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. 2013
  2. Published

    Rainfall and temperature variation does not explain arid species diversity in outback Australia

    Traill, L., Brook, B. W., Wanger, T. C. & de Little, S. C., 08.07.2013, In: Research and Reports in Biodiversity Studies. 3, p. 1-8 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. Published

    Complementarity, impatience, and the resilience of natural-resource-dependent economies

    Quaas, M. F., van Soest, D. P. & Baumgärtner, S., 01.07.2013, In: Journal of Environmental Economics and Management. 66, 1, p. 15-32 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Grassroots Innovations for Inclusive Development: Need for a Paradigmatic Shift

    Kumar, V., Chand, V. S., Zhang, L., Hoppers, C. A. O., Zhang, W., Esders, M. & Gupta, A. K., 01.07.2013, In: Vikalpa. 38, 3, p. 103-122 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  7. 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

  8. Published

    Education for Sustainability, Graduate Capabilities, Professional Employment: How they all connect

    Thomas, I., Barth, M. & Day, T., 07.2013, In: Australian Journal of Environmental Education. 29, 1, p. 33-51 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  9. Published

    Elution of monomers from three different bonding systems and their antibacterial effect

    Polydorou, O., Rogatti, P., Bolek, R., Wolkewitz, M., Kümmerer, K. & Hellwig, E., 07.2013, In: Odontology / the Society of the Nippon Dental University. 101, 2, p. 170-176 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Establishment success in a forest biodiversity and ecosystem functioning experiment in subtropical China (BEF-China)

    Yang, X., Bauhus, J., Both, S., Fang, T., Härdtle, W., Kröber, W., Ma, K., Nadrowski, K., Pei, K., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Scholten, T., Seidler, G., Schmid, B., von Oheimb, G. & Bruelheide, H., 07.2013, In: European Journal of Forest Research. 132, 4, p. 593-606 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    German Utilities and distributed PV: How to overcome Barriers to Business Model Innovation

    Richter, M., 07.2013, In: Renewable Energy. 55, 7, p. 456-466 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  12. Published
  13. Published
  14. 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

  15. Published

    Thermal Conductivity Measurement of Salt Hydrates as Porous Material using Calorimetric (DSC) Method

    Fopah Lele, A., Korhammer, K., Wegscheider, N., Rammelberg, H., Schmidt, T. & Ruck, W., 20.06.2013, 8th World Conference on Experimental Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, and Thermodynamics. Coelho, P. J. & Costa, M. (eds.). June 2013 ed. A. Faria - Edicia Electronica Lda, Vol. Proceedings ExHFT8. 5 p.

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

  16. Published

    The Conservation Value of Traditional Rural Landscapes: The Case of Woodpeckers in Transylvania, Romania

    Dorresteijn, I., Hartel, T., Hanspach, J., von Wehrden, H. & Fischer, J., 19.06.2013, In: PLoS ONE. 8, 6, 7 p., e65236.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  17. Published

    Adding the “e-” to Learning for Sustainable Development: Challenges and Innovation

    Barth, M. & Burandt, S., 13.06.2013, In: Sustainability. 5, 6, p. 2609-2622 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  18. Published

    Differential responses of ecosystem components to a low-intensity fire in a Mediterranean forest: A three-year case study

    García-Tejero, S., Taboada Palomares, A., Tárrega, R., Marcos, E. & Salgado, J. M., 01.06.2013, In: Community Ecology. 14, 1, p. 110-120 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  19. Published

    Understanding and Communicating Climate Change in Metaphors

    Niebert, K. & Gropengiesser, H., 01.06.2013, In: Environmental Education Research. 19, 3, p. 282-302 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  20. Published

    Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung zum Thema „Wasser“

    Michelsen, G. & Rieckmann, M., 06.2013, In: Hydrologie und Wasserbewirtschaftung. 57, 3, p. 116-125 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  21. Published

    Calculation of Physicochemical Properties for Short- and Medium-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins

    Glüge, J., Bogdal, C., Scheringer, M., Buser, A. M. & Hungerbühler, K., 06.2013, In: Journal of Physical and Chemical Reference Data. 42, 2, 12 p., 023103 .

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review