| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 56.05 |
| Liaison | Mary Ellen Mallia |
| Submission Date | July 19, 2012 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University at Albany
ER-15: Sustainability Research Identification
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 3.00 |
Mary Ellen
Mallia Director of Environmental Sustainability Finance and Business |
Has the institution developed a definition of sustainability research?:
A copy of the institution's definition of sustainability research:
An informal group was convened in the spring/summer of 2012 to create a working definition for sustainability as well as develop the scope of sustainability related projects. The definition and scope of sustainability was compiled by the following individuals:
Jeremy Grunstra, Graduate Assistant, Environmental Sustainability
Dr. Gary Kleppel, Professor in the Biology Department
Dr. David Lewis, Professor in the Geography and Planning Department
Dr. Mary Ellen Mallia, Director of Environmental Sustainability
Dr. Kendra Smith-Howard, Professor in the History Department
The determination of sustainability courses and research projects was conducted by Mary Ellen Mallia and Jeremy Grunstra using the template developed below.
Preamble:
Sustainability’s broadest definition entails “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Brundtland 1987). At UAlbany, this translates into creating a citizenry whose understanding of and commitment to environmental sustainability informs and shapes the choices they make in their everyday lives, in the communities in which they live and work, in their careers and in the myriad other ways they serve as citizens in a democratic society.
Definition:
Sustainability entails recognizing one’s membership in the broader social and ecological community, exhibiting appreciation of and respect for others and the natural world, and acting justly to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of human communities and natural systems.
Template:
A course or research project was included in our data base if it dealt with the following topics.
Society - JusticeHuman interaction
Environmental Justice
Quality of Life
Human Health
Education
Mental and Social Well-Being
Crime Prevention
Human Rights
Community Enhancement
Development of Social Culture
Environment - Stewardship
Interaction with the natural world
Preservation of Environment
Climate Change
Carbon Footprint
Prevent Pollution
Conservation of Resources
Economics - Equity
Ecological valuation
Valuation of Externalities
Lifecycle Analysis
Fair Cost Accounting
Employment Security
Fair Compensation
Poverty
Labor rights
Has the institution identified its sustainability research activities and initiatives?:
A brief description of the methodology the institution followed to complete the inventory:
A data base of all grant funded research was available. This was searched to identify sustainable research. In addition, Departments and Research Centers were contacted and department/faculty websites were review to get a listing of non-funded research. A template as to the subjects that would be considered sustainable was developed by the Director of Environmental Sustainability and all reserach gathered was reviewed against this template to determine if the work would be considered sustainability research.
Does the institution make its sustainability research inventory publicly available online?:
The website URL where the sustainability research inventory is posted (required if claiming Part 3 of the credit):
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.