Santa Clara University is committed to fostering a more humane, just, faith-filled, and sustainable world. To that end, the University has developed a distinctive and substantial research focus on justice and sustainability by increasing faculty research and enhancing research collaborations in these areas.
Sustainability Research Initiative
To advance these goals, SCU launched a Sustainability Research Initiative. Components of the initiative were developed from a series of focused discussions with faculty scholars in 2009 and funded by the President's Office.
Through grants for research, professional development, and retreats, the initiative has helped to establish a vibrant, productive, and collaborative research community focused on projects related to justice and sustainability. Faculty can continue to apply for sustainability research grants of up to $10,000 to support research and creative activity and foster new scholarly projects in the areas of sustainability and environmental justice.
Departments with at least one faculty member conducting sustainability research
College of Arts & Sciences
Anthropology
Art and art history
Biology
Chemistry
Communication
Economics
Education
English
Environmental Studies
Ethnic Studies
History
Liberal Studies
Math/Computer Science
Modern Languages
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Psychology
Religious Studies
Sociology
Theatre and Dance
School of Education and Counseling Psychology
Counseling Psychology
School of Engineering
Civil Engineering
Computer Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
School of Business
Economics
Finance
Management
Marketing
Operations and Management Systems
School of Law
Law
Faculty are conducting research related to sustainability that range in a variety of topics such as fuel cells to food system governance, environmental justice and racial equity issues in K-12 schools, economic development in Africa, and spirituality.
Faculty Research
Asuri, Prashanth. Bioengineering
Bachen, Chris. Communication
Bacon, Christopher. Environmental Studies and Sciences
Baker, Greg. Management
Ball, W. David. Law
Barber, Rich. Physics
Beitelmal, Monem. Mechanical Engineering
Bezanson, Michelle. Anthropology
Booth, Sherry. English
Burnham, Michelle. English
Cai, Gangshu. Operations Management and Information Systems
Carroll, Stephen. English
Castori, Michael. Religious Studies
Dahlhoff, Elizabeth. Biology
den Nieuwenboer, Niki. Management
Espinoza, John. English
Fabris, Drazen. Mechanical Engineering
Farnsworth, John. Environmental Studies and Sciences
Figueira, Sylvia. Computer Engineering
Frisbie, Susan. English
Garcia, Sara. Education
Gibson, Diana C. Religious Studies
Gilbert, Melissa. Education
Glaser, Kirk. English
Gordon, Dennis. Political Science
Gray, Leslie. Environmental Studies and Sciences
Gullette, Gregory. Anthropology
He, Rong. Civil Engineering
Hoggard, Patrick. Chemistry
Ifcher, John. Economics
Jain, Sanjay. Management
Kareiva, Peter. Environmental Studies and Sciences
Kirby, Gail. Marketing
Kusanovich, Kristin. Theatre and Dance
Lee, Hohyun. Mechanical Engineering
Lieberman, Andy. Law
Madarassy, Rita. Economics
Mains, Bill. Undergraduate Business Program
Manaster, Kenneth. Law
Marvier, Michelle. Environmental Studies and Sciences
Matzek, Virginia. Environmental Studies and Sciences
Maurer, Ed. Civil Engineering
Meyer, Michael Joseph. Philosophy
Michels, Bob. Education and Counseling Psychology
Minowitz, Peter. Political Science
Molesky-Poz, Jean. Religious Studies
Molony, Barbara. History
Murray, Barbara. Theatre & Dance
Nanda, Aparajita. English
Nilsson, Tonya. Civil Engineering
Park, Damian. Economics
Piderit, Sandy. Management
Reynolds, Ryan. Art and Art History
Ribas, Alberto. Modern Languages
Said, Hisham. Civil Engineering
Shapiro, Jerry. CPSY
Shefrin, Hersh. Finance
Shin, Dongsoo. Economics
Singh, Sukhmander. Civil Engineering
Smith, Stephen. Operations Management and Information Systems
Stewart-Frey, Iris. Environmental Studies and Sciences
Sundstrom, William. Economics
Tran, Nicholas. Math/Computer Science
Trevisan, Richard. Management
Unger, Nancy. History
Vallor, Shannon. Philosophy
Velasquez, Manuel. Management
Walker, Jamie. Ethnic Studies
Warner, Keith. Religious Studies
Whalen, Mike. Communication
Wheeler, Korin. Chemistry & Biochemistry
Whittall, Justen. Biology
Woolley, Jennifer Lynn. Management
Yang, Tseming. Law
Zecevic, Aleksandar. Electrical Engineering
More and more students are focusing their research on issues related to sustainability. Such projects include engineering students' senior design projects, an analysis of the University's current and future energy usage and an examination of the sustainability in SCU offices.
Student Research
Sustainable Living Undergraduate Research Project (SLURP)
SLURP stands for Sustainable Living Undergraduate Research Project and promotes a culture of sustainability throughout the University via applied research. Members of SLURP live on a special floor in the CyPhi RLC and receive course credit (ENVS 195). Read about past projects.
Undergraduate Fellowship in Environmental Ethics
This Fellowship, a program of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, explores the ethical dimensions of sustainability.
School of Engineering Senior Design Conference
Senior engineering students receive a comprehensive education that honors both Silicon Valley's entrepreneurial spirit and Santa Clara's Jesuit values and culminates into a thoughtful, technological innovation in service to humanity.
Solar Decathlon
SCU participates in this biennial competition, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, which unites college teams to design, construct, and operate the most energy efficient, functional, and attractive solar-powered home.
Tiny House Competition
The School of Engineering participates in the collegiate competition to design and build net-zero, tiny solar houses. This challenge mirros the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlong and is spearheaded by SMUD's Energy & Technology Center and Community Solar program.
LIVING LABORATORY DATABASE
Contribute to a more sustainable campus by helping to advance one of our impactful projects.