Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 70.78
Liaison Julia Carlow
Submission Date July 25, 2024

STARS v2.2

American University of Sharjah
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Julia Carlow
Acting Head of Sustainability
Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Campus Engagement

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement:

Since fall 2020, the AUS Office of Sustainability runs a semester-long Media Ambassador Program for students to learn about effective campus sustainability communication and awareness building. With the guidance of staff members, students explore various strategies of campus community outreach and promotion using the office's official Instagram account. 


 


Public Engagement 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Public Engagement?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Public Engagement:

Waste Data supplied in an open-access folder by the Office of Sustainability is used in ENV 150, Introduction to Environmental Sustainability, to discuss sustainable waste managment and improvements needed for segregation of wastes and recycling initiatives. The findings are then shared as part of the Sustainable Campus Initiative by the Abu Dhabi Environmental Agency to discuss campus sustainability and how to implement this strategy across other universities. This is a recurring activity that takes place yearly under the guidance of Dr. Sandra Knuteson, Senior Lecturer Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences.


 


Air & Climate 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Air & Climate?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Air & Climate:

During the spring 23 and 24 semester, students of the ENV354 class "Assessment and Management of Envirnmental Impact" used the AUS Greenhouse Gas Accounting Report to understand how institutions account for their CO2 emissions.


Professor: Dr. Sandra Knuteson, Senior Lecturer Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences.


 


 


 


Buildings  

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Buildings?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Buildings:

The  AUS Green Team for the Sustainable Campus Initiative by the Abu Dhabi Environmental Agency considers building blue prints to relate different building uses to embeded CO2 in the building of AUS as changes over time relating to AUS sustainability measures such as lining windows for efficiency and building design choices. This is a recurring activity that takes place yearly under the guidance of Dr. Sandra Knuteson, Senior Lecturer Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences.


 


 


 


Energy 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Energy?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Energy:

During the spring 24 semester, a student of the MCE 446 “Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning" class in the college of Engineering used the Electricity Data supplied in an open-access folder by the Office of Sustainability to conduct a full heat analysis of the AUS Residence Halls.


Professor: Dr. Mehmet Fatih Orhan, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering


Food & Dining 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Food & Dining?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Food & Dining:

In fall 2023, American University of Sharjah has launched a sustainable hydroponic farming project that enables students to explore advancements in agricultural technology and benefit from the farm’s nutritious food. Called "Harvesting Hope", the project was initiated by the AUS student chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Special Interest Group on Humanitarian Technology (IEEE SIGHT) in collaboration with The Big Heart Educational Center in Sharjah —an educational institute that offer pro-active educational solutions aimed at empowering underserved students from a cross-section of nationalities in the UAE. Having received funding from the IEEE Humanitarian Technologies Best Practices and Projects Committee, the project tracks its progress through regular assessments and engaging Kahoot quizzes, ensuring students at The Big Heart Educational Center grasp and apply the presented concepts effectively.


https://www.aus.edu/media/news/a-resource-for-food-and-education-ieee-sight-aus-chapter-launches-hydroponic-farming-on-campus


 


 


Grounds 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Grounds?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Grounds:
A student in BIO 492, Senior Research II, in Spring 2022, completed her senior research paper on our native bee species, the Arabian Dwarf Honeybees (Apis florea), and the ways to support them, i.e. food and shelter. The research and findings show that on-campus behaviors could benefit the Arabian Dwarf Honeybee, and could lead to developing a project in building bee-friendly habitats on the AUS campus. 

 

The aim of the paper is to understand what factors contribute to encouraging this honeybee species to stay within a certain range for extensive periods of time. All within the context of the UAE. This research found that temperature is the primary deciding factor for their length of stay, and that shelter and certain flora can lengthen their stay. 

 


 


Purchasing 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Purchasing?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Purchasing:

In the ENV 354 class "Assessment and Management of Envirnmental Impact", student groups produce Environmental Aspect Registries with Purchasing as a potential ENV Aspect Category. In the registry, they list the various aspects, prioritize risks, develop environmetal indicators for monitoring, and suggest mitigation strategies for reducing the risks. Students use purchasing data provided by the AUs Office of Sustainability that was collected as part of the university-wide GHG inventory.


Professor: Dr. Sandra Knuteson, Senior Lecturer Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences.


 


Transportation 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Transportation?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Transportation:

In spring 2023, AUS College of Engineering students Habibelrahman Hassan and Faizan Multani were part of a team of seven students from participating universities who placed first in the youth hackathon on carbon footprint solutions as part of the Al Reyada Energy Seminar organized by TotalEnergies Foundation in the UAE, in partnership with Institut Français. Their project, titled "Sustain-a-Ride," focused on developing a groundbreaking car-sharing application powered by an AI algorithm. The aim was to facilitate carpooling among AUS students, thereby reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and aligning with the AUS Climate Action Plan, as well as supporting the UAE government's goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.


https://www.aus.edu/media/news/aus-students-car-sharing-app-wins-hackathon-2023-held-as-part-of-totalenergies-al-reyada-energy-seminar


 


Waste 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Waste?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Waste:

A student enrolled in Philosophy 309; Ethics and the Environment, in Fall 2023, explored the issue of waste generated by coffee grounds from various campus coffee shops and developed solutions. She and her team secured a spot in the Sustainability Symposium Poster Competition organized by the Engineering department. Their approach included two key proposals: establishing an on-campus composting center and launching a campus biofuel project to convert waste materials into energy rather than sending them to landfills.


Professor: Dr. Jessica Lauren Davis, Assistant Professor International Studies


 


Water 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Water?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Water:

The AUS Green Team for the Sustainable Campus Initiative by the Abu Dhabi Environmental Agency does a Water Audit, considering bottled water from various sources, coolers for drinking water, and tap water to develop per capita monthly water use on AUS campus. Students utilized the water consumption from AUS utility bills supplied in an open-access folder by the Office of Sustainability.


Professor: Dr. Sandra Knuteson, Senior Lecturer Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences.


Coordination & Planning 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning:

When AUS asked departments to develop a formal Risk Registry for the campus, the documents sent were used in ENV 354,  "Assessment and Management of Envirnmental Impact", for student groups to produce Environmental Aspect Registries. In the ENV 354 registry, students listed the various aspects, prioritized risks, developed environmetal indicators for monitoring, and suggested mitigation strategies for reducing the risks.


Professor: Dr. Sandra Knuteson, Senior Lecturer Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences.


Diversity & Affordability 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability:

In spring 2024, international studies students Mohammad Amaan Siddiqui and Manal Nadeem received the “Best Undergraduate Student Paper” award at the BITS Pilani International Humanities and Social Sciences Student Research Colloquium. Their paper for the public policy workshop, "Deconstructing Dichotomies: Exploring Contemporary South Asian Emigration to the UAE Beyond Economics," reveals that factors like religious freedom, safety and a desire for proximity to home significantly influence South Asian migrants' decisions to make the UAE their home, not just a transit point. The paper was supported by the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Undergraduate Research Grant and supervised by Dr. Neha Vora, Professor of Anthropology in the Department of International Studies at AUS. For their research the students interviewed their peers at AUS asking questions that challenged the existing migration discourse about South Asians, which is heavily skewed towards economic factors. 


https://www.aus.edu/media/news/aus-students-earn-best-paper-award-for-migration-studies-at-international-colloquium


 


Investment & Finance 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Investment & Finance?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Investment & Finance:
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Wellbeing & Work 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work:

In ENV 150, "Introduction to Environmental Sustainability", students discuss the heirarchy of needs in relation to AUS. The idea of wellbeing of workers from AUS, Sharjah Municipality, and Cleanco who work on campus. Challenges for handicap accessability, access to bathrooms, water, and other needs and actions and policies that might fix those challenges.


Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the institution’s living laboratory program is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Information received from the following college representatives:


Dr. Sandra Knuteson; sknuteson@aus.edu, Professor, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences; Green Campus Audit, Sustainable Campus Initiative


Dr. Aaron Barholomew; abartholomew@aus.edu, Professor, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences; Colonies of the Arabian Dwarf Honeybees (Apis florea Fabricius 1787) and the Plant Species to Support them in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) - A case study from the American University of Sharjah (AUS) 


 


 


The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.