ISEES brings together people from the natural and social sciences and practitioners to analyze sustainability issues and recommend options for moving toward sustainability.  We believe that the development of options for sustainability requires integrating social, economic, and ecological factors.  ISEES encourages graduate students to assume leadership roles in this process.

The challenge of sustainability is to reconcile social and economic activities with the long-term health of the Earth's interconnected ecosystems.  We need to better understand complex and ever-changing ecosystems and how they influence people's livelihoods.  It is equally crucial to learn how social forces and institutions either promote or hinder more sustainable ways of living.
 

Different cultures, social systems, and life experiences shape our understanding of peoples' relationships with nature.  At ISEES, we recognize differences in decision-making power and the importance of examining the political implications of sustainability initiatives.  We believe that the only way to move toward a more sustainable society is through a synthesis of diverse perspectives.

Contemporary research questions and societal debates about sustainability revolve around a number of rich and interconnected themes.  To address these themes, the research, education, and outreach goals of ISEES include:

• Generate a new transdisciplinary synthesis of concepts and methods for research on sustainability issues.
• Understand forces influencing sustainability at local, regional, and global scales.
• Develop and evaluate techniques for assessing conditions for sustainability.
• Generate policy options for moving communities toward sustainable conditions.
• Facilitate information exchange between scholars, practitioners, and citizens.