| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 49.07 |
| Liaison | Janna Cohen-Rosenthal |
| Submission Date | July 3, 2023 |
University of Massachusetts Boston
AC-10: Support for Sustainability Research
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Dennis
Swinford Director of Campus Planning & Sustainability Office of Campus Planning and Sustainability |
Does the institution have an ongoing program to encourage students in multiple disciplines or academic programs to conduct sustainability research?:
A brief description of the student sustainability research program:
Sustainable Solutions Lab at The University of Massachusetts Boston (SSL):
"The Sustainable Solutions Lab, or SSL, at UMass Boston is a collaborative research and action institute focused on keeping historically excluded people and communities safe and healthy as our climate changes. We are a groundbreaking, cross-disciplinary partnership of six schools and four institutes across the University:
Collaborative of Asian American, Native American, Latino, and African American Institutes (CANALA)
College of Education and Human Development
College of Liberal Arts
College of Management
College of Nursing and Health Sciences
John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies
School for the Environment" (UMB SSL website)
SSL has three areas of focus which include advancing climate justice research, building a research community, and influencing local climate resilience. SSL supports graduate students that are working on numerous fronts to increase climate justice.
Does the institution have a program to encourage academic staff from multiple disciplines or academic programs to conduct sustainability research?:
A brief description of the faculty sustainability research program:
The Sustainable Solutions Lab (SSL) supports faculty and staff through professional development and seed funding, a grant program which supports climate justice research. Recipients of a Seed Grant award receive $7,500. "[SSL is] committed to cultivating a community of practice to support faculty's research and their development as scholars, as they are essential to generating the solutions and policies needed for equitable adaptation." (UMB SSL website)
Has the institution published written policies and procedures that give positive recognition to interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and multidisciplinary research during faculty promotion and/or tenure decisions?:
A copy of the promotion or tenure guidelines or policies:
The promotion or tenure guidelines or policies:
Does the institution have ongoing library support for sustainability research and learning?:
A brief description of the institution’s library support for sustainability research:
The Healey Library offers support for students, faculty, and staff regarding research and learning. Individual consultations are available during the research and learning process which aim to facilitate in the development of successful research strategies, developing a focus in research topic, and identifying relevant sources. The library also hosts sustainability focused workshops and group consultations on an as-needed basis. The library also creates and publishes research guides that cover sustainability topics, if needed. The following research guides are currently available:
- Environmental Science
- Raw Data: Environment and Energy
- Boston Harbor and Boston Harbor Islands
- Urban Planning and Community Development
Website URL where information about the institution’s support for sustainability research is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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.