George Washington University
IN-2: Innovation 2

In Fall 2012, GW's Faculty Committee on Sustainability Curriculum convened for the first time to design a new interdisciplinary minor in sustainability for undergraduate students. The most innovative aspect of the minor is the introduction course due to its team teaching, and the scale of inter-disciplinarity (across five distinct disciplines and schools). The GW faculty committee created a groundbreaking introduction to sustainability course to emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of the field, and expose students to diverse perspectives early on in their education. The program is open to students from all of GW’s schools. Team-teaching at this scale has never before been done at GW, and is a rare occurrence in academia, yet is essential to prepare students to effectively address the complex global problems of our future.

In Fall 2012, GW's Faculty Committee on Sustainability Curriculum convened for the first time to design a new interdisciplinary minor in sustainability for undergraduate students. The most innovative aspect of the minor is the introduction course SUST1001 due to its team teaching, and the scale of inter-disciplinarity (across five distinct disciplines and schools). The GW faculty committee created a groundbreaking introduction to sustainability course to emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of the field, and expose students to diverse perspectives early on in their education. The program is open to students from all of GW’s schools. Team-teaching at this scale has never before been done at GW, and is a rare occurrence in academia, yet is essential to prepare students to effectively address the complex global problems of our future. This course introduces students to the goals, principles, and practical applications of sustainability. The scope of the material ranges from major environmental and social issues to trends occurring in the current society from a multidisciplinary lens. It teaches students how to understand the complex confluence of social systems and natural resource systems. Topics include the intellectual origins of sustainability, environmental law and regulation, pollution, water, climate, energy and public health. The course introduces perspectives from the natural and social sciences, arts and humanities, engineering, and professional disciplines and explores how their interconnection increases the prospects for a sustainable future.