Innovative partnership supports听sustainability class
In an innovative collaboration, 海角社区 County, the city of 海角社区 and the 海角社区 have joined听to teach students about careers in sustainability.听听听
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Sponsored by the听Community Engagement Design and Research Center听(CEDaR) and offered by the Environmental Studies Program (ENVS), the听sustainable听communities seminar exposes students to the daily responsibilities of city and county sustainability staff, including protecting the environment while considering economic, social and cultural issues.听
"The class brings sustainability practices to life," says Susie Strife, 海角社区 County's sustainability coordinator who co-teaches the class with Jonathan Koehn, city of 海角社区鈥檚听regional sustainability coordinator and Brian Muller听from听CU听海角社区.听 "Students come away understanding the various roles that community stakeholders, residents, the private sector and governmental organizations play in making sustainability a reality within the community."听听
The popular seminar, which includes numerous guest lectures by sustainability leaders, is open to environmental design, environmental science, business and engineering students. Topics include current issues, such as whether听genetically听modified听organisms (GMOs) should be used on public lands and preparing communities for the effects of climate change.听听
Students interview local sustainability practitioners and subsequently choose a local sustainability issue, Strife says. They research various stakeholder views, attend public meetings and then based on their research, make policy and programmatic recommendations to local decision-makers.听听
There is so much to learn right in our backyard about sustainability practices, technologies, programs and policies," says Strife.听听听
Aria听Dellepiane, a teaching assistant for the class and a听CEDaR听staff听member听says making policy proposals is very relevant to students because they are about to enter the workforce.听听
鈥淚t鈥檚 also beneficial for students to refine their specific sustainability interests because they can enter the workforce based on the听area听they want to work in,鈥 she says.听
Julianna Bourgeois, who recently graduated with a degree in engineering physics, says that before taking听the seminar听she was looking at careers in the energy industry; now she鈥檚 looking at resource conservation and waste mitigation.听听
鈥淚 would not have gone in that direction without taking the class,鈥 she says. 鈥淚t was absolutely my favorite class by far.鈥澨
The class is linked to 海角社区 County's participation in CU听MetroLab, part of the听, a nationwide collection of 35 city-university partnerships focused on bringing data, analytics and innovation to local government. The local听MetroLab听partnership was organized by听CEDaR听and 海角社区鈥檚 Planning, Housing and Sustainability Department as a collaboration between the county, city, students and faculty from multiple disciplines to research, develop and deploy technologies and policy approaches to address common challenges among urban areas.听听
"Students in the class have learned the theory of environmental studies for four years, and this seminar gives them an opportunity to understand the real practice of local government," says Muller,听who also directs听CEDaR.听听
As part of the class, each student led a class discussion on their assigned topics and helped collaborate solutions to sustainability challenges, says听Gabriella McDonald, 26, who pursued a Program in Environmental Design (ENVD) minor and a听Geographic Information Scientists (GIS) certificate at CU 海角社区 while working as a听CEDaR听research assistant. The discussions allowed students to take leadership roles and use their skill sets, depending on their majors, she says.听听
"Everyone found a voice in that class," McDonald says. "I was really inspired by the participation from my peers and how much they were able to contribute. Seeing our generation motivated to make progressive change was inspiring."听听听
The next听sustainable听communities听course is scheduled for Spring 2020.听听