School of Sustainability
Organisational unit: Research School
- Centre for Sustainability Management (CSM)
- Institute of Ecology
- Institute of Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research
- Institute of Sustainability Governance
- Institute of Sustainability Material Flows and Circularity
- Institute of Sustainability Psychology
- Institute of Sustainable Chemistry
- Social-Ecological Systems Institute (SESI)
- Sustainability Education and Transdisciplinary Research Institute
Organisation profile
Sustainability has many facets. Inter- and transdisciplinary research and teaching characterize the School of Sustainability. Scientists in our research projects work together in the laboratory, on the heath, in the grassland, in the classroom, with the city administration, with farmers, with non-governmental organizations, with companies, with students in the lecture hall and of course at their desks.
Furthermore, we work with regional and national political actors, e.g. ministries, as well as international organizations, e.g. UNEP, UNESCO, EU. We are part of national and international bodies, e.g. sustainability advisory boards of companies, member of the German Sustainability Award, World Biodiversity Council (IPBES), in order to contribute to social change with scientific findings.
Main research areas
Vision
Sustainability science investigates on a theoretical, conceptual and empirical level how to promote sustainable development and how to find and implement effective solutions for current social and ecological challenges. The aim is to create a more sustainable future.
Sustainability researchers are called upon to take responsibility for their research, which is anchored in existing scientific knowledge and methods and serves to make the world a better place for everyone.
Mission
We promote change towards a sustainable future by developing theories, concepts and practices of inclusive education for sustainability, research, governance and management.
We acknowledge the diversity and dynamics of values, norms and behaviour and contribute with transdisciplinary methods to ensuring that tensions and differences between different disciplines, methods, topics and standards are fruitfully taken up and used with productive compromises and further developments towards sustainable development.
Principles
The School of Sustainability is guided by the normative concepts of ecological system integrity and social and economic justice.
Ecological system integrity refers to the safeguarding of life-support systems, as well as the maintenance of the well-being of life on Earth.
With social and economic justice we strive for a world in which all people can fulfil their potential without endangering system integrity and the well-being of others.
Information about the School
The School of Sustainability includes...
... ca. 25 professors
... ca. 100 research assistants
... ca. 1000 students in Bachelor and Master courses
In various inter- and transdisciplinary projects we are constantly researching and working together on changes and solutions for current challenges.
KT 03 TM 1.1 Biokerosin: Platform for Sustainable Aviation Fuels
Klein, A.-M. (Project manager, academic), Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic), Averdunk, K. (Coordination), Barua, K. K. (Project staff), Groeneveld, J. H. (Project staff), Hüsing, E. (Project staff), Kügemann, M. (Project staff), Lüdeke-Freund, F. (Project staff), Moser, C. (Project staff), Wahl, N. (Project staff), Walmsley, D. (Project staff), Wreesmann, J. (Project staff), Bailis, R. (Project staff) & Burritt, R. (Project manager, academic)
Investitions- und Förderbank Niedersachsen – NBank
01.01.11 → 31.12.15
Project: Research
PhytoRet: Potential der oberrheinischen künstlichen Feuchtgebiete für die Reduzierung der Pflanzenschutzmittel
Kümmerer, K. (Project manager, academic), Olsson, O. (Project staff), Gutowski, L. (Project staff) & Gaßmann, M. (Project staff)
01.01.11 → 13.09.16
Project: Research
Publikation eines Forschungsberichtes in Buchform. Erstellung einer druckfertigen Vorlage für einen Verlag für das Projekt mit dem Förderkennzeichen FKZ GTS 0808
Salisch, M. (Project manager, academic)
Federal Ministry of Education and Research
01.01.11 → 31.03.11
Project: Research
COMTESS: Sustainable Coastal Land Management: Trade-offs in Ecosystem Services
Baumgärtner, S. (Project manager, academic), Engler, J.-O. (Project staff), Kleyer, M. (Project manager, academic), Giani, L. (Partner), Ahlhorn, F. (Partner), Klenke, T. (Partner), Selck, T. J. (Partner), Stahl, J. (Partner), Oumeraci, H. (Partner), Bronstert, A. (Partner), Jeltsch, F. (Partner), Schröder, B. (Partner), Glatzel, S. (Partner), Miegel, K. (Partner), Ahlheim, M. (Partner) & Stoll-Kleemann, S. (Partner)
Federal Ministry of Education and Research
01.01.11 → 31.07.16
Project: Research
Aboveground multitrophic plant-insect interactions in a Chinese subtropical forest (FOR 891 - Teilprojekt 09)
Klein, A.-M. (Project manager, academic), Blüthgen, N. (Project manager, academic) & Bruelheide, H. (Project manager, academic)
01.02.11 → 31.07.13
Project: Research
Conceptual Change by Metaphorical Change
Niebert, K. (Project manager, academic)
01.02.11 → …
Project: Research
Ecological entomology, plant-insect interactions, herbivore-predator interactions, multitrophic complexity, decomposition, biodiversity research
Aßmann, T. (Project manager, academic) & Schuldt, A. (Project staff)
01.02.11 → 24.09.14
Project: Research
Individual plant growth and branch demography as a function of species richness and composition (FOR 891 - Teilprojekt 02)
Härdtle, W. (Project manager, academic)
01.02.11 → 26.08.15
Project: Research
Training Programme „Sustainable University Development“
Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic), Rieckmann, M. (Project manager, academic) & Aguirre, P. (Partner)
01.02.11 → 14.05.11
Project: Transfer (professional training)
Umwelt- und Klimarekonstruktion Forschungsbohrung Garding2
Urban, B. (Project manager, academic)
01.02.11 → 01.02.16
Project: Dissertation project