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Partner with Duke Students to Advance Campus Sustainability
The Sustainability and Climate Applied Learning (SCALe) program connects staff and faculty with driven student leaders to tackle real-world climate and sustainability challenges on campus. Through applied research and hands-on collaboration, SCALe supports Duke departments and units in meeting their climate and sustainability goals while preparing students with skills and experiences for impactful careers.
Have A Project Idea?
Duke staff and instructors can submit a need to the Campus Needs List — a low-stakes way to get started.
Check out the FAQs below before submitting.
Students, staff, and instructors can browse the "Needs at A Glance" below and reach out with interest.
Get Matched: CURRENT NEEDS AT A GLANCE
| Duke Entity | Campus Need | Seeking Partners | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape Services | Develop educational programming about Duke trees (e.g. a digital self-guided tour highlighting history, culture and data; a script and route for walking tours with interactive educational elements; suggested content to potentially embed trees into existing tours at Duke; educational tree curricular materials for instructors to incorporate into lesson plans for courses across disciplines; etc.) | 1) A student interested in this opportunity as the basis for a class assignment or independent study OR 2) An instructor to incorporate the project into a course OR 3) A student organization interested in adopting the project. | Available |
| Landscape Services | Update the official inventory of campus trees with measurements including Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) and tree height estimates. Use updated data and iTrees to create a carbon sequestration estimate for campus trees. | 1) A student interested in this opportunity as the basis for a class assignment or independent study OR 2) An instructor to incorporate the project into a course. | Available |
| Landscape Services | Conduct benchmarking research to recommend a set of by-laws that would govern the maintenance of the campus forest in alignment with arboretum status accreditation. | 1) A student interested in this opportunity as the basis for a class assignment or independent study OR 2) An instructor to incorporate the project into a course. | Available |
| Landscape Services | Curate a Collections Showcase of plants across the campus landscape to feature the diversity of trees and other plants on Duke's campus as part of the Plant Collections Network of the American Public Gardens Association. Make recommendations to increase various collections such as adding additional genera, species, and updated cultivars (and recommend a standard for upkeep of collections). | 1) A student interested in this opportunity as the basis for a class assignment or independent study OR 2) An instructor to incorporate the project into a course. | Available |
| Landscape Services | Identify and collect seeds of tree species on campus which are unique and difficult to source from local nurseries with the goal of planting the seeds to replace aging trees on campus grounds. Consider mechanisms for a system to sell excess plants to create a fund for campus tree improvements. | 1) A student interested in this opportunity as the basis for a class assignment or independent study OR 2) An instructor to incorporate the project into a course OR 3) A student organization interested in adopting the project. | Available |
| Housing and Residence Life | Conduct a spend-based carbon footprint analysis of procurement activities for Duke Student Affairs (Facilities Planning and Operations and Sustainability Offices) to quantify the greenhouse gas emissions associated with current purchasing practices and recommend more sustainable alternatives. | -- | In-progress |
| Housing and Residence Life | East Campus dorms use window AC units that discharge condensate onto the building facade, causing structural damage and requiring repairs. Design a sustainable approach to redirect condensate away from the facade to prevent deterioration. | -- | In-progress |
| Office of Climate and Sustainability | Explore best practices in GHG emission reporting; conduct a landscape analysis of GHG emissions reporting platforms. | -- | In-progress |
| Sarah P. Duke Gardens | Collect and analyze water samples from the Doris Duke Center's copper roof and investigate whether rainwater capture from the roof is safe for plant health. | 1) A student interested in this opportunity as the basis for a class assignment or independent study OR 2) An instructor to incorporate the project into a course. | On Hold |
FAQs
Duke staff and instructors are invited to propose an existing need to the Campus Needs List.
You or someone on your team should be the primary contact and liaison for this project idea, meaning the project is directly tied to your work at Duke and you will be involved in the project. If a student is matched to the research project, they will investigate the identified need and communicate findings to you once finished.
Please consider potential applied research projects related to the sustainability and climate needs that exist on campus and in alignment with your area of work.
Use the Needs Proposal Form to propose your idea.
Please keep in mind the following as you propose your needs:
- One idea per form submission: If you have multiple project ideas, please submit them separately.
- Project scope: Proposed applied research projects should have a defined scope appropriate for a Duke undergraduate or graduate student to lead and complete within one to two semesters. The "research" you propose does not have to be publishable; for instance, it can be used internally to inform decision making or program development at Duke.
- Expectations: You or someone on your team should be the primary contact for this project idea. If a student is matched to the research project, they will investigate the identified need and communicate findings to you once finished. You will not be required to mentor the student(s) on a regular basis, but at minimum we ask that you meet with the student(s) at the onset of the project to clarify your needs and set them up for success. A staff member from the Office of Climate and Sustainability will guide you if a student is matched.
- Project criteria: Consider research projects that could build upon past and current efforts in your department or offer support on new climate and sustainability opportunities. Your defined need should have clear expectations for deliverables/outputs from the student(s) who may become involved.
- Next steps: After form submission, a staff member will schedule a short meeting to discuss your idea and determine how students could best support you with your identified need.
Through course-based projects, independent studies, student organization activities and other SCALe program pathways, students and faculty may be matched to support your need by investigating solutions that seek information, data, or other insights to inform your future decision-making or program development, etc.
From developing new engagement programs to making suggestions that support the evolution of campus operations, students have always played an integral role in advancing Duke's sustainability progress.
For example...
- The Duke Campus Farm grew from a student-led feasibility study.
- The Duke Dining reusable container program has been advised by student leaders.
- The Duke Forest's citizen science program was nurtured by student collaboration.
The opportunities for collaboration are endless! See the Applied Learning Project Library for more ideas.
Email Emily Bilcik, Assistant Director of Sustainability and Climate Applied Learning with questions.
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