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. 2018
  2. Published

    Innovative Wärmenetze, nachhaltige Wasserinfrastruktur und gemeinschaftliche Wohnprojekte: Politikempfehlungen

    Laws, N. & Heinrichs, H., 01.04.2018, Karlsruhe: Fraunhofer-Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung ISI, 54 p. (TransNIK Werkstattbericht; no. 8).

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsResearch

  3. Published

    Networking for the environment: The impact of environmental orientation on start-ups’ networking frequency and network size

    Dickel, P., Hörisch, J. & Ritter, T., 01.04.2018, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 179, April 2018, p. 308-316 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Community resilience for a 1.5 degrees C world

    Fazey, I., Carmen, E., Chapin III, F. S., Ross, H., Rao-Williams, J., Lyon, C., Connon, I., Searle, B. & Knox, K., 04.2018, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 31, p. 30-40 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  5. Published

    Efficacy of a web-based intervention with and without guidance for employees with risky drinking: Results of a three-arm randomized controlled trial

    Boß, L., Lehr, D., Schaub, M. P., Paz Castro, R., Riper, H., Berking, M. & Ebert, D. D., 04.2018, In: Addiction: The British journal of addiction to alcohol and other drugs. 113, 4, p. 635-646 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Non-metric multidimensional performance indicator scaling reveals seasonal and team dissimilarity within the National Rugby League

    Woods, C. T., Robertson, S., Sinclair, W. H. & Collier, N. F., 04.2018, In: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 21, 4, p. 410-415 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Simulating the fate and release of metazachlor and its transformation products metazachlor oxalic acid and sulfonic acid in a small-scale agricultural catchment

    Vollert, D., Gassmann, M., Lange, J., Kümmerer, K. & Olsson, O., 04.2018, Proceedings from the 20th EGU General Assembly: Geophysical research abstracts 20. European Geosciences Union (EGU), Vol. 20. p. 19569 1 p. (Geophysical Research Abstracts (GRA); vol. 20).

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

  8. Published

    Web-based intervention for depressive symptoms in adults with types 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus: a health economic evaluation

    Nobis, S., Ebert, D. D., Lehr, D., Smit, F., Buntrock, C., Berking, M., Baumeister, H., Snoek, F., Funk, B. & Riper, H., 04.2018, In: The British Journal of Psychiatry. 212, 4, p. 199-206 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Einfluss von Klimaänderungen auf das simulierte Umweltverhalten der Fungizide Boscalid und Penconazol in einem typischen terrassierten Weineinzugsgebiet

    Vollert, D., Denien, M., Kümmerer, K. & Olsson, O., 22.03.2018, Forum für Hydrologie und Wasserbewirtschaftung 39.18: M³ - Messen, Modellieren, Managen in Hydrologie und Wasserressourcenbewirtschaftung . Schütze, N., Müller, U., Schwarze, R., Wöhling, T. & Grundmann, J. (eds.). Dresden: Fachgemeinschaft Hydrologische Wissenschaften (FgHW), Vol. 39. p. 281-290 10 p.

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

  10. Published

    Foliar nitrogen metabolism of adult Douglas-fir trees is affected by soil water availability and varies little among provenances

    Du, B., Kreuzwieser, J., Dannenmann, M., Junker, L. V., Kleiber, A., Hess, M., Jansen, K., Eiblmeier, M., Gessler, A., Kohnle, U., Ensminger, I., Rennenberg, H. & Wildhagen, H., 22.03.2018, In: PLoS ONE. 13, 3, 24 p., e0194684.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    System Properties Determine Food Security and Biodiversity Outcomes at Landscape Scale: A Case Study from West Flores, Indonesia

    Collier, N. F., Sayer, J., Boedhihartono, A. K., Hanspach, J., Abson, D. & Fischer, J., 20.03.2018, In: Land. 7, 1, 19 p., 39.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  12. Published

    Inner conflict resolution and self-empowerment as contribution for personal sustainability on the case of intentional community practices

    Veciana, S. & Ottmar, K., 19.03.2018, Personal Sustainability: Exploring the Far Side of Sustainable Development. Parodi, O. & Tamm, K. (eds.). London: Taylor and Francis Inc., p. 116-135 20 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  13. Published

    Combination of experimental and in silico methods for the assessment of the phototransformation products of the antipsychotic drug/metabolite Mesoridazine

    Wilde, M. L., Menz, J., Leder, C. & Kümmerer, K., 15.03.2018, In: The Science of The Total Environment. 618, p. 697-711 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  14. Published

    ORCHIDEE-SOM: Modeling soil organic carbon (SOC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) dynamics along vertical soil profiles in Europe

    Camino-Serrano, M., Guenet, B., Luyssaert, S., Ciais, P., Bastrikov, V., De Vos, B., Gielen, B., Gleixner, G., Jornet-Puig, A., Kaiser, K., Kothawala, D., Lauerwald, R., Peñuelas, J., Schrumpf, M., Vicca, S., Vuichard, N., Walmsley, D. & Janssens, I. A., 15.03.2018, In: Geoscientific Model Development. 11, 3, p. 937-957 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  15. Published

    Agency and structure in a sociotechnical transition: Hydrogen fuel cells, conjunctural knowledge and structuration in Europe

    Upham, P., Dütschke, E., Schneider, U., Oltra, C., Sala, R., Lores, M., Klapper, R. & Bögel, P., 01.03.2018, In: Energy Research and Social Science. 37, p. 163-174 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  16. Published

    Correction to Neighbourhood stories: role of neighbour identity, spatial location and order of arrival in legume and non-legume initial interactions

    Weidlich, E. W. A., Faget, M. & Temperton, V. M., 01.03.2018, In: Plant and Soil. 424, 1-2, p. 183-185 3 p.

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

  17. Published

    Cross-resistance: A consequence of bi-partite host-parasite coevolution

    Biswas, T., Joop, G. & Rafaluk-Mohr, C., 01.03.2018, In: Insects. 9, 1, 15 p., 28.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  18. Published

    Neighbourhood stories: role of neighbour identity, spatial location and order of arrival in legume and non-legume initial interactions

    Weidlich, E. W. A., Temperton, V. M. & Faget, M., 01.03.2018, In: Plant and Soil. 424, 1-2, p. 171-182 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  19. Published

    On the Question of Blockchain Activism

    Leistert, O., 01.03.2018, The Routledge Companion to Media and Activism.. Meikle, G. (ed.). London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 376-384 9 p.

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

  20. Published

    Pathways to Reciprocated Friendships: A Cross-Lagged Panel Study on Young Adolescents’ Anger Regulation towards Friends

    Salisch, M. & Zeman, J., 01.03.2018, In: Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 47, 3, p. 673-687 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  21. Published

    Priority effects caused by plant order of arrival affect below-ground productivity

    Weidlich, E. W. A., Von Gillhaussen, P., Max, J., Delory, B., Jablonowski, N. D., Rascher, U. & Temperton, V. M., 01.03.2018, In: Journal of Ecology. 106, 2, p. 774-780 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review