| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 62.59 |
| Liaison | Pamela Mischen |
| Submission Date | March 2, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Binghamton University
AC-10: Support for Research
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Valerie
Imbruce Assistant Director for Research Program Development Office of Strategic Research Initiatives |
Does the institution have an ongoing program to encourage students in multiple disciplines or academic programs to conduct research in sustainability? :
A brief description of the student research program, including the incentives provided and any positive outcomes during the previous three years:
We have a Freshman Research Immersion program in which freshman with interested in science, math, and engineering are invited to be part of a program in which them conduct real research and gain valuable job skills. There are seven research streams that students can choose, with two explicit streams in sustainability: smart energy and biogeochemistry. Students are incentivized to apply to these streams through the opportunity to have publishable results, make a real impact, and develop valuable skills. There in explicit intention to add one more research stream in sustainability; geospatial remote sensing as it is used in environmental studies. The outcomes of this program include rapid expansion through internal support and external grant monies. From an initial cohort of 90 students in three research streams (30 per stream) in 2014-2015, there are 5 streams in 2015-2016, and 7 set for 2016-2017, with a final goal to research 300 students in 10 streams.
Does the institution have a program to encourage faculty from multiple disciplines or academic programs to conduct research in sustainability topics?:
A brief description of the faculty research program, including the incentives provided and any positive outcomes during the previous three years:
The University established five transdisciplinary areas of excellence, three of which include research areas related to sustainability (Sustainable Communities, Smart Energy, and Citizenship, Rights and Cultural Belonging). There have been at least 25 faculty hired to be affiliated with these TAEs who are expected to contribute research. The University also established a seed grant program and has made nineteen seed grants to these three TAEs from 2013-2015, totaling about $300,000 that will contribute to the success of their faculty.
Has the institution published written policies and procedures that give positive recognition to interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and multidisciplinary research during faculty promotion and/or tenure decisions?:
A brief description of the institution’s support for interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and multidisciplinary research, including any positive outcomes during the previous three years:
To ensure that Binghamton makes the most of this rare opportunity, the Provost will allocate a significant portion of these new faculty positions to five transdisciplinary areas of research and scholarship in which the University has significant existing strength and can achieve international prominence.
Two areas — health sciences and smart energy — emerged in 2010-11, as Binghamton developed its NYSUNY 2020 proposal. Three others were identified by a faculty committee appointed jointly by the Provost and the Faculty Senate Executive Committee: citizenship, rights, and cultural belonging; material and visual worlds; and sustainable communities.
All five areas of excellence address critical social, scientific, technological, economic, cultural, and policy issues. By hiring faculty from a variety of disciplines to explore them, Binghamton will develop solutions to complex and consequential problems. We invite you to learn more about each of these five Transdisciplinary Areas of Excellence.
Does the institution have ongoing library support for sustainability research and learning?:
A brief description of the institution’s library support for sustainability research, including any positive outcomes during the previous three years:
The library has developed and makes publicly available subject guides on its website in areas related to sustainability research such as sustainable communities and environmental studies. These guides provide databases, reports, government and other organizational links, campus and community organizations and search key words to aid research and learning in the subject areas.
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.