New leadership elected for the ETIP RHC Horizontal Working Group on Social Sciences and Humanities

The RHC ETIP Horizontal Working Group on Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH HWG) has elected a new leadership team. At its meeting on 9 October 2026, the working group elected Natasa Markovska as its new Chair, supported by Martina Di Gallo and Luca Cioccolanti as Vice-Chairs. The new leadership team received the unanimous support of the working group members. Luca Cioccolanti, the group’s previous Chair, will thus remain actively involved in its leadership as Vice-Chair.

The new leadership combines expertise in energy systems and renewable energy technologies with experience in the social, political and societal dimensions of the energy transition. This combination is particularly important for the working group, which looks beyond technologies themselves and addresses the broader conditions needed to make the transition to renewable heating and cooling successful.

Natasa Markovska, Chair, North Macedonia, is a Senior Researcher at the Research Center for Energy and Sustainable Development of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts (MANU), and is also affiliated with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. She specialises in sustainable development, climate action, energy transition and integrated energy planning. Her extensive experience includes national and international research projects, including projects supporting renewable district heating and cooling, with a particular focus on social, policy and sustainability aspects.

Martina Di Gallo, Vice-Chair, Italy, works at R2M Solution and has a background in political science and international relations. Her work focuses on multidisciplinary research and innovation activities connecting technological development with the wider energy transition and sustainable urban development. She has particular experience with stakeholder engagement and participatory approaches, helping to connect technological solutions with societal needs and the people and organisations affected by the transition.

Luca Cioccolanti, Vice-Chair, Italy, is Associate Professor of Energy Systems at eCampus University. His research focuses on distributed energy systems based on renewable energy sources and waste heat recovery, particularly for reducing emissions from residential and industrial energy use. He also brings international teaching experience in renewable energy systems and is currently leading Italian and European research activities in these fields.

At its October meeting, the SSH HWG also looked ahead to its future activities. Members highlighted the value of stronger cooperation on social sciences and humanities across different energy technologies. The group agreed that cooperation on these aspects across the technologies addressed within the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan would be beneficial and identified this as one of its future tasks. 

Topics of particular importance for the SSH HWG include public acceptance, affordability, skills, citizen participation and a socially fair energy transition. By addressing these aspects, the group can help ensure that the transition towards renewable heating and cooling considers not only which technologies are available, but also how they can successfully respond to the needs of citizens, businesses and communities.

The SSH HWG is led and coordinated by WIP Renewable Energies, Germany, in its role as a Secretariat Partner of ETIP RHC, supporting the Chair and Vice-Chairs in the activities and further development of the working group.

Under its new leadership, the SSH HWG will continue strengthening the social sciences and humanities perspective within ETIP RHC and connecting technological innovation in renewable heating and cooling more closely with the needs of people, communities and society.