ENVIRONMENTAL & SUSTAINABILITY STUDIES
The Environmental & Sustainability Studies program is rooted in interdisciplinary approaches from earth systems science, humanities, and social and behavioral sciences. The program provides students with a broad multi-methods education that emphasizes systemic analysis, peer learning, and community engagement. It stresses the importance of social responsibility, leadership, and a science-based focus on solutions and integrated problem solving. There are four emphases that are currently offered in this program:
- Conservation & Land Management
- Food Systems & Community
- Air, Water, & Health
- Ecojustice Education
Capstone Project Highlights
Jennifer Follstad Shah
Jennifer's research projects focus on the"Shifts in hydrology, biodiversity, and water
quality along the wildland to urban gradient of Red Butte Creek." Several of these
projects have been undertaken by students as a CEL component.
Adrienne Cachelin
Adrienne's students research on differential prices of food in area stores found to be correlated to demographic information, biomass collection from public lands by members of local tribes, and distribution of sound walls and their relationship to air quality. This research is also a CEL component.
Research
Sarah Grineski
Sara Grineski, professor of sociology and environmental studies, focuses on environmental health disparities, children’s health and environmental justice. She explores how social inequalities shape our exposure to air pollution as well as the health effects caused by air pollution.
The results of her research have led her to believe that “not everyone has the same opportunities to protect themselves in terms of where they live or work. It doesn’t matter if it is a red air quality day—landscapers (for example) have to be outside working.
Jennifer Follstad Shah
Jennifer Shah - "River Ecology on a Global Scale" - ongoing study examining the effect of climactic factors on River ecosystems
Jennifer Shah - "What Global Climate Change May Mean for Leaf Litter in Streams and Rivers"
Jennifer Shah - "Where The Jordan River's Water Comes From" - study was published
in the Journal of the American Water Resources Association
Faculty actively engaged in Campus Sustainability
Increased Access to
Air Filtration Masks:
Increased Access to Air Filtration Masks: The University of Utah community were able to purchase reusable air filtration masks from Vogmask at a significant discount.
Sustainability & Equity Pledge
Water Conservation Garden
The water conservation garden using bioretention cells and bioswales for the new Carolyn and Kem Gardner building.
Installed New Lighting System with LED Bulbs in the Marriot Library
Installed a new lighting system with LED bulbs that are motion and daylight sensitive. Lights above each row activate only when someone moves into the area and there is insufficient daylight.
The Inland Port Info Session
Brought Deeda Seeds, senior Utah field campaigner at Center for Biological Diversity, and Jonny Vasic, executive director for Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, to talk about the potential environmental and health impacts of the Inland Port.
Solar Umbrellas Expansion
Students from the ENVST department received SCIF money to purchase another Enerfusion table umbrella with solar panels for use at Gardner Commons. The umbrellas allow the campus community to charge small electronics using the energy captured by the umbrellas’ solar panels.
Campus Community Food Project
Researched Glendale residents’ perceptions regarding an urban farm and their visions for how the farm might support food access. The project will move beyond the initial community inquiry, bringing the work full circle by reconnecting the findings with University of Utah campus programs, including the Edible Campus Gardens and University Neighborhood Partners
Adrienne Cachelin - Savour Book: Stories Behind the Recipes
Savour Book: Stories Behind the Recipes: A Global Look at Community Through Food
Did you know?
An assessment of the newly implemented sustainability measures such as the water purification devices to reduce single use plastic waste associated with Learning Abroad programs and the estimated savings for Marriott Library Special Collections lighting project ($56,000 dollars in energy costs and 600 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions over twenty-two years)
Awards
- Adrienne Cachelin -
Career-line Superior Teaching Award
2016-2017
- Adrienne Cachelin -
University Distinguished Teaching Award
2018
- Jennifer Watt -
Career-line Superior Teaching Award
2017-2018
- Jennifer Watt -
John Topham & Susan Redd Butler Off-Campus Faculty Research Award
2017
- Jennifer Watt -
Alta Sustainability Leadership Award - Education & Integration Award
2018
- Jennifer Watt -
Faculty Commitment to Students Award
2018
- Jennifer Shah -
Career-line Superior Teaching Award
2018-2019
- Brett Clark -
Excellence in Mentoring, Superior Research Award
2019-2020
- Kim Peterson -
CSBS Staff Excellence Award
2019-2020