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.
- 2010
- Published
Synapses in the Network: Learning in Governance Networks in the Context of Environmental Management
Newig, J., Guenther, D. & Pahl-Wostl, C., 12.2010, In: Ecology and Society. 15, 4, 16 p., 24.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
What is Social Learning? Response to Pahl-Wostl. 2006. “The Importance of Social Learning in Restoring the Multifunctionalityof Rivers and Floodplains”
Reed, M. S., Evely, A. C., Cundill, G., Fazey, I., Glass, J., Laing, A., Newig, J., Parrish, B., Prell, C., Raymond, C. & Stringer, L., 12.2010, In: Ecology and Society. 15, 4, 10 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement auf dem Vormarsch: Corporate Sustainability Barometer
Harms, D., Schaltegger, S. & Windolph, S. E., 26.11.2010, In: Ökologisches Wirtschaften. 24, 4, p. 10 1 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
- Published
Bottom-up effects of plant diversity on multitrophic interactions in a biodiversity experiment
Scherber, C., Eisenhauer, N., Weisser, W. W., Schmid, B., Voigt, W., Fischer, M., Schulze, E.-D., Roscher, C., Weigelt, A., Allan, E., Bonkowski, M., Buchmann, N., Buscot, F., Clement, L. W., Ebeling, A., Engels, C., Halle, S., Kertscher, I., Klein, A.-M., Koller, R., König, S., Kowalski, E., Kummer, V., Kuu, A., Lange, M., Lauterbach, D., Middelhoff, C., Migunova, V. D., Milcu, A., Müller, R., Partsch, S., Petermann, J. S., Renker, C., Rottstock, T., Sabais, A., Scheu, S., Temperton, V. M., Schumacher, J., Tscharntke, T. & Beler, H., 25.11.2010, In: Nature. 468, 7323, p. 553-556 4 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Synthesis of Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids with the Weakly Coordinating [Al(ORF)(4)](-) Anion (R-F = C(H)(CF3)(2)) and the Determination of Their Principal Physical Properties
Bulut, S., Klose, P., Huang, M.-M., Weingartner, H., Dyson, P. J., Laurenczy, G., Friedrich, C., Menz, J., Kummerer, K. & Krossing, I., 22.11.2010, In: Chemistry - A European Journal. 16, 44, p. 13139-13154 16 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
The State of Multimedia Mass-Balance Modeling in Environmental science and decision-making
MacLeod, M., Scheringer, M., McKone, T. E. & Hungerbuhler, K., 15.11.2010, In: Environmental Science & Technology. 44, 22, p. 8360-8364 5 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Accumulation of total trace metals due to rapid urbanization in microtidal zone of Pallikaranai marsh, South of Chennai, India
Muthumanickam, J., Urban, B., Velmurugan, P. M. & Srinivasalu, S., 01.11.2010, In: Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 170, 1-4, p. 609-629 21 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
„Kultur” als Herausforderung für die Nachhaltigkeitsforschung: Bericht vom 7. Workshop des Forums on Sustainable Technological Development in a Globalising World „Sustainability 2010: The Cultural Dimension”. Berlin, 9.–12. Juni 2010
Muraca, B. & Holz, V., 01.11.2010, In: Technikfolgenabschätzung. 19, 3, p. 120-124 5 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
- Published
Mass-Mediated Expertise as Informal Policy Advice
Petersen, I., Heinrichs, H. & Peters, H. P., 01.11.2010, In: Science, Technology and Human Values. 35, 6, p. 865-887 23 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Polyfluorinated compounds in residential and nonresidential indoor air
Langer, V., Dreyer, A. & Ebinghaus, R., 01.11.2010, In: Environmental Science and Technology. 44, 21, p. 8075-8081 7 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review