California State University, Fullerton
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

During Fall 2021, student groups in ENST/CHEM 492 developed outreach materials on sustainability topics: food waste/composting, renewable energy, and water conservation. Students provided peer-to-peer focused educational materials to train fellow students through a week long outreach campaign in front of the Gastronome.

Students in ENST/CHEM 492 developed a set of participatory exhibits based on Project Learning Tree environmental literacy training for K-12 teachers. These exhibits were then utilized by K-8 students who visited the CSUF campus during Earth Week.

ENST/Chem 492 students staffed the exhibits and participated in pre- and post-assessment of sustainability literacy conducted as part of an Environmental Studies graduate student project.

In Spring 2021, 90 CSUF nursing students helped to administer COVID-19 vaccines at the Disneyland and Soka University points of dispensing (PODs). Working with the Orange County Health Care Agency, the students spent seven days administering 2,700 shots per day — totaling approximately 19,000 vaccinations to Tier 1A community members (at-risk individuals, health care workers, people age 65 and older). An additional 35 students also assisted with vaccinations at other health care clinics and will continue to do so in the coming weeks. https://news.fullerton.edu/2021/03/nursing-students-administer-covid-19-vaccinations-at-orange-county-pods/

ENST/CHEM 492 Sustainability Projects is a multidisciplinary immersion course that utilizes the built environment to educate and prepare students to become green building leaders and sustainability-focused citizens. ENST/CHEM 492 places a significant portion on the air and climate issues on campus, especially pertaining to the GHG inventory and the development of campus provisional Climate Action Plan (CAP).

In summer 2021, CSUF launched the inaugural Summer Undergraduate Research Academy (SUREA). Over the summer, 50 Cal State Fullerton students conducted research on a wide range of topics, including the effects of sleep proximity on language/speech, creating curriculum and teaching women in prison, use of 3D printed aligners for application in dentistry, looking at racial disparities in certain types of cancer, distrust in the pandemic response, multiple projects focused on science and health, and many more. https://news.fullerton.edu/2021/09/helping-college-students-develop-research-skills/

ENST/CHEM 492 places a significant portion of the course on energy auditing and recommendations for energy efficiency strategies and retrofit projects.

In Fall 2021, the Office of Sustainability worked with students from ENST/CHEM 492: Sustainability Projects to assess renewable energy efforts in existing facilities around campus and the Trigeneration Plant. As part of the service learning component, the students staffed a table to educate the campus community on energy saving tips. During the two days of tabling, the students engaged over 50 campus members. The students produced a final report that included recommendations on renewable sources such as green hydrogen and other solutions to improve energy and sustainability programs.

ANTH 458 Sustainable Urban Food Systems utilizes the CSUF Learning Farm to provide undergraduate experience in sustainable agricultural practices and relates the farm experience to understand local food systems, including student nutrition.

In Fall 2021, the Office of Sustainability worked with students from ENST/CHEM 492: Sustainability Projects to assess food waste efforts in existing facilities at the CSUF Gastronome and Titan Student Union. The students surveyed the pre-consumer food waste carts at the Gastronome and various food establishments around campus. As part of the service learning component, the students staffed a table to educate the campus community on food waste. In addition, students piloted a post-consumer food waste component by placing stations to separate food and approaching students during lunch time. During the four days of tabling, the students engaged over 150 campus members. The students produced a final report that included recommendations on creating a sustainable food system and other solutions to improve food waste and sustainability programs.

Beginning in Fall 2021, Maria Antonia Scopu, a graduate student of the Department of Geography & the Environment, worked with the City of Fullerton and West Coast Arborists to create the Community Urban Forest Survey. This project is part of Fullerton's Urban Forest Improvement Project which CSUF is a partner. The survey is made available to all Fullerton residents and is conducted to gather community input regarding the City of Fullerton’s current tree canopy in order to determine where more trees will be planted as a result of data collected from survey responses. The City of Fullerton and West Coast Arborists received a grant from Cal Fire that provides an opportunity to plant 500 trees, and this survey will assist in determining where these trees will be planted, and which species will be prioritized based on noise, water, and air pollution levels for carbon capture capabilities. https://www.cityoffullerton.com/government/departments/public-works/landscape-tree/community-forest-management?locale=en

In BIOL 444, Plant Physiological Ecology students work with three major objectives of the CSUF Facilities Management office to create a more sustainable, water-wise campus environment that will be used directly and indirectly as a learning resource, now and into the future.

The Center for Sustainability runs the U-ACRE Program which offers hands on community based research experience for undergraduates, as well as community outreach in areas of food security, nutritional sufficiency, environmental justice, and sustainable agriculture.

Various academic departments (i.e. Biology 340, Ecology 254, Chemistry 492) coordinate projects alongside the Fullerton Arboretum related to plant identification, California vegetation, and urban ecosystems.

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In Fall 2021, the Office of Sustainability worked with students from a graphic design class to provide a vehicle wrap for the newly acquired Club Car sustainability vehicle. The students created graphic design wraps that included various sustainability elements to promote the Office of Sustainability. The students produced a final report that included designs on a vehicle wrap and other graphics to improve sustainability communications on social media.

Students in ENST/CHEM 492 work with CSUF Facilities Management to conduct waste stream audits and assess the impact of improved signage and communication on separation efficiency. Students in this course have also analyzed the overall efficiency of the campus waste process.

Students in ENST/CHEM 492 have conducted chemical analyses of the surface water in the Fullerton Arboretum ponds to assess its viability for irrigation usage. Based on the analysis they assisted the Arboretum in developing a long-term plan to integrate runoff and surface water into the irrigation network, reducing dependence on municipal water supplies.

In Fall 2021, the Office of Sustainability worked with students from ENST/CHEM 492: Sustainability Projects to assess water conservation efforts in existing facilities in CSUF Housing. The students surveyed water fixtures in four residential halls and various water meters around campus. As part of the service learning component, the students staffed a table to encourage the campus community on water saving tips. During the three days of tabling, the students engaged over 100 campus members. The students produced a final report that included recommendations on rebate programs and other solutions to improve water conservation and sustainability programs.

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Titans ASES
The Titans After School Education and Safety program is a collaborative effort between California State University, Fullerton’s Center for Internships & Community Engagement and the Buena Park and Tustin Unified School Districts. Titans ASES provides after-school programming for over 1000 children, grades 1 through 8, and tutoring for higher schoolers. Program staff provide developmentally appropriate programs that focus on the process of learning while also helping students enjoy many other enriching experiences. The Titan ASES program has a variety of areas: SPARK/CATCH curriculum through physical activities, variety club that includes the environment, and AVID. http://www.fullerton.edu/cice/programs/ases/

Project SHINE
Project SHINE is a national service-learning initiative that began at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, to build partnerships among community colleges, universities and community-based organizations to benefit older immigrants, refugees and college students. Project SHINE at Cal State Fullerton began in 2001. Project SHINE links college students with immigrants who are learning English as a second language, increasing their participation in the community and/or working toward becoming U.S. citizens. As part of a service-learning course or as volunteers, the college students assist participants in a variety of ways, including teaching English, teaching citizenship, providing them with written histories in their native language, and serving as conversation partners. http://www.fullerton.edu/cice/programs/shine/

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Center for Sport Performance
To benefit the University, the Center for Sport Performance(CSP) conducts work to further knowledge of sport and also foster a close collaboration between faculty, students and the community. This work enhances scholarly and creative activity while providing both undergraduate and graduate students with experiences outside the traditional classroom environment. http://hhd.fullerton.edu/knes/csp/about.php

Center for Successful Aging
The Center for Successful Aging , through its educational, research and service activities, has as its mission the promotion of health and vitality across the life span. The specific goals of the center are to: (1) conduct interdisciplinary research on issues related to infant development, physical activity promotion in youth and adults with and without disability, the development of healthy lifestyle behaviors, and the reduction of falls in the later years; (2) provide professional training of students and health care practitioners working with infants, children and adults of all ages in a variety of settings; (3) offer a variety of health, cognitive, psychological and functional assessments; (4) implement a range of community-accessible programs based on the principles of whole person wellness, and family-centered and inter-generational interventions; (5) collaborate and partner with community agencies and organizations to provide innovative programming and services aimed at promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior; and (6) serve as an advocate for affecting public policy relative to developing physical literacy and healthy behaviors across the life span. Students can get hands-on experience working with older adults in fitness and wellness settings. They learn how to conduct a variety of clinical and field-based health, physical, and functional assessments on older adults. http://csa.fullerton.edu/

Chemistry 492: Sustainability Projects
https://www.fullerton.edu/chemistry/research/index.php