| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.95 |
| Liaison | Kathleen McCaig |
| Submission Date | June 14, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Berea College
AC-10: Support for Research
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 4.00 |
Nancy
Gift Program Chair Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (SENS) |
Does the institution have an ongoing program to encourage students in multiple disciplines or academic programs to conduct research in sustainability? :
A brief description of the student research program, including the incentives provided and any positive outcomes during the previous three years:
Faculty direct students in summer research during the summer through the URCP program; each year at least one of these funded positions involves a research project in sustainability. Funding is available for sustainability or sustainable agriculture presentations at conferences, through a donor.
Does the institution have a program to encourage faculty from multiple disciplines or academic programs to conduct research in sustainability topics?:
A brief description of the faculty research program, including the incentives provided and any positive outcomes during the previous three years:
The following research was grant funded:
In 2017, Ian Norris (Associate Professor of Business) will conduct research on two projects related to sustainability. One project examines the effect of message framing on electronic product upgrades that contribute to electronic waste, a major threat to environmental sustainability. Several studies have already been completed, and this new set of studies will be conducted in order to address follow-up questions. The preliminary research studies will be presented at the Society for Consumer Psychology in San Francisco, February 2017.
Another project examines the impact of beliefs about environmental sustainability on perceptions of consumer necessity. Pilot data collected in 2016 with student authors (Erica Berejnoi and Joscelin HIdalgo) was presented at the Sustainability Preconference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP). Follow-up studies will examine the extent to which consumers believe they need different kinds of consumer products (physical vs. digital goods, for instance) under conditions in which they believe environmental threats are either more or less severe.
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 brief description of the institution’s support for interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and multidisciplinary research, including any positive outcomes during the previous three years:
Does the institution have ongoing library support for sustainability research and learning?:
A brief description of the institution’s library support for sustainability research, including any positive outcomes during the previous three years:
Librarians developed a page specifically to guide students looking for sustainability information. http://libraryguides.berea.edu/sb.php?subject_id=16537
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives 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.