:Ocean room (B.002) 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:db18fcf5df44d1b81de9206d88fb1cae DTSTAMP:20261109T053011Z SUMMARY:Atmospheric sensitivity of cosmic-ray-induced ionization and radiat ion dose: from quiet conditions to an extreme space-weather event DESCRIPTION:Public Thesis Defense of Alexandre Winant \;"Atmospheric se nsitivity of cosmic-ray-induced ionization and radiation dose: from quiet conditions to an extreme space-weather event" \; \;Summary \;E arth’s atmosphere is constantly struck by cosmic rays and\, at times\, b y energetic particles from the Sun and from the radiation belts. These par ticles trigger cascades of secondary particles that ionize the air\, depos it radiation dose\, and can destroy ozone. Yet the computer models used to simulate this process usually assume one fixed\, standard atmosphere\, wh atever the place or time.This thesis asks how much that simplification mat ters\, and how particle precipitation affects the upper atmosphere during an extreme space weather event.Using a Monte Carlo simulation tool combine d with empirical atmospheric models\, three studies address these question s. \;The first characterizes every major secondary particle species\, validates the simulations against an independent model and aircraft measur ements\, and shows that latitude and season change particle fluxes by up t o 80 percent below 20 kilometres\, even with high geomagnetic shielding.&n bsp\;The second shows that ionization and radiation dose differ by up to 6 8 and 60 percent between equatorial and polar atmospheres\, produces globa l maps that single-profile models cannot reproduce\, and finds that this s ensitivity reverses sign for solar proton spectra.The third study examines the extreme geomagnetic storm of 11 May 2024 and the solar proton event o f 8 June 2024. Satellite observations reveal ozone depletion of up to 60 p ercent in the polar upper atmosphere\, lasting seven days in May and two d ays in June.Overall\, the state of the atmosphere is not a negligible inpu t for simulating cosmic radiation\, and its influence can grow under storm conditions. \; \;Jury members \;Prof. Hugues Goosse (UCLouvai n) (Supervisor)Prof. Viviane Pierrard (UCLouvain/BIRA-IASB) (Supervisor)Pr of. Qiuzhen Yin (UCLouvain) (Chairperson)Prof. Michel Crucifix (Secretary) Prof. Fabio Bacchini (KULeuven)Prof. Konstantin Herbst (University of Oslo \, UiO)Prof. Véronique Dehant (UCLouvain)Dr. Edith Botek (BIRA-IASB) URL:https://uclouvain.be/en/calendar/eli DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261117T161500 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261117T191500 LOCATION:Ocean room 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:25907fa4bb503f000ff79053b82ea1c1 DTSTAMP:20261109T053011Z SUMMARY:Catching mosquitoes across scales: understanding mosquito ecology t hrough field studies\, laboratory experiments\, and computational modellin g DESCRIPTION:Daniele Da Re will give this seminar\, organized by the ELI-C d epartment. \; URL:https://uclouvain.be/en/calendar/eli DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261201T130000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261201T140000 LOCATION:MERC12 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:4d8b06e8775d9c11b09abb96fbe84625 DTSTAMP:20261109T053011Z SUMMARY:Investigating the hydrodynamics of lake Tanganyika to understand th eir impacts over ecosystems DESCRIPTION:Théo Clotman will give this seminar\, organized by the ELI-E d epartment. \; \;Photo credit: © JBenoit\, Wikipedia URL:https://uclouvain.be/en/calendar/eli DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261203T130000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261203T140000 LOCATION:Ocean room 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:05200c10bd81727c8f792386c2dbaed2 DTSTAMP:20261109T053011Z SUMMARY:Astronomical and Earth-system controls on Late Devonian environment al dynamics DESCRIPTION:Public Thesis Defense of Loïc Sablon \;"Astronomical and E arth-system controls on Late Devonian environmental dynamics" \; \ ;Summary \;During the Devonian\, parts of the ocean repeatedly lost ox ygen\, with severe consequences for marine life. Rhythms preserved in rock s suggest a link between these crises and slow changes in Earth’s orbit and tilt. \;This thesis explores how these orbital cycles could have i nfluenced ancient climates and ocean oxygen levels. We use computer models to trace the connections between climate\, the continents and the sea. Ra infall affects how rocks break down and how nutrients are carried from lan d to sea. These nutrients support the growth of marine organisms\, whose d ecay consumes oxygen. \;To study these interactions over long geologic al timescales\, we develop a faster way to simulate ancient climates.  \;We also investigate how the spread of early land plants changed soils an d nutrient delivery\, and how changes in underground water storage and lan d ice could alter sea level. Sea-level changes can reshape shallow seas an d their connections to the open ocean\, affecting the oxygen available to marine life. \;The aim is to understand how these linked processes cou ld have contributed to recurring marine crises. \;Jury members \;P rof. Michel Crucifix (UCLouvain) (Supervisor)Prof. Anne-Christine Da Silva (ULiège) (Supervisor)Prof. Qiuzhen Yin (UCLouvain) (Chairperson)Prof. Th ierry Fichefet (UCLouvain) (Secretary)Dr. Yannick Donnadieu (CEREGE\, Fr.) Prof. Benjamin J. W. Mills (University of Leeds\, U.K.) URL:https://uclouvain.be/en/calendar/eli DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261119T150000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261119T180000 LOCATION:CYCL01 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:255dd107dbb0260ddd6d06d4ea2b7165 DTSTAMP:20261109T053011Z SUMMARY:ELI-T: A time and place for every root DESCRIPTION:On December 4\, the Earth and Life Institute is pleased to welc ome Prof. Hannah Schneider for a new ELI-Sustainability Talk. \; \ ; \;Abstract \;Root systems are often viewed as collections of str ucturally and functionally equivalent roots\, yet individual roots differ in their development\, anatomy\, and architecture. \;This talk will ex plore how thermal time coordinates root and shoot development\, how anatom ical and architectural traits vary among root classes and along individual roots\, and how root tissues differentiate over time.Together\, these fin dings highlight how developmental timing and position shape the structural and functional diversity of root systems\, with implications for root phe notyping\, resource acquisition\, and crop adaptation to environmental str ess. \;The guest \;Dr. Hannah Schneider is a Professor and Group L eader at the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research ( IPK Gatersleben)\, and the Georg-August-University of Göttingen in German y. She leads the “Genetics and Physiology of Root Development” researc h group. \;Her work focuses on the genetic and physiological aspects o f root development\, specifically investigating root anatomical and archit ectural traits in crop plants related to drought and low fertility environ ments. \;PracticalWhen: December 4- Lunch: 12:15 - 12:55- Talk: 13:00 - 13:55Where: \;- Lunch: Cafeteria\, de Serres building- Talk: Ocean r oom\, de Serres buildingFollow the ELI-T seminar online here. \;For wh o: Open to everyone.Price: Free\, but mandatory registration for the lunch .Registration: Register here by 26 November at the latest. Registration is mandatory for the lunch. Registration for the talk only is appreciated bu t not mandatory. URL:https://uclouvain.be/en/calendar/eli DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261204T130000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261204T140000 LOCATION:Ocean room (B.002) 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:8c38fca7c31657b84a118cfebb62922a DTSTAMP:20261109T053011Z SUMMARY:Modelling storm surges in the Scheldt-North Sea continuum under pre sent and future climate conditions DESCRIPTION:Public Thesis Defense of Riana Randresihaja \;"Modelling st orm surges in the Scheldt-North Sea continuum under present and future cli mate conditions" \; \;SummaryEstuaries are a key component of coas tal systems\, influencing hydrodynamics\, ecosystem functioning and local socio-economic activities. \;At the interface between the Scheldt Rive r and the North Sea\, the Scheldt estuary forms a strongly convergent chan nel bordered by intertidal flats and marshes\, with the port of Antwerp at its head. The estuary has been extensively modelled for its morphological evolution\, dredging strategies and flood management\, but storm surges h ave received less attention\, and the estuary and the adjacent sea have ra rely been resolved within a single domain. \;In this thesis\, we use t he 2D version of the multiscale hydrodynamic model SLIM to study how storm surges propagate and amplify along the Scheldt–North Sea continuum.&nbs p\;We first build and validate a configuration that resolves the continuum on a single mesh\, from the tidal channels of the upper estuary to the op en shelf\, over five continuous years. \;We then assess\, for Storm Xa ver (2013)\, how the resolution of the atmospheric forcing affects the sim ulated estuarine surge\, and find that spatial resolution matters more tha n temporal resolution in this case. \;Finally\, we simulate a panel of plausible future storms under a high-emission scenario up to the end of t he 21st century. The panel shows no robust intensification of the meteorol ogical surge over the century\, and surge severity varies more with positi on along the continuum than with storm track\, extreme flood levels increa sing several-fold from the open sea to the head of the estuary. In this pa nel\, positive and negative surges behave as distinct hazards: the rarest flood levels approach an upper limit\, whereas the rarest low waters keep deepening\, and Antwerp ranks among the most exposed gauges for both.  \;This thesis provides a single-domain representation of the Scheldt–Nor th Sea continuum and underlines the need to consider both signs of the sur ge when assessing estuarine hazard. \;Jury members \;President &nb sp\;  \;Prof. Marnik VANCLOOSTER (UCLouvain)Dr. Jonathan LAMBRECHTS\, secretary (UCLouvain)Dr. Olivier GOURGUE (Royal Belgian Institute of Natur al Sciences)Prof. Xavier FETTWEIS (ULiège)Prof. Emil STANEV (Helmholtz-Ze ntrum Hereon)SupervisorsProf Emmanuel HANERT\, promotor (UCLouvain)Prof. M arilaure GRÉGOIRE\, promotor (ULiège) URL:https://uclouvain.be/en/calendar/eli DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261118T161500 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261118T191500 LOCATION:Ocean room (B.002) 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:435e8f69088644dc172bc77f13764b95 DTSTAMP:20261109T053011Z SUMMARY:Improving the interpretation and applicability of epiphytic lichen biomonitoring for air quality assessment DESCRIPTION:Public Thesis Defense of Hugo Counoy \;"Improving the inter pretation and applicability of epiphytic lichen biomonitoring for air qual ity assessment: \;Advances in bioindication\, bioaccumulation\, and ci tizen science" \; \;Summary \;Air pollution remains a major th reat to human health and ecosystems\, yet conventional monitoring networks are costly\, too sparse to capture fine-scale variation in exposure\, and restricted to a few pollutants. Biomonitoring with lichens offers a compl ementary approach\, since these organisms respond to atmospheric condition s\, integrate many contaminants over time and can be surveyed across large areas. \;However\, inferring air quality from the composition of lich en communities (bioindication) remains hindered by identification difficul ties and incomplete knowledge of how species respond to individual polluta nts\, while the contaminants accumulated in lichen tissues (bioaccumulatio n) are hard to trace back to their sources\, notably because they reflect integrated and partly legacy inputs. \;This thesis aims to improve the interpretation and applicability of lichen bioindication and bioaccumulat ion. \;First\, a European meta-analysis identifies species with consis tent responses to NH3\, NOx\, SO2 and climate variables. \;These respo nses are then translated into operational indices which\, tested in Wallon ia (Belgium)\, partially discriminate NH3 from NOx. In the same region\, t race elements accumulated in herbarium and contemporary samples of Xanthor ia parietina reveal a marked\, element-specific decline in enrichment sinc e the 1960s and identify industry\, non-exhaust traffic\, and dust resuspe nsion as the main current sources. Analyzing nitrogen content and δ15N in dicates that isotopic signatures alone cannot discriminate sources in mult i-source landscapes and vary with spatial scale. \;Finally\, to open b iomonitoring to non-specialists\, the Lichens GO citizen science protocol is evaluated and adapted: targeted changes to sampling and identification procedures improve data quality without increasing sampling effort. \; Overall\, this thesis supports a more pollutant-specific\, source-informed and widely deployable use of lichens to complement conventional monitorin g. \;Jury members \;Prof. Yannick Agnan (UCLouvain)\, SupervisorDr . Laure Turcati (Sorbonne Université)\, SupervisorProf. Emmanuel Hanert ( UCLouvain)\, ChairpersonProf. Guillaume Lobet (UCLouvain)\, SecretaryProf. Gabrielle Martin (Toulouse Univ.\, Fr.)Prof. Nadine Mattielli (ULB)Prof. Nathalie Séjalon-Delmas (Toulouse Univ.\, Fr.) \; URL:https://uclouvain.be/en/calendar/eli DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261123T160000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261123T190000 LOCATION:SUD01 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:ff40a25a6eb9498bf620ce9cad660d2c DTSTAMP:20261109T053011Z SUMMARY:ELI-T: Climate risks and the future of food systems in Belgium: ins ights from the Belgian Climate Risk Assessment DESCRIPTION:On December 17\, the Earth and Life Institute is pleased to wel come Aurore Brunson for a new ELI-Sustainability Talk. \; \; \ ;AbstractFood systems are increasingly exposed to the combined impacts of climate change and ecosystem degradation. While agriculture depends on hea lthy soils\, pollinators\, climatic conditions and functioning global mark ets\, these foundations are coming under growing pressure. Droughts\, floo ds\, heatwaves and emerging diseases are already affecting food production in Belgium\, while environmental degradation further amplifies existing v ulnerabilities. As climate impacts intensify\, important questions arise a bout the resilience of Belgian food systems and their capacity to ensure l ong-term food security.Drawing on the findings of the Belgian Climate Risk Assessment (BCRA)\, this seminar will explore five major risks facing the food sector in Belgium. These include risks to crop production from adver se weather conditions such as droughts\, floods and heat stress\; risks to food production resulting from soil ecosystem degradation\; risks associa ted with the decline of pollinators and the ecosystem services they provid e\; risks to livestock production arising from the increased spread of cli mate-sensitive diseases\; and risks to food safety and food security linke d to climate impacts on agricultural production and supply chains beyond B elgium's borders.The seminar will present the BCRA's evaluation of the sev erity and urgency of these risks\, as well as the current state of policy preparedness to address them. Particular attention will be paid to identif ying adaptation gaps and governance challenges. Finally\, the seminar will explore the recommendations emerging from the assessment and discuss prio rities for strengthening the resilience\, sustainability and long-term sec urity of Belgium's food system in a changing climate. \;The guestAuror e Brunson is a bioengineer with nearly 20 years of experience in climate c hange\, environmental assessment\, and sustainable development. \;She previously worked across both the public and private sectors\, contributin g to the design and implementation of climate mitigation and adaptation pl ans and strategies. \;At CERAC\, she coordinates the Belgian Climate R isk Assessment and led the pioneering work on the downscaling of planetary boundaries to the national level. \;Her expertise spans climate risk assessment\, environmental governance\, food system resilience\, and local climate adaptation\, with a strong focus on translating scientific eviden ce into strategic action and policy solutions. \;PracticalWhen: Decemb er 17 | 14:00 - 15:00Where: Ocean room\, de Serres buildingFollow the ELI- T seminar online here.For who: Open to everyone.Price: Free.Registration: This talk will follow the ELI Council meeting and the Christmas ELI drink reception. If you are an ELI member\, you can register here. If you are no t an ELI member\, you are welcome to attend the talk without registration.  \; URL:https://uclouvain.be/en/calendar/eli DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261217T140000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261217T150000 LOCATION:Ocean room (B.002) 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6603f3834e40db599f8265e0b851b5e7 DTSTAMP:20261109T053011Z SUMMARY:Geochemical behaviour of fluoride during water-rock/-soil interacti on in volcanic environments: an experimental and modelling study DESCRIPTION:Public thesis defense of Arnaud Denis \;"Geochemical behavi our of fluoride during water-rock/-soil interaction in volcanic environmen ts: an experimental and modelling study" \; \;Summary \;TBA&nb sp\; \;Jury members \;SupervisorProf. Pierre DELMELLE (UCLouvain\, Belgium)ChairmanProf. Marnik VANCLOOSTER (UCLouvain\, Belgium) \; &nb sp\;  \;  \;  \;  \;  \;  \;  \;  \;   \;  \;  \;  \;  \;  \;  \;  \;Prof. Patrick GE RIN (UCLouvain\, Belgium)Prof. Sigurður Reynir GÍSLASON (University of I celand's Institute of Earth Sciences\, Iceland)Prof. Giuseppe SALDI (Unive rsità degli Studi di Perugia\, Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia\, Italy) URL:https://uclouvain.be/en/calendar/eli DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261210T161500 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261210T191500 LOCATION:SUD01 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:13da64a69a33b0201bcf8d810369f5cb DTSTAMP:20261109T053011Z SUMMARY:Réponses agro-physiologique et nutritionnelle des cultures maraîc hères à la salinité et à la sécheresse au Bénin : enjeux\, principau x acquis et perspectives pour le cas de l’Amarante (Amaranthus cruentus L.) DESCRIPTION:Christophe Gandonou (Faculty of Science and Technology\, Univer sity of Abomey-Calavi\, Bénin) donnera ce séminaire\, organisé par le p ôle ELI-A. \; \;RésuméLa salinité constitue avec la sécheress e les principales contraintes de l’environnement qui limitent la product ion agricole dans toutes les régions du monde d’après la FAO. Au Béni n\, depuis 2011\, les acteurs du secteur agricole ont convenu que les déf is climatiques actuels pourraient davantage accentuer les difficultés du secteur. \;Depuis 2012\, l’équipe de recherche en Physiologie Vég étale et Adaptation des Plantes aux Stress Abiotiques a initié des trava ux de recherche sur l’adaptation des cultures maraîchères à la salini té et à la sécheresse. Un diagnostic salin effectué dans les principal es zones de production maraîchère du pays a révélé que les eaux utili sées pour l’irrigation des cultures dans certaines zones présentent de s salinités supérieures à la norme admise pour les cultures notamment e n saison sèche\, sans présence de stress salin dû exclusivement à la s alinité du sol. \;Les études réalisées sur des légumes fruits (to mate\, piment\, gombo)\, légume bulbe (oignon)\, légumes racines (carott e) et légumes feuilles (amarante\, chou\, grande morelle\, crincrin\, tch iayo\, etc.) ont montré que la salinité impactait négativement tous les stades de développement des plantes y compris la taille des fruits et le s rendements avec une variabilité importante entre les cultivars de la m ême espèce. La qualité nutritionnelle des fruits et des feuilles est é galement affectée dans des proportions variables en fonction des espèces et des nutriments pris en compte. \;Les études plus approfondies ré alisées conjointement par les équipes du Groupe de Recherche en Physiolo gie Végétale (GRPV\, ELI-A\, UCLouvain) et de l’Unité de Recherche en Physiologie Végétale et Adaptation des Plantes aux Stress Abiotiques (U RPV-APSA\, FAST\, UAC) sur l’amarante ont permis dans un premier temps d e sélectionner des lignées stables d’amarante grâce à l’induction de mutations dont certaines ont montré une production meilleure que les v ariétés traditionnelles et une bonne stabilité dans différentes zones agro-écologiques du pays. \;Les travaux de caractérisation de ces li gnées et des cultivars existants ont montré que la vocation de la cultur e (production de feuilles ou de graines) influence fortement la réponse g énotypique à la salinité et à la sécheresse et des génotypes plutôt sensibles à la salinité ou à la sécheresse pour la production de feui lles se sont révélés plutôt résistants pour la production de graines et vice-versa. De même\, des génotypes plutôt sensibles à la salinité se sont révélés plutôt résistants à la sécheresse et vice-versa.&n bsp\;La détermination des mécanismes physiologiques et biochimiques impl iqués dans la résistance à la salinité et à la sécheresse est en cou rs et permettra de préciser\, pour chaque génotype résistant et en fonc tion du stress considéré\, les stratégies de résistance utilisées. L ’utilisation des outils moléculaires permettra de déterminer les bases génétiques de la résistance observée notamment pour les lignées sél ectionnées. \;L’exploration des stratégies d’atténuation des ef fets de ces stress sur les cultures en vue notamment grâce à l’utilisa tion des PGPR ou autres microorganismes promoteurs de croissance végétal e ouvrira la voie à une intégration de ces pratiques en milieu producteu r pour la gestion de ces stress. La récente homologation de certaines de ces lignées résistantes et leur inscription dans le Catalogue Béninois des Espèces et Variétés Végétales (CaBEV) comme nouvelles variétés à la disposition des producteurs ouvrent la perspective d’une valorisat ion efficace des résultats de ces travaux dans le système agricole béni nois. \; \; URL:https://uclouvain.be/en/calendar/eli DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261112T130000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261112T140000 LOCATION:Toundra room 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:0bea4de8583ee36b808b156c8c9d49bc DTSTAMP:20261109T053011Z SUMMARY:Social-ecological system fit in agri-food value chains: a configura tional approach to transformative capacity DESCRIPTION:Véronique De Herde (HEC Liège) will give this seminar\, organ ized by the ELI-A department. \;The presentation will be followed by a n open discussion. \;Abstract \;Food systems are characterized by interdependencies\, path dependence\, and social-ecological feedback that make transformative sustainability pathways uncertain and context-dependen t. As meso-level spaces connecting production\, processing\, distribution\ , and consumption\, value chains can either enable or constrain stakeholde rs’ transformative efforts. \;But how does value-chain organization actually contribute to sustainability transitions? Transformative initiati ves unfold under varying governance\, stakeholder interactions\, and conte xtual conditions\, while remaining embedded in institutional arrangements and logics inherited from earlier trajectories.Drawing on social-ecologica l\, institutional\, and innovation literature\, this presentation introduc es a configurational framework of social-ecological system fit in agri-foo d value-chains\, understood as the extent to which value chains support st akeholders’ transformative objectives over time. \;The framework app roaches social-ecological system fit as an emergent and dynamic property a rising from the interplay among governance choices\, stakeholder interacti ons\, context\, and stakeholders’ ongoing assessment of objective achiev ement\, costs\, and distributive justice. It conceptualizes value chains a s meso-level configurations through which these dynamics unfold.The framew ork is illustrated through a synthesis of observations collected across mu ltiple sustainability-oriented agri-food value-chain developments in the U .S. Midwest\, highlighting recurring configurational patterns linking gove rnance\, stakeholder interactions\, context\, and social-ecological system fit.Positioned as an interpretive and heuristic contribution rather than a predictive model\, the framework provides a structured basis for investi gating how value-chain configurations support\, constrain\, and shape stak eholders’ transformative capacity over time. \;Beyond its analytical contribution\, the framework offers methodological and transdisciplinary applications for empirical inquiry\, comparative research\, and actionable dialogue among stakeholders engaged in sustainability transitions in agri -food and beyond. \;The guest \;Véronique De Herde is a FNRS Post -doctoral Research Fellow \;at the Centre d’Économie Sociale\, HEC ULiège. She's a former member of the SYTRA team. URL:https://uclouvain.be/en/calendar/eli DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261130T130000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261130T140000 LOCATION:Ocean room (B.002) 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:1cb770d1d79e137182871be3e17b4f47 DTSTAMP:20261109T053011Z SUMMARY:GEOSPIN: towards a new model of Earth’s nutation DESCRIPTION:Prof. Véronique Dehant will give this seminar\, organized by t he ELI-C department. \; URL:https://uclouvain.be/en/calendar/eli DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261117T130000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20261117T140000 LOCATION:MERC12 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR