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

    Food waste as nutrient source in heterotrophic microalgae cultivation

    Pleissner, D., Lam, W. C., Sun, Z. & Lin, C. S. K., 06.2013, In: Bioresource Technology. 137, p. 139-146 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Impact of rhizobacterial volatiles on Brachypodium distachyon (L.) Beauv. growth and response to abiotic stresses

    Baudson, C., Mendaluk - Saunier de Cazenave, M., Blondiaux, A., Delory, B., du Jardin, P. & Delaplace, P., 21.06.2013, 1st International Brachypodium Conference: Abstract book. Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, p. S6.3 1 p.

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

  3. Published
  4. Published

    Hydrogeochemical and isotopic characterization of groundwater salinization in the Bangkok aquifer system, Thailand

    Babel, M. S., Gupta, A. D., Rivas, A. A., Evers, M., Kazama, F., Nakamura, T. & Stoecker, F., 02.2013, In: Environmental Earth Sciences . 68, 3, p. 749-763 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Temporal variations of perfluoroalkyl substances and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in alpine snow

    Kirchgeorg, T., Dreyer, A., Gabrieli, J., Kehrwald, N., Sigl, M., Schwikowski, M., Boutron, C., Gambaro, A., Barbante, C. & Ebinghaus, R., 01.07.2013, In: Environmental Pollution. 178, p. 367-374 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Concentrations in ambient air and emissions of cyclic volatile methylsiloxanes in Zurich, Switzerland

    Buser, A. M., Kierkegaard, A., Bogdal, C., MacLeod, M., Scheringer, M. & Hungerbühler, K., 02.07.2013, In: Environmental Science & Technology. 47, 13, p. 7045-7051 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    A comparative survey of chemistry-driven in silico methods to identify hazardous substances under REACH

    Nendza, M., Gabbert, S., Kühne, R., Lombardo, A., Roncaglioni, A., Benfenati, E., Benigni, R., Bossa, C., Strempel, S., Scheringer, M., Fernández, A., Rallo, R., Giralt, F., Dimitrov, S., Mekenyan, O., Bringezu, F. & Schüürmann, G., 01.08.2013, In: Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP. 66, 3, p. 301-314 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Mountain cold-trapping increases transfer of persistent organic pollutants from atmosphere to cows' milk

    Shunthirasingham, C., Wania, F., MacLeod, M., Lei, Y. D., Quinn, C. L., Zhang, X., Scheringer, M., Wegmann, F., Hungerbühler, K., Ivemeyer, S., Heil, F., Klocke, P., Pacepavicius, G. & Alaee, M., 20.08.2013, In: Environmental Science & Technology. 47, 16, p. 9175-9181 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    A Kalman Filter for sensorless control of a piezo actuator for camless internal combustion engines

    Hodzic, K., Mercorelli, P. & Werner, N., 2014, 2014 International Symposium on Power Electronics, Electrical Drives, Automation and Motion, SPEEDAM 2014. IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., p. 1225-1230 6 p. 6871957. (2014 International Symposium on Power Electronics, Electrical Drives, Automation and Motion, SPEEDAM 2014).

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

  10. Published

    Climate change: An amplifier of existing health risks in developing countries

    Huynen, M. M. T. E., Martens, P. & Akin, S.-M., 2013, In: Environment, Development and Sustainability. 15, 6, p. 1425-1442 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review