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. 2021
  2. Published

    Towards a relational paradigm in sustainability research, practice, and education

    Walsh, Z., Böhme, J. & Wamsler, C., 01.2021, In: Ambio. 50, 1, p. 74-84 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  3. Published

    8. Workshop Umweltinformatik zwischen Nachhaltigkeit und Wandel (UINW 2020)

    Naumann, S., Voigt, K., Kern, E., Wohlgemuth, V. & Behrens, G., 2021, 50. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft fur Informatik: Back to the Futures, INFORMATIK 2020. Reussner, R. H., Koziolek, A. & Heinrich, R. (eds.). Bonn: Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V., p. 221-223 3 p. (Lecture Notes in Informatics (LNI), Proceedings - Series of the Gesellschaft fur Informatik (GI); vol. P-307).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksOtherTransfer

  4. Published

    A Fictional Risk Narrative and Its Potential for Social Resonance: Reception of Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior in Reviews and Reading Groups

    Fücker, S., Auguscik, A., Kirchhofer, A. & Schimank, U., 2021, Under the Literary Microscope: Science and Society in the Contemporary Novel . Farzin, S., Gaines, S. & Haynes, R. (eds.). University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, p. 218-248 31 p. 10. (AnthropoScene: The SLSA Book Series; vol. 7).

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

  5. Published

    Analysis of life cycle datasets for the material gold

    Fritz, B. & Schmidt, M., 2021, Progress in Life Cycle Assessment 2019 . Albrecht, S., Fischer, M., Leistner, P. & Schebek, L. (eds.). Cham: Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, p. 99-112 14 p. (Sustainable Production, Life Cycle Engineering and Management).

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

  6. Published

    Arable vegetation of calcareous soils (Caucalidion) Plant community of the year 2022: Pflanzengesellschaft des Jahres 2022

    Bergmeier, E., Meyer, S., Pape, F., Dierschke, H., Härdtle, W., Heinken, T., Hoelzel, N., Remy, D., Schwabe, A., Tischew, S. & Schneider, S., 2021, In: Tuexenia. 41, p. 299-350 52 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    ATEM 3-9 Adaptiver Test des Emotionswissens: Manual

    Voltmer, K. & Salisch, M., 2021, Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer. 68 p. (SpringerTests)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Biokunststoffe = umweltfreundlich? Ein Nachhaltigkeitsprojekt von Lernenden, Lehrenden, Wissenschaftlern und Wissenschaftlerinnen

    Abels, S., Pleissner, D. & Reichelt, A., 2021, In: Naturwissenschaft im Unterricht - Chemie. 32, 183, p. 40-44 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  9. Published

    Community Energy in Germany: From Technology Pioneers to Professionalisation under Uncertainty

    Holstenkamp, L., 2021, Renewable Energy Communities and the Low Carbon Energy Transition in Europe. Coenen, F. H. J. M. & Hoppe, T. (eds.). Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, p. 119-152 34 p.

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

  10. Published

    Der Beitrag nachhaltiger Raumentwicklung zur großen Transformation: Impulse für neue Strategien

    Warner, B., Malburg-Graf, B., Hofmeister, S., Kanning, H. & Kufeld, W., 2021, Hannover: ARL – Akademie für Raumentwicklung in der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, 18 p. (Positionspapier aus der ARL; no. 121).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  11. Published

    Die Feststellung der energiepolitischen und energiewirtschaftlichen Notwendigkeit des Tagebaus Garzweiler II nach § 48 Kohleverstromungsbeendigungsgesetz (KVBG) – rechtspolitisch verfehlt und verfassungswidrig?

    Schomerus, T., 2021, Kohleausstiegsgesetz: Inhalt und Folgen. Frenz, W. & Preuße, A. (eds.). Clausthal-Zellerfeld: GDMB Gesellschaft der Metallurgen und Bergleute e.V., Vol. 149. p. 109-127 19 p. (Schriftenreihe der GDMB Gesellschaft der Metallurgen und Bergleute e.V.; vol. 149).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsTransfer

  12. Published

    Die Krise feministischer Positionen in Zeiten der Pandemie: Zwischen Sorgen für das ‚gute Leben’ und Herrschen gegen die ‚Natur’

    Hofmeister, S. & Mölders, T., 2021, In: Journal Netzwerk Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung NRW . 49, p. 48-53 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference article in journalResearchpeer-review

  13. Published

    Digitale Medien als Mittler im Spannungsfeld zwischen naturwissenschaftlichem Unterricht und inklusiver Pädagogik

    Stinken-Rösner, L. & Abels, S., 2021, Naturwissenschaftsdidaktik und Inklusion. Hundermark, S., Sun, X., Abels, S., Nehring, A., Schildknecht, R., Seremet, V. & Lindmeier, C. (eds.). Weinheim: Beltz Juventa Verlag, p. 161-175 15 p. (Sonderpädagogische Förderung heute, Beiheft; vol. 4).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  14. Published
  15. Published

    Effectiveness of a Guided Internet- and Mobile-Based Intervention for Patients with Chronic Back Pain and Depression (WARD-BP): A Multicenter, Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial

    Baumeister, H., Paganini, S., Sander, L. B., Lin, J., Schlicker, S., Terhorst, Y., Moshagen, M., Bengel, J., Lehr, D. & Ebert, D. D., 2021, In: Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. 90, 4, p. 255-268 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  16. Published

    Eine Experimentelle Unterrichtseinheit zum Treibhauseffekt: Experimente mit der Wärmebildkamera & Co

    Stinken-Rösner, L., 2021, In: PLUS LUCIS. 2021, 3, p. 20-25 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesEducation

  17. Published

    Engineered Societies

    Flack, J. C. & Laubichler, M. D., 2021, Worlds Hidden in Plain Sight: Thirty Years of Complexity Thinking at the Santa Fe Institute 1984-2019. Krakauer, D. C. (ed.). The Santa FE Institute Presse (SFI), p. 257-264 8 p.

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

  18. Published

    Forest Ecosystems: A functional and biodiversity perspective

    Fichtner, A. & Härdtle, W., 2021, Perspectives for Biodiversity and Ecosystems. Hobohm, C. (ed.). Cham: Springer, p. 383-405 23 p. 16. (Environmental Challenges and Solutions).

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

  19. Published

    Fühlen Denken Sprechen: Alltagsintegrierte Sprachbildung in Kindertageseinrichtungen

    Salisch, M. (Editor), Hormann, O. (Editor), Cloos, P. (Editor), Koch, K. (Editor) & Mähler, C. (Editor), 2021, Münster: Waxmann Verlag. 195 p. (Sprachliche Bildung; vol. 7)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  20. Published

    Für Natur sorgen? Dilemmata feministischer Positionierungen zwischen Sorge- und Herrschaftsverhältnissen

    Hofmeister, S. (Editor) & Mölders, T. (Editor), 2021, 1 ed. Opladen: Verlag Babara Budrich. 236 p. ( L'AGENda; vol. 7)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  21. Published

    Hinweise und Empfehlungen zu Vermeidungsmaßnahmen bei Erdkabelvorhaben: Ergebnisse des gleichnamigen F+E-Vorhabens (FKZ 3518 86 0700)

    Runge, K., Schomerus, T., Gronowski, L., Müller, A. & Rickert, C., 2021, Bonn: Bundesamt für Naturschutz, 208 p. (BfN-Skripten; vol. 606).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers