Spring 2021 update | FAQ page | Class flexibility for students | Novel coronavirus updates
June 14, 2023
Looking back on the 2022-23 school year, we would like to express our appreciation for our student workers and their valuable contributions to the Swette Center. Their creativity, vibrant personalities, and passion for sustainable food systems greatly enhance our team. We are pleased that they will continue to work with us this summer and during the upcoming school year!
June 9, 2023
By Sara El-Sayed, Assistant Research Professor, Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems.
On May 6th, 2023, a windy and sunny spring day, I was excited to attend the 2nd Annual Small Minority Farmers and Ranchers Conference. The conference was hosted and led by Rachel and James Stewart, founders and owners of Southwest Black Ranchers of Douglas, Arizona. They are also the founders of People 1st Global Food and Land Reclamation Foundation, whose mission is to build a self-sufficient food economy supporting farming, entrepreneurship, and land ownership for underserved communities. At the event, which the ASU Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems helped sponsor, small and minority farmers were engaged in activities that were designed to help build their capacity, identify challenges they face, and familiarize them with resources available through USDA, such as the Farm Services Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS).
June 9, 2023
RJ Dog Park in Phoenix just got a little cooler. It is now home to Arizona’s first “Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling Ramada,” a unique solar-reflective ramada built by Arizona State University researchers to better understand the role “cool" surfaces can play in improving the comfort of people — and their four-legged friends — in public spaces.
June 8, 2023
Do you have a sustainability update for your community that you would like shared? Email us at sustainablecities@asu.edu. We love local updates!
May 31, 2023
The future of transportation in cities lies in the implementation of fleet electric vehicles (EVs). With the benefits of decreasing fossil fuel consumption and reduced maintenance costs, the City of Peoria is identifying opportunities for more sustainable transit systems. As Peoria expands its sustainable transportation systems, including the recent launch of RoboRide, the City is interested in adapting its fleet vehicles to include EVs. Students will research the costs and infrastructure needed for wide scale adoption of electric vehicles, and critically examine the benefits and limitations of fleet electrification.
May 30, 2023
In this series, we’re sitting down with the Swette Center-affiliated faculty to catch up on food systems, innovation, and what makes a good meal. See the rest of the series on our Food Systems Profiles page.
Read on for an interview with Hamid Marvi, Senior Global Futures Scientist and Associate Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering in the School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy.
May 25, 2023
"Students pointed out that social media is an important resource for both tourism and retention and can be launched quickly. They recommended letting younger town residents manage the accounts, using organic and paid social media to highlight news, the history and beauty of the town, future events and more.
“This is a team,” Rivera said. “This is not a solo team, this is not a golf team, this is not a volleyball team. … This is a huge team in order to accomplish everything that we want for the future of Miami.”
May 23, 2023
Do you have a sustainability update for your community that you would like shared? Email us at sustainablecities@asu.edu. We love local updates!
May 19, 2023
By Mira Ries
The 2023 Symposium on Behavioral Plasticity was hosted by the talented students of the Behavioral Plasticity Research Institute (BPRI) on May 15th and 16th 2023 at the Baylor College of Medicine.
Attendees had the opportunity to hear from a series of excellent speakers who shared their research on behavioral plasticity, a field that examines the capacity of organisms to adapt and modify their behavior in response to environmental stimuli. The symposium was primarily attended by BPRI members from the core institutions —Arizona State University, Texas A&M University, Baylor College of Medicine, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Washington University in St. Louis, and the USDA ARS— “friends of BPRI”, were also able to attend and share about their experiences working on plasticity in systems outside of locusts.
May 10, 2023
By: Samking Braima, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.
This blog captures the reflections and main takeaways of the Food and Farm Immersion course from a handful of students within this year's graduate cohort. The immersive is a key component of the curriculum for the Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership graduate certificate and the Sustainable Food Systems master's degree. These comments were collected during the trip from observations and conversations, as well as after the trip via email and text when the students returned home and had time to consolidate their experiences. While the reflections vary in a lot of aspects, similar themes of eye-opening experiences, inspiring learnings, and comradery stood out from their responses. To read the student bios, click here.
May 10, 2023
High school students interested in conservation and sustainability found professional development and learning experiences through GirlsConserve, a program focused on fostering the growth of environmentally conscious, empathetic and collaborative future leaders.
GirlsConserve was created partly in response to the lack of representation of diverse women in the science, engineering, technology and math fields. Leah Gerber, director of the Center for Biodiversity Outcomes and Kimberly Scott, founding executive director of the Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology and professor at the School of Social Transformation, have been working together to address this issue since 2015.
May 9, 2023
By Kathleen Merrigan, Executive Director of the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems at Arizona State University
For the 20th time since 1933, Congress is writing a multiyear farm bill that will shape what kind of food U.S. farmers grow, how they raise it and how it gets to consumers. These measures are large, complex and expensive: The next farm bill is projected to cost taxpayers US$1.5 trillion over 10 years.
Modern farm bills address many things besides food, from rural broadband access to biofuels and even help for small towns to buy police cars. These measures bring out a dizzying range of interest groups with diverse agendas.
May 9, 2023
Three SPRI affiliated students celebrated their graduations today. Each one was heavily involved in our work and we are so excited to see what is in store for each of them.
An
na Elovitz completed her undergraduate degree with a BS in Sustainability Studies and a BS in Economics. During her time collaborating with SPRI, she worked on our Advancing Green Purchasing in South Korean Municipalities report and received runner up for SURE (Sustainability Undergraduate Research Experiences) student of the year with a fellow SPRI student. Anna will be working as a Supply Chain Associate at PepsiCo starting in August.
Sarah Queen graduated with her Master of Sustainability Solutions degree. Through the summer, she will continue supporting SPRI through managing our social media, website, and newsletter. She has moved back to Atlanta, GA where she hopes to continue her career in corporate sustainability and ESG.
Jake Swanson completed his Master of Science in Sustainability. While a student, Jake conducted research and co-authored chapters with SPRI for UNEP's 2022 Sustainable Public Procurement Global Review. After graduation, Jake hopes to use his experience and education to consult both private and public sector organizations.
Please join us in congratulating these three students on their achievements and wish them luck on their next adventure!
May 9, 2023
ASU News highlighted a recent partnership between Project Cities and the City of Phoenix Water Services! Here is a short excerpt:
"Lomeli’s project includes three possible designs based on the average size of a small, medium or large plot in Phoenix. Her plans incorporate a guide for how residents can transition to native and drought-tolerant landscaping. The city will distribute her plans to Phoenix residents free of charge."
May 5, 2023
By: Janell Bohreer, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.
Note: Paul Brierley has now transitioned into a new position as Director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture.
The close of fall semester is busy with final exams and papers along with holiday travel plans for most students at Arizona State University. For sustainable food systems graduate students, the end of the semester kicks off Professor Merrigan’s favorite course: the Food and Farm Immersion. Students enrolled in the program have the singular opportunity to visit and speak with people at the forefront of Arizona’s food systems operations. This year’s immersive provided firsthand, comprehensive introductions to many aspects of our state’s food systems, from touring ranches, farms, and community gardens to inspecting produce with an agent at USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service office. As future leaders, this immersion course allowed us to listen to various perspectives from many diverse stakeholders, laying the foundation for effective policymaking.
May 3, 2023
As one of the fastest growing communities in Arizona, Peoria’s population continues to age, creating a need for the City to further develop its resources available for its population of older adults to ensure the well-being and active participation of all members of the community. In response to this need, the City’s Neighborhood and Human Services Department is interested in developing a resource guide for older adults that includes information about the City’s health services, recreation programs, and classes, as well as how to be an active member of the community
May 1, 2023
By: Jocelyn Moguin, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.
Garfield Elementary School, located in Phoenix, Arizona, is pioneering the Farm to School movement through science, nourishment, leadership, sustainability, collaboration, and social and emotional aspects.
In December of 2022, Arizona State University Sustainable Food Systems Graduate Students had the opportunity to explore integral parts in food systems through a weeklong immersive experience across the state. Of these places, Garfield’s Garden on the Corner at Garfield Elementary School was a truly inspiring stop.
April 28, 2023
The Town of Miami is a historic community with a rich history in copper mining. Incorporated in 1918, the Town established itself as a copper boom town while blending a new wave of business, arts, and tourism. While the Town seeks to revitalize its community by attracting new business and tourism, it also wants to preserve its historic roots. In a new partnership with ASU Project Cities, the Town of Miami is collaborating with ASU students and faculty to leverage the university for community development projects.
April 28, 2023
By: Payton Moore, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.
A week-long immersive tour around diverse Arizona agricultural areas brought my classmates and I to Gila River Farms in Sacaton and Casa Blanca, Arizona. Covering almost 11,000 acres, Gila River Farms provides for the Gila River Indian Community by offering a wide range of food products and employment opportunities.
April 20, 2023
By: Brock LaChapelle, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.
This past fall, the ASU Sustainable Food Systems cohort visited the APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine facility in Yuma, Arizona. APHIS is an agency within the United States Department of Agriculture that oversees and initiates response pertaining to animal health, animal welfare and plant health. Additionally, they ensure that U.S. agricultural and food products meet the importing countries' criteria for entering their territories. APHIS is divided into various operations including Animal Care, Biotechnology Regulatory Services, International Services, Plant Protection and Quarantine, Veterinary Services, and Wildlife Services.
