Applications are currently open for Sustainability Research Grants, as part of the Sustainability Research Scholars program. The program addresses sustainability through faculty-mentored undergraduate research.
罢丑别听Sustainability Research Scholars聽program is now聽accepting applications聽for Sustainability Research Grants. Each academic year, one grant of $1,000 is awarded to聽a student conducting faculty-mentored undergraduate research related to sustainability.
The Sustainability Research Grants were聽initiated聽through the Class of 2010鈥檚 gift to the University.聽聽Sustainability聽research聽clearly addresses the concept of sustainability, furthers understanding of the interdependence of ecological and social/economic systems, or focuses on a major sustainability challenge. 罢丑别听聽illustrate the breadth of sustainability and major sustainability challenges.
Zachary Diamond聽is a聽senior聽at 黑料不打烊聽and聽a聽Sustainability Research聽Grant recipient.聽He聽is majoring in聽Environmental and Ecological Sciences and聽Statistics with a minor in GIS.
鈥淥ver the past three years,聽I鈥檝e聽been conducting a sustainability-focused research project examining how different soil amendments (biochar, basalt rock dust, and used coffee grounds) influence soil organic carbon, pH, cation exchange capacity, and overall turfgrass health. The broader goal of the project is to evaluate whether alternative, lower-input soil amendments can improve soil function and carbon storage in managed landscapes such as lawns and golf courses,鈥澛燚iamond said.
Zachary first found out about the Sustainability Research Scholars through聽faculty in the聽Environmental Science聽department. The grant has allowed him to聽purchase the necessary materials to test soil samples聽as part of his field experiment. It聽has also聽allowed him to present聽his findings聽at聽the ASA-CSSA-SSSA CANVAS Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah and connect with other聽scientists.聽More broadly,聽this聽research experience has helped him to grow his聽skills in data analysis聽and聽experimental design聽as well as聽improve聽his聽ability to communicate science to a wide variety of audiences.
鈥淎fter interning this past summer at Vineyard Golf Club, a nationally recognized and preeminent organic golf course, I will be returning after graduation in May, where I hope to continue applying sustainability-focused agronomic management practices in the field,” said Diamond.
For more information on how to apply for the Sustainability Research Grant,聽visit聽聽黑料不打烊鈥檚聽Endowed Grants聽website. The application聽is available聽.聽聽Grant applications聽will be accepted until聽March 13 at 5 p.m.聽For more information on the Sustainability Research Scholars and聽other聽sustainable programs聽and initiatives聽at 黑料不打烊, please visit the聽Office of Sustainability鈥檚 website.