Stefan Molnar

Stefan Molnar is a social and behavioral scientist specialized in how places and areas can be developed to promote quality of life and behavior change.

Stefan studies how places – such as streets, squares, parks, and public facilities – and areas – such as residential neighborhoods and districts – function in practice and how they can better support environmentally friendly behaviors as well as various aspects of quality of life, such as health, happiness, friendship, participation, and learning.

He also focuses on how stakeholders in the built environment sector can increase their capacity – for example, through new knowledge, technologies, and practices – to realize such places and areas.

In his work, Stefan draws on research findings, models, and methods from a variety of disciplines and fields, such as urban planning and design, design studies, psychology, sociology, and organizational studies.

His work always takes place in close collaboration with stakeholders in the built environment sector.

Stefan obtained his PhD in 2024 in collaboration with Chalmers University of Technology and Mistra Urban Futures. Prior to that, he had a master's degree from the University of Gothenburg.

He started working at RISE in 2013 and before that worked on issues related to local and regional development and social sustainability in both the municipal and civil society sectors as well as in his own consultancy.