Institute at Brown for Environment and Society

At the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, we seek to develop insights into today’s environmental problems and a new paradigm for solving tomorrow’s, educate the next generation of environmental leaders, demonstrate our paradigm through rigorous problem-oriented research and disciplinarily-grounded, engaged education, and establish a bridge to a deeper understanding of the human condition.

What we do and why we do it is broadly similar to many peer institutions, but our approach is different. We seek to advance human, social and economic wellbeing through convening disciplinary experts to solve interdisciplinary problems. Thus, we seek to both advance fundamental understanding and solve real-world problems.

Further, it is clear that human development has become a threat to future generations on earth. While scholars have been tackling questions of sustainability for years, we no longer have the luxury of time. At IBES we focus our efforts on the people and systems most at risk. Through research and education, we fortify the vulnerable with knowledge, supporting their informed choices to improve their lives and the environment that sustains them... where it matters most.