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.

  1. 2016
  2. Published

    How do rhizobacterial volatiles influence root system architecture, biomass production and allocation of the model grass Brachypodium distachyon?

    Delaplace, P., Ormeno-Lafuente, E., Nguyen, M., Delory, B., Baudson, C., Mendaluk - Saunier de Cazenave, M., Spaepen, S., Varin, S., Brostaux, Y. & du Jardin, P., 12.01.2016, 24th Plant & Animal Genome Conference, Brachypodium Genomics Workshop. Scherago International, 1 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Thinking about climate change: Young people from Ladakh responding to global warming: An explorative study

    Getzin, S., 13.01.2016, Exploring Alterity in a Globalized World. Wulf, C. (ed.). Taylor and Francis Inc., p. 454-467 14 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  4. Published

    Transnational governance towards sustainable biofuels: Exploring a polycentric view

    Moser, C. & Bailis, R., 13.01.2016, Environmental Politics and Governance in the Anthropocene: Institutions and legitimacy in a complex world. Pattberg, P. & Zelli, F. (eds.). London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 103-126 24 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  5. Published

    Other spaces: Parks as societal mirrors

    Vilsmaier, U., 14.01.2016, Parks of the Future: Protected Areas in Europe Challenging Regional and Global Change. Hammer, T., Mose, I., Siegrist, D. & Weixlbaumer, N. (eds.). 1 ed. München: oekom verlag GmbH, p. 113-121 9 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Distribution of brominated flame retardants and dechloranes between sediments and benthic fish - A comparison of a freshwater and marine habitat

    Sühring, R., Busch, F., Fricke, N., Kötke, D., Wolschke, H. & Ebinghaus, R., 15.01.2016, In: The Science of The Total Environment. 542, p. 578-585 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Sorption and thermal characterization of composite materials based on chlorides for thermal energy storage

    Korhammer, K., Druske, M.-M., Fopah Lele, A., Rammelberg, H., Wegscheider, N., Opel, O., Osterland, T. & Ruck, W., 15.01.2016, In: Applied Energy. 162, p. 1462-1472 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Tree species and functional traits but not species richness affect interrill erosion processes in young subtropical forests

    Seitz, S., Goebes, P., Song, Z., Bruehlheide, H., Härdtle, W., Kühn, P., Li, Y. & Scholten, T., 21.01.2016, In: SOIL. 2, 1, p. 49-61 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    A coastal and an interior Douglas fir provenance exhibit different metabolic strategies to deal with drought stress

    Du, B., Jansen, K., Kleiber, A., Eiblmeier, M., Kammerer, B., Ensminger, I., Gessler, A., Rennenberg, H. & Kreuzwieser, J., 02.2016, In: Tree Physiology. 36, 2, p. 148–163 16 p., tpv105.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    A Synthesis is Emerging between Biodiversity-Ecosystem Function and Ecological Resilience Research: Reply to Mori

    Oliver, T. H., Heard, M. S., Isaac, N. J. B., Roy, D. B., Procter, D., Eigenbrod, F., Freckleton, R., Hector, A., Orme, C. D. L., Petchey, O. L., Proença, V., Raffaelli, D., Blake Suttle, K., Mace, G. M., Martín-López, B., Woodcock, B. A. & Bullock, J. M., 02.2016, In: Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 31, 2, p. 89-92 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  11. Published

    Novel flame retardants: Estimating the physical-chemical properties and environmental fate of 94 halogenated and organophosphate PBDE replacements

    Zhang, X., Sühring, R., Serodio, D., Bonnell, M., Sundin, N. & Diamond, M. L., 01.02.2016, In: Chemosphere. 144, p. 2401-2407 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review