Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 50.32
Liaison Kirk Hemphill
Submission Date April 24, 2020

STARS v2.2

Florida Institute of Technology
AC-10: Support for Sustainability Research

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 4.00 Ken Lindeman
Professor, Sustainability Studies
Ocean Engineering & Marine Sciences
"---" 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:
This is a research university that requires applied research on a diverse array of sustainability related topics across many disciplines - often in formal courses and major senior research programs. Multiple mentorships and internships off campus, some funded, that encourage and incentivize students to pursue non-course and course-based sustainability research projects. Since 2011, examples include internships by multiple students via partnerships with some of the region's largest green non-profits including Keep Brevard Beautiful (KBB) and the Marine Resources Council. Also, the City of Satellite Beach has funded three students (1 undergraduate, 2 graduate) to build the first municipal Sustainability Plan for any barrier island city in east-central Florida, a precedent-setting, highly positive step for the region.

Faculty sustainability research incentives 

Does the institution have a program to encourage academic staff from multiple disciplines or academic programs to conduct sustainability research?:
No

A brief description of the faculty sustainability research program:
.

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?:
No

A copy of the promotion or tenure guidelines or policies:
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The promotion or tenure guidelines or policies:
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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:
Since 2012, we have worked with the library to create and update an online sustainability research guide at http://libguides.lib.fit.edu/sustainability. This guide is one starting point for research related to various sustainability topics at Florida Tech. There are categories to include reference sources, articles and databases, journals, internet sites; as well as topics on sustainability certification, business and ecological economics, and climate change. There is also information on plagiarism and citing sources. This resource has been used by students and staff for research purposes with positive outcomes including preparation of major research posters for the large annual Northrup Grumman Science Showcase in April of 2015, 2016 and 2017. Library staff are very focused on sustainability and also sponsor several research-related events each year on sustainability topics. The research guide is also posted on the research portal of the main F.I.T. sustainability website at www.fit.edu/sustainability/research.

Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the institution’s support for sustainability research is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
We have some informal SUS initiatives but will formalize at higher academic levels in the near term as feasible.

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.