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. 2014
  2. Published

    Hydrograph analysis and basef low separation

    Aksoy, H., Wittenberg, H. & Eris, E., 01.01.2014, Handbook of Engineering Hydrology: Fundamentals and Applications. Eslamian, S. (ed.). CRC Press, p. 311-328 18 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  3. Published

    Influences of entrainers to engine oil to improve the drag-out of biodiesel: Experiments and simulations

    Mäder, A., Zimon, A., Fleischmann, A., Munack, A., Ruck, W. & Krahl, J., 01.01.2014, In: Fuel. 117, PART A, p. 488-498 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Learning to change universities from within: A service-learning perspective on promoting sustainable consumption in higher education

    Barth, M., Adomßent, M., Fischer, D., Richter, S. & Rieckmann, M., 01.01.2014, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 62, 1, p. 72-81 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Mathematical Chemistry and Chemoinformatics: Structure Generation, Elucidation and Quantitative Structure-Property Relationships

    Kerber, A., Laue, R., Meringer, M., Rücker, C. & Schymanski, E., 01.01.2014, 1 ed. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter GmbH. 521 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesBook

  6. Published

    Metabolites and Transformation Products of Pharmaceuticals in the Aquatic Environment as Contaminants of Emerging Concern

    Michael, I., Vasquez Hadjilyra, M. I., Hapeshi, E., Haddad, T., Baginska, E., Kümmerer, K. & Fatta-Kassinos, D., 01.01.2014, Transformation Products of Emerging Contaminants in the Environment: Analysis, Processes, Occurrence, Effects and Risks. Lambropoulou, D. A. & Nollet, L. M. (eds.). Chichester: Wiley-VCH Verlag, p. 413-458 46 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  7. Published

    Migration and stress during reproduction govern telomere dynamics in a seabird

    Schultner, J., Moe, B., Chastel, O., Bech, C. & Kitaysky, A. S., 01.01.2014, In: Biology Letters. 10, 1, 4 p., 20130889.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Modelling of heat exchangers based on thermochemical material for solar heat storage systems

    Fopah Lele, A., Rönnebeck, T., Rohde, C., Schmidt, T., Kuznik, F. & Ruck, W., 01.01.2014, In: Energy Procedia. 61, p. 2809-2813 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference article in journalResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Observing the Middle Elbe Biosphere in Germany by Means of TerraSAR-X Images

    Farghaly, D., Elba, E. & Urban, B., 01.01.2014, In: International Journal of Geosciences. 5, 2, p. 196-205 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Plant and vegetation diversity in European wood-pastures

    Garbarino, M., Bergmeier, E., Roellig, M. & Sammul, M., 01.01.2014, European Wood-pastures in Transition: A Social-ecological Approach. Hartel, T. & Plieninger, T. (eds.). Taylor and Francis Inc., p. 113-131 19 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  11. Published

    Reconstruction of Past and Prediction of Future Benzo[a]pyrene Concentrations Over Europe

    Bieser, J., Aulinger, A., Matthias, V. & Quante, M., 01.01.2014, Air Pollution Modeling and its Application XXII: Environmental Security. Steyn, D., Builtjes, P. & Timmermans, R. (eds.). Springer, p. 59-63 5 p. (NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security; vol. 137).

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