Research Activities

The Institute of environmental system research focuses its activities on the field of applied system science. Mathematics, computer science, and systems science are linked with the applied subjects of environmental science and socio-economics.

Our research covers the integrated description and analysis of the state of the environment and its compartments, the analysis of their transformation processes, and the development of problem solutions. Mathematical-scientific processes of model formation are used to enable us to understand environmental systems, to predict their material impact, and to evaluate their effects on humans and ecosystems. Therefore, mass balances on a national, regional, and operational level are carried out, and environmental management systems are developed. Analytical methods are developed and applied in laboratory experiments to develop fate models. Field experiments are performed at different scales for model evaluation and to support uncertainly and sensitivity analysis.

A further topic has recently been added to the research program: The description and analysis of social systems and decision processes within human-technology-environment systems. Agent-based analysis and modelling are linked to participation methods in order to better understand the impact of human actions on the environment and to initiate innovation processes with the participating agents.