STEPS Director takes on global science role

STEPS Director takes on global science role. Professor Melissa Leach, Director of the STEPS Centre based at Sussex, has been named as vice chair of a newly formed science committee for global sustainability research programme Future Earth. The STEPS Centre (Social, Technological and Environmental Pathways to Sustainability) is an interdisciplinary global research and policy engagement hub, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. It is based at SPRU - Science and Technology Policy Research and the Institute of Development Studies on campus. In her new role with Future Earth, Professor Leach will be part of a major 10-year international research programme that aims to provide the critical knowledge needed to address the challenges of global environmental change and to identify opportunities for a transition to global sustainability. Professor Leach said: "In an era of unprecedented environment and development challenges, Future Earth offers the vital opportunity many of us have awaited: to take forward, at global scale, a new paradigm for interdisciplinary, engaged science that will genuinely help build pathways to sustainability, and wellbeing for those who are marginalized. "I am delighted at the chance to bring engaged social science perspectives to this endeavour, and to work with a fantastic group of committee members and partners around the world to help make this vision a reality." The 18-member science committee - the first Future Earth governance body to be appointed - will make recommendations on projects and priorities for research.