Portland State University
IN-26: Innovation C

Being recognized for innovation and action on climate change is a defining feature of our region and at Portland State. Behind this reputation are programs like the Climate Resilience in Urban Campuses and Communities (CRUX) pilot project sponsored by Second Nature through the Kresge Foundation, and led by Portland State Masters of Urban and Regional Planning recent graduate, Thea Kindschuh. CRUX is looking at how campuses can continue to function and support their surrounding communities amidst and in anticipation of climate change effects. In Portland, that largely means more heat and more rain.

Over the past year and a half, Thea and stakeholders from PSU, Mt. Hood Community College, the Portland Downtown Neighborhood Association, City of Gresham, and the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability have collaborated on a variety of initiatives, beginning with a capacity assessment to understand how to leverage our region’s strengths as we prepare for future climate scenarios. This cross sector work has engaged dozens of stakeholders within each organization and across the community. To address community needs around climate resilience, the group has launched a number of demonstration projects.

Projects include:
-Combine PSU and Community resources and capacity in a compelling way (example matching Street Roots, an organization working directly with high poverty and houseless communities, with Northwest Open Data Exchange, an open data platform out of PSU's Institute for Metropolitan Studies)
-Service learning project, planting a drought tolerant garden