The Sustainability Institute (SI) is excited to announce the awardees for the Sustainability Research Seed Grant and Sustainability Proposal Development Grant programs. Together, these grant programs provide over $200,000 in funding to university faculty members that are tackling sustainability and resilience challenges through innovative solutions and interdisciplinary research teams.
Through these programs, SI funds new interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research teams that explore solutions in one or more of Ohio State’s eight sustainability research impact areas. This year, SI prioritized project proposals that have or seek to develop external partnerships.
“This year’s sustainability research grants reflect the incredible breadth of knowledge and curiosity of Ohio State’s faculty researchers,” said Charlene Brenner, SI’s Research Development Partnerships Senior Analyst. “We are excited to support their efforts towards new sustainability solutions in food production, waste reduction, and climate change, among other topics.”
Congratulations to the following grant recipients:
Sustainability Research Seed Grant
SI awarded seven proposals this year, totaling over $175,000 in funding:
Sensor technology solutions to optimize production of sustainable, edible insect-based food products
Edible insects are a sustainable solution to the increasing food demand and agricultural challenges around the world. This project uses field-deployable sensors to analyze nutrition, agricultural resiliency, waste and feedstock reduction, and insect-based fertilizer in the insect supply chain.
Researchers: Christopher Ball (PI), Luis Rodriguez-Saona, Luis Canas, Jamie Strange, Nathan Baldauf
Sustainable Threads: The Environmental Story of the Clothes on our Backs
Through this effort, Ohio State’s Environmental History Initiative and external collaborators will create a documentary film series that investigates the evolution of the global fashion industry, highlighting six critical milestones of its history. The film series will explore how clothing production became such a threat to our global environment as a source of waste and pollution.
Researchers: Nicholas Breyfogle (PI), Tasha Lewis, Bartow Elmore, Brett Langolf, Lisa Goldsand
Container-Based Sanitation: A Sustainable Model for the Future of Climate-Stressed California?
Each day, California faces more climate and sanitation challenges, calling for the implementation of Container-Based Sanitation (CBS) systems. As an efficient alternative to septic systems, CBS systems use less water resources, produce resourceful compost, and are vital to ensuring that 220,000 Californians gain access to adequate sanitation services.
Researchers: Nicholas Kawa (PI), Alisa Keesey, Ryan Smith
Enhancing Sustainable Packaging Through Dynamic Characterization of Post-Consumer Recycled Plastics
The beneficial use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics can solve waste challenges around the world, but limited knowledge of the material’s dynamic mechanical behavior is a barrier to implementation. This project will enhance the understanding of PCR plastics for product recycling to facilitate wider industry adoption.
Researchers: Jeremy Seidt (PI), Amos Gilat, Boyet Stevens
On-site SMRs/MMRs for CO2 Reduction at Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities
This study explores the benefits and feasibility of co-locating nuclear reactors and fuel enrichment plants, which can reduce carbon emissions, enhance energy efficiency, and strengthen climate resilience. Using the Ohio-based Centrus Energy’s facility, this study will also identify knowledge gaps in environmental and public impacts, safety risks, and economic viability of co-location.
Researchers: Carol Smidts (PI), Taiyang Zhang
Climate Resilience in Dairy Farming: Perception, Practices, and Adaptation Strategies
Climate change is pushing dairy farmers to enhance their heat stress management strategies to protect cow health. This project investigates barriers and best practices to heat stress management, focusing on weather impacts and producers’ perceptions and decisions.
Researchers: Grazyne Tresoldi (PI), Cara Lawson, Jennifer TyreeHageman, Israel Obadare
Empowering Youth Visions for Sustainable and Resilient Futures
This project will create a documentary that explores how today’s youth perceive their future amid climate change. In collaboration with community partners, this documentary will pull perceptions from visioning and data collection workshops to highlight the youth’s relationship with resiliency and the future.
Researchers: Anna Willow (PI), Jake Boswell, Megan Jordan
Sustainability Proposal Development Grant
This year, SI awarded Yael Vodovotz, Department of Food Science and Technology, a $30,500 Sustainability Proposal Development Grant to lead an interdisciplinary team pursuing the National Science Foundation (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines funding opportunity through the National Science Foundation TIP Directorate.
In support of the proposal titled “Sustainability Hub for an Alternative Packaging Ecosystem (SHAPE),” the team will use the award to conduct preliminary research and stakeholder engagement aimed at developing a regional innovation ecosystem centered on sustainable packaging solutions.
Research collaborators include Bart Elmore (Department of History), Nicole Sintov (School of Environment and Natural Resources), Margaret Young (OSU Lima), and Christian Blanco (Operations and Business Analytics).
If you have questions about SI’s research funding opportunities contact Charlene Brenner, SI Research Development Partnerships Senior Analyst.
Story by Christine Andreeva, SI Student Communications Assistant.