Sustainability is not a goal. It is the next stage of evolution.
A theory of reality under conditions of planetary crisis.
Sustainability Scholar, Author & Lecturer
“My name is Dr. Iris Pufé, I’m a longterm sustainability researcher, author, lecturer and visiting professor teaching Europe-wide at higher-education institutions.”
Dr. Iris Pufé
PhD, MBA
A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF SUSTAINABILITY
In an age of accelerating complexity, artificial intelligence, and planetary instability, we need new forms of literacy — the ability to see patterns, connections, and consequences. My mission is to make the invisible dynamics of sustainability visible and comprehensible.
I work across disciplines — from physics to philosophy, from biology to sociology, from digitalization to consciousness research. My transdisciplinary teaching connects natural and social sciences with culture, psychology, and systems theory. I design models that help students and professionals alike understand sustainability not as a burden, but as an evolutionary opportunity: the chance to align human intelligence with planetary intelligence.
When we understand how systems evolve — how life self-organizes, adapts, and transforms — we can also understand how societies might evolve sustainably. My research explores this connection through what I call the Evolutionary Sustainability Model, a framework that links emergence, cognition, and consciousness as drivers for sustainable development.
FACTBOX
- PhD, MBA
- Author of 4 Books
- Teaching in German & English
- Empowering the Next Generation of Change Agents
- Bridging Science & Society
- International Visiting Lecturer
- 2028 upcoming book “sustainability”, 4th edition at UTB, “modern standard lecture book on sustainability
My portfolio at a Glance
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Fast-access formats | Deep-learning formats | Transformation formats | Legacy formats |
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Connecting Science, Society and Sustainable Futures
My goal is to deepen the understanding of sustainability by teaching diversely in the higher-education sector. I develop future-oriented learning formats that connect solid theoretical foundations with today’s global challenges, including ESG controlling, values management, and leadership development. My work is aimed at students seeking a rigorous and integrative understanding of sustainability in the 21st century.
Upcoming new book
The Century Challenge: Rethinking Sustainability
A broader perspective on the hyper-complex “century issue” of sustainability is essential. Our survival depends on understanding sustainability as an evolving system, one that demands an evolving mindset.
Most traditional approaches prioritize technological fixes over systemic transformation. What is needed is consciousness — the capacity to critically reflect on the destructive dynamics of our civilization. Sustainability spans from material processes to human reflexivity.
An Academic Framework for Sustainable Change
I am currently working on the fourth edition of my established sustainability textbook (UTB / UVK, hardcover, approx. 600 pages; publication planned for 2028). Designed for higher education, the book integrates natural sciences, social sciences, and consciousness studies into a coherent theoretical framework. It offers a comprehensive approach to understanding and shaping sustainable development in the 21st century, connecting empirical insight with systemic thinking and transformative perspective. For students, academia, and educators.
Main Characteristics of the New Edition
The book will be thoroughly revised and expanded to reflect new developments in sustainability research:
- Grounded in science oriented toward transformation
- Interdisciplinary integration of natural and social sciences
- Updated scientific findings or data
- Revised theoretical interpretations
- Newly structured with up to date case studies and examples.
- Aimed at university teaching & executive education
- Recommended as thematic foundation for various sustainability-related study programs