Sondoss Elsawah

Sondoss Elsawah is a researcher and educator dedicated to advancing systems thinking, particularly in public policy, engineering, and education. She has developed innovative methods and tools to examine the long-term impacts of mental models, resulting in over 90 academic publications, including high-impact articles recognized by the Web of Science. Her contributions have garnered multiple awards, including the 2018 Research Award from the International Environmental Modelling and Software Society and the 2016 Rising Star Award from the Australian Operations Research Society. At UNSW's Capability Systems Center, she leads significant projects addressing high-stakes public policy issues like climate change adaptation and sustainable groundwater management. Sondoss also emphasizes research-led education, securing a US National Science Foundation grant to develop core modelling practices and a curriculum focused on leadership in public policy. Additionally, she established the IEEE Systems Modelling Conference and has provided expertise to government agencies on decision support models. As Editor of the Journal of Environmental Modelling and Software and Vice President of the Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand, her research interests span systems thinking, modelling, pedagogy, and the interplay between systems thinking and AI.