Mela Bettega

I am a Research Associate working on the HI-ACT project, a multidisciplinary initiative exploring pathways to net-zero energy futures, with a particular focus on the potential role of hydrogen.

My research interests lie at the intersection of Sustainable HCI, Participatory Design, and Digital Commons. I hold a PhD in Digital Media from NOVA University of Lisbon and an MSc in Sociology from the University of Trento, where I also spent two years as a Research Assistant at the Department of Computer Science. With a background spanning social sciences and interaction design, I am passionate about creating inclusive, community-centered solutions that leverage digital tools to address sustainability-related challenges.

As part of HI-ACT, my role is to design and facilitate stakeholder and community engagement, ensuring a wider array of perspectives is going to be included in the broader energy transition narrative. This builds on my previous experience in a project optimising renewable energy consumption in a rural area, where I took part in the development of a complex socio-technical system (digital platform, IoT, and participatory budgeting) to support energy shifting.

During my PhD, I focused on a different take on sustainability by exploring the potential of leveraging the abundance of off-the-shelf Digital Commons rather than developing ad-hoc ones in the context of a Participatory Design process. This approach allowed to maximise the positive impact on the local community, supporting a more efficient use of existing resources and tackling maintenance issues.

I am excited to collaborate with like-minded people and organisations to co-create solutions for a more sustainable world.