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. 2011
  2. Published

    Erratum to "Generic functions of railway stations-A conceptual basis for the development of common system understanding and assessment criteria" [Transp. Policy 18 (2010) 446-455]

    Zemp, S., Stauffacher, M., Lang, D. J. & Scholz, R. W., 08.2011, In: Transport Policy. 18, 4, p. 648-648 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  3. Published

    Konzeption und Praxis des Nachhaltigkeitscontrollings: Ansatzpunkte in großen deutschen Unternehmen

    Schaltegger, S. & Zvezdov, D., 08.2011, In: Controlling. 23, 8/9, p. 430-435 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Measuring the Impacts of NGO Partnerships: The Corporate and Societal Benefits of Community Involvement

    Hansen, E. G. & Spitzeck, H., 08.2011, In: Corporate Governance. 11, 4, p. 415-426 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Online Peer-to-Peer Lending: A Literature Review

    Bachmann, A., Becker, A., Bürckner, D., Hilker, M., Kock, F., Lehmann, M., Tiburtius, P. & Funk, B., 08.2011, In: Journal of Internet Banking and Commerce. 16, 2, p. 1-18 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  6. Published

    The cuticular profiles of Australian stingless bees are shaped by resin of the eucalypt tree Corymbia torelliana

    Leonhardt, S., Wallace, H. M. & Schmitt, T., 08.2011, In: Austral Ecology. 36, 5, p. 537–543 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Predator diversity and abundance provide little support for the enemies hypothesis in forests of high tree diversity

    Schuldt, A., Both, S., Bruelheide, H., Härdtle, W., Schmid, B., Zhou, H. & Aßmann, T., 28.07.2011, In: PLoS ONE. 6, 7, 8 p., e22905.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Analyses of Drugs and Pharmaceuticals in the Environment

    Ali, I., Aboul-Enein, H. Y. & Kümmerer, K., 05.07.2011, Biophysico-Chemical Processes of Anthropogenic Organic Compounds in Environmental Systems. Xing, B., Senesi, N. & Ming, P. (eds.). 1 ed. John Wiley & Sons Inc., p. 439-462 24 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  9. Published

    Classifying railway stations for strategic transport and land use planning: Context matters!

    Zemp, S., Stauffacher, M., Lang, D. & Scholz, R. W., 07.2011, In: Journal of Transport Geography. 19, 4, p. 670-679 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Energiespeicherung in Bundeswasserstraßen

    Schomerus, T. & Degenhart, H., 07.2011, In: Solarzeitalter. 23, 2, p. 34-38 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  11. Published

    Exposure of the Irish population to PBDEs in food: consideration of parameter uncertainty and variability for risk assessment

    Trudel, D., Tlustos, C., von Goetz, N., Scheringer, M., Reichert, P. & Hungerbühler, K., 07.2011, In: Food additives & contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment. 28, 7, p. 943-955 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  12. Published
  13. Published

    Long-term population dynamics of Dactylorhiza incarnata (L.) Soo after abandonment and re-introduction of mowing

    Schrautzer, J., Fichtner, A., Huckauf, A., Rasran, L. & Jensen, K., 07.2011, In: Flora. 206, 7, p. 622-630 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  14. Published

    Preference for violent electronic games and aggressive behavior among children: The beginning of the downward spiral?

    von Salisch, M., Vogelgesang, J., Kristen, A. & Oppl, C., 07.2011, In: Media Psychology . 14, 3, p. 233-258 26 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  15. Published

    Transdisciplinarity in Corporate Sustainability: Call for Papers

    Schaltegger, S. (Editor), Beckmann, M. (Editor) & Hansen, E. G. (Editor), 07.2011, In: Business Strategy and the Environment. 20, 5, p. 348-350 3 p.

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

  16. Published

    Contribution of Pollinator-Mediated Crops to Nutrients in the Human Food Supply

    Eilers, E. J., Kremen, C., Smith Greenleaf, S., Garber, A. K. & Klein, A.-M., 22.06.2011, In: PLoS ONE. 6, 6, 6 p., e21363.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  17. Published

    Cues from Facial Expressions for Emotional Interfaces

    Tews, T.-K., Oehl, M., Siebert, F., Faasch, H. & Höger, R., 20.06.2011, Human Centred Automation: HFES Europe Chapter. De Waard, D., Gérard, N., Onnasch, L., Wiczorek, R. & Manzey, D. (eds.). Shaker Publishing, p. 111-122 12 p.

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

  18. Published

    Social Conflicts on Agro-Biotechnology: Conflicting Interests and Conflict of Interest in the Debate on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

    Friedrich, B., Gottschlich, D. & Sulmowski, J. A., 15.06.2011, Conflict of Interest in Central and Eastern Europe. Burdziej, S. & Szalacha, J. (eds.). Zysk i S-ka Wydawnictwo, p. 33-52

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

  19. 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

  20. Published

    Assessment of the environmental persistence and long-range transport of endosulfan

    Becker, L., Scheringer, M., Schenker, U. & Hungerbühler, K., 01.06.2011, In: Environmental Pollution. 159, 6, p. 1737-1743 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  21. Published

    Impact of anthropogenic input on physicochemical parameters and trace metals in marine surface sediments of Bay of Bengal off Chennai, India

    Raju, K., Vijayaraghavan, K., Seshachalam, S. & Muthumanickam, J., 01.06.2011, In: Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 177, 1-4, p. 95-114 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  22. Published

    Sustainability as a Driver for Corporate Economic Success: Consequences for the Development of Sustainability Management Control

    Schaltegger, S., 01.06.2011, In: Society and Economy. 33, 1, p. 15-28 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  23. Published

    Functional complementarity and specialisation: The role of biodiversity in plant–pollinatorinteractions

    Blüthgen, N. & Klein, A.-M., 06.2011, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 12, 4, p. 282-291 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  24. Published

    Innovation Contests for Sustainability-Oriented Product Innovation: Findings from a Worldwide Shoe Innovation Contest

    Hansen, E. G., Bullinger, A. C. & Reichwald, R., 06.2011, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 33 p.

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  25. Published

    Institutionen für eine transformative Forschung: Zur Gründung der NaWis-Runde

    Schneidewind, U., Ernst, A. & Lang, D., 06.2011, In: GAIA. 20, 2, p. 133-135 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  26. Published

    Plant–flower visitor interaction webs: Temporal stability and pollinator specialization increases along an experimental plant diversity gradient

    Ebeling, A., Klein, A.-M. & Tscharntke, T., 06.2011, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 12, 4, p. 300-309 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  27. Published

    Plant–pollinator interactions in changing environments

    Klein, A.-M., 06.2011, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 12, 4, p. 279-281 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  28. Published

    Similar performance in central and range-edge populations of a Eurasian steppe grass under different climate and soil pH regimes

    Wagner, V., von Wehrden, H., Wesche, K., Fedulin, A., Sidorova, T. & Hensen, I., 06.2011, In: Ecography. 34, 3, p. 498-506 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  29. Published

    The trade-off between phosphorus recycling and health protection during the BSE crisis in Switzerland: A "disposal dilemma"

    Lamprecht, H., Lang, D., Binder, C. R. & Scholz, R. W., 06.2011, In: GAIA. 20, 2, p. 112-121 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  30. Published

    Belowground carabid beetle diversity in the western Palaearctic: Effects of history and climate on range-restricted taxa (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

    Schuldt, A. & Assmann, T., 20.05.2011, In: ZooKeys. 100, SPEC. ISSUE, p. 461-474 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  31. Published

    Carabid Beetles as Bioindicators: Biogeographical, Ecological and Environmental Studies

    Kotze, J. (Editor), Aßmann, T. (Editor), Nordijk, J. (Editor), Turin, H. (Editor) & Vermeulen, R. (Editor), 20.05.2011, Sofia: Pensoft Publishers Ltd. 573 p. (Zoo Keys; no. 100)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesConference proceedingsResearch

  32. Published

    Eucamaragnathus desenderi, a new ground beetle species from Africa (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

    Aßmann, T., Drees, C., Matern, A. & Schuldt, A., 20.05.2011, In: ZooKeys. 100, SPEC. ISSUE, p. 37-46 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  33. Published
  34. Published

    Poleward range expansion without a southern contraction in the ground beetle Agonum viridicupreum (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

    Drees, C., Brandmayr, P., Buse, J., Dieker, P., Gürlich, S., Habel, J. C., Harry, I., Härdtle, W., Matern, A., Meyer, H., Pizzolotto, R., Quante, M., Schäfer, K., Schuldt, A., Taboada Palomares, A. & Aßmann, T., 20.05.2011, In: ZooKeys. 100, SPEC. ISSUE, p. 333-352 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  35. Published

    When to sample in an inaccessible landscape: A case study with carabids from the Allgäu (northern Alps) (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

    Harry, I., Drees, C., Hofer, H. & Aßmann, T., 20.05.2011, In: ZooKeys. 100, SPEC. ISSUE, p. 255-271 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  36. Published

    Prospective Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Nanosilver T-shirts

    Walser, T., Demou, E., Lang, D. & Hellweg, S., 15.05.2011, In: Environmental Science & Technology. 45, 10, p. 4570-4578 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  37. Published

    Contrasting temporal trends and relationships of total organic carbon, black carbon, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in rural low-altitude and remote high-altitude lakes

    Bogdal, C., Bucheli, T. D., Agarwal, T., Anselmetti, F. S., Blum, F., Hungerbühler, K., Kohler, M., Schmid, P., Scheringer, M. & Sobek, A., 01.05.2011, In: Journal of Environmental Monitoring. 13, 5, p. 1316-1326 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  38. Published

    Identification of perfluoroalkyl acid sources in Swiss surface waters with the help of the artificial sweetener acesulfame

    Müller, C. E., Gerecke, A. C., Alder, A. C., Scheringer, M. & Hungerbühler, K., 01.05.2011, In: Environmental Pollution. 159, 5, p. 1419-1426 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  39. Published

    Tracking the origin of invasive Rosa rubiginosa populations in Argentina

    Hirsch, H., Zimmermann, H., Ritz, C., Wissemann, V., von Wehrden, H., Renison, D., Wesche, K., Welk, E. & Hensen, I., 01.05.2011, In: International Journal of Plant Sciences. 172, 4, p. 530-540 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  40. Published

    Municipal wastewater treatment and biomass accumulation with a wastewater-born and settleable algal-bacterial culture

    Su, Y., Mennerich, A. & Urban, B., 05.2011, In: Water Research. 45, 11, p. 3351-3358 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  41. Published

    Predation risk indirectly enhances survival of seaweed recruits but not intraspecific competition in an intermediate herbivore species

    Molis, M., Preuss, I., Firmenich, A. & Ellrich, J., 05.2011, In: Journal of Ecology. 99, 3, p. 807-817 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  42. Published

    Response to David B. Brooks

    Wegerich, K. & Olsson, O., 05.2011, In: Water International. 36, 3, p. 410-413 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  43. Published

    Schutzgebiete im Klimawandel – Risiken für Schutzgüter

    Vohland, K., Badeck, F., Böhning-Gaese, K., Hanspach, J., Klotz, S., Kühn, I., Laube, I., Schwager, M., Trautmann, S. & Cramer, W., 05.2011, In: Natur und Landschaft. 86, 5, p. 204-213 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  44. Published

    Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Innovation: Categories and Interactions

    Schaltegger, S. & Wagner, M., 05.2011, In: Business Strategy and the Environment. 20, 4, p. 222-237 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  45. Published

    The effect of hunting regimes on tree regeneration in lowland beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests

    Fichtner, A., Sturm, K., Wagner, J., Huckauf, A. & Ellenberg, H., 05.2011, In: Forstarchiv. 82, 3, p. 75-81 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  46. Published

    The relationship between resilience and sustainability of ecological-economic systems

    Derissen, S., Quaas, M. F. & Baumgärtner, S., 15.04.2011, In: Ecological Economics. 70, 6, p. 1121-1128 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  47. Published

    Developing European conservation and mitigation tools for pollination services: approaches of the STEP (Status and Trends of European Pollinators) project

    Potts, S. G., Biesmeijer, J. C., Bommarco, R., Felicioli, A., Fischer, M., Jokinen, P., Kleijn, D., Klein, A.-M., Kunin, W. E., Neumann, P., Penev, L. D., Petanidou, T., Rasmont, P., Roberts, S. P. M., Smith, H. G., Sorensen, P. B., Steffan-Dewenter, I., Vaissiere, B. E., Vila, M., Vujic, A., Woychiechowski, M., Zobel, M., Settele, J. & Schweiger, O., 13.04.2011, In: Journal of Apicultural Research. 50, 2, p. 152-164 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  48. Published

    Global growth and stability of agricultural yield decrease with pollinator dependence

    Garibaldi, L. A., Aizen, M. A., Klein, A. M., Cunningham, S. A. & Harder, L. D., 05.04.2011, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA). 108, 14, p. 5909-5914 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  49. Published

    Ecosystem services between sustainability and efficiency

    Olschewski, R. & Klein, A.-M., 01.04.2011, In: Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy. 7, 1, p. 69-73 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  50. Published

    § 23 Wasserkraft

    Schomerus, T., 04.2011, Erneuerbare- Energien-Gesetz: Kommentar. Frenz, W. & Müggenborg , H.-J. (eds.). 2. ed. Berlin: Erich Schmidt Verlag, p. 526-550 25 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions in collection of commentariesResearch

  51. Published

    § 24 Deponiegas

    Schomerus, T., 04.2011, Erneuerbare- Energien-Gesetz : Kommentar. Frenz, W. & Müggenborg, H.-J. (eds.). 2. ed. Erich Schmidt Verlag, p. 551-561 11 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions in collection of commentariesResearch