Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 32.74
Liaison William Hargrove
Submission Date April 29, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of Texas at El Paso
AC-9: Academic Research

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.62 / 12.00 Luis Perez
Sustainability Coordinator
CERM
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Number of the institution’s faculty and/or staff engaged in sustainability research:
57

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Total number of the institution’s faculty and/or staff engaged in research:
1,157

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Number of academic departments (or the equivalent) that include at least one faculty or staff member that conducts sustainability research:
7

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The total number of academic departments (or the equivalent) that conduct research:
34

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A copy of the sustainability research inventory that includes the names and department affiliations of faculty and staff engaged in sustainability research:
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Names and department affiliations of faculty and staff engaged in sustainability research:
Liberal Arts 1. Jules Simon (Philosophy) 2. Tim Collins (Sociology and Anthropology) 3. Sarah Grineski (Sociology and Anthropology) 4. Joe Heyman (Sociology and Anthropology) 5. Stacey Sowards (Communication) Science 6. Vanessa Lougheed (Biology, Science) 7. Craig Tweedie (Biology, Science) 8. Liz Walsh (Biology, Science) 9. Wen-Yee Lee (Chemistry, Science) 10. Jorge Gardea-Torresdey (Chemistry, Science) 11. Geoffrey B. Saupe (Chemistry, Science) 12. Dino Villagran (Chemistry, Science) 13. Rosa Fitzgerald (Physics, Science) 14. Nick Pingitore (Geology, Science) 15. Lin Ma (Geology, Science) 16. Lixin Jin (Geology, Science) 17. Tom Gill (Geology, Science) Engineering 18. Bill Tseng (Engineering): Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing (Green Manufacturing). 19. Eric Smith (Engineering): Healthcare Systems; Energy Systems and Sustainable Infrastructure; Engineering Education 20. Jose Espiritu Nolasco (Engineering) 21. Heide Toboada Jimenez (Engineering) 22. Shane Walker (Engineering) 23. Ramana Chintalapalle (Engineering) 24. Tom Davis (Civil Engineering) 25. John Walton (Civil Engineering) Center for Environmental Resource Mgmt 28. William Hargrove Economics and Finance: Nathan Ashby, Associate Professor of Economics; Erik Devos, Wells Fargo Endowed Professorship in Financial Services and Professor of Finance; Thomas Fullerton, Chair for the Study of Trade in the Americas and Professor of Economics; James Holcomb, Associate Professor of Economics; Alex Holcomb, Assistant Professor; Steve Johnson, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Finance; Yu Liu, Assistant Professor of Economics; Robert Nachtmann, Dean, College of Business Administration; Betty M. MacGuire Professor of Business Administration; Daniel Pastor, Assistant Professor; Timothy P. Roth, Dr. Arleigh B. Templeton Professor of Financial Management and Banking Department Chair and Professor of Economics; David Schauer’ Associate Professor of Economics and Finance; Xiaojin (Aaron) Sun, Assistant Professor; James Upson, Associate Professor of Finance; Oscar Varela, Charles R. and Dorothy S. Carter Chair in Business Administration and Professor of Finance; Zuobao (Eddie) Wei, Associate Professor of Finance; Feixue (Faith) Xie, Associate Professor of Finance; Qianying (Emma) Xu, Assistant Professor

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A brief description of the methodology the institution followed to complete the research inventory:
Personal communication and internet searches were used.

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A brief description of notable accomplishments during the previous three years by faculty and/or staff engaged in sustainability research:
Stacey Sowards (Dept. of Communication) received a $1 million dollar grant to promote environmental conservation and communication in Indonesia http://borderzine.com/2012/04/1-million-aid-grant-to-promote-utep-program-in-environmental-conservation-in-communication/ Jorge Gardea-Torresdey (Department of Chemistry) is one of the world's leading researchers in nanoparticles. One of his recent articles, regarding how nanoparticles enter soybean plants from farm soil, was selected as one of the best papers in 2013 of all 40 ACS journals. http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/presspacs/2013/acs-presspac-february-6-2013/widely-used-nanoparticles-enter-soybean-plants-from-farm-soil.html Recently, Dr. Craig Tweedie (Biology) was co-editor of a special issue of the journal “Ambio”, which focused on ecosystem-level changes in the Arctic through re-visiting historic sites. http://www.eu-interact.org/topmenu/news/nyhet/article/special-issue-of-ambio-takes-you-back-to-the-future-12/ In EE, Establishment of the Power & Renewable Energy Systems Laboratory In Psychology: All of above individuals are doing research that concerns health/well-being of individuals. A few work with substance abuse issues (e.g., smoking, alcohol) and getting people to quit, others work with elderly and explore ways for them to maintain abilities as they age In Sociology and Anthropology: The most significant accomplishments are two: research on water sustainability in the El Paso region and the obtaining of a large grant (Building Scholars) to train the next generation of Hispanic researchers in societal and environmental issues. Additional Biological Sciences: A few examples in the news: Surveillance of mosquito populations for vector-borne disease. http://news.utep.edu/?p=27211, Warming of the Arctic leads to loss of valuable habitat. http://news.utep.edu/?p=29593, Conservation and collaboration in Indonesia. http://news.utep.edu/?p=24672, Biodiversity in the Congo. http://news.utep.edu/?p=8433, How pollutants affect aquatic life. http://news.utep.edu/?p=28816

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The website URL where information about sustainability research is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Additional websites: Warming of the Arctic leads to loss of valuable habitat. http://news.utep.edu/?p=29593, Conservation and collaboration in Indonesia. http://news.utep.edu/?p=24672, Biodiversity in the Congo. http://news.utep.edu/?p=8433, How pollutants affect aquatic life. http://news.utep.edu/?p=28816 http://academics.utep.edu/Default.aspx?alias=academics.utep.edu/psychology www. Academics.utep.edu/Default.aspx? Alias is academics.utep.edu/sociology http://science.utep.edu/eeb/ HTTP:ECE.UTEP.EDU/MANDAL/ This section was completed by a joint effort by the Sustainability Committee and academic department heads at UTEP.

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