Campus as a Laboratory for Sustainability Funding Available Oct. 31

The Syracuse University 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, or through raising awareness on campus about climate disruption and environmental sustainability. Funds will become available May 16, 2021. Syracuse University faculty and students from any discipline can apply.

In April of 2020 six projects were awarded funding:

• Reducing disposable aerosol media usage in the Nancy Cantor Warehouse project, Bekir Kelceoglu and Zeke Leonard: $12,000
• Designing a sustainable bio fiber textile for campus housing at Syracuse, University Professor Don Carr
• Creating a showcase to demonstrate the energy-saving and carbon reduction potential of the building system by occupancy-centric building control: Associate Professor Bing Dong, Ph.D.
• Energy and environmental analysis for a South Campus dormitory, Assistant Professor Nina Sharifi: $20,500
• Does SU Housing care about the environment? Assistant Professor Seyeon Lee: $12,000
• Syracuse Architecture Goes Green, College of Visual and Performing Arts student Valeria Gallucci: $1,300

The next round of funding is available for projects undertaken between May 16, 2021, through June 30, 2022. All proposals must clearly address how the projects relates to climate disruption, and all must include outreach or educational activities that promote awareness of sustainability-related 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.

Carr, professor of design, coordinator of the School of Design’s M.F.A. in design program, coordinator of the industrial and interaction design program and SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellow, submitted his grant for “Designing a sustainable bio fiber textile for campus housing at Syracuse University,” stated, “Thanks to our team being selected for this CALS grant, we’re excited to move forward with research that explores taking a bio design approach to the creation of fibers and textiles. The notion that we can apply this research to the various textile needs here on our campus is an area of discovery that can be transferred to numerous products and market opportunities.”

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 and staff from across the University. The program merges academic scholarships with the University’s broad initiative to meet energy efficiency goals, while having our faculty and students use our campus as a testbed for innovative ideas.

“Over the years these grants have been instrumental in helping the University with research that can and will help us reach our carbon neutrality goals,” says Melissa Cadwell, sustainability coordinator. “This grant is unique in that both students and professors can apply—giving students who may be applying for their first grant, an opportunity to have guided experience on campus. Additionally, being able to work with the students and professors has created a stronger working relationship with Sustainability Management and the campus community.”

The Call for Proposals and application materials can be found on the Sustainability website. The deadline for submission of proposals is midnight on March 16, 2021.