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. Published

    Reconnecting with nature for sustainability

    Ives, C. D., Abson, D. J., von Wehrden, H., Dorninger, C., Klaniecki, K. & Fischer, J., 01.09.2018, In: Sustainability Science. 13, 5, p. 1389-1397 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    From lignin to nylon: Cascaded chemical and biochemical conversion using metabolically engineered Pseudomonas putida

    Kohlstedt, M., Starck, S., Barton, N., Stotzenberger, J., Selzer, M., Mehlmann, K., Schneider, R., Pleißner, D., Rinkel, J., Dickschat, J. S., Venus, J., van Duuren, J. N. J. H. & Wittmann, C., 05.2018, In: Metabolic Engineering. 47, May 2018, p. 279-293 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Lerngelegenheiten gestalten, die der Diversität der Lernenden Rechnung tragen

    Lembens, A. & Abels, S., 2018, Wirksamer Chemieunterricht. Reinhardt, V., Rehm, M. & Wilhelm, M. (eds.). Baltmannsweiler: Schneider Verlag Hohengehren, Vol. 02. p. 65-77 13 p. (Unterrichtsqualität : Perspektiven von Expertinnen und Experten ; vol. 2).

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

  4. Published

    The tiger beetles (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae) of the southern Levant and adjacent territories: From cybertaxonomy to conservation biology

    Assmann, T., Boutaud, E., Buse, J., Gebert, J., Drees, C., Friedman, A. L. L., Khoury, F., Marcus, T., Orbach, E., Renan, I., Schmidt, C. & Zumstein, P., 05.02.2018, In: ZooKeys. 2018, 734, p. 43-103 61 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Ecological changes and local knowledge in a giant honey bee (Apis dorsata F.) hunting community in Palawan, Philippines

    Matias, D. M. S., Borgemeister, C. & von Wehrden, H., 01.12.2018, In: Ambio. 47, 8, p. 924-934 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    The renewable energy sector in Afghanistan: Policy and potential

    Fahimi, A. & Upham, P., 01.03.2018, In: Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment. 7, 2, 9 p., e280.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Preventing household food waste via nudging: an exploration of consumer perceptions

    von Kameke, C. & Fischer, D., 20.05.2018, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 184, 2018, p. 32-40 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Regional variations of organophosphorus flame retardants: Fingerprint of large river basin estuaries/deltas in Europe compared with China

    Wolschke, H., Sühring, R., Massei, R., Tang, J. & Ebinghaus, R., 01.05.2018, In: Environmental Pollution. 236, May 2018, p. 391-395 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Representation of dissolved organic carbon in the JULES land surface model (vn4.4-JULES-DOCM)

    Nakhavali, M., Friedlingstein, P., Lauerwald, R., Tang, J., Chadburn, S., Camino-Serrano, M., Guenet, B., Harper, A., Walmsley, D., Peichl, M. & Gielen, B., 12.02.2018, In: Geoscientific Model Development. 11, 2, p. 593-609 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Interregional flows of ecosystem services: Concepts, typology and four cases

    Schröter, M., Koellner, T., Alkemade, R., Arnhold, S., Bagstad, K. J., Erb, K. H., Frank, K., Kastner, T., Kissinger, M., Liu, J., López-Hoffman, L., Maes, J., Marques, A., Martín-López, B., Meyer, C., Schulp, C. J. E., Thober, J., Wolff, S. & Bonn, A., 01.06.2018, In: Ecosystem Services. 31, Part B, p. 231-241 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review