| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 72.32 |
| Liaison | Merry Rankin |
| Submission Date | Aug. 29, 2022 |
Iowa State University
AC-4: Graduate Program
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Merry
Rankin ISU Director of Sustainability Facilities Planning & Management |
Does the institution offer at least one sustainability-focused major, degree program, or the equivalent for graduate students?:
Name of the sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program:
A brief description of the graduate-level degree program:
The Sustainable Agriculture Interdepartmental Graduate Program at Iowa State University builds on a solid foundation of agricultural science and provides students opportunities to cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. Our program was the first in the U.S. to offer both an MS and PhD with a major in Sustainable Agriculture and is the only graduate program that allows students to pursue a true interdisciplinary curriculum that includes the biological, social, and economic elements of sustainability.
Website URL for the graduate-level degree program:
Name of the sustainability-focused, graduate-level degree program (2nd program):
A brief description of the graduate degree program (2nd program):
The purpose of this program is to provide doctoral students with multidisciplinary training in the skills required for conducting research at the disciplinary interface between engineering, atmospheric science/meteorology, agriculture/economics, and journalism/communication.
The thematic basis is that mitigating global climate change requires energy system transformation to reduce greenhouse gases from the electric sector; wind energy must play a central role in this, which will occur only through interdisciplinary leadership in advancing pertinent science, engineering, technology, and policy. The vision is to strengthen the nation’s wind energy resources by producing technical experts, effective communicators, and ethical decision-makers who will lead the U.S. transformation to a high wind energy portfolio. The research will increase wind energy growth rate, decrease its cost, and extend its penetration limits. Our education program includes a 3-6 month industry internship, a 3-month international experience, and a 3-level curriculum to provide breadth, interdisciplinary research strength, and advanced training and depth in WESEP.
Website URL for the graduate degree program (2nd program):
Name of the sustainability-focused, graduate-level degree program (3rd program):
A brief description of the graduate degree program (3rd program):
The Master of Design in Sustainable Environments (M.Des.S.E.) is an advanced interdisciplinary degree that focuses on holistic design strategies for the production of sustainable, resilient environments and artifacts. M.Des.S.E. Students and faculty constitute a highly interactive multi-disciplinary community that is deeply engaged in understanding, promoting and conceiving sustainable practices in design, planning and artistic production. Students engage faculty-led research projects and are challenged to develop individual sustainable design strategies for issues of current relevance that conserve resources, ameliorate ecological problems and promote social, political and economic justice.
Website URL for the graduate degree program (3rd program):
The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused graduate-level degree programs:
Agriculture Education
https://www.ageds.iastate.edu/graduate-programs
Agricultural Meteorology
https://www.agron.iastate.edu/student-resources/graduate/agricultural-meteorology
Agronomy
https://masters.agron.iastate.edu/
Anthropology
https://anthro.iastate.edu/graduate/
Civil Engineering
https://www.ccee.iastate.edu/prospective-graduate-students/
Community and Regional Planning
https://www.design.iastate.edu/community-and-regional-planning/degrees/master-of-community-and-regional-planning/
Community Development
https://www.agonline.iastate.edu/programs/community-development-ms
Creative Writing and Environment
https://engl.iastate.edu/graduate-students/mfa-program-in-creative-writing-and-environment/
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
https://www.eeb.iastate.edu/
Energy Systems Engineering
https://www.me.iastate.edu/graduate-program/graduate-degrees-and-programs/meng-degree-in-energy-systems-engineering/
Environmental Science
https://www.enscigrad.iastate.edu/
Executive MBA for Leaders in Food, Agriculture, and Biosystems
https://www.ivybusiness.iastate.edu/degree/emba/
Forestry
https://www.nrem.iastate.edu/m-s-degrees#M.S._in_Forestry
Horticulture
https://www.hort.iastate.edu/graduate-experience/
Landscape Architecture
https://www.design.iastate.edu/landscape-architecture/degrees/master-of-landscape-architecture/
Meteorology
https://ge-at.iastate.edu/graduate-students/meteorology-grad/
Nutritional Sciences
https://fshn.hs.iastate.edu/graduate-students/graduate-programs/interdepartmental-graduate-program-in-nutritional-sciences/
Rural Agricultural Technological and Environmental History
Rural Agricultural Technological and Environmental History
https://history.iastate.edu/graduate-study/rate-ph-d/
Soil Science
https://www.agron.iastate.edu/student-resources/graduate/soil-science
Urban Design
https://www.design.iastate.edu/interdisciplinary-programs/urban-design/degree/
Does the institution offer one or more graduate-level sustainability-focused minors, concentrations or certificates?:
Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate:
A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate:
The Master of Design in Sustainable Environments (MDesSE) is an advanced interdisciplinary degree that focuses on holistic design strategies for the production of sustainable, resilient environments and artifacts. This is also offered as a graduate minor.
Website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate:
Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
The graduate certificate in Education for Social Justice affords students (and non-degree seeking community members) an opportunity to engage in thoughtful, rigorous, and sustained inquiry into social justice struggles in P-20 classrooms, schools, and educational systems. The certificate also affords participants an opportunity to inquire into the complex relationships between P-20 schooling and broader cultural, economic, political, and social structures, policies, and practices. The certificate offers a range of topical and methodological vantage points to study social justice and education.
Website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
The Department of Mechanical Engineering, in partnership with Engineering-LAS Online Learning is introducing a new online graduate certificate in Energy Systems Engineering. One of the challenges facing society in the 21st century is providing sustainable energy for a growing world population. Widely reported warnings have emphasized the need to develop new sources of energy, while at the same time preventing or reversing the degradation of the environment. Energy systems are pervasive, affecting nearly every aspect of society. The increasing complexity of these systems, along with increasing environmental constraints, requires practicing professionals in the field that have knowledge, skills and abilities specific to energy system design, evaluation, construction and management.
Website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
The name and website URLs of all other graduate-level, sustainability-focused minors, concentrations and certificates:
Agronomy (Certificate)
https://masters.agron.iastate.edu/graduate-certificate-overview
Breeding for Organic Crops (Certificate)
https://www.agonline.iastate.edu/programs/breeding-organic-crops-graduate-certificate
Data-Driven Food, Energy, and Water Decision Making (Certificate)
https://datafewsion.iastate.edu/2468-2/
Education and Outreach in Agriculture and Natural Resources (Certificate)
https://www.ageds.iastate.edu/education-and-outreach-agricultural-and-natural-resources-graduate-certificate
Environmental Engineering (Certificate)
https://www.ccee.iastate.edu/prospective-graduate-students/
Environmental Systems (Certificate)
https://www.ccee.iastate.edu/prospective-graduate-students/
Family Financial Planning (Certificate)
https://online.hs.iastate.edu/graduate-degrees/family-financial-planning/
Family Well-Being in Diverse Society (Certificate)
https://hdfs.hs.iastate.edu/graduate-students/graduate-programs/graduate-certificates/
Food Safety and Defense Graduate (Certificate)
https://www.agonline.iastate.edu/programs/food-safety-and-defense-graduate-certificate
Geographic Information Systems (Certificate)
https://www.design.iastate.edu/community-and-regional-planning/degrees/gis-certificate-program/
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (Certificate)
https://hdfs.hs.iastate.edu/graduate-students/graduate-programs/graduate-certificates/
Power Systems Engineering (Certificate)
https://engineeringonline.iastate.edu/graduate-certificates/power-systems-engineering-graduate-certificate-online/
Preservation and Cultural Heritage (Certificate)
https://www.preservation.design.iastate.edu/about/
Youth Development Specialist (Certificate)
https://online.hs.iastate.edu/graduate-degrees/youth-development/
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.