Villanova University
AC-10: Support for Sustainability Research

There are many opportunities for student research in sustainability. The five primary routes are through (1) courses (notably independent projects in Environmental Science II (GEV 1051) and Perspectives on Plastic), and ACS sections associated with the Environmental Learning Community); (2) projects with individual faculty; (3) Students funded through the VCARE Villanova Undergraduate Research Fellowship giving students the funds and opportunity to conduct research in the campus garden for one summer; (4)the Students serving on the Sustainable Leadership Council's Student life committee; (5) the Sustainable Engineering RISE Forum ( Resilient Innovation through Sustainable Engineering) provides master students the opportunity to work with outside companies to complete sustainability specific projects that pertain to their operations.

Most departments offer opportunities for both official senior thesis projects and directed/independent research, so there is both financial and academic support for this research. In addition, the Villanova Undergraduate Research Fellows Program (VURF) is designed to provide financial support for student research in the form of stipends and supplies, travel, and conference support. In additional to the one spot allocated for research in the campus garden, other spots have been filled by students seeking to complete other types of sustainable research.

The university rank and tenure policy states “Villanova recognizes that sound scholarship may include either individual or collaborative research, or both. It is important that each faculty member undertake and execute a program of research, whether alone or in collaboration, that clearly demonstrates the individual’s independent scholarly abilities and achievements. Such a program should feature the individual as the principal investigator, or be such that the individual’s distinct contribution to joint efforts is apparent, identifiable, and measurable, as appropriate to the discipline.”

Villanova's library does support studies in sustainability through collection development and research consultation with subject librarians. The librarians listed below are the primary contacts for assistance with research concerning sustainability.

1. Alfred Fry, Engineering, Environmental Science
http://library.villanova.edu/research/subject-guides/engineering/civil_and_environmental_engineering/
https://library.villanova.edu/research/subject-guides/environmental-science

2. Merrill Stein, Geography and the Environment, Public Administration
http://library.villanova.edu/research/subject-guides/geography-and-the-environment/
https://library.villanova.edu/research/subject-guides/public-administration

3. Jutta Seibert, History
http://library.villanova.edu/research/subject-guides/history/

Additionally, instructors are able to create course guides supplements through library services. Examples of course guides created for specific classes are available at the following web addresses.
http://library.villanova.edu/research/course-guides/growing-sustainability/
http://library.villanova.edu/research/course-guides/pro-seminar-sustainability-studies/
https://library.villanova.edu/research/course-guides/geography-course-guides/advanced-sustainability-study-documentary-assigment
https://library.villanova.edu/research/course-guides/history-course-guides/global-environmental-history
https://library.villanova.edu/research/course-guides/geography-course-guides/intro-sustainability
https://library.villanova.edu/research/course-guides/growing-sustainability