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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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Towards a common future: revising the evolution of university-based sustainability research literature

  • Bournemouth University (Dorset)
  • University of Campinas
  • Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
  • University of Beira Interior
  • University of Passo Fundo
  • Universidade Federal Fluminense
  • Universidade federal de Santa Maria
  • University of Applied Sciences Zittau/Görlitz
  • University of Belgrade
  • Universidade NOVA de Lisboa
  • University of Minho
  • University of the Aegean (Lesvos)
  • University of Wroclaw/Uniwersytet Wrocławski (Wrocław)
  • Hiroshima University

The field of sustainability has evolved considerably since the report “Our Common Future” was published in 1987. Whereas matters related to sustainable development used to be of marginal interest in …

The Living Building at Nuthatch Hollow | Binghamton University

  • Binghamton University (NY)

Binghamton University's Nuthatch Hollow is a hidden oasis just a short distance from campus. Professors Pam Mischen and Carl Lipo explain how this 75-acre property is ideal for the construction …

  • Posted May 26, 2021
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Gritlab - The Green Roof Innovation Testing Laboratory

  • University of Toronto (ON)

The Green Roof Innovation Testing Laboratory, or GRIT Lab, is located at the University of Toronto, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design.

A platform for multidisciplinary collaboration, …

  • Posted May 26, 2021
  • Research Centers & Institutes
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Sneed Prairie Restoration Project

  • Austin College (TX)

From website: "In 2001, Austin College initiated an ecosystem restoration project at a former family farm. The Clinton and Edith Sneed Environmental Research Area and Prairie Restoration site, named after …

  • Posted May 26, 2021
  • Research Centers & Institutes
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SDG Undergraduate Research Group

  • University of California, Berkeley (CA)

Launched Fall 2020, SURG (SDG Undergraduate Research Group) is an undergraduate research group affiliated with the UC Berkeley Office of Sustainability and guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We …

Inclusive Sustainability: Collaborative Approaches through UC Santa Cruz’s People of Color Sustainability Collective

  • University of California, Santa Cruz (CA)

The People of Color Sustainability Collective (PoCSC) works to make the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) a leader in sustainability and environmental justice, in recognition of our changing demographics …

WMGIC Presentation

Global Innovation Challenge (WMGIC)

  • College of William & Mary (VA)

WMGIC is the premier intercollegiate hack-a-thon style international and sustainable development case competition aimed at encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration to create innovative solutions to current global issues.

Summer 2019 Student Researchers

New Ways to Love Trees

  • Hope College (MI)

As urbanization rapidly replaces natural forest cover, urban forests are becoming increasingly important because of the ecosystem services they provide. Through the development of the TreeSap app and corresponding educational …

Solar Farm 2.0 as seen through landscape buffer

UIUC Solar Farm 2.0: Ultra-Sustainable on-campus solar array

  • University of Illinois University Administration (IL)
  • University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)

Referred to as “Solar Farm 2.0,” a new 54-acre, 12.32 megawatt (MWdc) utility-scale array is located on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) campus, north of Curtis Road, between First …

President's Sustainability Research Fellowship 20-21: Carbon Offsets

  • Swarthmore College (PA)

The 2020-2021 President's Sustainability Research Fellowship Carbon Offsets project was conducted by Olivia Stoetzer '23 over the 2020-2021 Academic Year. The purpose of the project was to help Swarthmore create …

Reducing Scope Three Carbon Emissions Through Behavior Change & Menu Labeling

  • University of California, Berkeley (CA)

In October 2020, UC Berkeley’s Cal Dining implemented carbon emission labels to better inform customers about the carbon impact of the recipes served in the dining hall. Student researchers, Alejandra …

University of St. Thomas Stewardship Garden

  • University of St. Thomas (MN)

The Stewardship Garden (SG) at the University of St. Thomas (MN) is an innovative urban agriculture project that combines undergraduate-driven research, teaching, and community engagement. Established in 2010, the SG …

The Futility and Fatality of Incremental Action: Motivations and Barriers among Undergraduates for Environmental Action that Matters

  • Ithaca College (NY)

Monty Hempel was deeply engaged with the impact of sustainability education on student values and behavior. An important question that he posed was How can sustainability education provide a sound …

The research-policy relationship in environmental and sustainability education

  • University of Saskatchewan (SK)
  • Monash University (VIC)

Within the field of environmental and sustainability education (ESE), the interaction between ESE research and ESE policy has received limited attention. Beyond ESE, however, the research-policy relationship has become an …

Sustainability-oriented labs in real-world contexts: An exploratory review

  • Chalmers University of Technology

There are growing claims that meaningfully engaging with complex sustainability challenges requires change of a systemic nature. In governing transitions to sustainability, laboratories in real world contexts are growing in …

From Sustainability to the Anthropocene: Reflections on a Pedagogy of Tourism Research for Planetary Attachment

  • Linnaeus University

Though tourism research has become more value-laden in its scholarship and pedagogy, there is still a risk that tourism higher education curricula (re)produce uncritical views of society and sustainability. I …

Collaborating for transformation: applying the Co-Laboratorio approach to bridge research, pedagogy and practice

  • Simon Fraser University (BC)

Intractable issues such as poverty, environmental degradation and economic and social exclusions, as exemplified in the SDGs, are inherently systemic problems that require multi-actor collaborations. This paper presents the learnings …

SFU's Living Lab

  • Simon Fraser University (BC)

SFU's Living Lab is an approach that facilitates sustainability-themed research at SFU by creating structured collaborations between staff, faculty and graduate students to achieve University commitments and strategic priorities. The …

  • Posted April 30, 2021
  • Case Studies
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Developing Sustainability Competences Through Pedagogical Approaches: Experiences from International Case Studies

  • Gävle University College

This book is aimed at developing sustainability competences through pedagogical approaches by comparing 15 case studies from 12 countries in 4 continents (Africa, America, Australia, and Europe) analysing how Sustainable …

  • Posted April 23, 2021
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How to run a sustainability science research group sustainably?

  • University of Kassel
  • University of Turku
  • University of Hohenheim

Rigorous sustainability science includes addressing pressing real-world problems, weaving multiple knowledge systems, and striving for transformative change. However, these key attributes of sustainability science often conflict with university structures and …

  • Posted April 23, 2021
  • Publications
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Key competencies in sustainability in higher education—toward an agreed‑upon reference framework

  • Arizona State University (AZ)
  • Bellevue College (WA)
  • Chatham University (PA)
  • Furman University (SC)
  • Northern Arizona University (AZ)
  • University of South Dakota (SD)
  • University of Hawaii at Manoa (HI)
  • University of Michigan (MI)
  • Université Laval (QC)
  • UNESCO
  • University of Auckland
  • University of Vechta
  • Leuphana University of Lüneburg
  • Rovira i Virgili University

Hundreds of sustainability programs have emerged at universities and colleges around the world over the past 2 decades. A prime question for employers, students, educators, and program administrators is what …

  • Posted April 23, 2021
  • Publications
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Energy Efficiency Improvement in K-12 Schools: A Case Study in Florida

  • Florida Institute of Technology (FL)

K-12 schools are responsible for over 1.4% of the total annual energy consumption in the United States. In a collaboration between Florida Institute of Technology and Brevard Public Schools (BPS), …

  • Posted April 22, 2021
  • Publications
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DEI and Social/Environmental Justice Planning at University Sustainability Offices

  • Tufts University (MA)

This document is a memo written by an intern at the Tufts Office of Sustainability. The memo benchmarks 22 institutions of higher learning, noting the plans and initiatives that related …

  • Posted April 21, 2021
  • Publications
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Dealing with global environmental change: the design and validation of the GEC attitude scale

  • Monash University (VIC)
  • University of Vigo
  • University of A Coruña (a Coruña)

Global Environmental Change (GEC) refers to alterations in the structure and functioning of Earth Systems arising from the detrimental effects of human activities in the biophysical and socioeconomic spheres. This …

  • Posted April 8, 2021
  • Publications
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‘Challenge to the South’ Revisited: A Case Study Worldwide of Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

  • Yorkville University (NB)

Three decades ago Julius Nyerere (1990) wrote Challenge to the South. In response to the legacy of colonialism, Nyerere challenged the nations of the Global South to advance their development …

  • Posted April 8, 2021
  • Publications
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Transdisciplinary sustainability research in real-world labs: success factors and methods for change

  • Concordia University (QC)
  • Leuphana University of Lüneburg
  • Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
  • ISOE – Institute for Social-Ecological Research (Darmstadt)
  • TELEINTERNETCAFE
  • Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences
  • Universität Ulm
  • University of Freiburg (Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg)
  • Deutsche Universität für Verwaltungswissenschaften Speyer
  • Wuppertal Institut
  • Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste Stuttgart
  • Hochschule Heilbronn

The transdisciplinary research mode has gained prominence in the research on and for sustainability transformations. Yet, solution-oriented research addressing complex sustainability problems has become complex itself, with new transdisciplinary research …

  • Posted April 8, 2021
  • Publications
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Students tour the campus as part of a living lab experience

Campuses as living labs for integrated sustainability research, education, and practice

  • University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)

Campuses as living labs for integrated sustainability research, education, and practice

Ximing Cai, Morgan White#, Evan Delucia, Madhu Khanna Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Institute for Sustainability, …

  • Posted March 15, 2021
  • Publications
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Vertically Integrated Projects for Sustainable Development (VIP4SD)

  • AASHE (MA)
  • University of Strathclyde

As we enter the Decade of Action on these global goals, the VIP4SD program provides a platform for HEIs to leverage the unique access they have to the enthusiasm, idealism …

  • Posted March 3, 2021
  • Videos & Webinars
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Trends in research on the carbon footprint of higher education: A bibliometric analysis (2010–2019)

  • National Sun Yat-sen University
  • South China Normal University

Reducing carbon footprints is an important part of sustainable development. Although there has been increasing research attention to this topic, little is known about the status of research on the …

  • Posted Feb. 19, 2021
  • Publications
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Campus Forest Carbon Sequestration: An Undergraduate Project Experience

  • State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (NY)

Predicted changes in climate have generated interest in strategies to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases and increase education on the topic. Our study involved an instructor-led team of 19 biology …

  • Posted Feb. 10, 2021
  • Publications
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Bridging Research‐Practice Tensions: Exploring Day‐to‐Day Engaged Scholarship Investigating Sustainable Development Challenges

  • Abilene Christian University (TX)
  • Simon Fraser University (BC)
  • University of Toulouse

This paper adds to literature on engaged scholarship by exploring how previous experience, study expectations, and multiple identities are key factors that shape how management researchers perceive and experience the …

  • Posted Feb. 10, 2021
  • Publications
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A framework for mapping sustainability within tertiary curriculum

  • UNSW Sydney (NSW)

Purpose Sustainability within tertiary curriculum is hard to measure and often perceived to be illusive in nature. Existing higher education sustainability assessment tools rarely focus on the curriculum. This paper …

Carbon Footprint of Academic Air Travel: A Case Study in Switzerland

  • École Polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)

Relatively low travel costs and abundant opportunities for research funding in Switzerland and other developed countries allow researchers large amounts of international travel and collaborations, leading to a substantial carbon …

How interdisciplinary is sustainability research? Analyzing the structure of an emerging scientific field

  • Columbia University (NY)
  • University of Michigan (MI)

Sustainability research is expected to incorporate concepts, methods, and data from a diverse array of academic disciplines. We investigate the extent to which sustainability research lives up to this ideal …

3D Printer Safety: A Guide for Institutions of Higher Education to Support Indoor Air Quality & Human Health

  • Chemical Insights (GA)

Thanks to the development of affordable, compact, and user-friendly 3D printers, consumer use is booming, particularly in institutions of higher education. 3D printers have become a valuable tool in classrooms …

Building capacity for societally engaged climate science by transforming science training

  • University of Arizona (AZ)
  • University of Washington, Seattle (WA)

A major barrier to achieving wide-spread progress on planning for impacts from climate change is the lack of trained scientists skilled at conducting societally-relevant research. Overcoming this barrier requires us …

  • Posted Jan. 12, 2021
  • Publications
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Approaches to Incorporating Green Chemistry and Safety into Laboratory Culture

  • University of Georgia (GA)

A systems thinking approach to incorporating green chemistry and safety into laboratory culture is vital, as chemists will be at the molecular level of the innovative solutions to our global …

  • Posted Jan. 12, 2021
  • Publications
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AASHE Award Winnner Ceremony 2020

  • Dickinson College (PA)
  • Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)
  • Lafayette College (PA)
  • Lehigh University (PA)
  • Muhlenberg College (PA)
  • Palo Alto College (TX)
  • Smith College (MA)
  • Southwestern University (TX)
  • University of Central Florida (FL)
  • University of Dayton (OH)
  • University of Sydney (NSW)
  • University of Strathclyde
  • University of Coimbra
  • Carlos III University of Madrid

The AASHE Sustainability Awards provide global recognition to the individuals and organizations leading the higher education sustainability movement. On Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020 a virtual ceremony honored the 11 winners …

  • Posted Jan. 12, 2021
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Sustainable development education, practice, and research: an indigenous model of sustainable development at the College of Menominee Nation, Keshena, WI, USA

  • College of Menominee Nation (WI)

The College of Menominee Nation Sustainable Development Institute’s theoretical model (SDI model) conceptualizes sustainable development as the process of maintaining the balance and reconciling the inherent tensions among six dimensions …

  • Posted Jan. 12, 2021
  • Publications
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Material Collected

Piloting Styrofoam Recycling in Research Facilities at Georgia Institute of Technology

  • Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)

Georgia Tech has systems in place to collect and recycle everything from cardboard and office paper, to plastic and glass. But until 2019, there was no established process for recycling …

Approaches to SDG-Based Curricular Pathways and Research Communities

  • AASHE (MA)
  • University of Toronto (ON)
  • Sustainability Curriculum Consortium (MD)

Universities are increasingly being called to develop integrative approaches toward achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their research, educational, and operational capacities. This webinar will present on …

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2020
  • Videos & Webinars
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Sustainability Performance in American Higher Education: A Multiple Case Study of Four Exemplary Institutions That Participated in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System

  • Florida Atlantic University (FL)

The purpose of this study was to describe the campus sustainability performance at four exemplary higher education institutions, i.e., Doctoral, Master’s, Baccalaureate, and Associate’s, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, …

  • Posted Oct. 23, 2020
  • Publications
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Climate change is increasingly causes mental health problems among college students

  • Tufts University (MA)

This is a literature review of peer-reviewed papers, news articles, and polls that illustrate the impacts of climate change on mental health among college students.

  • Posted Oct. 23, 2020
  • Publications
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Universite Laval - High Performance Greenhouse Complex

  • Université Laval (QC)

The High Performance Greenhouse Complex is a reference as a research infrastructure. Its equipment is among the most sophisticated in North America. The High Performance Greenhouse Complex distinguishes itself from …

Students applying sustainability science in the field is an everyday experience at Unity College

Unity College Sustainability Science Curriculum

  • Unity Environmental University (ME)

Sustainability science is at the heart of everything we do at Unity College because to us, nothing is more important than the mark we make on this planet.

Sustainability science …

Developing University-Initiated Offsets and Using Peer Verification

  • Duke University (NC)
  • University of California, Berkeley (CA)
  • University of California, Davis (CA)
  • AASHE (MA)

The Offset Network is an online platform for colleges and universities considering the development of their own emission-reducing projects to fulfill carbon neutrality commitments. Self-generated offsets offer greater flexibility than …

  • Posted Oct. 15, 2020
  • Videos & Webinars
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A researcher from Portland State University climbs a tree in the early morning to collect samples

Portland State University - Smart Trees Researcher

  • Portland State University (OR)

In this photo, Portland State University graduate and postdoctoral researcher Hannah Prather climbs a Douglas fir in the early morning to collect samples as part of a smart trees research …

Natural Resources Students Participate in Stream Ecology Course at Colorado State University Mountain Campus

Colorado State University Photo for 2020 SCI

  • Colorado State University (CO)

Photo attached for use in 2020 SCI

Humber College - Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation

Humber College - Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation

  • Humber College (ON)

The 93,000 sq. ft. Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation was opened. It is built to achieve LEED-Platinum certification (currently under review) and is a net-zero energy building, offset by solar …

Environmental Studies Student Collecting Lead Litter in Nature Preserve

Binghamton University - Annual Research Days

  • Binghamton University (NY)

Binghamton University's 2019 annual Research Days featured more than 175 projects, the opening of a new Art of Science exhibit and a two-day conference focused on human rights research. For …

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

AC 9: Support for Sustainability Research

AC 10: Open Access to Research

Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.

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