Simon Fraser University
ER-15: Sustainability Research Identification

Section 3: Research in and for Sustainability 3.1 Sustainability as a topic of research Sustainability research concerns the disciplined and rigorous investigation of the means to create and maintain conditions that enable societies to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is expected that knowledge discovered through this research will be communicated for the public benefit Sustainability research considers one or more of the ecological, economic, social and cultural factors and their interconnections necessary to create conditions that are at once sustainable, viable and equitable. Sustainability research can be interdisciplinary, crossing traditional academic areas. SFU’s multi-campus, interdisciplinary environment has a broad range of sustainability research areas including: social/environmental justice, ecological resilience, environmental learning, equity, diversity, human and labour rights, economic prosperity, land-use planning, resource management, socially-engaged cultural and artistic production, and health and well-being. Sustainability research may also help us develop new technologies and processes such as photovoltaics, fuel cells, iPhone applications, and new materials. 3.2 Sustainability methods in research Research that uses sustainable methods may or may not investigate a sustainability topic. Sustainable methods would include any effort by the researcher to decrease the environmental and social impact of their study. This might include: − Reducing or eliminating energy and materials use − Reducing or eliminating toxic by-products − Reducing or eliminating impact on people and communities − Reducing or eliminating harm to non-human animals − Obtaining research funds from ethical sources