2021-22 Sustainability in Research Progress
Discover what Concordia is doing to achieve its 2025 sustainability in research targets.
ADVANCE INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN SUSTAINABILITY
Target
- Develop a framework to support interdisciplinary sustainability research at Concordia
Status
- In progress
An inventory was completed in 2020 to measure the number of full-time faculty members at Concordia University engaged in sustainability research. Of 875 researchers, approximately 209 researchers were engaged in sustainability research which is equivalent to 24% of full-time faculty members. Consult the complete list here.
Efforts supporting this target
A working group was created to draft a proposal for a new sustainability incubator
Ongoing programs that encourage students and faculty in multiple disciplines or academic programs to conduct sustainability research
Sustainability focused research centres: Loyola Sustainability Research Centre, Concordia Institute of Water, Energy and Sustainable Systems, Next-Generation Cities Institute, Social Justice Centre and Centre for Zero Energy Building Studies
INCREASE INSTITUTIONAL INCENTIVES AND SUPPORT
Target
- Increase financial and operational support for faculty and students engaged in sustainability research
Status
- Ongoing
Efforts supporting this target
The new Sustainable Transitions Team Research Initiative (STTRI) program provides seed funding, combined with dedicated support and training, for interdisciplinary research team projects that address a major challenge related to one or more of the 17 SDGs.
The Sustainability Research Awards Program is a scholarship program that aims to recognize Concordia students who are working towards sustainable change on campus through their coursework or research.
- The Sustainability Action Fund, Concordia University and the Concordia Student Union are collaborating to provide the Sustainability Living Lab Funding Program. The programs funds collaborative student, faculty, and/or staff sustainability projects that bring the university closer to achieving the goals outlined in Concordia's Sustainability Action Plan.
Calls to action
Apply for a Sustainability Research Award
Are you a mixed team of students, faculty or staff working on a project related to Concordia’s Sustainability Action Plan? Apply to the Sustainability Living Lab Funding Program
Learn more about the five projects funded through STTRI and apply
ENHANCE RESEARCH IMPACT
Target
- Promote and enhance Concordia research to enrich local, Canadian, and International communities
Status
- Ongoing
Efforts supporting this target
- Through the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Graduate Studies (OVPRGS) there is an Aid to Research-Related Events (ARRE) funding program. The objective of the program is to stimulate exchange and transfer of knowledge as well as support visibility and outreach initiatives as diverse as workshops, conference, lectures, visiting scholars/artists, publications, and exhibitions
Each year, the Loyola Sustainability Research Centre and the Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability host a free cross-disciplinary sustainability conference featuring student and faculty research around a different environmental theme
Concordia’s 4TH SPACE regularly collaborates with Concordia sustainability researchers and promotes their research through hosting experiential learning activities like interactive installations, research-creation experiences, workshops, and public talks
Calls to Action
Apply to the biannual ARRE funding competition
Attend the Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability cross-disciplinary sustainability conference
Check out 4TH SPACE’s programming to find the next sustainability research event
ESTABLISH AND PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE RESEARCH PRACTICES
Target
- Monitor and reduce the ecological footprint of research, dissemination, and related activities conducted on and off campus
Status
- Ongoing
Efforts supporting this target
Engineering Design & Manufacturing Lab Library of Parts: Concordia engineering students produce new capstone and extra-curricular projects every year, usually by purchasing parts they need brand new. While some projects require state-of-the-art resources, many teams are relegated to purchasing what they could have easily re-used. There is currently a wealth of used parts and materials left over from past projects being stored in the Engineering Design & Manufacturing Lab (EDML) at Concordia; commonly used items like bearings, fasteners, motors, pumps, and testing apparatus. A group of students & staff are working to create the EDML Library of Parts. This will be a platform facilitating the re-use of parts and materials by new student projects, at no cost. It consists of an online catalogue and portal, and one part-time staff.
Solvent Recovery Initiative: The goal of the Solvent Recovery Initiative Team is to design protocols to recycle and reuse solvents in chemistry laboratories at Concordia. Starting as a team of 15 in the Howarth lab, they will extensively test different methods for recycling and purifying solvent waste like (1) simple filtration, (2) centrifugation, and (3) rotary evaporation. Eventually, the goal is to expand the protocols to other research laboratories in the Chemistry and Biochemistry department at Concordia.
Calls to Action
Have research equipment that you won't use anymore? Fill out this form so that your equipment can be put to use elsewhere at Concordia through the equipment (asset) reuse program.
Related Sustainable Development Goal
