Multidisciplinary Insights on Sustainability

Experiences from Academia, Industry, and Civil Society
Erscheinungsjahr 2026
ISBN: 978-3-032-33477-0
Verlag: Springer

Buch, Englisch, 164 Seiten, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 235 mm

Reihe: Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering

This book presents a multidisciplinary collection of perspectives on sustainable development, based on the graduate course held at the University of Campinas (Unicamp). It brings together leading voices from academia and industry to explore how different sectors and fields of knowledge are responding to the climate emergency.

The volume covers a wide range of topics, including women’s leadership in climate action; negotiation strategies at global climate summits; the just energy transition; sustainable business models; technological innovation in manufacturing; human rights; and the role of universities in advancing sustainability. Each chapter is authored by a specialist who participated in the seminar series, offering readers rich, practice-informed insights grounded in both research and real-world experience.

Graduate students from the course also contribute original reflections and essays, enriching the dialogue with emerging voices in sustainability. The book responds to the urgent need for integrated knowledge that bridges disciplinary silos and connects theory with practice. It highlights how universities and industries can co-create sustainable solutions through open dialogue, mutual learning, and collaborative action.

By combining technical, social, economic, and ethical perspectives, this book makes a distinctive contribution to the literature on sustainability transitions. Through both critical reflections and actionable strategies, it supports educators, researchers, policymakers, and business professionals seeking to understand and accelerate sustainability in their respective fields. It will be particularly relevant to those working in engineering, environmental studies, business, education, and the social sciences.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Labaki, Josue

Bittencourt, Marco Lucio

Cavaliero, Carla Kazue Nakao

Fachgebiete

• Geowissenschaften Umweltwissenschaften Nachhaltigkeit
• Technische Wissenschaften Maschinenbau | Werkstoffkunde Maschinenbau

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Chapter 1. Introduction: Teaching Sustainability Through Dialogue.- 2. Women’s Leadership in Addressing the Climate Emergency.- 3. Negotiation at Climate Conferences.- 4. Fourth-Generation Knowledge Territories: The Case of Shenzhen.- 5. Energy Transition in Brazil: A Historical Perspective.

Über Autor(innen)

Josué Labaki is Assistant Professor at the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Campinas (Unicamp), Brazil, where he has also served as undergraduate course coordinator for Mechanical Engineering and has worked on sustainability-oriented educational initiatives. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Unicamp and completed postdoctoral research at Unicamp and Simon Fraser University. His research spans soil–structure interaction, structural dynamics, vibration mitigation, topology optimization, and large-scale engineering systems. Alongside this technical work, Dr. Labaki has led interdisciplinary projects in engineering education, curriculum reform, and university extension, with emphasis on sustainability, mobility justice, accessibility, and the social responsibilities of engineering. His work connects computational and mechanical modeling with institutional change, seeking to place sustainability not only as an application area, but as a guiding dimension of engineering education and research practice.

Marco Lúcio Bittencourt is Full Professor at the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Campinas (Unicamp), Brazil. He earned his undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Unicamp, and carried out postdoctoral research at the University of Kentucky and Brown University. His main field is computational structural engineering, with emphasis on continuum mechanics, high-order finite element methods, high-performance object-oriented programming, and, more recently, phase-field models for the analysis of damage, fracture, and fatigue in metallic and polymeric materials. His applications include automotive engineering and the development of reliable computational tools for advanced structural analysis. Prof. Bittencourt has also held important academic leadership positions at Unicamp, including roles related to graduate education and institutional planning. His work contributes to engineering sustainability by improving the modeling, design, and assessment of materials and structures across their service life.

Carla Kazue Nakao Cavaliero is Associate Professor at the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Campinas (Unicamp), Brazil. She holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, as well as master’s and doctoral degrees in Energy Systems Planning from Unicamp. Her research focuses on energy systems and the transition to sustainable energy, with particular attention to alternative renewable sources such as biomass, solar photovoltaic energy, wind energy, and hydrogen. She works across technological, economic, regulatory, environmental, and socio-environmental dimensions, using approaches such as life-cycle assessment to study the sustainability of renewable energy production and use. Dr. Cavaliero has coordinated and participated in research, development, and innovation projects with energy companies, automotive-sector institutions, universities, and national and international funding agencies. Her work bridges engineering, public policy, and sustainability assessment, contributing to more responsible energy planning and to the development of low-carbon energy systems.