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Mapping research activities and technologies for sustainability and environmental studies—a case study at university level

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  • Keishiro Hara
  • Michinori Uwasu
  • Shuji Kurimoto
  • Shinsuke Yamanaka
  • Yasushi Umeda
  • Yoshiyuki Shimoda

Abstract

Systemic understanding of potential research activities and available technology seeds at university level is an essential condition to promote interdisciplinary and vision-driven collaboration in an attempt to cope with complex sustainability and environmental problems. Nonetheless, any such practices have been hardly conducted at universities due mainly to a lack of appropriate institutional schemes and methodologies to systemically collect, map out, and synthesize individual research activities within a university. In this paper, we present the recent initiative of such systemic and comprehensive understanding of research activities at university level. We carry out a case study, attempting to summarize all the relevant research activities and technology seeds associated with environmental issues and sustainability currently being studied individually at the laboratory level at Osaka University. We collected 138 potential seeds from the university's relevant schools and institutes and sorted them according to Japan's three sustainability visions. The case study demonstrates the university's potential to provide collective knowledge enabling the societal transition to sustainability if these seeds are systematically overviewed and effectively mobilized to mesh with specific social demands and purposes. We highlight the need for a framework and practice that allows synthesizing research activities and promising technologies even at university level to further facilitate providing collective knowledge and discuss challenges and research needs for promoting synthesis practices and interdisciplinary research that are essential to deal with sustainability problems. Copyright AESS 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Keishiro Hara & Michinori Uwasu & Shuji Kurimoto & Shinsuke Yamanaka & Yasushi Umeda & Yoshiyuki Shimoda, 2013. "Mapping research activities and technologies for sustainability and environmental studies—a case study at university level," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 3(1), pages 42-48, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jenvss:v:3:y:2013:i:1:p:42-48
    DOI: 10.1007/s13412-012-0099-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Keishiro Hara & Michinori Uwasu & Hideki Kobayashi & Shuji Kurimoto & Shinsuke Yamanaka & Yoshiyuki Shimoda & Yasushi Umeda, 2012. "Enhancing Meso Level Research in Sustainability Science—Challenges and Research Needs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 4(8), pages 1-15, August.
    2. Bourke, Paul & Butler, Linda, 1998. "Institutions and the map of science: matching university departments and fields of research," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(6), pages 711-718, February.
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