| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 46.29 |
| Liaison | Thomas Frazer |
| Submission Date | March 4, 2022 |
University of South Florida
EN-11: Inter-Campus Collaboration
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Thomas
Frazer Dean College of Marine Science |
Is the institution currently a member of a national or international higher education sustainability network?:
The name of the national or international sustainability network(s):
USF is a member of AASHE
USF is a member of USGBC
Member of the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the scientific basis of environmental decision-making. It seeks to be a bridge that spans the divide between science, its applications, and policy.
NCSE specializes in programs that foster collaboration between the diverse institutions and individuals creating and using environmental knowledge to make science useful to policies and decisions on critical environmental issues.
We engage scientists, educators, policy-makers, environmental managers, government agencies, conservationists, and business leaders. While an advocate for science and its use, NCSE does not take positions on environmental issues. With a reputation for objectivity and non-partisanship, we are able to provide a neutral forum for all. NCSE assists communities in jointly finding acceptable solutions to complex environmental challenges by using expert facilitation, problem solving processes, and fostering joint implementation.
All sciences and technical areas relevant to decisions are recognized as important, including physical, biological, and social sciences, as well as engineering. Research, scientific synthesis and assessment, tools that support decision-making, formal and informal education, communication, are all respected and utilized.
Does the institution actively participate in a regional, state/provincial, or local higher education sustainability network?:
The name of the regional, state/provincial or local sustainability network(s):
George Philippidis, Kebreab Ghebremichael, Joseph Dorsey, Heather Rothrock through the USF Office of Community Partnerships, mentored and supervised several teams of PCGS students (more than 40 students in total) assisted the Manatee County in (1) Assessing the city’s Green House Gas emissions and recommending ways to reduce carbon emissions from city operations; (2) Assessing the solar power potential of the city to replace part of its energy consumption with renewable solar energy. The carbon emissions project was executed by three teams of students from the courses “Renewable Power Portfolio” under Dr. G. Philippidis and “Systems Thinking: The Key to Sustainability” under Dr. K. Ghebremichael. The solar project was executed by a team of students from the course “Concepts and Principles of Sustainability” under Dr. J. Dorsey. Reports were submitted to the Manatee County and the findings were presented to the Council.
Kebreab Ghebremichael worked with four Hillsborough County public schools to incorporate authentic science research in their course curriculum.
Heather Rothrock joined the Sustainable Urban Agriculture Coalition (SUAC)’s Board of Directors. SUAC is a non-profit organization, operating within the Tampa Bay region, with a mission to “provide education and volunteer assistance to the community in order to facilitate sustainable urban agriculture to create healthy, affordable food, local jobs, and economic stimulus”. An additional goal is to involve PCGS students in active urban agriculture education, projects, and policy-formation.
USGBC National and USGBC Florida
Has the institution presented at a higher education sustainability conference during the previous year?:
A list or brief description of the conference(s) and presentation(s):
2021 GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON RESILIENCY & SUSTAINABILITY DURING THE PANDEMIC: This conference took place on April 8 & 9, 2021.
Panel topics included transportation, technology, engineering, environmental protection, equity, resiliency, disaster protection,
equity, resiliency, disaster preparedness, sustainable innovations, renewable energy, and tourism.
https://www.usf.edu/pcgs/sustainability-conferences/index.aspx
Patel College of Global Sustainability - Dr. Thomas Culhane conducted webinars on the utility of the VR/AR revolution in education using the simulacra he has created to present to and train hundreds of teachers with Cengage, National Geographic, Insinkerator Grind2Energy, Mercy College, The Cleo Institute and of course the USF community. He continues his research and authoring with Dr. Seneshaw Tsegaye, formerly of PCGS and now head of the 3D VR VIPER lab at Florida Gulf Coast University. Together they are writing a book on how VR/AR are improving engineering and sustainability education.
The SDG Action Alliance, representing the Patel College of Global Sustainability and USF, teamed up with the CLEO Institute (The CLEO Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non- partisan organization exclusively dedicated to climate change education, engagement, and advocacy. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Miami, Florida, we work with front-line communities and leaders to build climate action) to co-host the global webinar event Solve Climate by 2030. Beginning April 7, across the world and in every US state, over 125 universities hosted webinars on a Green Recovery, Climate Solutions, and a Just Transition. From Austria to Alabama, Kyrgyzstan to Kentucky, Colombia to Colorado, and Malaysia to Minnesota, we heard from local climate experts about concrete steps that can really move the needle on climate change. The State of Florida power dialog featured introductions by Dr. Hansen and Yoca Arditi-Rocha, Executive Director of The CLEO Institute, and a statement by Mayor Daniella Levine Cava of Miami-Dade County. The moderators were CLEO’s House on Fire Podcast Co-Hosts Gabriela Rodriguez & John Paul Mejia. Speakers included Jill Horwitz, Climate Resiliency Officer, Heritage and Environment Resources Office, Seminole Tribe of Florida and Salome Garcia, Policy and Campaigns Manager, The CLEO Institute.
Has the institution submitted a case study during the previous year to an external higher education sustainability resource center or awards program?:
A list or brief description of the sustainability resource center or awards program and submission(s):
USF graduate students worked to submit a case study to the Campus Race to Zero Waste Case Study Competition in April of 2021.
The Campus Race to Zero Waste in partnership with the National Wildlife Federation hosts an annual case study competition
centered on the areas of Waste Minimization, Food Waste Reduction, Education and Awareness, and Summary of
Waste Reduction Efforts.
The USF students' case study was submitted for the Summary of Waste Reduction Efforts category:
"Student leaders of sustainability projects on campus collaborate to create a social marketing campaign to increase
awareness of recycling and food waste reduction on campus"
https://recyclemania.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/University-of-South-Florida-2021-case-study-formatted.pdf
https://recyclemania.org/resources/learn-from-your-peers/
Has the institution had employees or students serving on a board or committee of a sustainability network or conference during the previous three years?:
A list or brief description of the board or committee appointment(s):
The Student Green Energy Fund (SGEF) is an auxiliary fund through which students, faculty, and staff are invited to turn your ideas – small or large – into formal proposals for outcome-driven sustainability projects to help conserve energy, reduce energy costs, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and promote renewable energy technologies. If your proposal meets the Student Green Energy Fund (SGEF) criteria and is feasible, it could be funded for implementation. https://www.usf.edu/student-affairs/green-energy-fund/about/
The board of the SGEF consists of voting council members comprised of students, faculty, and staff, as well as a Chair and assistant to the Chair.
The SGEF has been in place since 2011.
See the current committee members of the SGEF below:
https://www.usf.edu/student-affairs/green-energy-fund/about/council-members.aspx
USF Facilities Sustainability Manager is active the in the AASHE Southeast Network, USGBC Florida, and USGBC Gulf Coast.
Does the institution have an ongoing mentoring relationship with another institution through which it assists the institution with its sustainability reporting and/or the development of its sustainability program?:
A brief description of the mentoring relationship and activities:
USF students work with Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa, and St. Petersburg on GHG reporting and LEED for Cities and Communities. Facilities Management works with Hillsborough Recycling, City of Tampa Recycling.
USF Sustainability Manager participated in the Second Nature 2021-2022 Summit Ambassadors for the SE Conference.
USF Sustainability Manager attends USGBC Florida's Sustainability Officer Roundtable (SORT)
Has the institution had employees or students serving as peer reviewers of another institution’s sustainability data and/or STARS submission during the previous three years?:
A brief description of the peer review activities:
USF Sustainability Manager has particpated with AASHE as a judge for case study and literatures reviews. 2019, 2020, & 2021.
A brief description of other inter-campus collaborative efforts around sustainability during the previous year :
The Keys Marine Laboratory is a full-service marine field station situated in the heart of the Florida Keys island chain at mile marker 68.5. The facility offers a unique opportunity for college level education and researchers studying the only tropical marine ecosystems in the continental United States. An ideal location with easy access to Florida Bay, the Everglades National Park, the Florida Current, and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, KML offers an excellent base of operations for your next field excursion.
KML, located on Long Key, in the City of Layton, Florida, is operated by the Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO), a consortium under the State University System (SUS). KML was established in 1987 as a full-service marine research and education center serving undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and researchers from the state, national and international scientific communities. KML, through FIO, is a member of the National Association of Marine Laboratories (NAML), Southern Association of Marine Laboratories (SAML), and the Association of Marine Laboratories of the Caribbean (AMLC).
Website URL where information about the institution’s inter-campus collaborations 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.