Students of all years and majors are encouraged to submit their individual or group projects to the Database.
The Sustainability Projects Database is a resource for completed, on-going or potential student sustainability-related projects.
Students of all years and majors are encouraged to submit their individual or group projects to the Database. Types of submissions suitable for the Database include completed or ongoing research projects, completed class projects (individual or group) or project ideas.
The Database benefits students in a number of ways.
It provides the opportunity for students to not only share their work but also their future ideas for a project, which another student may utilize to increase the overall impact of said project. Project ideas are also admissible through the Project Idea Development Form, which requires a detailed layout of the project implementation and its connection to sustainability.
The discussion of sustainability is not exclusive to any certain department, as it extends to all disciplines. For example, a student conducted a communications project studying how social media usage influenced sustainable consumerism and a group of entrepreneurship students proposed Feelectric, a program where an energy-producing bike is featured charging student devices at various events on campus to educate people about carbon dioxide pollution, wasteful energy usage and conservation methods.
Anna Baynes, a senior at Elon, states that she has submitted two projects to the Database and believes it is “a valuable resource because it keeps all different types of projects together in one place for one purpose.”
The Database also benefits faculty members in a number of ways.
Faculty may utilize the Database as an educational or experiential learning tool in the classroom or with student mentees. Some faculty have showcased projects from the Database to aid discussion in their courses. Teaching real-world research experiences is helpful for students of all years. It helps them better comprehend the importance of process, documentation and presentation in future professional career settings.
Another way for faculty to engage with this resource is to encourage their research students to submit their projects. A faculty member’s name listed in the Database as a mentor could attract future students either looking to help with a project or looking for a research mentor with similar interests.
Amanda Chunco, assistant professor of environmental studies, states when she uses the Database with her “research students, [she has] found the process of submitting a project really helps each student think about how to present their work to a general audience [and] it is also a great source for brainstorming project ideas when a new student first begins research.”
To contribute your ideas, or ensure that your project fits, please email Cara DePan (cdepan@elon.edu), the Sustainability Projects Database Intern.
To find the Database, go to the Office of Sustainability home page under ‘Academics’ on the left-hand sidebar: *click, “Projects Database.”
Submit your project to the Sustainability Projects Database!