The School of Sustainability works closely with the Global Institute of Sustainability to provide a comprehensive program that integrates education and research.
The Global Institute of Sustainability evolved from over 30 years of environmental research conducted by the Center for Environmental Studies at Arizona State University (ASU). In 1997, Charles Redman became the new director of the Center. In 2004, Julie A. Wrigley contributed $15 million to ASU to establish the Global Institute of Sustainability and from the Institute grew the School of Sustainability which opened in 2007, with another $10 million donation from Ms. Wrigley. Dr. Redman is now the director of the School and as of July 1, 2007 Jonathan Fink is the director of the Institute.
The Institute conducts research, education, and problem-solving related to sustainability, with a special focus on urban environments. More than half of the world’s population lives in cities: global sustainability cannot be achieved without making cities sustainable. The Institute initiates and nurtures work on issues of sustainability across many departments on the four campuses of ASU, and collaborates with other academic institutions, governments, businesses and industries, and community groups locally, nationally, and globally.
