University at Buffalo
ER-15: Sustainability Research Identification

Sustainability research is any systemic research focused on the dynamic interplay between environment, economy, and society. Sustainable systems preserve and advance the healthy functioning of ecological, economic, and social systems now and in the future. Sustainability research is informed by the simultaneous consideration of environmental, economic, and social systems and the long-term viability of those systems. Questions of scale, both geographic and temporal are similarly central to this work.

With the engagement of the Research, Teaching, and Public Service committee of the Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC), a comprehensive inventory of our research in sustainability was created. A list of all faculty research was generated, and colleagues that were already conducting sustainability research were identified. An email was sent to these faculty asking to confirm that their research was sustainability focused or related and whether they knew of other colleagues doing this work. Under seperate cover, an email was sent to all faculty at the institution, asking them to complete a survey on whether they conduct sustainability related or focused research or teach courses in these areas. Our final list was informed by our initial assessment, the specific responses we received from our targeted solicititation, and finally, from our broad request of all faculty. We are comfortable with this methodology and look forward to refining it in the future.