GEORGIA TECH

SERVE-LEARN-SUSTAIN

L A U N C H E D J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 6

• SLS educates students—through classroom, co-curricular, and real-world learning, on campus and off—to contribute to the task of “creating sustainable communities”

• SLS builds the capacity of faculty to (a) teach sustainable communities-related courses (b) collaborate with diverse partners on their research

• SLS facilitates GT participation in Partnerships that bring together key partners—from the government, community, nonprofit, academic, and business sectors—for joint learning, research, and action

WHAT IS SLS? SLS MISSION

• Georgia Tech graduates are using their disciplinary expertise related to science and technology to help “create sustainable communities” where humans and nature flourish, in Georgia, the U.S., and around the globe

• Universities around the globe are asking, “What does Georgia Tech think?” about the role that a technological institute can play in creating sustainable communities

• Students are choosing to come to Georgia Tech partly to participate in Serve-Learn-Sustain

WHAT IS SLS? SLS VISION

OPERATIONALIZING GEORGIA TECH’S ASPIRATIONS

• Vision: We will be leaders in influencing major technological, social, and policy decisions that address critical global challenges

• Mission: We will be leaders in improving the human condition in Georgia, the United States, and around the globe.

PREPARING STUDENTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Source: 2012 Baccalaureate Alumni Survey

SLS COURSES, PROGRAMS, & OPPORTUNITIES

Courses & Research

• SLS foundation courses taught every semester• 100+ Affiliated courses & minors - 6 colleges, 3,000+ students• SLS “Pathways” under development (launching 2017-18): Innovating for Sustainable Communities, Civic

Leadership• SLS Fellows Programs: faculty, staff, postdocs, and doctoral students from across campus explore a theme

in depth for one semester (FEWS, Smart Cities, Energy Systems, and more)

Partners & Projects

• 20+ SLS-affiliated Student Organization Partners• SLS-affiliated Projects• SLS Action Groups – students, faculty, staff, and real-world partners advancing teaching, research, and

action related to sustainable communities issues like climate change, sustainable food systems, K-12 STEM education, and more

• UN University Metro Atlanta Regional Centre of Expertise for Education for Sustainable Development (RCE) – regional network with Atlanta higher education institutions and other stakeholders advancing education for sustainable development – including an RCE Youth Network

Events & Workshops

• Year-long speaker series (2017: Environmental Justice, 2018: UN Sustainable Development Goals)• Community Service Days• Skills workshops

Work for SLS • We hire undergraduates, GRAs, and GTAs every semester including summer• Interested? Email serve-learn-sustain@gatech.edu

STUDENT PROFILE

• Summer 2016: Participates in SLS-affiliated Leadership for Social Good Study Abroad in Eastern Europe (Scheller); first hears about SLS through SLS guest lecture during orientation; writes SLS blog post from abroad

• Fall 2016: Starts participating in events/service days with an engaged friend

• Spring 2017: Takes SLS foundation course; continues to attend events

• AY2018 and beyond: Takes more SLS courses and pursues minor in SLS or Sustainable Cities (SCaRP)

• Career Interest: Improve city systems, like transit, through sustainability

Ariella Ventura, ISyE, 2019/20“SLS has taught me to look at issues from multiple viewpoints. My

SLS class is taught by three professors of differing backgrounds. Each class, my professors frame sustainability using their interdisciplinary knowledge, allowing me to better understand the complexity of real

life problem solving.”

MLK Day of Service in Clarkston

STUDENT PROFILE

• Fall 2015: Hears about SLS HP courses through Grand Challenges• Spring 2016: Takes both foundation courses plus SLS-affiliated

course, “Semester in the City;” attends SLS events & writes SLS blog post on Flint water crisis

• Summer 2016: Starts working for SLS; participates in EngageATL• AY2017: Works for SLS, attends SLS events, works on Grand

Challenges Westside oral history project (intends to apply for SLS funding); applies for Technology & Management program while pursuing Scheller Leadership Minor

• Summer 2017: Participates in SLS-affiliated Leadership for Social Good Study Abroad in Eastern Europe (Scheller)

• Career Interest: Consulting on corporate social responsibility

SLS Foundation Course

MLK Day in Clarkston

Yonatan Weinberg, HTS, 2019“I am grateful for the SLS infrastructure for giving me the opportunity to cultivate my interests in social sustainability. It has allowed me to

learn about and actually work on what I am passionate about.”

Semester in the City

STUDENT PROFILE

• Fall 2014: Provides input into QEP development• Fall 2015: Attends SLS Liam’s Legacy Symposium and becomes

interested in public leadership as a career pathway to create sustainable communities

• Spring 2016: As President of Engineers for a Sustainable World, engages ESW in SLS’ Public Service Pathway program, receiving funding to develop urban farming project

• Spring 2017: Begins working for SLS and attending more events, becoming more interested in sustainability careers; forges collaborative projects with SLS partners

• Summer 2017: Continues to work at SLS; explores part-time position at Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Sustainability

• Career Interest: Public or nonprofit work in sustainability focused on food systems and urban farming

Nicole Kennard, MSE, 2017

“I have always been passionate about environmental sustainability, but through SLS, I have learned so much more about social sustainability and equity. I have been able to meet public officials, and this has greatly influenced how I approach problems systematically. I have expanded my network and realized what I'd like to do in my future career as a public leader in sustainability.

Through SLS, I was also able to start a new collaborative project with Friends of Refugees, leading a team of GT students to utilize their engineering skills by designing and building all the growing systems for their new educational greenhouse.

I am so grateful to SLS for helping to connect me with great projects and collaborations, and truly expand my network and knowledge surrounding sustainability.”

What are Sustainable Communities?

Explaining SLS’ Approach

HOW DOES SLS APPROACH SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES?

1. As an Integrated System – with an emphasis on projects and initiatives that address two or more spheres

Environment

Economy Society

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l/Ec

on

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ic

2. With a special focus on Society,

incl. Equity and Voice

HOW DOES SLS APPROACH SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES?

“The overriding aim of global economic development must surely be to enable

humanity to thrive in the safe and just space, ending human deprivation while keeping

within safe boundaries of natural resource use locally, regionally, and globally.”

- Kate Raworth, Oxfam Doughnut

Website: http://www.kateraworth.com/doughnut/ Video: https://www.oxfam.org/en/video/2012/introducing-doughnut-safe-and-just-space-humanity

From Schematic of Community Engagement Continuum (EPA, 2015; NCER CEnR Primer; note that this is one piece of a larger diagram)

Increasing level of community involvement, impact, trust and communication

VOICE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Read more about our Partnership Principles in our BIG IDEAS:http://serve-learn-sustain.gatech.edu/big-ideas

Focusing on VOICE means supporting shared leadership and community-driven change

HOW DOES SLS APPROACH SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES?

3. And an emphasis on developing and

using Technology to support community visions that benefit Society and Nature TECHNOLOGY

HOW CAN TECHNOLOGY ASSIST COMMUNITIES IN SUPPORTING SOCIETY AND NATURE?

TECHNOLOGY

Protect natural resources

Preserve and restore biological diversity

Reduce energy use

Manage and recycle waste

Address basic needs and advance equity

Nurture civic participation and amplify community voices

Strengthen social ties and other connections to place

Bolster human capital

Preserve cultural diversity

Nurture vibrant, diverse economies

Support local innovation, entrepreneurship, and ownership

*Adapted in part from Jeffrey C. Bridger and A.E. Luloff, “Toward an interactional approach to sustainable community development,” Journal of Rural Studies 15 (1999): 377-387

ACT LOCAL TO ACHIEVE A GLOBAL VISION – UN SDGS

Learn more about our UN regional network: Greater Atlanta Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development (RCE): serve-learn-sustain.gatech.edu/atlanta-un-rce

Learn more at: www.serve-learn-sustain.gatech.edu

- Courses:http://serve-learn-sustain.gatech.edu/get-involved/courses

- Events & Workshops:http://serve-learn-sustain.gatech.edu/events-and-workshops

- Email List:www.contact.gatech.edu/sls/subscribe

- Blog (please consider contributing!):http://serve-learn-sustain.gatech.edu/reflections

- Contact:serve-learn-sustain@gatech.edu