Iowa State University
AC-10: Support for Research

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is focused on becoming a national leader in selected research areas and continue to provide innovative leadership in pedagogy and curriculum development for our students. Research and learning will become integrated activities as faculty continue to broaden their expertise and students contribute to research. Five “signature themes” define the college’s scholarly vision and identity and provide a framework for faculty hiring and collaborations with specific focus on interdisciplinary partnerships. Included in these signature themes is Environmental, Economic and Societal Sustainability.

Although there is nothing formal at this time, work is in progress.

The Iowa State University Library provides support for sustainability research in a number of ways. Many of the services are offered through the subject librarian assigned to the cross-disciplinary topic of the environment. The environment librarian is charged with selecting materials to keep the collection up to-date and the recently updated collection development policy emphasizes the need to consider the sustainability of materials as an influencing factor in purchasing and collection decisions. The environment librarian also provides training and education to students, faculty, and staff on conducting research in the cross-disciplinary areas of environmental science and studies as well as sustainability. In addition, the University Library also provides a number of research guides related to sustainability and the environment. Recently the Environment Librarian assisted a sustainability task force who wished to know how many of Iowa State University’s theses and dissertations covered sustainability topics and how ISU compared to its peer institutions. The outcomes of this collaboration are forthcoming.