Through its extensive curricular offerings and research opportunities, BU provides learning experiences for students across a wide range of programs and majors.
Sustainability Curriculum
In January 2020, faculty members Cutler Cleveland (Department of Earth & Environment), Emily Ryan (Department of Mechanical Engineering), and Neta Crawford (Department of Political Science) convened a workshop to explore ways to incorporate the topics of energy, climate change, and sustainability into every student’s education. Team projects within the BU Hub’s Cross-College Challenge (XCC) present an additional opportunity for interdisciplinary groups of students to work on developing solutions to sustainability issues. XCC hosted two courses (spring 2021 and fall 2021) related to Zero Waste with interdisciplinary student teams developing project proposals to support the University’s goals.
Campus Climate Lab
Boston University launched the Campus Climate Lab in spring 2020. Led by Associate Professor of Earth & Environment Lucy Hutyra, Vice President & Associate Provost for Research Gloria Waters, and BU Sustainability, this initiative uses BU’s campus as a living laboratory to advance sustainability practices and implement the Climate Action Plan. The lab funds student research projects and brings together students, staff, and faculty to find innovative and interdisciplinary solutions to challenges on our campuses. The program runs three application cycles per year. Student-participants present research ideas at the end of each term. A panel invites a select number of researchers to submit full proposals.
Student interest in the program is strong and only the best proposals are funded.
- Eight students participated in five projects in spring 2021.
- Five students participated in four projects in summer 2021.
- Eight students participated in four projects in fall 2021.
In 2021, over $48,000 in funds have been awarded.
In December 2021, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education recognized Wiley Hundertmark with the 2021 Campus Sustainability Research Award in Undergraduate Research for his work on the Campus Climate Lab–funded project Influence of landscape management practices on urban greenhouse gas budgets.
Watch the BU Today video featuring the Campus Climate Lab.
Warren Rooftop Garden
Sidney Hare (CAS’22) and Stella Dzialas (Pardee’24, CAS’24), students in the Department of Earth & Environment, have a passion for gardening, urban farming, and sustainability. Along with mentor Curtis Woodcock, professor of remote sensing, and support from Residence Life, Facilities Management & Operations, and Auxiliary Services, these students transformed the courtyard at Warren Towers into a vegetable and herb garden. Hare and Dzialas began planting the rooftop garden on Warren Towers in spring 2021. The garden will provide ongoing opportunities, including research, for the BU community while increasing the possibilities for more green space on campus.
Watch the BU Today video featuring the Warren Rooftop Garden.
Anthony Janetos Climate Action Prize
BU launched the Anthony Janetos Climate Action Prize in 2020, to honor the memory of Professor Janetos and his contributions to BU and the Climate Action Plan. Each spring, the prize is awarded to the student or team of students whose Campus Climate Lab project most substantially advances the Climate Action Plan’s goals and improves the sustainable operation of the University. We recognized the inaugural awardees, Gayatri Sundar Rajan (ENG’22) and Keeley Bombard (CAS’22), for their outstanding research on reducing BU greenhouse gas emissions. Conducted with Professors Michael Gevelber (Engineering) and Nathan Phillips (Earth & Environment), their project put forth a strategy to electrify 52% of BU’s fossil fuel–based heating energy use.