Colorado State University
AC-10: Support for Sustainability Research

Earth System Science NSF-Supported REU offers paid summer undergraduate research internships at Colorado State University in the Department of Atmospheric Science. Interns participate in a 10-week program from early June through early August. This is an exciting research opportunity in beautiful Fort Collins, Colorado. Join world-class atmospheric scientists investigating the science of clouds, climate and climate change, weather, and modeling. During our program interns have the opportunity to attend scientific seminars, visit national scientific laboratories, and participate in a variety of professional development training. $6000 stipend + $600 subsistence fund + roundtrip airfare + housing + travel to present at a scientific meeting. Learn more at https://www.atmos.colostate.edu/ATS_REU/program-details/.

Multicultural Undergraduate Research Art and Leadership Symposium (MURALS) is an undergraduate research symposium that intentionally reaches out to students of color in various disciplines to expose them to a variety of research opportunities. Mentoring, presenting scholarly work, networking, and learning about multicultural leadership are four main aspects of the program. On March 25, 2022, students presented their scholarly work (creative writing, visual and performing arts, Entrepreneurship, S.T.E.M., social sciences, humanities) while graduate students and faculty provide feedback and faculty serve as mentors. Throughout MURALS, students have the opportunity to showcase their scholarly work and represent themselves, their departments and colleges to faculty, staff, peers, alumni and administration. At the end of the day, awards and accolades will be presented to students in an awards ceremony. Learn more at https://murals.colostate.edu.

The Interdisciplinary Training, Education and Research in Food-Energy-Water Systems (InTERFEWS) Program brings together PhD students from traditionally disparate disciplines to conduct research on key problems in the Food-Energy-Water (FEW) nexus with a focus on water-scarce, arid regions. Our mission is to prepare a diverse cohort of graduate students with the transdisciplinary and systems-level thinking skills necessary to make meaningful contributions to the complex and changing interactions in FEWS under water scarcity. Funded trainees will receive $34,000 per year for 1-2 years, as well as financial support for tuition and fees (see Program Trainee Handbook). Learn more at https://erams.com/interfews/research/.

School of Global Environmental Sustainability Global Challenges Research Teams: Collaborative teams of faculty that build cross-campus partnerships to address the world’s most pressing regional and global sustainability issues. We provide seed funding to foster creative and innovative approaches to sustainability grand challenges and establish interdisciplinary relationships to conduct research in new areas and with expanded applicability. Learn more at https://sustainability.colostate.edu/research/global-challenges-research-teams/.

Each year the School seeks proposals for new, interdisciplinary partnerships of faculty to address sustainability grand challenges through creative research and synthesis activities. Global Challenges Research Teams advance sustainability through integration of environmental, societal, and economic knowledge in a team-based, creative approach to solve real-world problems. 2020-2022 Global Research Teams: Re-use Efficiency Packaging with Analytics for Customized Knowledge (REPACK), Resilient Industry Supply Chains (RISC), Measuring Carbon Footprint of Alternative Business Models in the Fashion Industry

School of Global Environmental Sustainability Resident Fellows: Faculty members engaged in creative sustainability research and problem solving. We provide seed funding to enhance scholarly contributions to sustainability, accelerate progress, and engage in the academic life of the School. Each year the School seeks proposals from CSU faculty members to engage in scholarly, creative research and problem solving that address sustainability grand challenges. These positions provide unique opportunities for faculty and researchers from a broad range of disciplines including the biological and physical sciences, humanities, social sciences, arts, and engineering fields. We target CSU faculty whose scholarly contributions to sustainability scholarship will be significantly enhanced by receiving a Fellowship. 2020-2021 Resident Fellows Edward Hall and Johnny Plastini. Learn more at https://sustainability.colostate.edu/research/resident-fellows/.

In the Colorado State University Promotion and Tenure application, updated in June 2022, (https://provost.colostate.edu/media/sites/75/2022/06/ptapplication-NEW_June-2022.doc), interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and/or multidisciplinary work is an integral part of the application and evaluation process:

“Along with evidence of achievement in disciplinary activities, candidates are encouraged to provide evidence of collaborative and integrative scholarship, i.e., interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary activities, if applicable, throughout the Promotion and Tenure Application. The University recognizes that the challenge of solving complex problems and its scholarship as an intellectual pursuit may not be limited to a single discipline or departmental distinction in many cases. In order to assist in the evaluation and assessment of interdisciplinary scholarship and how it integrates with the candidate’s scholarly portfolio, interdisciplinary work should be included as part of the Promotion and Tenure application.” [page 2]

"Collaborative and integrative interdisciplinary activities should be noted as indicated." [page 6]

“Briefly describe any interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary scholarship, including details such as the interdisciplinary nature of the activity or project, the other departments and/or institutions involved, your role in the activity, and the contribution of your work to the related disciplines. Include publications and submitted grants (funded or not) derived from these activities, and participation in interdisciplinary centers, SAUs, etc. at CSU.” [page 9]

“Indicate courses that have a substantial interdisciplinary component or play a central role in an interdisciplinary educational program, and for such courses, describe the disciplines/majors/departments involved, the role of the course, and your role in the development and offering of the course.” [page 9]

"Indicate if the mentoring activities are part of an interdisciplinary program." [page 12]

"If you served as committee chairperson, or as an interdisciplinary bridge between disciplines, please note" [page 12]

CSU libraries hosts a number of research guides to provide resources, tools, and support to hone sustainability research and learning skills. A couple examples are the research guide for Environmental Sciences and Sustainability at https://libguides.colostate.edu/sb.php?subject_id=116330 and Human Dimensions of Natural Resources at https://libguides.colostate.edu/human-dimensions.

These guides provide research resources per topic, including opportunities for e-learning, tips on Web searches, relevant articles, and assistance with citation. Some CSU courses also have specific research guides. For example, NR567 - Analysis of Environmental Impact – has a dedicated research guide at https://libguides.colostate.edu/NR567 that outlines how students can access environmental impact statements from the EPA as well as related journal and news articles. The guide also provides references, research tips, and database tutorials. Another example is SOC323- Sociology of Environmental Government, which has a dedicated research guide at https://libguides.colostate.edu/soc323.

Positive outcomes in the past three years include the creation of several new sustainability courses and the expansion of sustainability courses online.

In addition to the below opportunities, many departments and/or programs offer a range of student opportunities. Students are encouraged to contact faculty in subjects they are interested in and can get additional support and guidance for connecting with faculty/opportunities from the School of Global Environmental Sustainability. For example, the Institute for the Built Environment, which specializes in structural and behavioral research and modification of building space, has a dedicated student associates program: https://ibe.colostate.edu/students/. In the spring semester, the Eco Leaders program has a dedicated independent course that empowers Eco Leaders to choose a research or engagement initiative to pursue class credit. At the end of the semester, projects are presented as research posters or presentations and can be submitted to national conferences or the Housing & Dining Services Sustainability Fund or CSU Sustainability Fund for funding.