Research
Introduction
Conducting research is a major function of many colleges and universities. By researching sustainability issues and refining theories and concepts, higher education institutions can continue to help the world understand sustainability challenges and develop new technologies, strategies, and approaches to address those challenges.
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Registry of Open Access Repository Mandates and Policies (ROARMAP)
- University of Southampton
The Registry of Open Access Repository Mandates and Policies (ROARMAP) is a searchable international registry charting the growth of open access mandates and policies adopted by universities, research institutions and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Transdisciplinary research in sustainability science: practice, principles, and challenges
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- Stellenbosch University (Western Cape)
- Maastricht University
- Leuphana University of Lüneburg
- Aberystwyth University
There is emerging agreement that sustainability challenges require new ways of knowledge production and decision-making. One key aspect of sustainability science, therefore, is the involvement of actors from outside academia …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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From the Porcupine Caribou to the San Francisco Peaks: Applied Holistic Sustainability in North America
- Sierra Nevada College (NV)
A framework of Holistic Sustainability sheds light on understanding past failures and informing present realities that pave the way for future opportunities. The current state of sustainable development is flawed, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
- Conference Presentations
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Building Change Agent Competencies Through Community-Based Research
- Dickinson College (PA)
- Portland State University (OR)
Community-based research (CBR) is a powerful pedagogy that engages students with community partners in authentic research that benefits the community while supporting students' development of change agent competencies and dispositions …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Successes & challenges of a Community-University experiment in local food system development in Southeast Minnesota
- Hamline University (MN)
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
Highlighting cohort experiences & research outcomes of the Southeast MN Foodshed Planning Initiative (SEFPI), our panel will engage participants in a broader discussion about effective practices for community-university partnerships that …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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New Research About Bin Set-Up to Increase Recycling In Offices
- Indiana University Indianapolis (IN)
- Keep America Beautiful (CT)
This presentation will review a new study commissioned by Keep America Beautiful that shows how the arrangement recycling and trash bins in office settings can lead to a 20% increase …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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UCLA Action Research Teams: student-staff-faculty collaborative research on campus sustainability
- University of California, Los Angeles (CA)
The UCLA Action Research Team (ART) program is part of the student-led Education for Sustainable Living Program offered for credit through the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. The …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Encouraging social norms when there are none: promoting unpopular sustainable behaviors
- Michigan State University (MI)
Research has shown the importance that social norms hold in influencing a person's behavior. Our own research has found this positive influence specifically in regards to undergraduate students and sustainable …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Measuring and Reducing Campus Nitrogen Footprints
- Brown University (RI)
- Colorado State University (CO)
- Dickinson College (PA)
- Eastern Mennonite University (VA)
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
- University of Virginia (VA)
Humans have substantially altered the nitrogen cycle, releasing reactive nitrogen to the environment at an annual rate twice that of natural fluxes. Increased releases of reactive nitrogen have cascading adverse …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus Sustainability in Christian Higher Education: Symbolic Value Claims or Substantive Organizational Change?
- Carroll University (WI)
Environmental activism about climate change and sustainability-related issues is increasing on conservative Protestant campuses in the U.S. Highly religious Christian students are engaging their peers to increase sustainability awareness and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Teaching and Learning Sustainable Chemistry K-16: From Classroom Application and Analysis to Assessment and Refinement
- Colorado State University (CO)
This presentation explores aspects of 'sustainable chemistry.' The research assesses the challenges of 'teaching sustainable chemistry' in K-16 classrooms through an experimental course, CHEM/EDUC580 at Colorado State University with the …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Integrating Chemistry and Sustainability Using Guided Inquiry Learning and Project Based Labs
- Stony Brook University (NY)
With support from a National Science Foundation (NSF) Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (TUES) grant and working with three colleagues from Stony Brook University's Sustainability Studies …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Institute for Green and Sustainable Science: An EPA model program in cross-disciplinary sustainability education
- Indiana University Indianapolis (IN)
- Marian University (IN)
The Institute for Green and Sustainable Science (IGSS) is a research, education, and outreach center engaging in the study of sustainability issues, particularly in ecology, green chemistry, and energy science. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Integrating Environmental Issues Into Social Sciences, Business, And Humanities Courses Using Ecological Worldview Principles
- University of St. Thomas (MN)
Environmental problems are actually human behavior problems. Social sciences and humanities are important contributors for addressing environmental sustainability as they investigate and explain human behavior. Yet for faculty, integrating sustainability …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Multiple Methods Approach to Exploring Conservation Decision Making on the Farm: From Theory to Application
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
- University of Minnesota System Office (MN)
Balancing agricultural production and water resource protection is a major challenge across the U.S. In Minnesota, where both water and agriculture are fundamental to the state's heritage, modern day identity, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Tiny House at the Tiny College: Design and Assessment of Sustainable Micro-Housing Alternatives
- Randolph College (VA)
The 'Tiny House' movement is an architectural and social phenomenon that promotes simple living in small homes. Depending on the design, a Tiny House may offer a sustainable housing option …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Using Green Chemistry to Introduce and Promote Sustainability in the Chemistry Curriculum and Profession
- St. Olaf College (MN)
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
- Minnesota Green Chemistry Forum (MN)
- Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (NY)
- Beyond Benign (MA)
Through its guiding principles, green chemistry provides a means for introducing topics of sustainability, ethics, and human health and safety into chemistry and related STEM curricula. It is the science …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Thinking Outside the Box: Evidence-based Data Collection for Sustainability Reporting
- Chatham University (PA)
- Florida Gulf Coast University (FL)
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs (CO)
- Sustrana LLC (PA)
This session will cover innovative and practical ways to gather meaningful data through real-world, applied scenarios. Specifically, the presenters will share methods for developing accurate heuristics for sustainability reporting in …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Doctoral Program in Sustainability Education: the Student Experience
- University of Mount Union (OH)
- Prescott College (AZ)
- Willamette University (OR)
Four recent graduates and a current student will describe their individualized approached to the PhD program in sustainability education. This panel discussion will include graduate experiences, descriptions of their individualized …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Developing Energy Management Programs for a More Sustainable Campus
- California State University, Dominguez Hills (CA)
- Enlighted Inc. (CA)
In 2012, California State University Dominguez Hills' Central Plant Manager, Kenny Seeton, was tasked with finding a way to limit energy expenditures on campus in order to meet the university's …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Aligning sustainability education with the needs of business
- Global Council Science and the Environment (DC)
- International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) (OR)
How is higher education preparing students to be sustainability professionals? What sustainability skills do businesses look for? How can professional certification help businesses, academics and most importantly, the students themselves? …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Undergraduates in a Sustainability Semester: Agency and Structural Change for Sustainability
- Goshen College (IN)
- Michigan State University (MI)
Many Sustainability Education (SE) researchers are interested in understanding how our students envision the mechanisms of social change, and how to help them develop capacity to make the change they …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Why students should shower with their phones: The call for shorter showers
- University of Rhode Island (RI)
- NORESCO (NC)
Do students know how long they are in the shower? Are students able to mentally time their shower? How can we encourage students to decrease their time in the shower? …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Healthy Green Campus: Using Evidence Based Approaches to Integrate Health and Well-being into Campus Sustainability
- Harvard University (MA)
- Silent Spring Institute (MA)
The latest research in sustainable development is focused on human health and well-being as a driving force of holistic sustainability efforts, and Harvard University sees this as a critical topic …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Real Food Calculator: Real Metrics, Transparency, & Accountability for Tracking Sustainable Food Procurement
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
- Real Food Challenge (MA)
What is just or sustainable food? How do we thoroughly and appropriately assess it in our cafeterias? Dig into the complexities of labels, certifications, and standards for 'real food' as …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Embedding undergraduate-led ecology experiments into temporary public art to transition vacant urban spaces
- University of St. Thomas (MN)
- Public Art Saint Paul (MN)
Over 50% of the global population currently lives in urban areas, and 3.2 billion more urban residents are predicted by 2050. Urbanized areas already produce most human-associated carbon emissions and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Sustainable Agriculture Project at Univ of MN Duluth: A Site-Based Land Lab for Sustainability
- University of Minnesota, Duluth (MN)
This proposal presents multiple perspectives on the creation and use of the Sustainable Agriculture Project (SAP). Founded in 2009, the SAP Farm is a site based laboratory for sustainability with …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Bridging the Gap: Building High Performing K-12 Schools That Ready Students for Sustainability in Higher Education
- Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
Healthy school environments are an important part of maintaining the safety, health and well-being of students in their everyday lives in both K-12 and higher education. Higher education institutions have …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Assessing Sustainability Attitudes: A New Multi-Dimensional Measure
- Central College (IA)
The rise of sustainability curricula in higher education has coincided with increasing calls for academic assessment, and a variety of tools have been developed to measure sustainability literacy and attitudes. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The effect of Infiltration basins and raingardens to clean snowmelt: An integrative learning project in sustainability
- Concordia College (NY)
Infiltration basins and raingardens have growing popularity for their effectiveness as well as being aesthetically pleasing. In 2012, Concordia College in Moorhead, MN put in an infiltration basin in an …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Using Student Research to Motivate Institutional Change
- Grinnell College (IA)
We recently took six students on a research trip to Germany to investigate sustainability practices there, with the aim of understanding why Germany is so far ahead of the U.S. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Post Occupancy Evaluation: A Classic Detective Game
- Kirksey Architecture (TX)
Buildings everywhere are underperforming relative to the goals they were designed to meet. Post-occupancy evaluations (POEs) are an effective method to uncover performance problems through assessments of energy use, indoor …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Caloric Output of Global Agriculture 1961-2012
- University of Arkansas (AR)
It is conventionally suggested that world food production must double to feed world population by mid-century. To evaluate this claim, an inventory of global agricultural production from 1961 to 2012 …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Multi-Decadal Appraisal of the Demotechnic Index: 1980-2012
- University of Arkansas (AR)
The Demotechnic Index (D-Index) is a metric of energy efficiency calculated by summing technological energy use and metabolic energy requirements of a population then dividing by the metabolic energy requirement …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Student Perceptions of the Temporal Domain of Sustainability
- University of Arkansas (AR)
Sustainability is 'development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'. The temporal domain of 'future generations' and thus, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Third Annual AASHE Workshop on Research Methods for Sustainability - Focus on Assessment
- University of Arkansas (AR)
AASHE 3rd WORKSHOP ON RESEARCH METHODS FOR SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS ON ASSESSEMENT Building on the success of previous workshops, this year, we have chosen to address methods and techniques that support …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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MinuteEarth: Sustainability Science Education through Online Videos
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
We propose to discuss the diversity of approaches to sustainability science education. As one example, we will share some of our MinuteEarth videos (https://www.youtube.com/minuteearth) with the AASHE conference participants and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
- Conference Presentations
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Stewardship Science: Connecting undergraduate-led sustainability research with community service
- University of St. Thomas (MN)
Growing environmental challenges make sustainability science training a pressing educational goal. Given the complexity and interdisciplinary nature of environmental problems, strategies are needed to recruit students with diverse skills to …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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GIS Field Collection to Support a Tree Inventory for Campus Sustainability
- University of West Georgia (GA)
To promote sustainability on the University of West Georgia campus a GIS-based field collection application was developed. It is being utilized to collect and maintain characteristics of trees on campus …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Measuring Attitudes of and Engagement with Sustainability on a Conservative Campus
- Utah State University (UT)
Having worked within sustainability offices at Utah State University (USU), we have learned the necessity of a knowledge-based approach to encouraging a new environmental ethic. We plan to bring such …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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NEXUS: Demonstration site for biomass greenhouse-heating systems to extend growing seasons for resource-limited farmers.
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Appalachian farmers struggle to maintain profitability with limited acreage, low profit margins, small markets and short growing seasons. To extend growing seasons, farmers dedicate some of their acreage to greenhouse …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Developing a Model for a Residential Curbside Organics Collection System in Charleston, SC using the Business Model Canvas
- College of Charleston (SC)
The Business Model Canvas (BMC) is a brainstorming and innovation tool used by businesses to map and design many different business models and ideas. While initially developed as a tool …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Data Visualization and Benchmarking Tools for Predictive Sustainable Decision-Making at Georgia Tech
- Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)
Like many universities, we have a lot of data, but decision-makers do not always know how to interpret it or how to use it to set campus priorities. We also …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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From Pollution to Possibility: A Sustainable Solution to Biodiesel Production Wastewater
- Loyola University Chicago (IL)
Biodiesel is often seen as a potential solution to our energy crisis because of its ability to take waste products and convert them into fuel. In Loyola's biodiesel lab, waste …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Regional Sustainability as Social Innovation
- Luther College (IA)
This case study will present research on the connections between sustainability and the growing fields of social innovation and collective impact. How do organizations and communities best address complex social …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Putting Biomimicry Thinking into Practice: Lessons learned through an online sustainable design thesis project
- Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MN)
Biomimicry, the practice of emulating models and strategies in nature, enables designers to see and learn from nature in new ways (Biomimicry Institute). This paper describes the primary learning outcomes …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Creative Assessment Strategies for Learning Outcomes
- The Ohio State University (OH)
Setting learning outcomes for student programs is easy, but figuring out how to measure what they learn has been a challenge for us at Ohio State. Come hear how we've …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Integrating Research, Learning, and Community: A Curriculum Model for Sustainability Science in Higher Education
- University of Alaska Fairbanks (AK)
Are you interested in developing an interdisciplinary course with a research component around an important sustainability issue (i.e. water, energy, food security)? This session provides a working model that others …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Case Study Based Research in the Education of Sustainable Architecture
- University of Arkansas (AR)
Among the variety of employed methodologies, case study based research has been a commonly utilized approach in law, medicine, and business administration. As with these disciplines, case studies are also …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Mass Balance of Humanity: Attempting A Global Inventory
- University of Arkansas (AR)
The non-renewable resource base on which human technological society depends is finite. While this is quite well-understood, estimating the total mass of those non-renewable resources presents a daunting challenge. In …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.
All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.
AC 9: Research & Scholarship
- Percent of research employees that conduct sustainability research
- Percent of research departments that conduct sustainability research
- Sustainability research inventory (upload)
- Sustainability research inventory (description)
- Website URL - Sustainability research
AC 9: Support for Sustainability Research
- Description of the student sustainability research program
- Description of the academic staff sustainability research program
- Website URL - Support for sustainability research
AC 10: Open Access to Research
- Website URL - Open access repository
- Open access policy (upload)
- Open access policy (description)
- Description of the open access article processing charge (APC) fund
- Description of the open access journal hosting services
- Website URL - Support for open access
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.