The traditional research paper model employed in many types of classes, including environmental studies, can help students learn about a topic and develop their writing skills, but it does little to engage them in the topic directly. When students feel removed from their research topic and do not have vested interest in the final product beyond grade recognition, learning outcomes are minimal. Engaging students in environmental problems in their own backyard, where the final product of their research can inform decision makers and improve the sustainability of the campus, raises the bar on the quality of student work and expands the scope of learning objectives. College campuses can serve as living laboratories to explore sustainability research questions that relate to ecosystem services, energy conservation, renewable energy, buildings, water conservation, procurement, food, waste, and landscaping. Applied sustainability research projects are facilitated by developing collaborative relationships with key personnel in divisions on campus, who serve as mentors to students. This presentation examines the impacts of mentored undergraduate research on a range of sustainability topics at Boston College as part of a senior environmental seminar.
Results/Conclusions
From 2013 (the pilot year) to 2018, undergraduate students in Boston College’s Environmental Seminar (ENVS 4943) have been involved in 60 research projects on sustainability topics on campus or in the community. In comparison to 2012, I have found that the quality of the research papers has increased substantially and that students have gained more research and team collaboration skills and achieved deeper learning from being directly connected to their research topic. Using the campus as a living laboratory, in conjunction with more class time focus on how to conduct research, has helped students translate an environmental problem into a research question, decide on appropriate methods to answer their research question, analyze and interpret results, and develop impactful recommendations. Students’ pride in their research, published on line and presented in a public poster symposium, has increased and several students have reported using their research project as a springboard into a career. The mentorship component of the research, where students are matched with campus leaders, has resulted in greater understanding of the environmental issues and how decision makers are managing them. Finally, using the campus as a living laboratory for sustainability research, has resulted in direct changes to the campus sustainability.