Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences Institute (EPSSI)
Mission
The Earth Planetary and Space Sciences Institute (EPSSI) is a focus for interdisciplinary activities in earth, atmospheric, oceanographic and space sciences at Michigan Technological University. EPSSI's purpose is to enable its members to offer programs and pursue research opportunities in those disciplines that go beyond the scope of individual academic departments.
Remote sensing comprises not just instrumentation or measurement tools, but represents a perspective that employs a broad morphology of disciplines and demands interdisciplinary breadth. For example, current members collaborate on projects spanning imaging science, atmospheric science, data/signal processing, data visualization, and remote sensing instrumentation. These are typically applied to a specific problem in earth system science, ecosystem studies, limnology/oceanography, global change, and a host of other areas. At least nine different departments currently have faculty members participating in EPSSI.
EPSSI's goals are to work by consensus to promote remote sensing and related topics on the Michigan Tech campus through:
- interdisciplinary coursework and programs,
- group funding efforts for equipment and research,
- interdisciplinary seminars and short courses, and
- development of a campus culture that actively supports trans-disciplinary activities.
Sustainable Futures Institute (SFI)
Mission
The mission of the Sustainable Futures Institute (SFI) is to create and disseminate new scientific knowledge and engineering products in support of sustainability research and education.
The Sustainable Futures Institute (SFI) will assimilate the multiple skills and capabilities required to support a new metadiscipline of sustainability science, including:
- the fundamental physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics needed for environmental assessment;
- ecological economics, including sustainability criteria in economic input-output analysis;
- industrial ecology and design at the process, plant, firm, regional, national, and global scale;
- information technology for real-time monitoring of processes, remote sensing of the environment, and geographical information systems;
- human and environmental impact modeling and risk assessment;
- social and behavioral research tools, and
- professional and K-through-gray educational programs, including assessment of their impacts on choices made by design engineers, policy makers, and consumers.
By advancing this metadisciplinary endeavor, the Institute will combine information and insights across multiple disciplines and perspectives.