Spring 2021 update | FAQ page | Class flexibility for students | Novel coronavirus updates
March 5, 2020
by Sharla Strong, Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems
Indigenous foods within the United States are rich in diversity. From taro root in Hawaii to the salmon of the Pacific Northwest, from wild rice of the Great Lakes Region to buffalo of the plains, Indigenous people are continuing their food cultures and working for the benefit of future generations.
ASU Now | March 5, 2020
A new federal report by ASU professors highlights how nearly a third of the food produced in the United States never makes it to the grocery aisle, instead ending up in landfills. The research shows that the entire food chain is fraught with unpredictability, from how much it rains to how many farm workers show up for harvest, to which apple will be plucked from the bin. Literal tons of food are thrown away at nearly every step.
Sustainability Scientists Tim Richards and Ashok Mishra, both professors in the W. P. Carey School of Business, were on the nationwide team of researchers who produced the report.
March 4, 2020
Inspired by a vegan documentary, Victoria Erran decided to make the life-altering decision to study sustainability.
"I had just watched one of those famous vegan documentaries where it talks about how much land, water and energy it takes to grow animals for agricultural purposes," Erran said. "I was in shock, and I wanted to learn why no one was talking about this!"
The passion she felt at that moment remained with her and propelled her through Arizona State University's School of Sustainability, from which she graduated in the fall of 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in sustainability. Continue reading to learn more about Erran and her experiences at ASU.
March 3, 2020
Proposals are due April 1, 2020 for a new faculty fund program offered through the Walton Sustainability Solutions Service, the sustainabilty consultancy of ASU. The program is designed to provide support for projects that will create opportunities to develop new areas of business and to assist business clients in finding solutions for their problems.
The mission of the Solutions Service is to enable clients to implement sustainable solutions by leveraging our exclusive access to ASU's resources. They are seeking innovative ideas, concepts, technologies or analytical techniques that could develop into applications for sustainable decision making in the private sector.
Learn more and apply via ASU InfoReady.
March 3, 2020
Each year, the National Science Foundation releases a new Proposal & Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). In 2020, the document’s number will be NSF 20-1.
The changes outlined in NSF 20-1 will be effective for proposals submitted or due, and awards made, on or after June 1, 2020. While the changes are not yet required, it is always best to adopt the changes immediately to be sure to fulfill the requirements. Significant changes for 2020 are as follows.
ASU Now | March 3, 2020
Dream big is the motto for applicants to the MacArthur Foundation for their 100&Change competition - $100 million big! Two ASU proposals made it to the top 100 in the current round: a substance abuse prevention program – keepin’ it REAL – and the Global Biodiversity Observatory, to monitor biodiversity changes in detail. The winner will be announced in the fall of 2020.
Keepin’ it REAL – REAL stands for refuse, explain, avoid and leave – promotes substance abuse prevention among youth within their local cultural context. Flavio Marsiglia, Regent’s Professor in the School of Social Work and the Global Center for Applied Heath Research, runs the program, which has been used in the U.S., Guatemala, Mexico, Spain and Uruguay. If funded by MacArthur, the group will expand the program to sub-Saharan Africa, where abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, is on the rise.
March 3, 2020
More than 4,000 leaders will convene at VERGE 20 to address the climate crisis through action in five key markets: clean energy, electrified transportation, the circular economy, carbon removal and sustainable food systems. The goal is to solve the climate crisis by building a clean economy that is both equitable and profitable.
If you are interested in speaking at one of their five concurrent conferences, submit a nomination by April 24,2020 here. The conferences run from Oct 27-29, 2020 in San Jose, California.
March 3, 2020
This blog post was written by Arizona State University graduate student Brandee Kitzmiller. In addition to studying Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership at ASU, Brandee works hard empowering children to make healthy eating choices as the garden educator for the nonprofit Island Grown Schools on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
Situated about 30 minutes from downtown Phoenix, Arizona sits the 35-acre Blue Sky Organic Farm. As the ASU Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership cohort approaches the main farm house, we are welcomed by a handful of happy goats. We continue through a cluster of citrus trees and meet Sara Dolan.
Sara Dolan and David Vose have been farming since 1995 and their farm is 100% certified organic, meaning they meet strict regulations for the growing of all produce on their farm. Upon our arrival to the farm we were told repeatedly to walk only on the paths. If we had stepped into a field the whole area would not be allowed to be sold. Food safety is serious business.
March 3, 2020
NSF Human-Environment Research and Geographical Sciences Program (HEGS) NSF 20-547
Due dates
Limits
March 2, 2020
On February 24, 2020, the ASU Center for Biodiversity Outcomes hosted a presentation titled “The past, present and future of coral reefs,” by Assistant Research Professor Katie Cramer. Cramer’s presentation focused on her recent publication exploring a 3000-year record of coral reef degradation to investigate the role of human and natural disturbance.
Cramer is a marine conservation ecologist and Oceans Science Fellow at Conservation International. She joined the center in November 2019 as part of the ASU-Conservation International partnership.
March 2, 2020
In September 2016, the ASU Center for Biodiversity Outcomes became an official partner of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. As of February 2020, we are proud to announce the center is an official IUCN member.
Many of the research projects we conduct revolve around ecosystem restoration, reversing the global biodiversity crisis and improving human wellbeing. The IUCN membership provides an exciting platform to interact with other organizations around the globe to discover and implement solutions to alleviate environmental challenges.
March 2, 2020
On February 22, 2020, the Center for Biodiversity Outcomes participated in ASU Open Door at the Tempe campus.
Every year, ASU hosts this event for the local community to explore the university's campuses while participating in hundreds of interactive activities facilitated by faculty, students and staff.
The Center for Biodiversity Outcomes' activities included a “which fish is which?” poster designed to help identify mislabeled seafood, an ocean conservation facts poster board, a jungle-themed large print puzzle for children and a new activity of marine biodiversity Jenga.
Monterrey Bay Aquarium pocket-size seafood watch guides were handed out to participants, along with other fun participation incentives.
ASU Now | March 1, 2020
Sustainability scientist Sara Brownell, an associate professor of undergraduate biology in Arizona State University's School of Life Sciences in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has been named the 2020 LGBTQ+ Educator of the Year by the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals.
Brownell’s research, leadership and personal commitment to improving science education, especially for underrepresented minorities, led to the organization’s recognition.
One of her studies looks at how active learning classrooms present challenges for LGBTQ+ students. In a second study, Brownell looks at the impacts and reasons why LGBTQ+ biology instructors decide to reveal their identities to their students. For Brownell, it’s a privilege to share her identity with the next generation of LGBTQ+ students. She hopes her actions will help LGBTQ+ students feel more comfortable and accepted in the classroom.
March 1, 2020
ASU Center for Biodiversity Outcomes Founding Director Leah Gerber gave a short interview offering advice to up-and-coming ecologists with the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) titled “Essential Skills for Early Career Ecologists.”
NCEAS is one of our key partners. Its mission is to provide support to ecologists and other conservation scientists to accelerate discoveries about the natural world and humanity’s part in it.
March 1, 2020
Just 34 hours before it was to begin, the American Physical Society (APS) cancelled its annual meeting due to coronavirus concerns. More than 10,000 people from all over the world were expected to attend the conference in Denver March 2 -6, 2020. APS will refund registration fees and assist attendees with being reimbursed for hotels. This high-visibility cancellation brings our attention to concerns among our own community members.
ASU Health Services maintains a web page on the Novel Coronavirus, the university's plans and activities, standing travel advisories, and resources for the campus community. This is the central repository for the most current information coming from the university.
February 28, 2020
The Zimin Institute for Smart & Sustainable Cities at ASU is accepting proposals in four areas; the first two themes are the major focus for this year.
February 27, 2020
Christa Burgess began her journey at Arizona State University in another major, but she always felt something was missing.
"After my first semester I got the feeling that the major wasn't quite right for me," Burgess said. "I enjoyed biology, but I realized that I was much more interested in learning how people interact with the environment and how to help balance the needs of both people and the natural world."
After some research, she decided to switch her major to sustainability with a focus in sustainable ecosystems. Last December, Burgess graduated a semester early from Barrett, the Honors College with a Bachelor of Science in sustainability and a minor in biological sciences. She remains at ASU as part of the 4+1 accelerated Master of Sustainability Solutions. Continue reading to learn more about Burgess.
February 26, 2020
This article was written by William H. Walker VI, a sophomore in the School of Sustainability.
Food is integral in nourishing the mind, body, and soul as well as sustaining the communities around us. We live in a society where food is wasted in the home as well as in stores. At the same time, many people live in food deserts without access to fresh produce. How can we resolve these complex sustainability issues, alleviate food deserts, and increase access to healthy fruits and veggies? Changemaker Central at ASU has an initiative that combats all of these challenges.
Borderlands (also known as Produce On Wheels Without Waste or P.O.W.W.O.W.) is a food rescue initiative hosted by Changemaker Central on the Tempe and Downtown campuses that diverts edible food that ordinarily is sent to a landfill. P.O.W.W.O.W diverts produce that is surplus, on the verge of decomposing, or quality control rejections by retailers and restaurants, and sells it at a rate of $12 for 70 lbs or $6 for 35 lbs to students.
February 25, 2020
This blog post was written by Arizona State University graduate student Ali Kelley. In addition to studying Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership at ASU, Ali is working hard to foster a regional grain economy by starting a grain business of her own in her home state of Colorado.
Arizona is not known for bagels, but one of the best I’ve had can be found on the plains bordering Phoenix. With a tender dough and glistening, golden crust, this bagel rivaled any I’ve experienced in New York, or elsewhere. Was fresh water from the nearby Salt River responsible for this culinary gem? Hardly. The bagel’s unparalleled taste and texture resulted from the quality and freshness of the wheat flour, grown and milled on site. Whereas commercial All Purpose flour comes from modern wheat varieties (bred for yield and resistance) and is processed months or even years before it reaches the end user, this flour came from heritage varieties (known for flavor and nutrition) and was milled within a week of being consumed.
February 24, 2020
Dr. Reed Maxwell will presents the 2020 Henry Darcy Distinguished Lecture on Feb 28, 1 - 2 pm, ASU CDN Room 60 (Design North) entitled "Hydrology in the Supercomputing Age: How Computational Advances Have Revolutionized Our Field, and What Big Data and Massively Parallel Simulations Mean for the Future of Hydrologic Discovery." Dr. Maxwell and the Arizona Hydro Society will gather for a mixer from 2 to 4 pm at Macayo's Depot Cantina in downtown Tempe. $10 suggested donation - appetizers and no-host bar included.
Dr. Maxwell's research focuses on understanding connections within the hydrologic cycle and how they related to water quantity and quality under anthropologic stresses. He is currently director of the Integrated GroundWater modeling Center at the Colorado School of Mines.
