Georgia Tech deepens sustainability education with $150,000 in innovation grants
- Jamal El-Masri
- Jun 14
- 2 min read
The Georgia Institute of Technology has awarded its fourth round of Undergraduate Sustainability Education Innovation Grants, allocating nearly $150,000 to faculty across six colleges and 15 schools. This initiative, part of Georgia Tech's Sustainability Next plan, aims to embed the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) into undergraduate courses, fostering a multidisciplinary approach to sustainability education.
Advancing sustainability through education
These grants support faculty in redesigning both core and elective courses to address sustainability challenges aligned with the UN SDGs. The initiative encourages the transformation of curricula to prepare students to tackle complex, real-world issues. Rebecca Watts Hull, assistant director of Faculty Development for Sustainability Education Initiatives, emphasized that "connecting core content to complex, real-world challenges can enhance motivation and learning, while preparing students to advance solutions."
Innovative projects across disciplines
The funded projects span a diverse range of disciplines, reflecting the comprehensive nature of sustainability challenges:
· Architecture and Heritage: Danielle Willkens developed "GEORGIA ARCHITECTURE: Place + Heritage + Potential," focusing on the intersection of architecture, heritage, and sustainability.
· Climate Migration: Eunhwa Yang, James Holder, and Abdurrahman Barru created "Global Perspectives in Climate Migration – Resilience, Relocation, and Sustainable Futures," addressing the challenges of climate-induced migration.
· Chemical Engineering: Micah Ziegler integrated emerging energy technologies into chemical engineering thermodynamics courses to highlight sustainable energy solutions.
· Computer Science: Ashutosh Dhekne redesigned a computer networking course to include considerations of environmental implications, societal benefits, and job creation, promoting a holistic understanding of networking decisions.
· Artificial Intelligence: Noura Howell incorporated discussions on the environmental costs of AI usage into the "Intro to Computational Media" course, making the hidden resource consumption of generative AI more tangible to students.
· Urban Analytics: Rounaq Basu enhanced the "Intro to Urban Analytics" course to encourage students to apply urban analytical methods to address complex social problems, emphasizing the role of data in promoting sustainable urban development.
Fostering a community of practice
Grant recipients are encouraged to participate in the Community of Practice on Transformative Teaching with the UN SDGs. This collaborative group meets regularly to share insights, provide peer feedback, and develop strategies for integrating sustainability into teaching. The community fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and supports faculty in their efforts to embed sustainability across the curriculum.
Broader impact and future directions
Over the past several years, these grants have supported the transformation of dozens of courses, reaching thousands of Georgia Tech students. By connecting core content to complex, real-world challenges, the initiative enhances motivation and learning, preparing students to advance solutions aligned with the UN SDGs.
Georgia Tech's commitment to sustainability education reflects a broader trend in higher education to integrate global goals into curricula. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and embedding sustainability into diverse disciplines, the institute prepares students to become leaders in addressing the world's most pressing challenges.
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