Wilfrid Laurier University
ER-15: Sustainability Research Identification

Sustainability research concerns the scientific analysis, communication and performance of how 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. Sustainability research considers the ecological, economic, social, and cultural factors and interconnections necessary for creating conditions that are at once manageable, viable, and equitable. As such, it is connected to Laurier's multi-campus, multi-disciplinary environment, core values and guiding principles through such topics as: social/environmental justice, ecological resilience, equity, diversity, human and labour rights, economic prosperity, land-use planning, resource management, socially-engaged cultural and artistic production, and health and well-being.

The Sustainability Office sifted through all information available on the Laurier website to identify sustainability research. Based on this information, the Sustainability Office created a preliminary list of faculty members who conduct sustainability research. Note: the information on the Laurier website in some cases is lacking in sufficient detail to make a 100% accurate decision as to whether or not the research falls within the definition of sustainability research. Due to this limitation, the developed list was considered preliminary. Faculty members then had an opportunity to validate this list by means of a survey. A survey was sent to all faculty members asking those who were on the list to confirm or deny that they should be there and those we were not on the list to deny or confirm that they should be. The Sustainability Office collected the survey results and amended the list of sustainability researchers.