About the Institute
Fact Sheet (PDF)
Reporting to the University of Michigan (U-M) Provost, the Graham Institute is a collaborative partnership of schools, colleges and units across the U-M. We foster cross-disciplinary collaboration to create and disseminate knowledge and to offer solutions related to complex sustainability issues.
Sustainability is an emerging field of problem-driven, interdisciplinary scholarship and practice that seeks to protect the environment and enhance quality of life for present and future generations. The field is defined by the problems it addresses rather than the disciplines it employs. It draws from multiple disciplines of the natural, social, medical and engineering sciences, from the professions and humanities, and from practical field experience in business, government, and civil society.
At the Graham Institute, we foster sustainability by:
- Creating and supporting interdisciplinary educational programs that explore the complexities of sustainability and emphasize the inter-relationships between human and ecological systems.
- Bringing together diverse collections of researchers and stakeholders to develop science-based assessments that inform and assist key decision makers.
- Developing outreach programs that educate communities and constituents on strategies to effectively foster sustainability.
- Leveraging existing and incubating new U-M sustainability research, education, and outreach efforts.