Anke studied civil engineering at TU Darmstadt, Germany, where she obtained her PhD in 2001. From 1996 to 2009, she worked there as a research assistant. Anke has been the Chair of Waste Treatment and Resource Management at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, since October 2009, and the Senior Editor-in-Chief of Waste Management & Research since 2022.
We are delighted to shine a spotlight on Professor Anke Bockreis: a distinguished voice in waste and resource management, and a familiar face to many in the ISWA community.
A civil engineer by training, Anke holds the Chair of Waste Treatment and Resource Management at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, a position she has held since 2009. Over the course of her career, she has built a reputation not only as a rigorous academic and researcher but as someone deeply committed to bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and real-world implementation.
Many in the ISWA network will know Anke through her role as Senior Editor-in-Chief of Waste Management & Research, a position she has held since 2022 and in which she has steered one of the sector’s leading scientific journals through a period of profound change — from surging submission volumes to the rise of AI in academic publishing. As she steps down from this role, we take the opportunity to celebrate her contributions and hear her reflections on the challenges and opportunities shaping our sector.
What inspired you/ your organisation to join ISWA, and how has ISWA helped in your career?
I first came into contact with the ISWA early on in my academic career through the World Congress series, where networking was the main focus.
As Senior Editor-in-Chief, I naturally maintain close contact with the ISWA’s General Secretary.
What are the biggest projects/ initiatives in waste management that your organisation has achieved so far?
As Senior Editor-in-Chief of WM&R, one of the greatest challenges has been navigating the rapid transformation of academic publishing. Submission volumes have increased significantly, placing greater demands on editorial processes while maintaining the journal’s standard for quality, rigour and relevance. At the same time, the rise of AI has introduced both opportunities and new concerns. Ensuring academic integrity has therefore become more complex and more important than ever. Another critical aspect is the extraordinary voluntary commitment of editors and peer reviewers. The scientific publishing system relies heavily on their expertise, time and dedication, mostly without financial compensation. As workload increases and expectations continue to rise, this imbalance raises important questions about fairness, sustainability, and the future of scholarly publishing. But to conclude, WM&R has been very successful in recent years.
What are your biggest challenges so far?
As a professor in the field of waste and resource management, I operate right at the interface between research and implementation. The challenge lies in putting theory into practice – what is technically optimal is not always politically or economically feasible.
Furthermore, the waste management sector has traditionally been male-dominated – we need to break down these structures and encourage more women to take an interest in technical subjects, so that they can hold their own within the relevant networks.
In your opinion, what are the most pressing issues in the waste sector that should be addressed today?
Due to the differences in waste management systems across countries, measures must be adapted to the specific circumstances within each country.
What are the trends in waste management excites you the most?
It is therefore urgently necessary to establish the necessary collection and treatment infrastructure in some countries in the first place, and to reduce open dumps worldwide. In general, I believe there is still a long way to go before the circular economy is successfully implemented. Added to this are the challenges posed by certain material flows, such as plastic, as well as the widespread presence of PFAS.
Perhaps it could be summed up as follows:
- We produce too much waste
- We lack adequate systems to manage it
- Economic incentives favour disposal over reduction and reuse
What role do you see ISWA play in driving sustainable practices globally?
Its role is to shape the global direction, standards and collaboration that determine how countries and companies act. To accelerate the circular economy and to bridge the global North-South gap.
How can ISWA members collaborate more effectively to address shared challenges?
The first step is, of course, to collaborate with the ISWA organisation in one’s own country and, particularly in the scientific field, to participate actively in the working groups.
