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. 2016
  2. Published

    Globales Denken? Zum Wirkungszusammenhang von Forschungspraxis, Erkenntnisfeld und der Art zu denken

    Vilsmaier, U., 03.2016, Wissenschaft und Globales Denken. Gmainer-Pranzl, F. & Schottenhammer, A. (eds.). Frankfurt a.M. u.a.: Peter Lang Verlag, p. 109-127 19 p. (Salzburger interdisziplinäre Diskurse; vol. 7).

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

  3. Published

    Mentoring in Massive Open Online Courses - Eine Nutzenanalyse auf Basis des IS-Success-Modells

    Drawert, K., Mager, M., Funk, B., Trötschel, R. & Pfeifer, C., 03.2016, Multikonferenz Wirtschaftsinformatik (MKWI) 2016: Technische Universität Ilmenau 09. - 11. März 2016 . Nissen, V., Stelzer, D., Straßburger, S. & Fischer, D. (eds.). Universitätsverlag Ilmenau - ilmedia, Vol. 3. p. 1511-1522 12 p. (Multikonferenz Wirtschaftsinformatik, MKWI 2016; vol. 3).

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

  4. Published

    Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus: Erkenntnisse und Impulse aus Wissenschaft und Praxis

    Michelsen, G. (Editor) & Fischer, D. (Editor), 03.2016, Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften. 153 p. (Innovationen in den Hochschulen: Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 12)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  5. Published

    Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus? Ergebnisse einer Delphi-Studie mit Expertinnen und Experten

    Humburg, A., Fischer, D., Marwege, R. & Michelsen, G., 03.2016, Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus: Erkenntnisse und Impulse aus Wissenschaft und Praxis. Michelsen, G. & Fischer, D. (eds.). Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 23-38 16 p. (Innovation in den Hochschulen ‐ Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 12).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  6. Published

    Vom Umwelt- zum Nachhaltigkeitsjournalismus? Die Initiative "Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus"

    Michelsen, G. & Fischer, D., 03.2016, Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus: Erkenntnisse und Impulse aus Wissenschaft und Praxis. Michelsen, G. & Fischer, D. (eds.). Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 9-19 11 p. (Innovation in den Hochschulen ‐ Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 12).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  7. Published

    Wie kommt Nachhaltigkeit in die Medien? Nachrichtenfaktoren und Frames im Nachhaltigkeitsjournalismus

    Fischer, D., Haucke, F. & Humburg, A., 03.2016, Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus : Erkenntnisse und Impulse aus Wissenschaft und Praxis. Michelsen, G. & Fischer, D. (eds.). Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 39-54 16 p. (Innovation in den Hochschulen ‐ Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 12).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  8. Published

    The tyranny of coarse scales in sustainability science and policy

    Fischer, J., 15.02.2016

    Research output: other publicationsArticles in scientific forums or blogsResearch

  9. Published

    “Re-connecting people and nature”: wrong term, wrong goal?

    Fischer, J., 09.02.2016

    Research output: other publicationsArticles in scientific forums or blogsResearch

  10. Published

    Why protect nature? Rethinking values and the environment

    Chan, K. M. A., Balvanera, P., Benessaiah, K., Chapman, M., Díaz, S., Gómez-Baggethun, E., Gould, R., Hannahs, N., Jax, K., Klain, S., Luck, G. W., Martín-López, B., Muraca, B., Norton, B., Ott, K., Pascual, U., Satterfield, T., Tadaki, M., Taggart, J. & Turner, N., 09.02.2016, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA). 113, 6, p. 1462-1465 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  11. Published

    Turning hurt into impact (?)

    Fischer, J., 02.02.2016, 1 p.

    Research output: other publicationsArticles in scientific forums or blogsResearch

  12. Published

    Novel flame retardants: Estimating the physical-chemical properties and environmental fate of 94 halogenated and organophosphate PBDE replacements

    Zhang, X., Sühring, R., Serodio, D., Bonnell, M., Sundin, N. & Diamond, M. L., 01.02.2016, In: Chemosphere. 144, p. 2401-2407 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  13. Published

    Participatory energy scenario development as dramatic scripting: A structural narrative analysis

    Upham, P., Klapper, R. & Carney, S., 01.02.2016, In: Technological Forecasting and Social Change. 103, p. 47-56 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  14. Published

    Perceptions of cultural ecosystem services from urban green

    Riechers, M., Barkmann, J. & Tscharntke, T., 01.02.2016, In: Ecosystem Services. 17, p. 33-39 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  15. Published

    Spatial patterns of cultural ecosystem services provision in Southern Patagonia

    Martínez Pastur, G., Peri, P. L., Lencinas, M. V., García-Llorente, M. & Martín-López, B., 01.02.2016, In: Landscape Ecology. 31, 2, p. 383-399 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  16. Published

    A coastal and an interior Douglas fir provenance exhibit different metabolic strategies to deal with drought stress

    Du, B., Jansen, K., Kleiber, A., Eiblmeier, M., Kammerer, B., Ensminger, I., Gessler, A., Rennenberg, H. & Kreuzwieser, J., 02.2016, In: Tree Physiology. 36, 2, p. 148–163 16 p., tpv105.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  17. Published

    A Synthesis is Emerging between Biodiversity-Ecosystem Function and Ecological Resilience Research: Reply to Mori

    Oliver, T. H., Heard, M. S., Isaac, N. J. B., Roy, D. B., Procter, D., Eigenbrod, F., Freckleton, R., Hector, A., Orme, C. D. L., Petchey, O. L., Proença, V., Raffaelli, D., Blake Suttle, K., Mace, G. M., Martín-López, B., Woodcock, B. A. & Bullock, J. M., 02.2016, In: Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 31, 2, p. 89-92 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  18. Published

    Tree species and functional traits but not species richness affect interrill erosion processes in young subtropical forests

    Seitz, S., Goebes, P., Song, Z., Bruehlheide, H., Härdtle, W., Kühn, P., Li, Y. & Scholten, T., 21.01.2016, In: SOIL. 2, 1, p. 49-61 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  19. Published

    Distribution of brominated flame retardants and dechloranes between sediments and benthic fish - A comparison of a freshwater and marine habitat

    Sühring, R., Busch, F., Fricke, N., Kötke, D., Wolschke, H. & Ebinghaus, R., 15.01.2016, In: The Science of The Total Environment. 542, p. 578-585 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  20. Published

    Sorption and thermal characterization of composite materials based on chlorides for thermal energy storage

    Korhammer, K., Druske, M.-M., Fopah Lele, A., Rammelberg, H., Wegscheider, N., Opel, O., Osterland, T. & Ruck, W., 15.01.2016, In: Applied Energy. 162, p. 1462-1472 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  21. Published

    Other spaces: Parks as societal mirrors

    Vilsmaier, U., 14.01.2016, Parks of the Future: Protected Areas in Europe Challenging Regional and Global Change. Hammer, T., Mose, I., Siegrist, D. & Weixlbaumer, N. (eds.). 1 ed. München: oekom verlag GmbH, p. 113-121 9 p.

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