Research in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy addresses critical problems ranging from energy and food systems and sustainable development to natural resources governance and environmental justice. Our interdisciplinary faculty bridge natural and social sciences as well as theory and practice to develop innovative environmental solutions.
These areas are not isolated, as interaction among them is an essential feature of the departmental structure and our common understanding of environment and society as a co-evolving, integrated whole, as shown in the figure below. Many faculty members contribute to more than one area.
Departmental Systems Laboratory
Departmental students and faculty are supported by the Departmental Systems Laboratory (Syslab) on the Budapest campus, aiming at use of latest Information and Communication Technologies in various environmental domains (http://syslab.ceu.edu ). Special attention is paid to Geographic Information Systems, remote sensing using satellite imagery and modeling of environmental and social systems. Syslab possesses licenses for ArcGIS package and other commercial geospatial products. Through its capacity building project (http://isepei.org), the laboratory conducts regular in-service trainings for practitioners and professionals on using ICTs in various domains, such as disaster management, water security, biodiversity conservation, among others. The laboratory cooperates with global leaders in geospatial technologies, such as UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, UN Development Program, UN FAO, European Commission's Joint Research Center, Esri, Google, MAXAR, Planet, among others, which allows students and researchers to utilize the resources of these organizations.
For more information on our specific research initiatives, please see our research areas, projects, publications and research groups & centers submenus, as well as our faculty profiles.