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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Using Case Studies to Explore a More Just, Sustainable World
- Colorado State University (CO)
What leadership role can higher education play to challenge what is unsustainable? Case studies represent one proven way to engage students in meaningful discussions about important and complex issues. Drawing …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Improved Methods for Measuring the Efficacy of Waste Diversion Programs
- Western Colorado University (CO)
Campus recycling and other waste diversion programs have been growing rapidly over the past several decades. However, surprisingly little empirical evidence exists for assessing the efficacy of these programs in …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Educating for Sustainability, Peace and Reconciliation
- Colorado State University (CO)
Case studies can engage students in real, difficult, and complex issues (Timpson & Doe, 2008). Funded with a small grant from the School of Global Environmental Sustainability (SoGES) at Colorado …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Addressing Sustainability, Diversity, Peace and Justice
- Colorado State University (CO)
Case study research and development can be effective for addressing aspects of sustainability but learning does not just happen (Timpson & Doe, 2008). To serve as effective guides, instructors must …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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UCLA Action Research Teams: Model for Collaborative Sustainability Research
- University of California, Los Angeles (CA)
The UCLA Action Research Team (ART) program is part of the student-led Education for Sustainable Living Program, run on several UC campuses across California under the umbrella group the California …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Training the next generation of environmental problem solvers
- Colorado State University (CO)
a) Background
The most critical issues facing the world stem from complex interactions between humans and the environment. The School of Global Environmental Sustainability (SoGES) at CSU established 2008 is …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability in Christian Higher Education: A Look at Pepperdine University
- Pepperdine University (CA)
It has been assumed by many that Christian universities and colleges have little to offer discussions about sustainability because far too many Christians have disregarded the magnitude of environmental problems …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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How Three Institutions Achieved Progressive Measures of Environmental Sustainability
- South Dakota State University (SD)
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to use a comparative case study to examine how higher education institutions achieved progressive measures of environmental sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach: The study compared three …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Vernadsky's biosphere and noosphere: A ready-to-use conceptual framework for teaching sustainability
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
Although the world recognized the importance of education for a sustainable future and we now live through the sixth year of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Core Competencies in Learning for Sustainability
- Western Michigan University (MI)
Successful implementation of sustainability declarations and commitments such as the ACUPCC (particularly 1.c.iii: "Actions to make climate neutrality and sustainability a part of the curriculum and other educational experience for …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Climate Neutral Research Campuses
- Alliance for Sustainable Energy (CO)
Climate Neutral: Research Campuses
Center of Excellence Provides Resources to Achieve Climate Neutrality
Abstract
A new climate action resource center illustrates the full range of campus climate action options with …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Encouraging Sustainable Apparel Consumption among Undergraduate Students
- Kansas State University (KS)
The purpose of this two-part study is to examine relationships between knowledge of and attitudes towards sustainability in the apparel and textile (AT) industry and students' apparel purchasing behaviors.
In …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Why Sustainability Needs Aesthetics
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
Sustainability is not value-neutral. It requires a recalibration of values in order to be able to correct our current unsustainable practices. The deposing of aesthetics--and in particular, of beauty--is part …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Towards Place-based Engagement in the University District of Portland
- Portland State University (OR)
The City of Portland's EcoDistrict Initiative is an emerging concept for modeling sustainable development within the Portland Metro region. The EcoDistricts Initiative is a multi-sectoral collaboration which seeks to "use …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Gaian Methodologies - An Emergent Confluence of Sustainability Research Innovation
- Prescott College (AZ)
Gaian Methodologies flourish as a green and growing global research convergence. Sustainability extends beyond campus infrastructure; nature's design and organizing insights and patterns can inform research methods and guide research. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Journal of Sustainability Education
- Prescott College (AZ)
The Journal of Sustainability Education (JSE) serves as a forum for academics and practitioners to share, critique, and promote research, practices, and initiatives that foster the integration of economic, ecological, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Partnering with Local Government to Promote Sustainable Development
- Randolph College (VA)
Research partnerships between colleges and local government can be an effective way to promote sustainability at the community level. This project applied principles of conservation development to the analysis of …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Institutionalizing sustainability in community colleges: role of the college president
- Spokane Community College (WA)
The purpose of this completed doctoral research study was to describe and improve understanding of the meaning of institutionalized sustainability and the role that a college president plays in institutionalizing …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Scientific Laboratories Becoming More Efficient through Behavioral Changes & Equipment Solutions
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
Laboratories at the University of Colorado-Boulder (CU-Boulder) typically use 5-7 times more energy than classroom or office space. Like many universities, until recently, CU laboratories have not been a focal …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Strategies to Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Lab Buildings on Academic Campuses
- University of Washington, Seattle (WA)
Laboratory buildings, because of programmatic and safety requirements, remain one of the highest consumers of energy on academic campuses. As campuses develop and implement plans to achieve carbon neutrality commitments …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Evaluating Fieldwork for Undergraduate Sustainability Education
- University of Alberta (AB)
Many undergraduate instructors consider fieldwork as central to courses in sustainability and environmental studies. Common goals of fieldwork include the development of general and subject-specific skills, opportunity for experiential and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Innovative Programs from UNC's Center for Sustainable Enterprise
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC)
UNC's Center for Sustainable Enterprise at the Kenan-Flagler School of Business has developed two innovative sustainability programs: 1) CSE Consulting is a one of a kind, award-winning program that leverages …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Operations and Academics Collaboration for Sustainability on Campus
- British Columbia Institute of Technology (BC)
The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) is Canada's premier polytechnic institution. It operates out of five campuses in western Canada, and it is oriented towards meeting the needs of …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Impacting Ecological Attitudes and Material Values through Practical Reasoning: Fostering Sustainability Learning in Professional Programs
- Kansas State University (KS)
A singular focus on advancing sustainability through science and technology is inadequate to the enterprise of creating a sustainable society. To achieve sustainability, it will be necessary to transform culture …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Field Documentation and Survey of Bamboo Structures
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
Development of sustainable construction materials is growing, with research and construction being initiated worldwide. Structural applications of indigenous material resources such as bamboo are an integral part of sustainable development. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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NWF's Campus Environment 2008 National Survey Findings
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
- National Wildlife Federation (VA)
It has been seven years since NWF Campus Ecology's last national survey, and much has changed in the landscape of campus environmental programs and practices. In early 2008, the survey …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Multidisciplinary Education and Outreach: Partnerships in Sustainability
- Kansas State University (KS)
The Urban Operations Laboratory (UOL), comprised of Kansas State University, M2 Technologies, and CABEM Technologies, performs environmental research, training, assessment, and product development. One of UOL's tasks is to assist …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus-wide Sustainability Principles for Planning, Design, and Operations
- East Carolina University (NC)
This presentation is a collaborative effort between Mansoura University in Egypt and East Carolina University. A post doctoral study on ECU campus sustainability principles was implemented. It has brought together …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Poster I - Sustainability on Campus: Higher Education and Leadership Role
- East Carolina University (NC)
This poster is a collaborative effort between Mansoura University in Egypt and East Carolina University. It was developed as part of a post doctoral study, focused on fostering campus-wide sustainability …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Poster II - Sustainability on Campus: What Others Do - Short, Medium, and Long Term Plans for Green Campus Initiatives
- East Carolina University (NC)
This poster is a collaborative effort between Mansoura University in Egypt and East Carolina University. It was developed as part of a post doctoral study, focused on fostering campus-wide sustainability …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Field Report for the Nelson Insitute for Environmental Studies Carbon Footprint Project
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
- Affiliated Engineers, Inc. (WI)
This project examines the carbon footprint of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies (NI) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The goal of the NI Carbon Footprint Project is to provide …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainable Laboratory Design Case Study
- BNIM Architects (MO)
Laboratory buildings are usually thought of as being the inevitable energy hogs on campus. The Fayez S. Sarofim Research Building, home of the Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine at …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Price of Reduction: A Comparative Analysis of the Cost-Benefit Perceptions of Reduction Initiatives
- Chatham University (PA)
This research contrasts the perceived benefits and costs of implementing two reduction initiatives (plastic bottle ban, pesticide ban) as perceived by key constituencies (students, faculty, administration). The two initiatives provide …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Creating a Research Agenda in Sustainability for Emerging Research Institutions
- Ball State University (IN)
Many colleges and universities find creating on-campus sustainable initiatives, such as recycling and reducing energy usage, to be a good starting contribution to change how these institutions effect the environment. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Inclusion from Conception - A Presidential Perspective
- Hadassah Academic College
Embracing sustainability in every facet of higher education is to crystallize and practice it in every decision and motion made. At Hadassah College Jerusalem we conducted thorough research based on …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Experiential Learning: UNC's Business Accelerator for Sustainable Entrepreneurship (BASE)
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC)
The new Business Accelerator for Sustainable Entrepreneurship (BASE) at the University of North Carolina provides an innovative experiential learning opportunity for students to work directly with sustainably-oriented businesses. BASE is …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Green Research for Incorporating Data into the Classroom (GRIDc)
- North Carolina State University (NC)
North Carolina State University (NCSU), NCSU Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and the Department of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education, the North Carolina Solar Center, and Pitt Community College are working …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Portland State University: Let Knowledge Serve the City
- Portland State University (OR)
PSU's approach to sustainability seeks to integrate operations, research, education and community engagement. Our poster will draw on green building and watershed stewardship projects that demonstrate our strategy. The ways …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability Science at a Land Grant Institution: Linking Community Visioning and Scientific Analysis
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
The need for academic researchers to have meaningful co-learning experiences with leaders in the broader community has been highlighted in much of the literature on sustainability. Scientists and community leaders …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Progress along the Path of Transdisciplinary Action Research. Experiences and Challenges in the Integration of Engineering and Community Development to Address Water Quality Issues in rural Honduras.
- University of Vermont (VT)
Sustainable development presents complex, multidimensional issues that require approaches extend well beyond conventional academic disciplines. Bridging disciplinary boundaries is challenging, and sustainable development requires more than interdisciplinarity. It requires integrating …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Students Doing Research on Sustainability Reaching Out Beyond the Campus
- Arizona State University (AZ)
The concept of education for sustainable development has been acknowledged by institutions of higher education and underscored by the UNESCO Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. On the demand side, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Tribal College Sustainability Indicators
- College of Menominee Nation (WI)
The Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) within the College of Menominee Nation (Menominee Indian Reservation, WI) is spearheading the Tribal College Sustainability Indicators Research Project. Prompted by the success of the …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Hocking College Energy Institute
- Design Group (OH)
Construction of the Hocking College Energy Institute will commence in the summer of 2008. Hocking College was recently awarded a $1.6 million grant from the Economic Development Administration for the …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Agenda 21 at Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Federal University of Minas Gerais
Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) is the largest university in Minas Gerais State, Brazil, with more than 30.000 students, and 3000 professors. In the last two years it is …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Economics and Sustainability: Using the Campus and Community as a Laboratory
- Furman University (SC)
Economics is not always at the center of sustainability discussions, but it is an essential consideration as universities and communities transition from discussion to policy formation. The answers to questions …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Using IPCC DDC Scenarios and MAGICC-SCENGEN Model for Teaching Global Climate Change
- Grand Valley State University (MI)
Global climate change is a very complex phenomenon: students need to understand the causes of climate change, its potential environmental and socio-economic consequences, and the adaptation and mitigation options to …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Center for Research and Sustainable Living, Yucatan, Mexico
- Millsaps College (MS)
The Helen Moyers Biocultural Reserve, located in Yucatan, Mexico ranks in the top third of privately held reserves by size in Latin America. The 1600 hectare tropical deciduous forest tract …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Bringing Biophilia to Life - Connecting Living Systems to the Built Environment
- Mithun (WA)
Originally crafted by German social psychologist Erich Fromm around 1965, the term Biophilia means "love of life or living systems." The philosophy of Biophilia pairs well with the current flurry …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Promoting Sustainable Agriculture Careers for Undergraduates through a Collaborative Experiential Learning and Research Program at Cornell University: The Sustainable Agriculture Scholars Program
- North Carolina State University (NC)
The number of undergraduate students majoring in agricultural fields is steadily declining, resulting in fewer trained agricultural professionals able to address complex problems concerning agricultural sustainability. We developed and piloted …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Developing Integrated Research, Education, and Outreach Programs in Sustainable Agriculture at NC State University: A Model for Land Grant Universities
- North Carolina State University (NC)
Land grant universities (LGUs) play a vital role in educating students and training extension agents in organic and sustainable agriculture. Incorporating research, education and extension outreach into their missions, LGUs …
- 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.