University of Connecticut
ER-18: Sustainability Research Incentives

Each department involved with sustainability maintains ties with grant and fellowship opportunities that permit students to study aspects of environmental, social, economic, or energy sustainability. Examples include, but are not limited to: -USDA Marine watershed and Zwick Food Policy Center fellowships and internships for students in Agricultural and Resource Economics -Sea Grant fellowships and internships for students across disciplines related to marine sciences and marine resource conservation, climate impact monitoring, and policy -Fellowships offered in partnership with the engineering departments for work on sustainable fuel technologies, alternative energy projects, clean water technologies, and pollution reduction strategies -Incentives offered through the Human Rights institute for students to study corporate and social responsibility and international development One example website of dozens is provided with this submission: http://www.seagrant.uconn.edu/ Students are strongly encouraged to approach their department for information related to funding opportunities in their areas of interest. Biennial Environmental Leadership awards conducted to recognize and honor UConn related faculty, staff, and students that have contributed to environmental sustainability. Individuals or groups may be recognized for a range of efforts including excellence in sustainability related research. More information can be found at: http://ecohusky.uconn.edu/outreach/ela-2012.html

Sustainability is one of only three areas specifically mentioned in the Academic Plan, providing institutional support and resource allocation that is targeted towards the development of programs related to sustainability. The sustainability initiatives are driven largely by the University's ACUPCC commitments, as outlined in the University's Climate Action Plan. http://ecohusky.uconn.edu/climate/cap.html The Climate Change Adaptation task force drafted an amendment to the University Climate Action Plan that specifically addresses the need to focus institutional resources on sustainability-related research, which the University President signed on March 26, 2012. http://www.ecohusky.uconn.edu/docs/climate/Adaptation%20narrative.pdf The Environmental Literacy Task Force also has been working for the past 3 years to create an undergraduate major in Environmental Studies, to complement our existing Environmental Science program. This major has been approved and will be available in September, 2013, and will be targeting students who wish to pursue careers in environmental policy making. The University Climate Action Plan contains a section for a Renewable Energy Strategic Plan for creating demonstration and working scale projects highlighting the faculty's own research interests. Fourteen faculty members were interviewed in 2011 for inclusion in this plan. Scoping, siting and economic analysis for the first phase of this plan was recently completed; and grant submissions have been made to fund the projects selected for the first round. Incentives for sustainable building technology are also being written into existing plans for new construction projects via interdisciplinary collaboration during the planning phase. For example, the use of the new Depot Campus fuel cell, and experimental photovoltaic solar array as a microgrid research station was designed into its siting and installation; and the new Biotech Park project has $172 million earmarked for sustainable design, including a state-of-the art human-centered smart building research project. Members of the teams pursuing this research were included in the Environmental Policy Advisory Committee workgroups, permitting the vision of the lead scientists, philosophers, and researchers to have their vision translated into action items for the university. Biennial Environmental Leadership awards conducted to recognize and honor UConn related faculty, staff, and students that have contributed to environmental sustainability. Individuals or groups may be recognized for a range of efforts including excellence in sustainability related research. More information can be found at: http://ecohusky.uconn.edu/outreach/ela-2012.html