Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 55.69
Liaison Derek Nichols
Submission Date Nov. 20, 2012
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.1

University at Buffalo
ER-15: Sustainability Research Identification

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Alan Rabideau
Professor
Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Has the institution developed a definition of sustainability research?:
Yes

A copy of the institution's definition of sustainability research:

Sustainability research is any systemic research focused on the dynamic interplay between environment, economy, and society. Sustainable systems preserve and advance the healthy functioning of ecological, economic, and social systems now and in the future. Sustainability research is informed by the simultaneous consideration of environmental, economic, and social systems and the long-term viability of those systems. Questions of scale, both geographic and temporal are similarly central to this work.


Has the institution identified its sustainability research activities and initiatives?:
Yes

A brief description of the methodology the institution followed to complete the inventory:

With the engagement of the Research, Teaching, and Public Service committee of the Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC), a comprehensive inventory of our research in sustainability was created.

A list of all faculty research was generated, and colleagues that were already conducting sustainability research were identified. An email was sent to these faculty asking to confirm that their research was sustainability focused or related and whether they knew of other colleagues doing this work.

Under seperate cover, an email was sent to all faculty at the institution, asking them to complete a survey on whether they conduct sustainability related or focused research or teach courses in these areas.

Our final list was informed by our initial assessment, the specific responses we received from our targeted solicititation, and finally, from our broad request of all faculty.

We are comfortable with this methodology and look forward to refining it in the future.


Does the institution make its sustainability research inventory publicly available online?:
Yes

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:
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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.