Ecological Sustainability

Robert B. Northrop, majored in electrical engineering (EE) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), graduating with a bachelor’s degree. At the University of Connecticut (UCONN), he received a master’s degree in systems engineering. He entered a PhD program at UCONN in physiology, and received his PhD in 1964. Dr. Northrop’s research interests have been broad, interdisciplinary, and centered on biomedical engineering and physiology. His current interest lies in complex systems. Dr. Northrop was on the electrical and computer engineering faculty at UCONN until his retirement in June 1997. As emeritus professor, he still teaches graduate courses in biomedical engineering. Anne N. Connor, MA, is currently working as the director of community grants for Methodist Healthcare Ministries, a medical nonprofit organization in San Antonio, TX. Her educational background includes a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College, where she received honor citations in chemistry and sociology. Her master’s degree in communications is from the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque. She is the coauthor of Introduction to Molecular Biology, Genomics and Proteomics for Biomedical Engineers (Taylor & Francis/CRC Press, ISBN # 1420061194). She has received numerous awards for her work, most recently a humanitarian award from the San Antonio health care community.

"In this time of narrow specialization, the authors have provided a remarkably broad synthesis of the biophysical factors that support human sustainability."––Joseph A. Tainter, Department of Environment and Society, Utah State University

• Human Sustainability. Review of Complexity and Complex Systems. Multidimensional Challenges to Human Sustainability. Mitigations of Human Impacts Through Technology. Sustainable Agriculture. Unconventional Foods: Insects, Plankton, Fungi and In Vitro Meat. Complex Economic Systems and Sustainability. Application of Complex Systems Thinking to Sustainability Problems. What Will Happen to Us?: FAQs on Sustainability.