Center for Sustainable Systems Studies

Origin and Programs of the Center

In 1997, Miami University established an Inter-college Center for Sustainable Systems Studies that would help meet the needs of each of the colleges involved, as well as the University’s mission of leadership in environmental education and research. The principal objectives of the Center are:

To develop, support and facilitate the teaching of one or more inter-college interdisciplinary courses on sustainability perspectives for students in business, design, natural science, engineering and natural resource fields; and to facilitate the development of curriculum materials for intra-course modules on the business-science interface appropriate for introductory or intermediate courses in many fields of the colleges involved;
To expand the opportunities for faculty research in sustainable development by seeking external funding for projects, faculty scholarship, and interdisciplinary graduate training on issues of sustainable business planning, earth resources development and reuse, tax and other policy instruments, and lifestyles;
To provide a focal point through which industry leaders and faculty from other universities can be brought to Miami for information exchange, conferences and as seminar speakers.

The Center seeks to provide the important cross fertilization between business, science, and policy scholars to develop unique perspectives on sustainability of development. We expect that the number of faculty with an active relationship in the Center will remain modest, but be developed gradually. Prof. Ray Gorman served as the first Center Director, and Orie L. Loucks serves in that capacity now.

The Center also is likely to become a focus for some of the graduate theses or reports done in the MBA program, in the Institute of Environmental Science, and in the Special Committee Ph.D. offered at Miami University. Undergraduates were involved with the earlier Miami University Sustainability Project, and this has continued following establishment of the Center.
Research has been expanded now to several major projects (see Research Projects) many publications, and several seminar speakers each year. This work’s guided by a Strategic Plan and an External Advisory Council.

Twenty three faculty from five of the university’s divisions have become Associates of the Center. Over time, we hope to utilize the talents of all of the associates to further the mission of the Center.

Orie Loucks, CSSS Director

About CSSS

Research presentations