Center of Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research (ZIN)
Status: Organisation is active
Phone number: +49 251 83-25327
Fax number: +49 251 83-25383
Email address: zin@uni-muenster.de
| Address: | Heisenbergstraße 2 48151 Münster Germany |
Profile
Questions of sustainability are often at the forefront of public and academic debate. Economic, social and ecologic sustainability of the world economic system or the implementation of sustainable development goals on the level of the United Nations are only a few current topics. Science cannot ignore the urgency of sustainability and is called on to contribute to the public discourse through analytical, evaluative, integrative and applied research utilizing both normative and empirical methods. The Center of Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research combines sustainability related research, teaching and consulting in social studies, law, religious studies, and geosciences at the University of Muenster. It serves as a contact point for questions on sustainable development for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Town of Muenster, the media, and nongovernmental organizations. The Center conducts research and scientific symposiums on a variety of questions relevant to sustainability. The Center's faculty teaches interdisciplinary lectures and seminars on sustainability for graduate and undergraduate students. The Center trains junior scholars to integrate research on sustainability from multiple disciplines. The Center offers consulting and educational opportunities to governmental, nongovernmental, and corporate entities.
Publications
Guirgis, Fady; Jostmeier, Milena; Notzon, Swantje; Breuckmann, Tobias; Froese, Rebecca; Gerke, Daria-Maria; Stroila, Iulia-Maria; Wilkens, Lea In: Beiträge zur Hochschulforschung. Research article (journal) | Peer reviewed | accepted / in press (not yet published) | |
Fehrmann, R. (2026) In: (eds.), Integration und Ko-Kreation - Miteinander von Mensch und Maschine in Forschung und Bildung. Münster: Waxmann. Research article (book contribution) | Peer reviewed | accepted / in press (not yet published) | |
Fehrmann, R. (2025) In: Staats, M.; Schwering, H. (eds.), Instrumentarien für ein gutes, gelingend(er)es Leben - Ideen, Impulse und Instrumente für die Praxis und Lehre, 136-140. Weinheim: Beltz Juventa. Research article (book contribution) | Peer reviewed | Published | |
Fuchs, Doris; Debourdeau, Ariane; Dütschke, Elisabeth; Fahy, Frances; Garzon, Giulia; Kirchler, Benjamin; Klöckner, Christian A.; Sahakian, Marlyne (2025) In: Consumption and Society, 4(1). doi:10.1332/27528499Y2024D000000033 Research article (journal) | Peer reviewed | Published | |
Fehrmann, R. (2025) In: Pädagogik, 2025(09), 42-45. Research article (journal) | Peer reviewed | Published |
Projects
Duration: 02/07/2025 - 31/10/2027 Type of project: Own resources project | |
Duration: 01/04/2025 - 31/03/2028 Funded by: Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt Type of project: Individual project | |
Duration: 01/04/2025 - 31/03/2026 Type of project: Own resources project | |
Duration: 01/02/2022 - 31/12/2022 Funded by: Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space Type of project: Participation in federally funded joint project | |
Duration: 01/06/2021 - 31/12/2026 Funded by: Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space Type of project: Participation in federally funded joint project |
Preisverleihungen
| Innovativste Konferenzeinreichung Awarded by: ICA interest group “HMC” & DGPuK-Sektion “Digitale Kommunikation“ Award given to: Mollen, A.; Kannengießer, S.; Glawatzki, A. Announced at: 16/09/2025 | Date of awarding: 16/09/2025 Type of distinction: Best presentation award |
Promotionen
| Konzept der hydromorphologischen-ökologischen Aue und Herleitung hierauf basierender Leitbilder für die obere Ems – Integration von dynamischen Prozessen in… Candidate: Harald Grote | Supervisors: Buttschardt, Tillmann K.; Meyer Elisabeth I. Period of time: until 09/07/2019 Doctoral examination procedure finished at: Doctoral examination procedure at University of Münster | |
| Nachhaltigkeit als Utopie. Können Utopien einen Beitrag zu einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung leisten? Candidate: Wendt, Björn | Supervisors: Grundmann, Matthias; Hofmeister, Dieter Period of time: 02/01/2012 - 01/08/2018 Doctoral examination procedure finished at: Doctoral examination procedure at University of Münster | |
| Green infrastructure – creating habitats with agriculture Candidate: Jenny A. Schmidt | Supervisors: Buttschardt, Tillmann K.; Steinhardt, Uta Period of time: until 20/07/2018 Doctoral examination procedure finished at: Doctoral examination procedure at University of Münster | |
| Die Agrarökologie vor dem Hintergrund des Anthropozäns: Fallbeispiele aus Argentinien, Deutschland und Italien Candidate: Ana Cornelia Steinhäuser | Supervisors: Buttschardt, Tillmann. K.; Heimbach-Steins, Marianne Period of time: until 13/07/2018 Doctoral examination procedure finished at: Doctoral examination procedure at University of Münster | |
| Reflexives Denken im Geographieunterricht. Eine empirische Studie zur Bestimmung von Schülerreflexion mithilfe von Weblogs im Kontext Globalen Lernens Candidate: Brendel, Nina | Supervisors: Schrüfer, Gabriele Period of time: until 22/04/2016 Doctoral examination procedure finished at: Doctoral examination procedure at University of Münster |
Habilitationen
IT/IS-Strategien in Wissenschaft und professioneller Praxis Candidate: Teubner, Rolf Alexander | Reviewers: Klein, Stefan; Löschel, Andreas; Wiesel, Thorsten; Schoder, Delef (Universität zu Köln)Period of time: 26/06/2019 - 04/12/2019 Habilitation procedure finished at: Habilitation procedure at University of Münster |
Vorträge
| Transdisciplinary spaces as spaces for conflict transformation Pastoors, Daniela ; Froese, Rebecca ; Hussak, Melanie (27/02/2026) Konflikt – Raum – Emotion: Lokale Konflikte verstehen und bearbeiten, Erfurt Type of talk: scientific talk | |
| Sustainability in the Age of Digital Transformation Kannengießer, S. (10/12/2025) Colloquium, Center for Advanced Internet Studies, Bochum Type of talk: scientific talk | |
| Pursuing the Transformation Towards 1.5° Societies in Times of Polarisation Becker, Lea M.; Berker, Lars; Fuchs, Doris (08/12/2025) The Politics of Limits: Sustainability and Democracy in Times of Changing Climates, Essen Type of talk: scientific talk | |
| Roundtable discussion “Justice as a Foundation for the Sustainability Transformation” Fuchs, Doris; Buttschardt, Tillmann; Pauliuk, Stefan; Di Giulio, Antonietta; Mont, Oksana (05/12/2025) RIFS Conference 2025: ”Tough Conversations in Tough Times”, Berlin Type of talk: scientific talk | |
| Navigating Agency and Structures: Preliminary results from an attempt to pursue slow science in a fast (science) world Schmidt, Fynn; Wiethüchter, Julia (04/12/2025) RIFS Conference "Tough Conversations in Tough Times", Berlin Type of talk: scientific talk |