What We Do

The Integrated Earth System Dynamics Laboratory tackles difficult interdisciplinary problems related to the functioning of the Human-Earth system.

Ecosystems

Large-scale ecosystem processes and climate change

Humans

Human activities and well-being within an Earth system framework

Material Flows

Extraction, transport and transformation within the human system

Humans are a major component of the Earth system, but the study of human and non-human systems is fragmented.

IESD research combines approaches from many disciplines to better understand how human activities, constructions and machines function at the global scale, and their coupling with climate, ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles.

Approaches we use:

  • Assembling and analyzing large datasets
  • Building and running numerical models
  • Developing simple theory for complex systems