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

    Genome size influences plant growth and biodiversity responses to nutrient fertilization in diverse grassland communities

    Morton, J. A., Arnillas, C. A., Biedermann, L., Borer, E. T., Brudvig, L. A., Buckley, Y. M., Cadotte, M. W., Davies, K., Donohue, I., Ebeling, A., Eisenhauer, N., Estrada, C., Haider, S., Hautier, Y., Jentsch, A., Martinson, H., McCulley, R. L., Raynaud, X., Roscher, C., Seabloom, E. W., Stevens, C. J., Vesela, K., Wallace, A., Leitch, I. J., Leitch, A. R. & Hersch-Green, E. I., 11.12.2024, In: PLoS Biology. 22, 12, 21 p., e3002927.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Genetic toxicology in silico protocol

    Hasselgren, C., Ahlberg, E., Akahori, Y., Amberg, A., Anger, L. T., Atienzar, F., Auerbach, S., Beilke, L., Bellion, P., Benigni, R., Bercu, J., Booth, E. D., Bower, D., Brigo, A., Cammerer, Z., Cronin, M. T. D., Crooks, I., Cross, K. P., Custer, L., Dobo, K., Doktorova, T., Faulkner, D., Ford, K. A., Fortin, M. C., Frericks, M., Gad-McDonald, S. E., Gellatly, N., Gerets, H., Gervais, V., Glowienke, S., Van Gompel, J., Harvey, J. S., Hillegass, J., Honma, M., Hsieh, J. H., Hsu, C. W., Barton-Maclaren, T. S., Johnson, C., Jolly, R., Jones, D., Kemper, R., Kenyon, M. O., Kruhlak, N. L., Kulkarni, S. A., Kümmerer, K., Leavitt, P., Masten, S., Miller, S., Moudgal, C., Muster, W., Paulino, A., Lo Piparo, E., Powley, M., Quigley, D. P., Reddy, M. V., Richarz, A. N., Schilter, B., Snyder, R. D., Stavitskaya, L., Stidl, R., Szabo, D. T., Teasdale, A., Tice, R. R., Trejo-Martin, A., Vuorinen, A., Wall, B. A., Watts, P., White, A. T., Wichard, J., Witt, K. L., Woolley, A., Woolley, D., Zwickl, C. & Myatt, G. J., 01.10.2019, In: Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. 107, 104403, 21 p., 104403.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Genetic relatedness and chemical profiles in an unusually peaceful eusocial bee

    Leonhardt, S. D., Form, S., Blüthgen, N., Schmitt, T. & Feldhaar, H., 01.10.2011, In: Journal of Chemical Ecology. 37, 10, p. 1117-1126 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Genetic erosion in habitat specialist shows need to protect large peat bogs

    Drees, C., Zumstein, P., Buck-Dobrick, T., Härdtle, W., Matern, A., Meyer, H., Oheimb, G. & Aßmann, T., 12.2011, In: Conservation Genetics. 12, 6, p. 1651-1656 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Genetic erosion in a stenotopic heathland ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae): a matter of habitat size ?

    Drees, C., Vries, H., Härdtle, W., Matern, A., Persigehl, M. & Aßmann, T., 01.02.2011, In: Conservation Genetics. 12, 1, p. 105-117 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Genetic editing of wood for sustainability: Trees engineered to have less lignin could make paper production less polluting

    Zuin Zeidler, V. G., 14.07.2023, In: Science. 381, 6654, p. 124-125 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  7. Published

    Genetic diversity and population structure of the endangered insect species Carabus variolosus in its western distribution range: implications for conservation

    Matern, A., Desender, K., Gaublomme, E., Drees, C., Paill, W. & Aßmann, T., 01.04.2009, In: Conservation Genetics. 10, 2, p. 391-405 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Genes versus environment: Geography and phylogenetic relationships shape the chemical profiles of stingless bees on a global scale

    Leonhardt, S. D., Rasmussen, C. & Schmitt, T., 07.07.2013, In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B . 280, 1762, 11 p., 20130680.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Genesis and dating of Late Pleistocene-Holocene soil sediment sequences from the Lüneburg Heath, Northern Germany

    Urban, B., Kunz, A. & Gehrt, E., 03.06.2011, In: E&G Quaternary Science Journal. 60, 1, p. 6-26 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Generic functions of railway stations: A conceptual basis for the development of common system understanding and assessment criteria

    Zemp, S., Stauffacher, M., Lang, D. & Scholz, R. W., 03.2011, In: Transport Policy. 18, 2, p. 446-455 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review