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HOW CAN STUDENTS ENSURE THAT THEIR CAPSTONE PROJECTS HAVE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

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When students are designing their capstone projects, one of the key things they can do to ensure their projects have a meaningful impact on sustainability is to focus on addressing real problems or issues related to sustainability that are currently facing their campus, local community, or beyond. Conducting thorough research into the major sustainability challenges and coming up with projects aimed at tangible solutions will help maximize the potential impact. Some key areas students may want to examine include energy usage and emissions reductions, waste reduction, water usage, sustainable transportation, sustainable food systems, and community education around sustainability issues.

Once students have identified a key sustainability problem area to tackle, they need to design their capstone project with sustainability and creating impact fully in mind. They should think through how to develop practical, actionable solutions and set clear, measurable goals and objectives for their project that are focused on driving real change. For example, if the project is aimed at reducing campus energy usage, goals such as decreasing energy consumption in a particular building by 10% over the course of a semester would help ensure the work leads to quantifiable benefits. Students should also develop a solid plan for how they will implement their project and see it through to completion to achieve those goals.

Securing stakeholder buy-in from individuals and groups on campus who are responsible for or can help enable achieving the sustainability goals is crucial. This may involve getting approval and support from facility managers, sustainability officers, administrators, student groups, and others. Developing partnerships can help open doors, provide valuable guidance and resources, and help ensure project outcomes are adopted and maintained long-term after students graduate. Leveraging existing campus sustainability initiatives and infrastructure where possible will increase the likelihood of real change resulting.

Students would also be wise to think about how to measure and quantify the impacts of their projects. Developing metrics and collecting data both during and following project implementation on factors like energy or materials savings, reductions in emissions, or shifts in behaviors is important. This data collection helps justify the projects, demonstrate their value, and provide accountability that goals were attained. It also allows impacts to be clearly communicated to stakeholders. Developing a plan to publicly report metrics helps disseminate results.

Having a plan to share project outcomes with the wider community as well to spread awareness of the solutions developed is another important consideration. This could involve hosting presentations on campus, publishing articles, developing educational materials, or participating in external conferences. Broader outreach helps multiply the educational impacts and may spark further campus or community sustainability actions. Wherever possible, students should seek to create open access reports, tools, and resources that others can learn from and utilize.

Thinking about long-term sustainability (no pun intended) of project impacts is also critical. Having the campus commit to maintaining projects post-graduation, creating student groups focused on continued progress, obtaining pledges for ongoing data collection, and more are strategies that can help ensure the sustainability of impacts achieved. This ensures any emission reductions, behavioral changes, installed technologies or other interventions achieved through capstone efforts are locked in and can continue driving benefits well into the future.

By grounding capstone projects firmly in real sustainability challenges, prioritizing measurable and quantifiable outcomes, integrating stakeholder support, developing comprehensive implementation and assessment plans, disseminating results broadly, and considering longevity, students have the best chances of completing projects that deliver meaningful and lasting benefits to sustainability on their campuses and beyond. Taking sustainability impact full circle from problem identification through solution development, implementation, evaluation and reporting maximizes the potential for capstones to support progress toward more sustainable futures. With diligence, passion and planning, students’ final academic works have great potential to not just demonstrate their learning but also create real change.

WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE MICRO CLEANUPS THAT HAVE BEEN ORGANIZED THROUGH THE APP

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One of the most prolific Preserve organizers is a high school student named Jillian in Portland, Oregon. Over the past year, Jillian has organized over 30 micro-cleanups in her neighborhood parks and along the trails of a nearby forest. Some of the cleanups she has led include:

A cleanup of Patterson Park where her and 5 other volunteers spent an afternoon picking up trash along the walking paths and playground area. They filled 3 large garbage bags with things like plastic bottles, food wrappers, cigarette butts and stray pieces of clothing or toys left behind.

A cleanup of Baker Creek, which is a small wooded area with hiking trails near her school. Jillian organized this cleanup with some classmates after school one day. They walked the trails with trash pickers and bags, filling about 10 bags total with all sorts of debris that had accumulated like plastic grocery bags tangled in bushes, brokenglass bottles, cardboard boxes and foam packaging materials.

One of Jillian’s most ambitious cleanups was along 2 miles of the Wildwood Trail, a popular hiking route outside of Portland. For this she recruited 15 volunteers through Preserve. They spread out in teams of 2-3 people along the trail for 2 hours picking up garbage. Their efforts filled a total of 25 heavy duty garbage bags with trash picked up from the trails and surrounding forest areas.

In Philadelphia, a group of neighbors in the Brewerytown neighborhood have been very active on the Preserve app organizing cleanups. Some of the cleanups they have led include:

A cleanup of the neighborhood playground at Hunting Park that attracted over 20 volunteers one Saturday morning. The playground area and equipment was in need of some TLC. Volunteers power washed benches and equipment, weeded garden beds, trimmed back overgrown trees/shrubs, and picked up several large bags of litter.

A cleanup along the banks of the Schuylkill River near the neighborhood. 10 volunteers braved a chilly morning to walk 1 mile along both sides of the river, removing any debris that had washed up or blown in. They filled about 15 garbage bags total with all sorts of water-logged trash.

A street by street cleanup walking many of the residential blocks picking up stray litter. About 8 volunteers participated in this on an afternoon. They were able to cover about 10 blocks in a few hours, filling multiple bags with things like plastic water bottles, coffee cups and food wrappers left behind.

Another highly active organizer on Preserve is a college environmental club at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Some of the cleanups they have led include:

A cleanup at a local elementary school on a Saturday where over 30 volunteers from their club and the surrounding neighborhood came out to spruce up the school grounds. Volunteers weeded and cleaned up landscaping beds, repainted faded playground equipment, power washed sidewalks, and removed over 100 pounds of trash and debris from the premises that filled 10 large garbage bins.

Multiple cleanups at a nature preserve just outside of Tucson where hiking and biking trails accumulated litter and debris over time. About 15 volunteers participated in each of these cleanups, broken up into teams to cover more ground efficiently. They would spend 2-3 hours combing the trails, brush and surrounding desert areas removing trash like water bottles, food wrappers, plastic bags, clothing, tires and discarded equipment left behind by irresponsible users over time.

A river cleanup event organized in partnership with a local conservation group. Over 50 volunteers signed up through Preserve and other recruitment for this effort. Broken into teams they spent the morning picking up trash along 3 miles of the Santa Cruz River. Volunteers removed over 500 pounds of garbage, including tires, appliances, plastic containers and bottles, metal debris and shopping carts that had been carelessly discarded or washed downstream over time.

These are just a few examples of the types of impactful micro-cleanups that have been organized through the Preserve app across different communities in the United States. As you can see, people have utilized the platform to coordinate volunteer cleanups of all sizes, from small neighborhood group efforts to much larger events attracting dozens of participants. Whether it’s picking up a few bags of litter at the local playground or removing hundreds of pounds of trash from a river, every cleanup makes a positive difference in keeping public spaces clean and sustainable for future generations. The Preserve app has proven an effective organizing tool for grassroots environmental stewardship on a local level.

WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BOOSTED SCIENCE COMPREHENSION

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Science education programs around the world have successfully boosted student comprehension of science through engaging hands-on learning experiences. Some notable examples include:

The Science Olympiad program in the United States encourages K-12 students to explore science concepts through a series of competitive events requiring the application of science knowledge. The program covers over 40 events rotating annually across diverse topics like anatomy, astronomy, chemistry, physics, geology and technology. Participation in Science Olympiad has been shown to improve students’ critical thinking skills and long term interest in STEM disciplines. A 2010 study found that Science Olympiad alumni were three times more likely to major in physical science or engineering compared to their non-participating peers.

Another highly effective program is Science Clubs run both in-school and externally by organizations like 4-H and Discovery Education. Science Clubs engage students in weekly hands-on science activities and experiments largely driven by student curiosity. A 2019 study across 12 US states found that students regularly participating in 4-H Science Clubs for one school year gained on average a 19 percentile point boost in science comprehension versus their non-participating peers based on state standardized tests. The social aspect of Science Clubs combined with student choice in activities also positively impacted student engagement and motivation in science.

Increasingly, immersive summer programs are also proving very impactful for boosting deeper science learning. Well-known examples include the Research Science Institute hosted by MIT each summer. This highly selective program partners rising high school seniors with MIT faculty to work on mentored research projects across a wide range of STEM fields for 6 weeks. Longitudinal tracking has shown RSI alumni are over 4 times more likely to major in and have careers in STEM versus their peers. Similarly, programs like US Science & Engineering Festival’s summer STEM camps integrate project-based learning, field trips and mentorships to foster student enthusiasm and comprehension of complex topics in fields like genetics, aerospace engineering and environmental science. Studies have found participating students gain on average 2 full years of higher science learning versus baseline.

Internationally, many countries have implemented national level programs as part of school curriculum to support science learning. Finland’s extensive investment in its teacher training and classroom resources is widely credited for producing top PISA science scores. Key elements supporting Finland’s success include emphasizing student-centered, collaborative and applied learning approaches through project work. Similarly, Singapore’s “Teach Less, Learn More” philosophy shifts traditional class time towards hands-on lab work, outdoor learning and other inquiry modes. This places students at the center of actively constructing their understanding of scientific concepts and principles. Both Finland and Singapore also leverage community partnerships for field trips, mentorships and career exposure to contextualize STEM learning.

Looking ahead, emerging practices like design thinking and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) integration show promise in further advancing science comprehension when coupled with experiential learning. By engaging students in tackling real-world problems through iterative design cycles that combine creativity and scientific reasoning, design thinking nurtures competencies like collaboration, critical thinking and communication – all increasingly important for the workforce. STEAM programs allowing students to study science through artistic mediums have also gained traction. For example, a 2019 Australian study found middle schoolers who created science documentaries saw boosted conceptual understanding versus traditional lessons alone.

Successful science comprehension programs share key attributes of hands-on, student-centered, real-world applied and social learning supported through community partnerships and adequate teacher development. National investments enabling these approaches can yield substantial returns by graduating students with deeper STEM comprehension and enthusiasm for lifelong science learning and careers. With continuous refinements guided by educational research, such programs worldwide will continue advancing science capacity and literacy for all.

CAN YOU PROVIDE EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL ER CAPSTONE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN REAL LIFE SETTINGS

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Autonomous Greenhouse Monitoring and Control System – A group of students at the University of Illinois developed an autonomous greenhouse monitoring and control system as their senior design project. They designed and built a wireless sensor network to monitor temperature, humidity, soil moisture and light levels throughout the greenhouse. An arduino-based central controller processes the sensor data and controls actuators like fans, heaters and irrigation systems to optimize the greenhouse environment. This system was implemented at a local community garden to help automate operations and improve crop yields.

High School Science Lab Inventory System – For their capstone, a team at Georgia Tech developed an RFID-based inventory tracking system for a local high school science department. Dozens of expensive lab equipment and chemical stock were tagged with passive RFID labels. Readers stationed at entry/exit points of the storage rooms automatically log check-ins and check-outs of the items. A database tracks the location and usage of all assets. This helps the teachers more easily locate equipment and ensures nothing gets lost or goes missing. It saved school administrators time and money.

Accessible Parking Space Guidance System – Students at the University of Michigan designed and built a prototype accessible parking guidance system. Their solution uses ultrasonic sensors and a raspberry pi to detect open handicap parking spots around a large campus facility. The available spots are displayed on electronic signage in the parking lot with arrows pointing drivers to the spaces. It also integrates with an accessible parking space reservation app. The campus disability services office was impressed with the project and worked with the students to commercialize and implement the design in multiple campus parking structures.

Smart Irrigation Controller – An interdisciplinary senior design group at Arizona State created an IoT-based smart irrigation controller to automatically water parks and sports fields based on real-time soil moisture levels and weather forecasts. The system monitors soil moisture at various points across an athletic field with buried sensor nodes connected to a central raspberry pi controller. It receives local weather data online. Rules were programmed to only run the sprinklers as needed to maintain optimal soil moisture and avoid wasting water. This was adopted by the city parks department who reported substantial water savings.

Bridge Scour Monitoring System – As part of their degree, civil engineering students at Texas A&M designed and built a prototype real-time bridge scour monitoring system. Bridge scour, the removal of sediment such as sand and gravel from around bridge abutments or piers, is a major cause of bridge failures during floods. The students came up with an ultrasonic sensor-based solution that continually measures the depth of sediment to detect if scour is occurring. An embedded system transmits the data to officials. Impressed with the low-cost design, the state Department of Transportation implemented the system on 10 at-risk bridges to improve safety monitoring.

Modular Prosthetic Limb – For their biomedical engineering capstone, a group of seniors at Vanderbilt University worked with a prosthetics clinic to develop a low-cost modular prosthetic limb. Their innovative 3D printed design uses easy-change sockets and components to accommodate growing children through adolescence who need frequent size adjustments. Production costs were greatly reduced compared to traditional custom-fit models. The clinic has been very pleased with the clinical outcomes and how it has helped more patients afford prosthetic care. The students also founded a social enterprise to commercialize and provide the affordable prosthetic in developing countries.

Those are just a few examples, but they demonstrate how capstone engineering projects provide real value by developing solutions that directly benefit communities and industries. The experiential learning prepares students will with practical job skills while also allowing them to have a positive societal impact. When projects are implemented for real applications, it provides validation for the designs and ensures the work has lasting impact beyond the classroom. Engineering is all about applying scientific and technical knowledge to solve problems, and senior design capstone courses give students the opportunity to do just that at the culmination of their undergraduate education.

HOW CAN UNIVERSITIES ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO RESOURCES FOR THEIR CAPSTONE PROJECTS

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Universities have a responsibility to provide all students with equitable access to resources needed to complete their capstone projects successfully. This is important to ensure fair outcomes and that a student’s access to resources does not determine their capstone results or chances of graduation. There are several steps universities can take to help achieve equitable access.

First, universities must identify what key resources students may need to complete their capstone work and ensure accessibility for all. This includes researching access to technology, research materials, mentorship/advising support, and funding if applicable. Universities should conduct student surveys or speak with program advisors to get a full understanding of resource needs. They can then evaluate what barriers may exist for low-income students, first-generation students, students with disabilities or other groups. Additional resources may need to be provided or funding assistance given to remove barriers to access.

Universities also need transparent policies and communications around capstone resource availability. Program websites, orientation sessions, syllabi and other materials should clearly outline all resources students are entitled to use. This helps ensure all students are aware of options available. If additional assistance is needed, there should be clear guidance on how to request support. Requests should be evaluated fairly through an equitable process.

Another important step is securing necessary capstone resources. This means budgeting adequately each year to maintain stocked libraries with up-to-date research materials across all academic subjects. It requires investing in sufficient computer labs, software and technical support staff to meet student demands. Distance learning students need equitable access too, so online research databases and tech support are crucial. Funding also needs to be set aside each year for unforeseen capstone costs like research supplies, travel for fieldwork etc.

Universities must think creatively about leveraging existing campus resources as well. For example, work-study jobs or vacant TA positions could be used by students needing funding for capstone materials. Computer labs could be kept open extended hours when capstone deadlines near. Research libraries may purchase access to additional online journals/databases during peak capstone periods. Underutilized existing resources, if made easily accessible, can significantly improve equity.

Providing advising, mentoring and capstone support services is also important for equitable outcomes. Low-income or first-gen students in particular may need guidance navigating capstone requirements, identifying community partnerships, research protocols etc. Universities should ensure adequate advising staff are available during all stages of the capstone from project selection to completion. Students facing obstacles should have a direct point of contact for troubleshooting issues promptly.

Equitable access also means flexibility when unforeseen conflicts arise. Life events like illnesses, family emergencies or financial hardships could impact a student’s capstone progress and timeline. Universities need supportive policies allowing deadline extensions or leaves of absence if warranted. When students return, they should face no disadvantage catching up or completing the impacted capstone work.

Assessing resource needs and tracking capstone metrics is important too. Universities must collect feedback annually to check that prior year resource allocations aligned with actual student use. Success and dropout rates should also be analyzed by student demographics to check for inequities. Adjustments may be needed to continually improve access and outcomes over time. External program reviews would further strengthen resource strategies.

With dedicated planning and budgeting, clear policies, leveraging of existing assets creatively and ongoing assessment, universities can systematically work to establish equitable access to key capstone resources for all students. This helps ensure every student has a fair opportunity to complete their program capstone successfully, regardless of their individual background or life circumstances encountered along the way. Equitable access is an important component of higher education institutions fulfilling their mission of serving all students.