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

    StadtLandschaften: Die neue Hybridität von Stadt und Land

    Hofmeister, S. (Editor) & Kühne, O. (Editor), 16.06.2016, 1 ed. Wiesbaden: Springer VS. 286 p. (Hybride Metropolen)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  3. Published

    StadtLandschaften: Die neue Hybridität von Stadt und Land: Einleitung

    Hofmeister, S. & Kühne, O., 16.06.2016, StadtLandschaften: Die neue Hybridität von Stadt und Land. Hofmeister, S. & Kühne, O. (eds.). 1 ed. Wiesbaden: Springer VS, p. 1-10 10 p. (Hybride Metropolen).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  4. Published

    Sowing density: A neglected factor fundamentally affecting root distribution and biomass allocation of field grown spring barley (Hordeum Vulgare L.)

    Hecht, V. L., Nagel, K. A., Rascher, U., Postma, J. A. & Temperton, V. M., 28.06.2016, In: Frontiers in Plant Science. 7, 14 p., 00944.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Adherence to Internet-Based Mobile-Supported Stress Management: A Pooled Analysis of Individual Participant Data From Three Randomized Controlled Trials

    Zarski, A.-C., Lehr, D., Berking, M., Riper, H., Cuijpers, P. & Ebert, D. D., 29.06.2016, In: Journal of Medical Internet Research. 18, 6, 15 p., e146.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Gendered Energy – Analytische Perspektiven und Potenziale der Geschlechterforschung für eine sozial-ökologische Gestaltung der Energiewende im Raum

    Kanning, H., Mölders, T. & Hofmeister, S., 30.06.2016, In: Raumforschung und Raumordnung. 74, 3, p. 213-227 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Atmospheric occurrence and fate of organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticizer at the German coast

    Wolschke, H., Sühring, R., Mi, W., Möller, A., Xie, Z. & Ebinghaus, R., 07.2016, In: Atmospheric Environment. 137, p. 1-5 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    A poor international standard for trap selectivity threatens carnivore conservation

    Virgós, E., Lozano Mendoza, J., Cabezas-Díaz, S., Macdonald, D. W., Zalewski, A., Atienza, J. C., Proulx, G., Ripple, W. J., Rosalino, L. M., Santos-Reis, M., Johnson, P. J., Malo, A. F. & Baker, S. E., 01.07.2016, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 25, 8, p. 1409-1419 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  9. Published

    Barley (Hordeum distichon L.) roots synthesise volatile aldehydes with a strong age-dependent pattern and release (E)-non-2-enal and (E,Z)-nona-2,6-dienal after mechanical injury

    Delory, B. M., Delaplace, P., du Jardin, P. & Fauconnier, M. L., 01.07.2016, In: Plant Physiology and Biochemistry. 104, p. 134-145 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Consumers' purchasing decisions regarding environmentally friendly products: An empirical analysis of German consumers

    Moser, A., 01.07.2016, In: Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 31, p. 389-397 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Fermentative utilization of coffee mucilage using Bacillus coagulans and investigation of down-stream processing of fermentation broth for optically pure L(+)-lactic acid production

    Neu, A.-K., Pleissner, D., Mehlmann, K., Schneider, R., Puerta-Quintero, G. I. & Venus, J., 01.07.2016, In: Bioresource Technology. 211, Juli, p. 398-405 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review