Research Impact: Making a Difference
Syllabus
- Background and System Parts
- This section explains who I am, why I'm using soccer as a metaphor, systems and reductionist thinking and sustainability. This section also outlines the main parts of a system (elements, flows, stocks, feedback loops, and purpose).
- System Boundaries and Behaviors
- Our approach to sustainability depends on how we define our system boundaries. What must we consider? What can we leave out? And, what can we reasonably infer from the perspective we define? We will also dive into system behaviors in this section. With parts and boundaries defined, we can detect system-level behaviors and discover how they affect sustainability.
- Evaluating Systems and Creating Sustainable Systems
- To evaluate sustainability in our systems, and check our progress, there are properties to consider and methods to apply. Once we define and evaluate our systems, then we’re ready to create systems that are more sustainable.
- The Endless Quest for Sustainability
- There is no magical fix; pursuing sustainability is an endless quest of constant effort at the limits of our abilities, and that’s where the fun is.
