Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 48.14
Liaison John Stolz
Submission Date March 1, 2024

STARS v2.2

Duquesne University
AC-10: Support for Sustainability Research

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Jin Dassanayake
Graduate Assistant
School of Business
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Student sustainability research incentives 

Does the institution have an ongoing program to encourage students in multiple disciplines or academic programs to conduct sustainability research?:
Yes

A brief description of the student sustainability research program:
Student award opportunities for sustainability research occur during Duquesne's annual undergraduate research and scholarship symposium (URSS).

- Center for the Catholic Faith and Culture Common Good Research Award ($250)
Each year, the Center will recognize and reward research from any discipline that aligns with Duquesne's Catholic, Spiritan mission, particularly our commitments to: (Center for Catholic Faith and Culture...we'll have to find who is director)
· the dignity and equality of all persons
· working with vulnerable populations for systemic change
· preserving justice, peace, and integrity of creation

- The Peace, Justice and Conflict Resolution (PJCR) Minor Program Award ($100 & plaque) (Sarah McMillon)
The PJCR Minor Program offers an undergraduate research/scholarship award for research related to peace or conflict studies. The reward hopes to stimulate undergraduate awareness of factors for a sustainable social and political stability, the obstacles to peace, and the building blocks of a just global society.

Stream Field Biology course: Duquesne students regularly monitor local waterways through water chemistry samples and biological samples. Students also provide this information to community partners and work with said partners to further their goals. Annually, this course is taken by graduate & undergraduate students in multiple academic programs in the Bayer School of Natural & Environmental Sciences.

Terra Learning Community works with community partners to obtain grants through services such as providing annotated bibliographies. (Check with Sarah wright)

Wingfield Pines: Nature and Technology Working Together
For years, Duquesne students and faculty combine community service with environmental sampling at Wingfield Pines, an 80-acre tract in Upper St. Clair, Pa. that was formerly a strip-mining site. Duquesne students and faculty work on continued research and remediation on this site.

Murphy's Bottom: Duquesne students regularly determine and monitor site conditions as well as document bird species.

Faculty sustainability research incentives 

Does the institution have a program to encourage academic staff from multiple disciplines or academic programs to conduct sustainability research?:
Yes

A brief description of the faculty sustainability research program:
The Charles Henry Leach II Fund for Duquesne University is designed to benefit Duquesne University faculty and University-related projects that foster and promote the following:
1) the prevention of cruelty to animals;
2) the mental and/or physical health and education of underprivileged and/or abused children;
3) the protection of the environment;
4) scientific research.

Duquesne's Business School offers ethics and sustainability funds to help with faculty research support, purchase software, and fund conferences/travel.

Recognition of interdisciplinary, transdisciplnary and multi-disciplinary research 

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?:
Yes

A copy of the promotion or tenure guidelines or policies:
The promotion or tenure guidelines or policies:
Page 41 of the Faculty Handbook.
"Development of innovative pedagogical methods and materials, including
o Participation in community-engaged teaching in a manner consistent with the University’s model for such pedagogy
o Adoption of innovative instructional technology
o Involvement in effective online delivery of instruction
o Incorporation of interdisciplinary or inter-professional approaches"

Library support

Does the institution have ongoing library support for sustainability research and learning?:
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s library support for sustainability research:
The Gumberg Library research guide on Literature and the Environment connects users to a number of different works (books, reference works, and electronic resources) with information regarding the environment and sustainability.

Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the institution’s support for sustainability research is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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