From health psychology to One Health – meet Nina Lind Ranneberg

Hi Nina, who are you?

I'm an Associate Professor in Business Administration working at the Department of Economics, SLU. My background is rooted in psychology, specifically health psychology, where I studied how our environment shapes and affect health in different ways. During my doctoral work I explored how various conditions affect mental health, both diagnosed diseases and medically unexplained symptoms, and I also spent time researching how air pollution contributes to cognitive decline such as dementia. So my starting point was very much about the interplay between the physical world and human wellbeing.

Coming to SLU was, honestly, a happy accident. My supervisor had a mantra: everything is behaviour – and you should apply for every opportunity. One day an ad appeared from the Department of Economics looking for a postdoc with a PhD in psychology to study farmer decision-making related to animal health, and that turned out to be me. It was an unexpected turn, but one that has shaped everything since. Today my research focuses on exactly that: understanding the psychological and economic drivers behind farmers' decisions on animal health and welfare, working alongside colleagues in epidemiology, veterinary medicine, social sciences and sustainability science. It’s an unusual profile – but that’s what makes it interesting and continues to drive my curiosity.

What inspired you to take on the role as Programme Director?

Interdisciplinary collaboration has been part of my scientific work since the very beginning. Already as a doctoral student I was collaborating across scientific fields, and I've come to see it as one of the most enriching parts of my work as a researcher. That spirit runs through everything I do. Alongside my research, I work as Academic Coordinator for Mistra Food Futures, a programme that brings together early-career researchers working on sustainability and innovation in the food system. Bringing people together across disciplines is something I both know well and care deeply about.

I've also had the chance to follow SLU Future One Health closely for several years as the NJ Faculty's representative, and that experience gave me a real appreciation for how central the platform is to SLU's interdisciplinary work. One Health as a concept really does encapsulate what my research is about, so when the opportunity came up to be part of shaping that work from the inside, I found it hard to say no. SLU is genuinely well-positioned to lead in this space, and I wanted to contribute to that. 

What does the One Health perspective mean to you?

To me, One Health is a way of thinking that acknowledges the deep interconnection between human, animal and environmental health. We all share one health and one world. But I think it's important to say, it doesn't mean that everyone needs to understand everything from every perspective. I see it more as a puzzle. The concept gives us a framework for seeing how complex phenomena fit together, and for understanding collectively what none of us could grasp alone.

I first encountered One Health when I made the shift from health psychology into my postdoc in business administration – and it was one of those clarifying moments. Suddenly I could see how my entire path connected: the health psychology work on how environment shapes wellbeing, the research on air pollution and cognitive decline, and my new focus on farmer decision-making and animal health. Whether we're talking about air pollution and dementia, or farming conditions and animal welfare, the underlying idea is the same – that health cannot be understood in isolation from its context. One Health gave that thread a name – and I can still see it running through all my projects.

In practice, working within a One Health framework means collaborating across disciplines – not as a choice, but a necessity. My own research on farmer behaviour is a good example: why a farmer decides to call the vet, or how they approach antibiotic use, is shaped by psychology, economics, social norms and veterinary realities all at once. You need all the pieces of the puzzle to see the full picture.

Looking ahead, what are your main priorities for the platform?

I want the platform to do two things well. First, to look ahead and help position SLU at the forefront of One Health research and to invest in the next generation of researchers who are comfortable crossing disciplinary boundaries from the start of their careers. Second, and just as importantly, to show the breadth that already exists at SLU today. We have remarkable expertise across human, animal, plant and environmental health, and the platform can play a real role in helping our researchers communicate their work outward and in being a contact point that connects researchers who might not otherwise find each other. Sometimes the most important role of a platform is to make visible what is already there. 

What motivates you – and what do you hope to contribute?

I'm driven by curiosity, and I'll be honest, I'm a hopeless yes-person who genuinely believes you can make a difference and by saying yes it can lead you to unexpected paths that can open new doors and possibilities. SLU plays a key role in creating sustainable change in complex issues, both nationally and internationally, and that sense of purpose matters to me.

As a social scientist and interdisciplinary researcher, I hope to continue building on the path that previous platform directors have laid, while bringing my own perspective and curiosity shaped by a background that has taken me from health psychology to farming communities, and connected the dots along the way. I'm also genuinely excited that One Health is becoming even more visible at SLU, with new One Health professors joining and an Associate Senior Lecturer on the way. I see the platform as central to binding all those parts together into something coherent and forward-looking.

Outside of work, what helps you recharge?

Outside of work, life is its own puzzle – trying to make all the parts fit and prioritise what matters most. Most of that time goes to my family: my two sons, my husband, and our hamster (who absolutely deserves a mention, at least if you ask my sons). We're currently on the hunt for a summer house where I hope to finally fulfil my dream of becoming a part-time carpenter. The right place hasn't quite turned up yet, and whether I'll ever find the time to pick up the hammer is another question entirely, but then again, this is probably just my yes-person side showing. At least the toolbox is coming along nicely, and maybe a summer house could finally give our apartment a well-deserved rest from my ideas and tests.

Heading north to visit our parents or a day trip outdoors is where the real recharging happens. After the pace of everyday life in Stockholm, there is something deeply restorative about the north, the long bright summer nights, the crisp autumn colours, and the snow-covered stillness of winter. It's the perfect contrast, and exactly the mix I need.