Laura Scherer

Laura Scherer is an assistant professor at Leiden University's Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML). She is interested in research on impact assessment and prioritization related to biodiversity, water, climate, and animal welfare, with applications especially in the food sector. She contributed to reports of FAO and UNEP and currently works in the Global Guidance for Life Cycle Impact Assessment Indicators and Methods (GLAM) project hosted by UNEP. She leads a work package on climate and health impacts of shifting lifestyles within the Horizon 2020 project 1.5° Lifestyles and co-leads the Horizon Europe project BAMBOO, which focuses on biodiversity impacts of non-food biomass along global supply chains. Her team's main research contribution to the BAMBOO project is the development of impact assessment methods for functional diversity.

Professional experience
Laura obtained her PhD from ETH Zurich in 2016. During her doctoral studies, she analysed the environmental impacts of water consumption and degradation at regional and global scales. She applied her research to the agriculture and energy sectors. Afterwards, as a postdoctoral researcher at VU Amsterdam, she coordinated the European research project VITAL where she evaluated the opportunities and constraints for sustainable intensification of agriculture in Europe.