Funding Opportunity Announcement: US DOE Connected Communities
Under this funding opportunity announcement, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will select a portfolio of connected community projects totaling up to $65 million in varying climates, geographies, building types, building vintages, and distributed energy resources. Through funding these projects, DOE aims to find and share technical and market solutions that will increase demand flexibility and energy efficiency.
Next Generation Leaders Program
Next Generation Leaders (NGL) is a two-year initiative that will provide a forum for young people enrolled in universities to reflect on their engagement experiences, learn from each other, and present recommendations for future action to a global audience. Applications are due Jan. 22, 2021. Next Generation Leaders is an initiative between the Mastercard Foundation and the Talloires Network of Engaged Universities and aims to create a virtual community of university student leaders who are committed to civic engagement and social responsibility.
Call for Input: Sustainability Indicators With Times Higher Education & QS
Two events with Times Higher Education and QS will invite feedback on the topic of sustainability metrics in academic league tables. In order to accommodate as many time zones as possible, each event will include two sessions. An event on Oct. 29 will feature Duncan Ross with Times Higher Education (THE) on the future developments of THE Impact ranking. A session on Nov. 4 will feature Daniel Kahn, Leigh Kamolins, Andrew MacFarlane with QS on the intention of including sustainability in the QS World University Rankings.
Campus Recycling & Waste COVID Impact Survey
The College and University Recycling Coalition (CURC) invites respondents to complete this survey that aims to assess longer term impacts (lasting beyond the current fall term) to campus recycling and waste programs in the face of the COVID pandemic.
Call for Students: New Fashion Initiative Academic Consortium
The New Fashion Initiative is a foundation promoting circularity, collaboration and accountability in the fashion industry. This year, the New Fashion Initiative's Academic Consortium, happening on Nov. 20 encourages post-graduate students to apply to collaborate with professors and industry experts. Applications are due Oct. 31.
2020 AASHE Sustainability Awards Ceremony
This free, live awards ceremony, taking place virtually Dec. 3 from noon - 1:30 p.m. Eastern, celebrates 11 outstanding AASHE Sustainability Award winners advancing sustainability through projects, initiatives or research at higher education institutions. While the ceremony is free for anyone to attend, registration is required.
Call for Applications: AASHE Governance
AASHE seeks interested candidates to serve on the Advisory Council and STARS Steering Committee. The STARS Steering Committee is responsible for approving changes to STARS credits, new versions of the assessment system and serves in an advisory role on all matters related to STARS. The Advisory Council promotes and supports the organization’s growth and development, and advises staff on complex or specialized matters, including STARS technical support, and general programmatic goals. Applications are being accepted through Oct. 26.
STARS Sessions at the AASHE GCSHE
STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System) sessions at the AASHE Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education (GCSHE), which begins Oct. 20, include introductory content for institutions just getting started with STARS, more detailed content for practiced users, and deep dives on specific topics such as food purchasing. Additionally, there will be opportunities to ask questions and provide feedback with STARS staff.
NexGenLead
NexGenLead is a free, three-week virtual program that aims to connect students in community to a dialogue on leadership and sustainability, while learning about and practicing responsible leadership competencies and taking ownership of their education. Organized by oikos International and swissnex Brazil, the program runs from Oct. 31 through Nov. 21.
History of Sustainability in Higher Education Survey
Researchers from the University of Michigan, University of Wyoming and Mount Holyoke College invite responses to a survey that seeks to explore the perceptions of the history of sustainability in U.S. higher education. The survey is anonymous. Participants may choose to enter a raffle to win one of four $25 cash prizes. The survey will close on Oct. 30.
Free for Students: Virtual Global Climate 2020
Hosted by The Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education (EAUC) out of the U.K., the Virtual Global Climate 2020 conference, happening Nov. 16 - 20, is free for students to attend. The conference seeks to bring together university and college students, academics and professionals to address the climate and ecological emergency.
Survey: Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on SDGs Implementation
Administered by the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, this survey seeks to understand how COVID-19 is impacting the contributions of stakeholders from different sectors to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also aims to identify how COVID-19 is affecting countries' abilities to engage stakeholders and promote effective partnerships around implementation and follow up of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.
Call for Applications: AASHE Governance
AASHE seeks interested candidates to serve on the Advisory Council and STARS Steering Committee. The STARS Steering Committee is responsible for approving changes to STARS credits, new versions of the assessment system and serves in an advisory role on all matters related to STARS. The Advisory Council promotes and supports the organization’s growth and development, and advises staff on complex or specialized matters as well as general programmatic goals. Applications are being accepted through Oct. 26.
Appalachian Energy Summit Webinar Series
In lieu of an in-person Appalachian Energy Summit this year, the UNC System initiative is presenting a webinar series this fall. Webinars happen once per week through Oct. 22 and will focus on business for good, local government sustainability and energy initiatives, and project delivery.
AASHE GCSHE 2020 Pre-Conference Session: Mobilizing to VOTE: Climate 2020
This advanced broadcast session of the upcoming AASHE Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education will highlight the voter registration process and Get Out The Vote (GOTV) campaign. Happening Sept. 30 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern time, this webinar aims to introduce attendees to Our Climate's GOTV campaign, underscore the importance of encouraging voters to vote on climate-related issues, and motivate attendees to mobilize their peers.
AASHE Member Discount: Free Subscription to gb&d Bimonthly Magazine
AASHE members are eligible to receive a free subscription ($60 value) to gb&d’s (Green Building & Design) bimonthly magazine. Green Building & Design is a trade magazine that connects and inspires green building professionals by partnering with those at the forefront of sustainable design, development, planning and policy. This offer expires on Dec. 31.
Campus Compact Election 2020 Series
This multi-part series, presented as part of Campus Compact's Education for Democracy initiative, will explore how colleges and universities can deepen their commitment to political learning, civic education, and building a diverse democracy through teaching and learning, student life, and civic engagement.
Environmental Health Coalition Workforce & Education Assessment
The Environmental Health Coalition encourages those involved in the hiring of entry-level environmental health employees to complete the assessment. The purpose of this assessment is to determine if environmental health employers are experiencing difficulty in locating adequately prepared environmental health employees for their entry level positions, and if so, in what environmental health areas are they experiencing the most challenges.
Unlimited Conference Registrations to the AASHE GCSHE
AASHE members are eligible to take advantage of a unique pricing structure for the virtual Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education (GCSHE), happening Oct. 20 - 22 and themed Mobilizing for a Just Transition. Member institutions can become host sponsors, which provides campuses with an unlimited number of conference registration passes, as well as unique opportunities to be recognized for their commitment to sustainability.
This Way to Sustainability Call for Proposals
The planning committee of the This Way to Sustainability online conference, using the theme Resilience from the Ground Up: Strengthening Diversity in Soil, Communities and Economies, encourages presentation and poster submissions. This Way to Sustainability, happening March 25-26, 2021, is a student-run conference focusing on challenges, ideas, solutions and resiliency in planning a sustainable future. Proposals are due Nov. 1.
AASHE Discussion Series Recap: Racial Equity, Social Justice & Sustainability
During the month of August, AASHE led a discussion series about how the sustainability community is collaborating to advance racial equity and social justice (RESJ), and to discuss the intersection of sustainability with RESJ. Register now for today's recap webinar, happening from 3 - 4:00 p.m. Eastern, which will provide a recap of the discussion series and reflections on moving forward. Presenters are V.S. (Raghu) Raghavan, director of sustainability and associate director of the Miller Worley Center for the Environment at Mount Holyoke College, and Shá Duncan Smith, assistant vice president and dean of Inclusive Excellence and Community Development at Swarthmore College. Today's moderator is AASHE's Kimberly Smith, director of Marketing, Meetings and Membership.
Wege Prize 2021 Call for Team Applications
Wege Prize is an annual competition challenging students to collaborate across institutional, disciplinary and cultural boundaries to redesign the way economies work. Participants contend for over $30,000 in total cash prizes. The Wege Prize is organized by Kendall College of Art and Design’s Wege Center for Sustainable Design with support from the Wege Foundation. The deadline to submit an application is Nov. 9.
AASHE Discussion Series: Racial Equity, Social Justice & Sustainability
Join one of two more sessions held this month on how higher education is advancing racial equity and social justice, and how these intersect with sustainability. The presenters are Kimberly Lewis, senior vice president of Market Transformation and Development for the USGBC; Eriqah Vincent, network engagement director for Power Shift Network; and Debbie Namugayi, senior consultant at RE Tech Advisors. The discussion will be moderated by AASHE’s executive director, Meghan Fay Zahniser. A recap webinar will be held on Aug. 25.
Being Black in College Webinar Series
Presented by ACCEPT (Admissions Community Cultivating Equity & Peace Today), Being Black in College is a 4-part series that is specifically curated to the needs and experiences of Black students exploring higher education. Each session will feature college admissions experts sharing their personal advice and perspectives, and each will conclude with a question and answer period so attendees can ask questions specific to their own journeys to college.
Indigenous Youth Video Contest
The Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians is encouraging video submissions from Indigenous youth for the National Tribal Leadership Climate Change Summit. Videos should explore the impacts of climate change through the eyes, experiences and passions of Indigenous youth. Up to four winners will receive travel awards and up to four runners-up will receive partial travel awards to attend the summit in Seattle, taking place May 16-20, 2021.
Faculty Workshop Series Wrap-up: Coping With Climate Anxiety in the Classroom & for Yourself
Happening 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Eastern on Aug. 6, this faculty session is a follow-up to the previous series of workshops offered for faculty to address their own emotions so that they can create and hold space in the classroom for students to integrate and process hard realities about climate change impacts. After leading a brief activity, this session will use breakout and full group discussion to prepare for fall semester and how AASHE might support this work going forward. The deadline to register is Aug. 5.
National Voter Education Week
Happening Oct. 5 - 9, National Voter Education Week is a campaign that will equip voters with the tools, information and confidence they need to cast their ballots this fall. During this week of interactive education, voters will learn to find their polling location, understand their ballot, make a plan to vote in person or remotely and more.
Dialogue on Action for Climate Empowerment
Taking place virtually from June to November 2020, the Dialogue on Action for Climate Empowerment seeks to be a platform to share experiences, best practices and lessons learned on Action for Climate Empowerment implementation. There will be four virtual regional dialogues, two global events, and an in-person session. The Dialogue on Action for Climate Empowerment is an initiative of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Return to Campus Survey
Horan Campus Health, in collaboration with Building Healthy Academic Communities (BHAC), invites university stakeholders to complete a short survey intended to collect information about college and university plans to allow students back on campus amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. The survey also aims to understand how the pandemic has affected student health benefits.
AASHE Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education Scholarship
Individuals from AASHE member institutions that are in need of financial assistance to attend the Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education can apply for a scholarship between now and Aug. 31. In an effort to increase the diversity of attendees and perspectives, priority will be given to attendees, presenters and students of color, especially those from minority-serving institutions. Scholarship recipients will receive up to the cost of a full conference registration, valued at up to $125 for students and $300 for regular attendees.
Resilient Communities: Libraries Responding to Climate Change
The American Library Association encourages applications for Resilient Communities: Libraries Respond to Climate Change, a pilot program to help public and academic libraries engage their communities in programs and conversations that address the climate change crisis. Each $1,000 grant will fund film screenings, community dialogues and related events based on local interest, and it will provide instruction and support for the libraries to be centers for community education and preparedness regarding extreme weather. The deadline is Aug. 28.
GCSHE Call for Proposals: Emerging Issues Sessions
Anyone is welcome to submit a session proposal for emerging issues to be presented at the Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education (GCSHE), happening online Oct. 20 - 22. Emerging issues may be related to social justice and racial equity, the novel coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 U.S. election, or other frontline issues and their intersection with each other. Proposals are accepted through Aug. 14.
Michigan State University Institutional Food Survey
A team of educators from Michigan State University Extension, in partnership with Fresh Systems, LLC., Michigan Food and Farming Systems, and the Wallace Center at Winrock International have developed a national survey about institutional food safety programs to inform educational initiatives for fresh produce buyers. The aim of this survey is to gather data on accepted food safety verification programs for fresh produce, awareness of the program’s requirements for farms, and confidence in these verification programs. The survey will be open through Aug. 31.
US Dept of Energy Solar Decathlon Design Challenge
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon Design Challenge is an annual competition for student teams to create residential or commercial building designs that are innovative, cost-effective, quick to build, high-quality, resilient, grid-interactive, efficient and locally responsive. The team application deadline for the 2021 Design Challenge is Oct. 20.