Stonehill College
AC-10: Support for Research

The Stonehill Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program includes a highly competitive summer option and academic year opportunities. Sustainability research is one of several areas faculty and students research. In addition, there are at least five regularly offered courses that include projects in which students research and advocate for greater sustainability on campus and in neighboring communities.

Established in 2007, the Center for Teaching and Learning supports Stonehill's teaching mission by providing dedicated services and resources to our faculty. Staffed by a full-time director, the CTL consults confidentially with faculty about classroom concerns, organizes small and large group conversations around timely pedagogical questions, and supports faculty research about teaching. The CTL awards Innovation in the Classroom grants, one of which was awarded in 2014 for professors to work with students to create and manage longitudinal experimental plots testing for differences in soil quality and researching ways to improve soil health with cover crops and amendments such as biochar. The experimental plots began in the spring of 2015, and are located in the south field of The Farm. The Farm also hosts a professional development class for faculty interested in integrating The Farm and/or food justice issues into their classes. This program began in 2011 with 4 faculty members that implemented sustainability topics into a combined 4 classes. Participation in this program has increased each year. In 2014, 16 faculty members participated in this program, which affected a total of 19 classes.