Launching 2020 Summer

Research doesn't stop during a pandemic!

In fact, international collaboration and innovation are even more relevant. And it’s for this reason that GSS has launched remote summer research projects in collaboration with our Belmont funded, international partners. During 2020, our scholars will be working remotely with their international research teams for eight weeks to address urban sustainability issues with the food, energy, water nexus. Below are the projects our students are remotely embedded with. This remote research experience is not what the students thought their summers would be like, and yet its what many international collaborations look like in reality. We have been doing a deep dive into collaboration and collective leadership skills to build student capacity during this research experience. And all the while, we are keeping our vision on the longer arch – this is only the second summer out of three that the students will be working with our research partners.

Engaging remotely in international research projects.

CREATING INTERFACES

Mya Wells, Aishah Brown, Epongue Ekille, and our new GSS Fellow, Erin Jones are working with Dr. Andrea Pierce, Dr. Pia Laborgne, Dr. Jochen Wandel, and Dr. Monika Heyder, conducting research on food cooperatives and their roles in the food, water, energy nexus in the USA and Europe. They will also be exploring the inclusiveness of urban living labs and knowledge co-creation. Students will be helping with the design of digital tools for participation and citizen engagement, a key piece of this transdisciplinary research .

For more information about the project: Creating Interfaces.

CITYFOOD

Darryl Acker-Carter is working with Dr. Gundula Proksch at the University of Washington on assessing the potential for urban integration of farms and other types of agriculture-related organizations. This includes work on community food centers, community gardens, and educational projects based on case study research. This work involves research at an urban scale, a farm operation scale, and a building scale.

For more information about the project: CITYFOOD

FUSE

Alena Zhang, Mayra Ona, and Vanessa Villanueva are working with Dr. Raphael Karutz, Dr. Hendrik Zozmann, and Dr. Bernd Klauer in three interrelated projects: 1) The potential of green Infrastructure to improve quality of life, provide food, retain stormwater and provide cooling'; 2) Interactions between Food, Energy and Water systems, and their impact on irrigated agriculture, main actors’ interests, and governance structure in Maharashtra, India; 3) Connections between water-energy nexus solutions in Jordan to provide a foundation for hydro-economic decision-processes.

For more information about the project: FUSE

Vertical Green 2.0

Kashia Caljesuseso and Anthony Erebor are working with Dr. Thomas Nehls and Dr. Karin Hoffmann to understand the water consumption of vertical green systems, the supply required for these systems to work, and the e potential of these systems to reduce heat stress.

For more information about the project: Vertical Green

Support our students! All donations directly support Global Sustainability Scholars and Fellows. We are committed to providing our scholars with the research and networks needed to launch their careers. Our response to COVID - 19 has meant a drastic shift in our programming. We are still getting work done - it's just gone online! Your support means the world to us.