The Syracuse University Campus as a Laboratory for Sustainability (CALS) program announced funding for four innovation projects supporting the Syracuse University Climate Action Plan. The program merges academic scholarship with the University’s broad initiative to meet energy efficiency goals, with faculty and students using the campus as a testbed for innovative ideas.
The next round of funding is available for projects undertaken starting May 2020, through June 2021. All proposals must clearly address how the projects relate to climate disruption and include outreach or educational activities that promote awareness of sustainability issues on the Syracuse University campus. Projects may include faculty or student research, applied research, campus infrastructure or landscape projects, outreach campaigns, service projects or course development.
The following four projects were awarded funding in this round:
- Bee Orange, Honey Bee; Lisa Olson-Gugerty, associate teaching professor of public health, Falk College to establish honeybee hives on Syracuse University grounds, offer educational workshops on beekeeping for the University and local communities, and support bee-friendly initiatives throughout the University.
- Does the School of Design Care About Environment?; Louise Manfredi, assistant professor of industrial and interaction design, School of Design, College of Visual and Performing Arts to strategize systematic ways to use materials more sustainably and responsibly in the School of Design (SoD) and begin to evaluate alternative materials that are less damaging for the environment and examine methods to reduce material wasting behaviors.
- Revised Integrated Anaerobic Digester and Fuel Cell Power System; Jeongmin Ahn, associate professor, mechanical and aerospace engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science to deliver a proof-of-concept integrated anaerobic digester with a flame-assisted fuel cell that can convert municipal and agricultural waste into heat and electricity efficiently and inexpensively.
- Developing Hands-on Course Components on Smart Storm Water Management Strategies; Baris Salman, assistant professor, civil and environmental engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science to develop course components on Smart Stormwater Management to enhance our students’ exposure to these critical advancements, including constructing a sensor network on South Campus drainage networks featuring both green and gray infrastructures.
The call for proposals and application materials can be found at sustainability.syr.edu/cals. The deadline for submission of proposals is 11:59 p.m. on March 18, 2020.