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Projects Updates for key objective: 10.1 Undergraduate Sustainability Minor
OVCRI newsletter highlights transformative learning experiences
Associated Project(s):See https://emails.illinois.edu/newsletter/28281545.html
Every year, the university’s vice chancellors have the opportunity to update the Senate Executive Committee on our units. When I spoke with them last week, I focused on OVCRI alignment with the four overarching pillars of the campus strategic plan. In addition to our significant role in explicitly research-related goals, I was particularly pleased to note the many ways that OVCRI units contribute to "Transformative Learning Experiences."
We work closely with the academic colleges to extend opportunities for students. While I don't have space to list every activity and program, I will note a few highlights. Nearly 1,000 grads and undergrads alike enjoy interdisciplinary research experiences at IGB or Beckman, while hundreds learn firsthand in the field, working on projects at PRI. Programs such as CCIL's Cancer Scholars, iSEE's Sustainability minor (and new Environmental Leadership Program), HRI's Mellon Fellowships and Internships, as well as NCSA's SPIN program offer transformative learning opportunities in emerging areas with societal impact. Students learn to use cutting-edge instrumentation at the Biotech Center, participate in community-focused and clinical projects with support from CSBS and IHSI, and even have real-world learning opportunities through internships with Research Park companies (800+ students each year!). Students can choose excellent degree programs at hundreds of universities across the country. But the way the vibrant research enterprise contributes to student education is a true point of differentiation for our university.
Sincerely,
Susan
Sol Systems Blog about SEE Fellows student project
Associated Project(s):Sol Systems published a blog today sharing information about the collaborations with the UIUC Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Fellows program, the campus-wide minor in sustainability.
"This past week, two groups of students from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign presented to Sol Systems regarding their findings through the university’s sustainability minor capstone course. The students conducted an emissions audit for supply chain and land-usage for the university’s second utility-scale solar project, Solar Farm 2.0, a 54-acre, 12.3 MW dc system on the Urbana campus that is being developed by Sol Systems. The presentation and partnership served as part of Sol’s sustainability initiatives and acts as the foundation for building Sol’s framework for future and current solar project developments...."
Read the full post online at https://www.solsystems.com/groundwork-for-solar-sustainability/.
F&S Executive Director Dr. Mohamed Attalla talks Solar Farm 2.0 on The Solar Podcast
Associated Project(s):Dr. Mohamed Attalla, the Executive Director of Facilities and Services, recently spoke on the Solar Podcast about the progress made at the University of Illinois in regards to green energy with the addition of Solar Farm 2.0. Dr. Mohamed Attalla was alongside Pedro De La Barra, the Project Manager for Sol Systems, as they discussed the working relationship between the University and those at Sol Systems. Solar Farm 2.0 is expected to be producing solar energy in early 2021.
Please see the link below to listen to this podcast!
https://fs.illinois.edu/resources/newsroom/2020/10/28/podcast-dr.-attalla-joins-the-solar-podcast
ENVS301 Sustainability final report
Associated Project(s):See attached the report "Influence of LEED on Water Consumption & Cost: Business Instructional Facility vs. Undergraduate Library" as submitted by Lucia Dunderman, Dustin Frye and Olivia Yu for their project in ENVS301.
Attached Files:End of semester update - Enrollment by major
Associated Project(s):On April 3, 2018, Evan Delucia thanked the Steering Committee for the Sustainability Minor for their guidance and support. He gave them the end of semester update and shared the demographics for the Sustainability minor (see the attached pie chart).
As shown in the graph, currently there are 85 students enrolled in the program. The first cohort finished their capstone research projects this past semester.
Attached Files:Final project reports for Fall 2017
Associated Project(s):The CEE 398 Project Based Learning and the Sustainability Minor's ENVS 492 Capstone students completed their nine fall 2017 reports.
There were five projects completed for capstone partners:
- Energy Dashboards for Accenture
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Johnson Controls
- Food Hub Study for The Land Connection
- Sensors and Green Buildings for CERL
- Biomass Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) for Chip Energy
There were four other projects completed by CEE students:
- Rain Garden Design
- Solar and Green Roofs Analysis
- Food Waste to Energy
- ADA Sidewalk Repair Cost Analysis
Applications open for Sustainability Minor
Associated Project(s):Minor in Sustainability: Encourage undergrads to apply
The Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Fellows Program (SEE FP) is an academic minor open to all undergraduates and a great opportunity to learn to navigate the web of consequences, trade-offs, feedbacks and barriers behind environmental challenges. Students also will develop teamwork skills, broad perspective and networking ability. Info session: 4:15 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13, NSRC Room 240.
Tony Mancuso . Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE)
Final Report by Logan Ebling
Associated Project(s):Logan’s final paper. Pretty fun.
Highlights:
- “[Bicycle fleets] promotes positive social interactions.”
- “..I think most of these worries go away [about bike fleets]… one issue that I saw coming up almost every time a discussion …was money. While totally understandable, it is also frustrating that there is a lack of desire to spend even a low amount of money to purchase one bicycle for employee use.”
- “…If they [departments] truly don’t have the money to spend, then perhaps the University as a whole should be assigning a sustainability budget specifically to each department that they can spend at their discretion in the name of sustainability.”
- “Bicycling on campus is the fastest mode of transportation; however, that would not be the case if the bikes are not located conveniently right outside your door or at least at a building next door. For bike sharing dock-style to match the convenience of a dedicated bicycle at the department’s building, the docks would have to be ubiquitous across campus, quite literally outside every building. Financially and logistically, I don’t think that is possible. To me, departmental bicycle fleets would be entirely more convenient for staff needing to get around campus quickly and efficiently.”
And, lastly, “In my opinion, the benefits are so numerous [for bike fleets] that the University should be aggressively funding and initiating bicycle fleets on campus.”
~per Lily Wilcock
Attached Files:archived info - previous project intro
Associated Project(s):A key piece of the Institute’s mission is to prepare the next generation of leaders in sustainability. To that end, its first education initiative is the development of a campuswide undergraduate minor in sustainability.
This minor, named the Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (SEE) Fellows Program, will promote systems-level thinking about issues of sustainability. Students will develop an integrative understanding of sustainability and understand the trade-offs, barriers, and implications for sustainable decision making. The minor will replace the existing Environmental Fellows Program and provide a broader opportunity for interdisciplinary education, internships, and capstone research projects in the area of sustainability.
Minor approved by Faculty Senate
Associated Project(s):This program was approved by the Senate of the Urbana-Champaign Campus at its Sept. 21, 2015, meeting, and enrolled its first cohort of students in late fall 2015.
Education Roundtable
Associated Project(s):From: Lage, Stephanie M
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2014 2:50 PM
To: Bender, Karen L; Vanhoy, Roger; Fruehling, Amy; Goodlad, Lauren M E; Hodson, Piper; Chakraborty, Arnab; Johnston, Morgan B; Ben McCall
Cc: Kokini, Jenny; Rosenbery, Amy Nichole; Mancuso, Anthony D; Khanna, Madhu
Subject: Roundtable October 7Good afternoon,
We are finalizing some details for the Roundtable Discussion on Tuesday, October 7, 2014.
As you can see on the attached agenda, the event begins at 9:30 and will be finished up by 4:00.
We have 12 visitors coming from corporations, government and non-government agencies. We hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity to interact with them and stay for the whole day, particularly for the roundtable discussion, and the small group discussion.
Please confirm your attendance for lunch and the afternoon discussions so that we can finalize lunch counts and appropriate seating arrangements.
Thanks!
Stephanie
Stephanie M. Lage
Assistant Director
Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment
Attached Files:
