Arthur M. Blank School
The Blank School engages Babson community members and leads research to create entrepreneurial leaders.
Socio-Ecological Systems
Humans are a part of, not apart from, nature. Everything is connected, systems are integrated, and yet, there is widespread structural injustice in the world.
As you dive into your sophomore year, taking a Socio-Ecological Systems course is a requirement where you'll learn about the intersections among social, ecological, and economic systems that provide a full definition of the integrated sustainability challenges facing our future. Get ready to solve tomorrow's problems today.
Learn the Skills to Create Sustainable Value
Prepare to explore the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—a blueprint for achieving a more sustainable future. The problem is clear: scientific evidence shows that human actions are the main driver of global environmental change. We’ll look to understand what decisions and activities have driven climate change, and focus on the opportunities that lie in the multiple solutions to slowing, adapting, and addressing this global crisis.
The Socio-Ecological Systems (SES) requirement helps you learn integrated sustainability and systems thinking (think interconnections and feedback, not linear events) and develop the problem-solving skills you need to be an effective global leader who imagines sustainable solutions to real-world challenges. Your leadership takeaways from this course will include structures of justice, support and include diverse communities, address critical issues of declining natural resources and climate change, and discover new paths to build flourishing and resilient communities.
Leading the Charge on Integrated Sustainability
Scientist and Babson Associate Professor and Faculty Director of Integrated Sustainability David Blodgett works with many Babson faculty to co-design the Socio-Ecological Systems curriculum, and, together with staff from multiple departments, tracks and assesses Babson’s sustainability goals and climate action plan.
The Socio-Ecological Systems Core Requirement
The required SES course is Socio-Ecological Systems. This multifaceted course blends the social sciences, humanities, and ecological sciences to teach integrated sustainability. Numerous electives are offered each semester to build on this foundation.
- Must be completed in your sophomore or junior year
- Two professors in the classroom: One natural scientist such as an ecologist or biologist, and one social scientist such as a historian, economist, political scientist, or sociologist
- Blends the social sciences, humanities, and ecological sciences
- 4 credits
- Urban Development
- Natural Disasters
- Feeding the Modern United States
The Academic Experience
Studying Science at a Business School
Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Science Joanna Carey asked students to express their vision for a better future. Why? Because she believes as Babson students, they can ignite change.
One Student’s Mission to Solve Climate Change
Ela Gokcigdem ’24 was looking for a college that emphasized sustainability. She attended Summer Study here on campus, and was drawn to the Institute for Social Innovation.
Tough Choices for Economics in the Arctic
Professor Michael Goldstein’s course examines the Arctic’s climate, policy, and economy. See how his students experienced firsthand the tough choices facing the region.
Preserving the Planet, One House at a Time
Have you ever done a home energy audit? Through this hands-on experience, students in Introduction to Sustainability learn a philosophical, social, and practical framework for the study of sustainability.
Linking Science and Liberal Arts
The course Feeding the Modern United States is a mashup between two professors who specialize in U.S. labor history, science, and share a love of the country’s greenest state, Vermont.
The Australia Fires and Our Future
Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Science Joanna Carey brings the headlines into the classroom, underscoring climate change’s impact on every aspect of our lives.
Institute for Social Innovation
If you’re a changemaker, the Institute for Social Innovation is your home away from home. With resources, networking experiences, and a constant stream of business and sustainability conversations called The Uncommon Table, it’s a hub of inspiration for those dreaming of changing the world.
Good Business Fridays
What does it means to lead a “good business” in any role or sector?
Meaningful Business 100
How are entrepreneurial leaders driving meaningful business?
Community Table
Conversations for eaters and food entrepreneurs of all kinds.
Teens Unmuted
Conversations created by and for youth changemakers.
We Work Hard to Be and Stay Green
We are part of the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) program—a global sustainability standard created for higher education.
Our Alumni In Action
Power for the People
One is the CEO of Eversource. Another is LPR Energy’s CFO. Still more have founded energy startups. See how a handful of Babson alumni are working on the cutting edge of renewable energy.
More Than Profits
Andrew Liddington ’18 is a senior analyst at Sustainable Energy Advantage, a renewable energy consulting firm. His passion for sustainability work was nurtured at Babson.
An Environmental Justice Expert at the White House
Kyle Whyte ’01, a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, is bringing his sustainability expertise to the newly formed White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council.
