| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.69 |
| Liaison | Alan Turnquist |
| Submission Date | July 24, 2023 |
Michigan Technological University
AC-10: Support for Sustainability Research
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Alan
Turnquist Director of Sustainability and Resilience Office of the President |
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:
Michigan Tech has two primary programs for supporting undergraduate research across disciplines - SURF and URIP (see below). Starting in 2022, the Tech Forward Initiative on Sustainability and Resilience and the Office of Sustainability and Resilience have funded 4 positions across those two programs to focus specifically on sustainability research. Additionally, the Office has offered support to students to help them network and build strong proposals in this sphere.
https://www.mtu.edu/honors/research/surf/
https://www.mtu.edu/honors/research/urip/
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:
There are multiple programs to support sustainability research, managed since 2021 by the Tech Forward Initiative on Sustainability and Resilience. First, there is an annual award (up to $10k) for early career faculty and research staff that helps to complement startup packages and develop early work in sustainability research through funding and faculty mentorship. Second, there is an annual Faculty Fellowship in Sustainability that supports course buy-out (average $15k per semester) for tenured faculty to build interdisciplinary research in sustainability. The faculty for both programs also participate in monthly discussions with other faculty, and receive staff support to help advance their research tracks.
Those programs have resulted in multiple successful proposals, and have catalyzed in the formation of a new center on campus to pursue community engaged research and innovation in sustainability.
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:
https://www.mtu.edu/faculty-handbook/faculty/chapter2/s2-3/ states:
2.3 Role of Interdisciplinary Scholarship and Teaching
Michigan Tech must play a role in developing both the tools and the understanding needed to build a sustainable future. Sustainable technologies will require complementary, integrated contributions from a wide range of disciplines. Solutions to large scale problems are increasingly beyond the scope of a single discipline. Interdisciplinary scholarship and teaching allow the rapidly expanding base of disciplinary knowledge to be integrated and applied to new questions and situations of global importance. Faculty have a primary responsibility to lead students beyond the traditional boundaries of their major disciplines and their familiar institutions into a wider world of diversity and complexity. Experience with interdisciplinary projects and perspectives helps students find a place in the forefront of pioneering efforts to solve society's complex problems. Interdisciplinary research also provides opportunities for students to carry out innovative projects as members of teams. Collaboration among faculty from different disciplines contributes to a more cohesive university community of scholarship.
Interdisciplinary scholarship and teaching are recognized as having special value within the Michigan Tech community. The University acknowledges that additional time and effort are required for successful interdisciplinary collaboration and is committed to rewarding these efforts. In particular, promotion and tenure evaluations shall recognize interdisciplinary teaching and scholarship as indicators of leadership in going beyond traditional boundaries, and worthy of special consideration.
Does the institution have ongoing library support for sustainability research and learning?:
A brief description of the institution’s library support for sustainability research:
There are many journals which were purchased at the request of faculty. These journals that were newly purchased are based on new initiatives in sustainability.
Additionally, the library offers a number of research guides that aid in sustainability research. Please refer to the following course and subject guides: FW/SS 3760 Human Dimensions of Natural Resources; SS3630 Environmental Policy & Politics / SS5300 Environmental & Energy Policy; and Ecology and Environmental Science.
The library subscribes to more than fifty sustainability-specific journals and sustainability as a topic appears in 18 of our subscription databases (including Docuseek 2). As new resources are requested by our faculty, the library has a responsive review process for looking into new purchases. Interlibrary loan services also fill in resource gaps when budgetary constraints limit our ability to purchase specific items.
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.