SEED Initiative Mentor Connect Program
Launching this summer, the Sustainability Education & Economic Development (SEED) Initiative's Mentor Connect Program is designed to help community colleges build sustainability and green programs through technical assistance and a series of conference calls, site visits, and meetings with mentor colleges. Mentor colleges will be matched with partners based on need and fit. SEED is a program of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).
Call for Applications: EAUC Green Gown Awards 2012
(U.K.): The Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC) invites submissions for its 8th annual Green Gown Awards, which recognize exceptional sustainability initiatives at universities and colleges across the U.K. in 14 categories. This year features the new "Best Newcomer" category.
Call for Papers: Business and Entrepreneurial Studies Summit
Focusing on social responsibility, professional ethics and management, the 2nd Annual Summit on Business and Entrepreneurial Studies will take place in October 2012 in Malaysia. The aim of the conference is to present and discuss research that contributes to the sharing of new theoretical, methodological and empirical knowledge, and a better understanding of business and entrepreneurship practices with an emphasis on the field of social responsibility and ethics. Papers related to issues of business in multicultural societies are also welcome. The deadline to submit an abstract is August 17.
Higher Education Sustainability Initiative for Rio+20
Leaders of the international academic community are invited to sign this United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development declaration, which asks the community to commit to the development of sustainable practices. Signatories of the declaration, including AASHE, agree to support actions including teaching sustainable development concepts, encouraging research on sustainable development issues, greening campuses, supporting sustainability efforts in surrounding communities, and engaging with and sharing results through international frameworks. The conference will take place in Brazil from June 20-22, 2012.
Call for Case Studies: NWF Campus Ecology Program
National Wildlife Federation's (NWF) Campus Ecology Program is calling for case studies that showcase campus sustainability efforts and/or green jobs training programs for the 2011-2012 school year. Case studies will be featured in NWF's online searchable case study database and in national press promotion. Submissions are due by Aug. 3, 2012.
Ithaca College Online Sustainability Leadership Certificate
(U.S.): Ithaca College (New York) offers the chance to credential sustainability work through single seminars or a six-seminar sustainability leadership certificate. All work is completed online. Participants will learn to assess their organization's green policies and practice, communicate sustainability initiatives and evaluate best practices. New online seminars begin 11 times each year. Next two session start dates: June 7 and July 19. Discounts are available to AASHE members. Upcoming seminars include "Using Evaluation to Craft the Business Case for Sustainability," "A Systems Approach to Sustainability" and "Establishing Sustainability as an Organizational Purpose." Most Ithaca sustainability seminars are now GBCI (Green Building Certification Institute) approved.
SustainUS Biodiversity Negotiations Delegation to CBD COP 11
(U.S.): The SustainUS Agents of Change program is now accepting applications to join the SustainUS youth delegation to the 11th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, to be held in India in October 2012. Delegates will work with each other and with international youth in advance of the conference to educate themselves and their communities, develop policy priorities, acquire skills in effective lobbying, and engage the broader youth community in action related to international biodiversity policy. Applications are due by July 1.
SustainUS Climate Change Negotiations Delegation to COP 18
(U.S.): The SustainUS Agents of Change program is now accepting applications to join the SustainUS youth delegation to the 18th session of the Conference of the Parties to the Climate Change Convention and the 8th Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP18 and CMP8), to be held in Qatar from November 26 to December 7, 2012. Delegates will work with each other and with international youth in advance of the conference to educate themselves and their communities, develop policy priorities, acquire skills in effective lobbying, and engage the broader youth community in action related to international climate policy. Applications are due by June 3.
Call for Papers: ACTS Campus Sustainability Conference
Themed "Mobilise and Motivate: Building momentum for a holistic sustainability approach," the September 2012 International Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS) Conference invites abstracts from the sustainability community on some of the key sustainability challenges facing professionals, managers, facilities, academics and researchers. Potential topics include the role of higher education in the sustainability debate; how institutions can prepare for changing economic systems, changing student demographics and emerging potential risks associated with climate change; and how to create the appropriate sense of urgency to gain executive buy‐in and commitment. The call for papers will remain open through June 1.
EPA 'Battle of the Buildings' Competition
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting applications for its annual national building competition. Participants will measure, track and report their building's monthly energy consumption, make improvements to their building's energy performance and share their progress. The building that demonstrates the greatest percentage-based reduction in energy use intensity over the contest period will be recognized as the winner. New this year, the EPA will also recognize the top water savers. The University of Central Florida won last year's battle with a 63.2 percent decrease in energy use in a main campus parking garage.
2012 Youth Encounter on Sustainability (YES) Course
Activating Talent in Sustainability (ACTIS), in collaboration with the Alliance for Global Sustainability and the Donella Meadows Institute, invites applications for the first YES course in the U.S. With a focus on sustainable food production and consumption, this course aims to sensitize participants to the complex issues of sustainable development in a global context through course work, field trips, workshops, group work and discussions. The course will be held Aug. 15-Sept. 1, 2012 at Sterling College (Vermont). The deadline to apply is May 14.
Obama Administration Youth Sustainability Video Challenge
Leading up to the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in June 2012, the Obama Administration invites video submissions from America's youth that share what they are doing to foster sustainable communities. Submissions are encouraged in the areas of economy, education, energy and environment, health, and science and technology. Winning videos will be chosen by a panel of Administration officials and featured at the U.S. Center in Rio during the conference. Winners also will be invited to the White House for a special event on sustainability leadership. Submissions are due by June 1.
Call for Letters of Interest: Earthzine Virtual Poster Sessions
Earthzine, a publication covering the Earth observation community, is seeking letters of interest from university and college faculty members interested in contributing research projects for its Virtual Poster Sessions. The sessions allow students and young professionals to showcase their research work in a global setting with project presentations that include abstracts, short videos or narrated slide presentations. Those interested can submit a short letter outlining their university and professional background; the Earth observation-related topic area they seek to highlight; and the approximate number of research projects proposed to Earthzine Managing Editor Jeff Kart at jkart@earthzine.org. The deadline for letters is June 1, 2012.
Fulbright NEXUS Regional Scholar Program
The 2012-2013 Fulbright NEXUS Program, a model for scholarly exchange and science informing policy, is currently seeking applications from early or mid-career academics, applied researchers and/or professionals with research experience in the public, nonprofit or private sector in the topics of science, technology and innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable energy. Applicants must be conducting current research relevant to these themes. Projects focusing on climate change adaptation strategies, and/or public policy focused research ventures that examine strategies to cope with climate variability are particularly welcome. The deadline to apply is June 15.
National Farm to Cafeteria Conference Scholarships
The National Farm to School Network is offering scholarships and volunteer positions that will cover the registration costs for its Farm to Cafeteria: Digging In! conference, slated for August 2-5, 2012. The deadline to apply is May 31.
Smart Growth Network Call for Papers: Community Design
The higher education community is invited to join the Smart Growth Network's (SGN) first national conversation about how neighborhoods could be planned, designed and developed to meet the needs of current and future generations. In an effort to build a compendium of new and innovative ideas, SGN is seeking short papers that discuss a particular issue that communities will be facing in the next 15 years. Twenty to 40 papers will be selected for publishing in anticipation of the 2013 New Partners for Smart Growth Conference. The published papers will be considered for inclusion in the open and/or closing plenaries of the conference. Papers will be accepted through June 30, 2012.
350.org Climate Action Day
A project of 350.org and partner organizations, Climate Action Day is a chance for higher education communities to protest, educate, document and volunteer along with people around the world. Rallies will take place on May 5 in climate-ravaged areas around the world where someone will be holding a huge black dot on a white banner as a way to visually connect the dots between extreme weather and climate change. 350.org will share these images in an attempt to give climate change a human face. Anyone is invited to join, or host their own events.
AASHE Sustainability Across the Curriculum Leadership Workshop
The deadline has been extended for AASHE's Sustainability Across the Curriculum Leadership Workshop, slated for June 26-27, 2012 at San Diego State University (CA). These workshops are for faculty leaders of all disciplines who wish to develop curriculum change programs around sustainability on their campuses. Through an intensive two days of presentations, exercises, discussions, reflection and planning, participants will become familiar with the philosophy of change in higher education developed through the Ponderosa Project at Northern Arizona University and adapted at Emory in the Piedmont Project. The deadline to apply is April 27.
April Discount on NACUBO Publications
Through April 30, the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) is offering selected higher education sustainability titles for half price. No special code is needed. Publications include "Boldly Sustainable: Hope and Opportunity for Higher Education in the Age of Climate Change" and "Financing Sustainability on Campus."
Call for Submissions: 'Unpaving Our Way to the Future'
The Collaborative on Health and the Environment invites ideas from the higher education community on what it would take to create communities that are no longer paved with concrete and asphalt, and designed instead around non-polluting public transportation options and natural materials. Submissions in the form of photography, poetry, essay, dance, music, painting, drama, puppet show, etc. should bridge two or more of the following environments into a new healthy environment across generations: built, chemical, food, natural, psycho-social and socio-economic. Entries, due by May 15, will be showcased at the "Healthy Environments Across Generations" conference in June 2012 at the New York Academy of Medicine.
Chatham U Food, Farm and Field Summer Course
Living on the university's Eden Hall Campus for two weeks in July 2012, participants will learn about the relationship among food, farm and the environment through classroom learning, group discussions, field trips and hands-on lab and field activities on the farm and in the kitchen.
2012 Green Power Leadership Award Nominations
Sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, these awards recognize the actions of individuals, institutions, companies and organizations that are significantly advancing the development of renewable electricity sources through green power markets. Nominations are due by April 20.
Call for Submissions: AASHE Earth Week Project
To celebrate Earth Week, AASHE is asking its members and STARS Institutions: What top three sustainability achievements is your campus, organization or business most proud of? The AASHE community's greatest sustainability achievements will be highlighted in a photo essay in AASHE's Campus Sustainability Perspectives blog. This project will be promoted through the AASHE Announcements and STARS Update e-newsletters, and through our social media channels. To be featured, submit three sustainability highlights (up to 50 words each) and at least one photo. Submissions may include up to three photos. As a bonus, these photos will be curated for future AASHE publications and promotional materials. Contact Jillian Buckholz at stars@aashe.org with questions.
Ithaca College Online Sustainability Leadership Certificate
Ithaca College (NY) offers the chance to credential sustainability work through single seminars or a six-seminar sustainability leadership certificate. All work is completed online. Participants will learn to assess their organization's green policies and practice, communicate sustainability initiatives and evaluate best practices. New online seminars begin 11 times each year. Next two session start dates: April 19 and May 10. Discounts are available to AASHE members. Next seminars include "Integrating Sustainability into Training and Curriculum," "Communicating the Organization's Sustainability Efforts" and "Tools and Techniques for Planning and Managing Sustainability Projects."
SEED Center Green Genome Awards
The American Association of Community Colleges' Sustainability Education and Economic Development (SEED) Center is looking to recognize five innovative community colleges its inaugural Green Genome Awards program. Five awards of up to $10,000 each will be awarded to community colleges that are driving clean energy growth, training workers for green collar jobs and integrating those efforts with other institutional and community sustainability efforts. Applications will be released on April 21 and SEED will hold an informational webinar about the awards on May 1.
Summer Institute on Sustainability and Energy
Graduate and senior-level undergraduate students are invited to apply for this University of Illinois at Chicago interdisciplinary program that explores a broad spectrum of sustainability and energy related topics including policy, economics, health, science, engineering, environment, urban planning, business and entrepreneurship. Themed "Election 2012: Energy, Economics and Environment," the August 2012 institute will use the presidential election as the point of departure for a critical analysis of national energy and sustainability issues. For fullest consideration, applications should be submitted by June 1.
Sustainable Engineering Workshops
These Syracuse Center of Excellence workshops, slated for June 4-5 and June 7-8, 2012, will include interactive and hands-on sessions that address sustainable engineering concepts, ways to incorporate these concepts into courses, comparisons of sustainable engineering education at schools across the country, federal programs for research and education funding in sustainable engineering, and building a community of educators in this emerging topic. Applications will be accepted beyond the April 15 deadline until space is filled.
USGBC Survey: CC Green Building Courses, Training Programs
The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Pearson Education are asking community college faculty, deans and program directors to participate in a survey that will help the organizations better serve community colleges with relevant green building education and training opportunities for students. Those who complete the survey by April 20 will be entered into a raffle to receive a trip to USGBC's 2012 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo.
Call For Abstracts & Reviewers: AASHE 2012 Conference
(Worldwide): AASHE invites the higher education sustainability community to submit abstracts for its AASHE 2012 Conference and Student Summit, slated for October 14-17 in Los Angeles. AASHE is looking for innovations, activities, frameworks, learning outcomes or leadership initiatives that will help change the face of sustainability on campuses. AASHE is also looking for more than 250 volunteer abstract reviewers to help determine the highest quality programming for the conference. The deadline to submit an abstract and/or apply to be an abstract reviewer is April 23.
Call for Papers: Mathematics of Planet Earth Special Issue
Submissions are sought for the November 2013 issue of the College Mathematics Journal, which will be devoted to the "Mathematics of Planet Earth." Papers that address the mathematical aspects of climate, meteorology, ecology, epidemiology, resource management and biodiversity are encouraged. Areas of human interaction with the earth are also of interest including economics, finance, politics, communication, sustainable development and disaster management. Classroom capsules and student research projects are welcome. Authors are encouraged to write the editor at cmj@oberlin.edu describing their proposed paper first, and submissions will be accepted through December 20, 2012.
Contribute to a Growing Body of LEED Higher Ed Projects
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) invites best practices, strategies and lessons learned from the higher education community for its "LEED Stories from Practice" online library. Selected project profiles also have the opportunity to be featured in additional USGBC programming.
Student Opportunity: 'Students vs. Trash' Poster Design Contest
Hosted by the Environmental Finance Center with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this contest seeks poster designs from college students with a "call to action" to eliminate waste, recycle more or stop litter. "Top Trash Conquerors" will be recognized at a gallery/press event in New York City in November 2012 and have the opportunity to meet with officials from EPA Region 2.
U Winnipeg Global College Climate Change Institutes
Two institutes offered through the University of Winnipeg’s Global College in May will explore issues within climate change mitigation and adaptation. "Climate Change and Human Displacement" will examine involuntary migration caused by climate change and "Women and Climate Change" will look at the impact of climate change on women and their ability to develop short- and long-term strategies of mitigation and adaptation.
Earth Island Institute Brower Youth Awards
Young activist leaders ages 13 to 22 living in North America are encouraged to apply for the 13th Annual Brower Youth Awards. Applicants are asked to share the story of how they helped build the green movement in their city, state, or nation. Six applications are chosen annually to receive a $3,000 cash prize, all-expenses paid trip to San Francisco to speak at the awards ceremony, media coverage and year-round support. Applications will be accepted through May 14.
Midwest Sustainability Across the Curriculum Workshop
Open to all higher education faculty members interested in teaching college-level sustainability in the context of any discipline, this workshop will be held June 7-8, 2012 with presentations, exercises, discussions, reflection and planning. Hosted by the University of Minnesota system, this workshop aims to help faculty integrate sustainability themes and ideas into new or existing courses, lectures, class exercises or other curricular components.
Call for Papers: Sustainability Accounting, Mgmt & Policy Journal
(Worldwide): Emerald Group Publishing Limited invites papers that address higher education's role in addressing key challenges of social, economic and environmental sustainability for a special issue of its Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal. Professors and administrators from institutions including Leuphana University Lüneburg (Germany), University of Graz (Austria), University of Western Sydney (Australia) and Albukhary International University (Malaysia) will guest edit the "Effective change management, governance and policy for sustainability in higher education" issue. The submission deadline is December 1, 2012.
Transformative Education for Sustainable Innovation Program
(U.S.): Foresight Design Initiative, a Chicago nonprofit dedicated to urban transformation, is recruiting for its Foresight Immersion summer program that trains emerging/transitioning professionals to be sustainability change agents. College graduates looking to gain experience to professionals accelerating their career development are invited to apply. Applications will be accepted through April 2.
U.S. Dept of Energy Solar Power Research Funding
(U.S.): Higher education institutions are invited to apply for a U.S. Department of Energy funding opportunity to develop innovative heat transfer fluids for use in concentrating solar power (CSP) energy systems. The funding is part of the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative-a program designed to advance research, accelerate technology transfer into the marketplace and educate scientists and engineers in interdisciplinary areas. Applications are due by April 19.
USGBC Green Classroom Certificate Program
(U.S.): The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has launched a green classroom professional certificate program for School of Education students and others who are interested in turning the classroom into a healthier, more environmentally responsible place to work and teach. Participants will gain the knowledge and skills to recognize, adopt and implement practices that promote health among students and school occupants.
Vote for Your Favorite Higher Education Climate Leader
(U.S.): Second Nature has selected the finalists for its 3rd Annual Climate Leadership Awards. The public is invited to determine the most innovative climate leader by voting for their favorite video submission now through April 14. Campuses with the top votes will be featured at Planet Forward's national Moving the Planet Forward conference.
Win a 'Date with History'
(Worldwide): Climate Nexus and the Natural Resources Defense Council have launched a “Win a Date with History” contest as part of the Rio+20 Earth Summit at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. Youth between the ages of 13 to 30 from around the world are invited to submit a short video speech expressing their ideas for how to stimulate decisive action on sustainability. The winner will deliver their speech at the summit. Submissions are due May 6 and online voting continues through May 15.
Ithaca College Online Sustainability Leadership Certificate
Ithaca College (NY) offers the chance to credential sustainability work through single seminars or a six-seminar sustainability leadership certificate. All work is completed online. Participants will learn to assess their organization's green policies and practice, communicate sustainability initiatives and evaluate best practices. New online seminars begin 11 times each year. Next two session start dates: March 22 and April 19. Discounts are available to AASHE members. Next seminars include "How Green is Your Organization: Sustainable Infrastructure," "Integrating Sustainability into Training and Curriculum" and "Communicating the Organization's Sustainability Efforts."
Submit Your Ideas for Improving STARS
AASHE is soliciting feedback from those with a working knowledge of its Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). Whether suggesting a new STARS credit or improvements to existing ones, now is the time to share ideas. Comments will be reviewed and considered by staff and technical advisors in anticipation of the launch of STARS 2.0. Feedback is due by March 30.
Call for Applications: USGBC Community Green Chairs
The U.S Green Building Council’s Center for Green Schools is recruiting five mid-career professionals to serve as Community Green Chairs. These volunteer chairs will work with USGBC National to support green building education and training efforts at community colleges, and will lead the development, implementation, management and growth of Community Green program activities in their region. The deadline to apply is April 6, 2012.
Student Call for Proposals: Rio+20 Collaborative Workshop
Yale University (CT), Fundação Getulio Vargas and the University of Massachusetts Boston are partnering to host a collaborative workshop during the Rio+20: United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. Student teams are invited to submit proposals for ambitious-yet-achievable campus-based projects. Two or three student representatives from selected projects will be invited to attend this half-day workshop where students will engage in peer-review and receive feedback from practitioners and officials attending Rio+20. The deadline for submission is April 2.
Student Opportunity: Focus the Nation ReCharge! Retreat
Clean energy leadership development organization Focus the Nation is accepting applications for its 2012 ReCharge! Retreat. The annual retreat brings together 20 rising clean energy leaders from across the country for one week on Mt. Hood in Oregon. Delegates explore skills that they will need to stay committed to clean energy throughout the entirety of their careers. Delegates receive support after returning while applying what they learned to their campus communities. Applications are due April 1.
U Massachusetts Boston Biomimicry Workshop
The University of Massachusetts Boston is hosting a summer "Biomimicry: Nature's Guide toward Solutions" workshop at the Nantucket Field Station/Grace Grossman Environmental Center. Open to junior and senior undergraduate students, this workshop will be held June 3-16, 2012. Participants will explore environmental issues and related sustainable design strategies.
UN Conference on Sustainable Development Declaration
Leaders of the international academic community are invited to sign a declaration in advance of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development committing to the development of sustainable practices for higher education institutions. Signatories of the declaration agree to teach sustainable development concepts, encourage research on sustainable development issues, "green" their campuses and support sustainability efforts within their communities.
