Furman University
AC-7: Center for Sustainability Research
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
6.00 / 6.00 |
Laura
Bain Associate Director of Sustainability Assessment David E. Shi Center for Sustainability |
7.1 Organized sustainability research center, institute, or unit
List and description of the institution’s sustainability research units:
https://www.furman.edu/shi-institute/
Launched in 2020, the Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities is a regionally focused institute promoting sustainable human flourishing through education, research, and leadership. The institute builds on over a decade of proven success and national renown of the David E. Shi Center for Sustainability and connects campus and community around developing sustainable communities.
Residing in a net-zero, LEED-certified, sustainable showcase home, next to an organic farm in the heart of Furman’s campus, the Shi Institute brings together environmental scientists and economists, urban planners and policy experts, students, faculty, and community members, and sustainability visionaries and elected officials to collaboratively pursue and promote sustainable communities.
The Shi Institute’s Applied Sustainability Research team partners with government agencies, nonprofits, and community members to deeply understand and address community challenges and provide formative experiences for students through research opportunities. It provides opportunities for students, faculty, and community partners to learn from one another and leverage community assets and expertise to develop creative solutions to promote healthier and more equitable communities. The Institute’s mission of solving social and ecological issues is carried out through the work of community-engaged research and sustainability consulting.
Does the institution have at least one organized research center, institute, or equivalent unit focused on a subject other than sustainability that produces sustainability research?:
List and description of the institution’s research units focused on subjects other than sustainability that produce sustainability research:
At Furman, Dr. John Quinn leads the CHESS Lab, an interdisciplinary collaboration of faculty and students from across the university. Research considers landscapes and soundscapes as coupled human-natural systems with the objective of providing evidence-based solutions for decision-makers across spatial and temporal scales. The CHESS lab uses state-of-the-art quantitative tools and techniques for developing insights into the sustainability of environmental resources.
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