Ithaca College
ER-18: Sustainability Research Incentives

The Office of the Provost and each of the offices of the deans of the five schools offers some funding for student research efforts, any of which can be applied to students interested in pursuing sustainability-related projects.

Faculty/student collaborative research project funding is available: http://www.ithaca.edu/provost/docs/internalgrants/CCCSLP/

Environmental Studies and Sciences offers a number of student sustainability research opportunities:
ENVS 20100 Environmental Research: Introductory An introductory course for students who desire hands-on research in environmental studies projects but who have limited experience with research. Research will typically involve participation in continuing projects, though new, student-proposed projects may be possible if the instructor approves. Students will work closely with a faculty member to guide their study. May be repeated twice for a maximum of 6 credits. U/G Credits: 1-3

ENVS 30100 Environmental Research: Intermediate For intermediate students who desire hands-on research in issues relating to sustainability and the environment. Research can involve participation in continuing faculty research projects or in new, student-proposed projects. Students will work closely with a faculty member to guide their study. U/G Credits: 1-3

ENVS 30101 Environmental Research For students who desire hands-on research in issues relating to sustainability and the environment. Research can involve participation in continuing projects or in new, student proposed projects. Students will work closely with a faculty member to guide their study. U/G Credits: 1-12

ENVS 40200 Environmental Research: Advanced For advanced students who desire hands-on research in issues relating to sustainability and the environment. Research can involve participation in continuing faculty research projects or in new, student-proposed projects. Students will work closely with a faculty member to guide their study. U/G Credits: 1-4

ENVS 45000 Senior Research An integrative course that encourages majors to apply previously learned ideas and concepts to a specific area of environmental inquiry or a particular environmental problem under the direction of individual faculty members. All research teams will engage in a rigorous research agenda, drawing on methodologies from natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. U/G Credits: 3

The Interdisciplinary Studies program also offers this unique sustainability research project opportunity related to the College's Climate Action Plan:
IISP 35000 Climate Action Research Teams This course integrates educational and planning activities with campus operations in order to solve problems in greenhouse gas emissions reductions. The course will focus on three key campus areas: facilities, resource & environmental management, and transportation. In the first semester the Climate Action Research Team will focus on electricity conservation and social marketing; subsequent semesters will study new ways that the campus can generate heat and electricity for its buildings, and new ways that faculty, staff, and students can reduce their transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. This course is motivated by the educational opportunities embedded in the Ithaca College Climate Action Plan, signed by the Board of Trustees in the fall of 2009. Our plan commits us to demonstrating the institutional changes required to become climate neutral, and to working with students on every step of the process. U/G Credits: 3

All faculty research support systems may be adapted by the faculty member to apply to sustainability-focused research efforts.

The Center for Faculty Research and Development provides resources to faculty considering research projects. Among the resources offered are faculty release time to pursue research projects. http://www.ithaca.edu/provost/docs/CFRD/

The Grants and Sponsored Research officde assists faculty with identifying and applying to external research funding sourceshttp://www.ithaca.edu/provost/grants/

The Partnerships in Sustainability Education offers sustainability curriculum development minigrants which faculty may use to support their research work which will be used to create new sustainability-focused courses or sustainability-related content to existing courses.
http://www.ithaca.edu/hs/science_in_the_community/

The Office of the Provost offers several internal grant programs to support faculty research efforts, which faculty may apply to sustainability-related research.

Grants for Creative, Collaborative, and Community Service and/or Service Learning Projects which may include:
■ Creative projects are those in the fine and performing arts that are generally viewed as being outside of the category of "traditional" academic work (e.g., music composition as performance, film production, fine arts, etc.).
■ Collaborative projects are those undertaken between faculty and students.
■ Community Service/Service Learning projects are those directed toward activities that have specific, concrete outcomes in the Ithaca/Tompkins County community.
http://www.ithaca.edu/provost/docs/internalgrants/CCCSLP/

Other internal grants are available that support:
Academic Pojects http://www.ithaca.edu/provost/docs/internalgrants/APG/
Instructional Development
http://www.ithaca.edu/provost/docs/internalgrants/IDF_DCI/
Interdisciplinary Projects
http://www.ithaca.edu/provost/docs/internalgrants/IDF_IP/
Summer Research
http://www.ithaca.edu/provost/docs/internalgrants/SUMMER/