| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 55.04 |
| Liaison | Prabhakar Shrestha |
| Submission Date | Jan. 13, 2023 |
New Jersey Institute of Technology
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Sadia
Mohiuddin Sustainability Specialist Office of Sustainability |
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement:
The Urban Ecology Lab, which engages students in on-campus research, hosts at least two campus outreach events each year. One of these is an early Fall bioblitz in which all students are encouraged to collect data and view the results. The other is part of a suite of Earth Day activities by various campus organizations.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Public Engagement?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Public Engagement:
The Urban Ecology Lab has partnered with the City of Newark and The Nature Conservancy on a tree planting proposal. If funded, NJIT students from the UEL will be tasked with public outreach to promote the opportunity among Newark residents, answer questions about the benefits of trees, etc. In this applied project they will be assisted by the TNC and other non-profit organizations with experience in stakeholder engagement.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Air & Climate?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Air & Climate:
The Urban Ecology Lab, which engages students in on-campus research, is currently running two projects measuring the carbon and temperature impacts respectively of campus trees.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Buildings?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Buildings:
The Urban Ecology Lab is partnering with the ADHC to revive the green roof on the Campus Center with new soil and plantings. This should restore the sustainability benefits of the roof, which was quite degraded. Once established, it will serve as an experimental test best for projects relating to pollinator diversity and to student usage.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Energy?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Energy:
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Food & Dining?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Food & Dining:
Dr. Maria Stanko, with funding from a donation to the ADHC, has organized a ‘food forest’ in a prominent campus location. This highlights the importance of sustainability and ecological principles in food production.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Grounds?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Grounds:
The Urban Ecology Lab is now regularly partnering with the ADHC on their first-year sustainability service program. In this program, all first-year Honors students visit and learn about existing campus sustainable planting initiatives, and then create a proposal for a new location on campus. The students are guided in their understanding and design by members of the Urban Ecology Lab, who then participate in proposal judging. Finally, the UEL helps integrate the best parts of the proposals into a final design which the Honors students then implement.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Purchasing?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Purchasing:
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Transportation?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Transportation:
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Waste?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Waste:
NJIT Green, a student-led initiative tasked with promoting new and lasting sustainable practices has done waste audits to find NJIT's garbage composition, worked with the cafeteria to hold composting demonstration days, and opened discussion about recycling contamination issues through infographics & articles. Their ongoing projects aim to increase recycling compliance, divert food waste, & reduce overall consumption.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Water?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Water:
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning:
The Urban Ecology Lab is putting together a White Paper on “The Potential of the NJIT Campus for On- Campus Ecological Study and Sustainable Grounds Management.” This report, led by the student members of the UEL and summarizing the results of their ongoing campus surveys, will be presented to the NJIT Administration May 2023 to help in their planning.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability:
The Urban Ecology Lab was founded with the long- term mission of attracting students under- represented groups, mainly from Newark and adjacent communities, to study towards a career in sustainability at NJIT. To that end UEL is pursuing scholarship funding, both via Federal grants and private donations. In addition, if UEL receives the Federal scholarship funding, the next step will be to apply for (the NSF S-STEM program) in which an external evaluator will assess whether the funding is achieving its goal of helping under- represented students succeed.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Investment & Finance?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Investment & Finance:
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work:
One of the goal projects for the Campus Center roof garden planting (once established) will assess the impact of different planting types (for either visual or olfactory impact) on student perceptions of the area as a place to relax or study. In developing these project proposals, the students were introduced to literature on the measurable benefits of exposure to nature on physical and mental well-being.
Website URL where information about the institution’s living laboratory program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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