Second Round of University Funding Announced for Projects to Reduce Energy Use, Promote Sustainability

The SU Campus as a Laboratory for Sustainability (CALS) program is offering up to $75,000 for faculty or student projects that advance the University’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, directly or indirectly, and raising awareness on campus about climate disruption and environmental sustainability. Funds will become available May 15. Syracuse University faculty and students from any discipline are invited to apply.

The first round of funding was announced in January, and six projects are currently underway. Two are research projects that focus on energy: membrane technology for power plants and connecting electric vehicles to the smart grid. Two others are looking into the physical effects of climate change: one aims to understand the flow of water on campus under various climate scenarios and another studies the impact of plants on carbon and nutrient cycles. And the remaining projects are about student engagement with climate change and sustainability: creation of an historical account of the student divestment movement and construction of an interactive installation that uses virtual reality to help students understand their use of energy and other resources.

The second round of funding is for projects undertaken between May 15, 2017, and June 30, 2018. All proposals must spell out clearly how the project relates to climate disruption, and all must 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 Syracuse University Climate Action Plan, which was released in 2009, is providing the competitive funding as part of the CALS program, overseen by a team of faculty from across the university. The project merges academic scholarship with the University’s broad initiatives to meet energy efficiency goals, while having the campus become a testbed for innovative ideas.

The Call for Proposals and application materials can be found at http://sustainability.syr.edu/vision/campus-as-laboratory-for-sustainability/cals-funding-2017-18/. The deadline for submission of proposals is April 10.