ISF Engages with Students, Grad Students and Faculty through Numerous Events and Initiatives

During Fall 2023, Purdue University's Institute for a Sustainable Future (ISF) hosted several outreach events and spearheaded several student-focused initiatives. 

The semester kicked off with an open house in September, where ISF showcased its diverse research communities and special initiatives.  This event facilitated connections among sustainability researchers from across campus and disciplines, and showcased the Institutes new location in the Burton Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship.  Read more about the open house in this article in The Exponent.

On October 25, 2023, the second annual research expo provided a platform for faculty and students to present sustainability research.  Featuring over 60 posters on a wide array of research related to sustainability, this event serves to highlight the many different areas in which scholars, students, and industry can view sustainability in their work. A full list of presenters and project abstracts from the Fall 2023 expo are available on our website.  The expo culminated with a presentation and toast to the new water year led by Water Challenges Research Community Co-lead, Keith Cherkauer. In another major outreach event, ISF partnered with the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) to host an exhibition booth at the annual AGU meeting in San Francisco.  During which, ISF and EAPS also co-hosted an alumni and friends event drawing 65 attendees, fostering networking and collaboration.

ISF’s undergraduate research initiative began in the summer of 2023, with our first cohort of ISF-DUIRI fellows. These students, working with ISF faculty affiliates on research projects, receive additional support in their research endeavors from ISF staff.  Following a successful summer, ISF continued this partnership with DUIRI in Fall 2023 and beyond.  Learn more about our Fall 2023 ISF-DUIRI Fellows and future partnerships here.

ISF also funded several graduate students through travel and research grants. In total, ISF awarded eight grants totaling $6,300 to support graduate students presenting at conferences or conducting sustainability-related research during the Fall 2023 semester. Topics ranged from indigenous community sustainability transitions to electric scooter share systems. A full list of awardees and their projects can be found in this summary article here.  Spring 2024 travel and research grant applications opened on 1/8/24. These grants are open to both graduate students and post-docs working with ISF faculty affiliates. Details regarding eligibility and application requirements, as well as a direct link to the application can be found here.

Fall 2023 marked the completion of the first semester for our inaugural ISF Graduate Fellows, Miriam Stevens and Wagner Tamagno.  As ISF Graduate Fellows, Miriam and Wagner engaged in several ISF events, including the open house, research expo, and end-of-semester graduate luncheon.  Learn more about our current ISF Graduate Fellows here.  For the 2024-2025 academic year, ISF will award again award two 1-year fellowships. Nominations for these fellowships must be submitted by ISF active faculty affiliates. The review of applications will begin February 5, 2024, and will continue until both fellowships have been successfully awarded. More information is available here. 

As the semester concluded, ISF reflected on successful initiatives and outreach efforts reaffirming its commitment to nurturing the next generation of sustainability researchers. The end-of-semester lunch for graduate students, attended by over 40 participants, acknowledged their valuable contributions to ISF and set the stage for future collaborations and support.  Keep an eye on our student resource page for new and developing student opportunities through ISF.