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Areas of Inquiry

 



The Integration of Human Societies and the Natural Environment
How do we, as humans, build societies that are integrated with the natural systems that support life? The answer to this question is increasingly critical as the world’s population increases and urban centers expand. PSU research provides a roadmap for sustainable development that brings about the harmonious integration of human and natural systems.
 
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Creating Sustainable Urban Communities
PSU is already known for its expertise and intellectual leadership in urban studies and urban planning. With our sustainability research, we are buildng on this strength through an interdisciplinary academic focus on the successful integration of the “triple bottom line” (economic, ecological and social needs) in urban centers. The City of Portland offers us the ideal research to study the changing ecological and socioeconomic conditions of a city already adopting many sustainable policies and principles.
 
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Implementing Sustainability and Mechanisms of Change
How and why do people, organizations and societies adopt more sustainable policies and behavior? And what motivates change? PSU faculty and students are researching how and why sustainability is (or isn’t) adopted.
 
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Measuring Sustainability

Many people and organizations choose to adopt sustainable practices without knowing whether or not a particular practice actually works. We provide the measurement tools and data that will enable the most effective practices possible, thereby fostering increasing sustainable behavior.

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