Building an Interdisciplinary Sustainability Degree: Use What You Have

1. Building an Interdisciplinary Sustainability Degree: Use What You Have Margaret Robertson, ASLA Claudia Owen, PhD Lane Community College – Eugene, Oregon

2. Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. --Arthur Ashe

3. Sustainability Coordinator Degree • Developed outcomes  matched courses  full 2-year degree • Only new course: a 1-credit seminar • Almost no cost

4. Outcomes = knowledge, skills, abilities • Define outcomes for competent sustainability professional. • We asked: What is sustainability?

5. Skills for Sustainability Coordinators: • Broad knowledge • Systems thinking • Critical thinking skills • People skills Designer’s Atlas of Sustainability Footprint Network

6. Most important thing you can do: Get the outcomes right. Step 1. Develop outcomes

7. “Sustainability,” the discipline: • New field • Interdisciplinary The Unesco model Information visualization – Pathfinder citation analysis

8. Step 1. Develop outcomes – How? Sustainability: an emerging field • Professional society • Journal • Body of knowledge No single, authoritative . . .

9. Sources • Job descriptions • But limited to what exists now. • Surveys* • But limited to what respondents already know. • Literature • Other programs • Advisory committees • Collaboration *e.g., regional market survey ISSP practitioners’ survey AASHE sustainability directors’ survey

10. Sources • Job descriptions • Surveys • Literature* • Books, articles: specific topics • Other programs • Advisory committees • Collaboration *Forthcoming: Sustainability: Theory and Practice. by Margaret Robertson Pearson, 2012.

11. Sustainability: Theory and Practice Sources • Overview • Sustainability • History • The Living Planet • Gaia: Earth Systems Science • Issues • Strategies • Organizational Skills You are welcome to use this outline.

12. Sustainability: Theory and Practice: Sources • Overview • Issues* • Climate Change • Water Issues • Ecosystem Change • Human Health • Human Population Growth • Pollution • Fossil Fuels • Food Issues • Failing States • Economics • Strategies • Organizational Skills *State of the planet

13. Sustainability: Theory and Practice: Sources • Overview • Issues • Strategies* • Climate Stabilization • Ecosystem Restoration • Stream Restoration • Stabilizing the Human Population • Pollution Remediation/Prevention • Renewable Energy • Energy Efficiency • Water Efficiency • Stormwater and Wastewater • Sustainable Sites • Soil Conservation and Renewal • Green Buildings • Green Manufacturing • Waste and Recycling • Food • Livable Cities • Organizational Skills * Tools for a new, regenerative era

14. Sustainability: Theory and Practice: Sources • Overview • Issues • Strategies • Organizational Skills • Certification Tools • Indicators and Measurement • Working in an Organization • Working with People • Education * Tools for working in organizations

15. Sources • Job descriptions • Surveys • Literature • Other programs* • Advisory committees • Collaboration *You are welcome to use Lane’s outcomes.

16. Collaboration* • Symbiosis: a fundamental process • Cooperation generates much of life on Earth. *An approach modeled on natural systems

17. Step 1. Develop outcomes

18. Outcomes • Science foundation = how sustainable systems work U.S. Department of Energy, Genomic Science program

19. “Triple Bottom Line” • Environment • Economics • Equity • (They are connected.) Ecotrust: Conservation Economy Pattern Map

20. Outcomes • Nuts and bolts skills for leaders Closed loop – zero waste Water Energy Eco-Cycle Sidwell Friends School, Andropogon LEED Visual GA, V3

21. Outcomes • Management • Data analysis • Measurements for indicator reports Sustainability Indicators, Sustainable Measures

22. Outcomes • Leaders as change agents Important! U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Department of Energy/NREL

23. World ahead will not be like it is now. Need: • Future leaders with vision. • Ability to lead us through the transition. The Natural Step

24. Summary of Outcomes • Science foundation • Technical skills • Managing organizations • Skills for change agents

25. Outcomes

26. Step 2. Map existing courses to outcomes

27. Step 2. Map existing courses to outcomes Researching existing courses: • Catalog descriptions • Then review syllabi • Then interview instructors • Data from sustainability infusion or environmental literacy program, if one exists.

28. Step 3. Identify gaps

29. Step 4. Create course(s) to fill gaps • In-house experts • Community experts

30. Step 5. Align with your institution’s graduation requirements http://www.lanecc.edu/collegecatalog/documents/CTsustainabilitycoord.pdf

31. We still need: • Introductory course • Capstone course

32. Challenges • Collaboration • Messy • Field still forming • Tools for matching courses to outcomes • Developing new courses • In-house experts • Community experts • Building a cohort • Big issue for interdisciplinary programs

33. Questions? Claudia Owen: 541-463-5052 - owenc@lanecc.edu Margaret Robertson: 541-463-3143 - robertsonm@lanecc.edu Sustainability Coordinator degree - www.lanecc.edu/advtech/SUST/index.htm