CEES Awards 2016 Fall Mini Grant

The Center for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability has awarded five mini grants to recipients dedicated to providing new research and scholarly activities at Wake Forest University.

The CEES Research Committee, chaired by Robert Erhardt, assistant professor of statistics, selected grant recipients based on the proposed project’s merit, and its dedication to the mission of building a community of scholars dedicated to effecting meaningful change in the areas of energy, environment, and sustainability.

“It really is a privilege to read these proposals from all across this campus, and to see how our colleagues are working to advance the mission of CEES,” Erhardt said. “I’m excited to see more excellent proposals in the future.”

The 2016 fall CEES mini grant recipients are:

Will Scott, Saving Ushuaia Bay. Using his grant of $3,760, Scott will travel to Ushuaia to engage with local environmental and scientific groups to assess avenues for improving environmental conditions with a focus on water quality. Located in Argentina’s island of Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia is a popular ecotourism destination. However, due to an increase in population growth, localities have been unable to provide potable water and sewage treatment—resulting in pollution of areas crucial to the city’s ecotourism economy. This project seeks to form a long-term partnership between the Center for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability, the Yadkin Riverkeepers, local Argentina scientists, and grassroots leaders to mitigate the impacts of growth as a result of ecotourism.

Stephanie Koscak, Visit to Turtle Island. Assistant professor of history, Stephanie Koscak, was awarded $420 to continue immersing her Project Wake students in environmental change, sustainability, permaculture, primitive building construction, and agricultural techniques. With this proposal, students will visit Turtle Island for an active day of lectures, discussion, and hands-on activities relating to community engagement and individual responsibility related to climate change.

Justin Catanoso, COP22 in Marrakesh, Morocco. Justin Catanoso, a freelance environmental reporter and Wake Forest journalism professor, was awarded $2,450 to travel to Marrakesh, Morocco, from Nov. 10-19 to cover the 22^nd United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP, Conference of the Parties. With this award, Catanoso will continue his news coverage of climate change with a particular focus on its impact on tropical forests.

Eric Stottlemyer, Ethics of Wilderness. Director of the Environmental Program, Eric Stottlemeyer, was awarded $2,685 to help fund a twenty-day field research course component in the Alaskan wilderness in conjunction with Wake Forest’s Outdoor Pursuits Program. By combining classroom learning with field observations and empirical research, the course will help students achieve learning outcomes for the Environmental Program while promoting personal reflection, interpersonal communication, and cross-cultural engagement.

Luke Johnston, Writing Resistance with Terry Tempest Williams. Associate professor with the Department for the Study of Religions was awarded $2,685 for a workshop and public lecture by well-known author and naturalist Terry Tempest Williams. This workshop will be open for both undergraduate and graduate students and will focus on writing, resistance, and spirituality. Williams will also engage audiences with a public lecture and reading which will provide an opportunity for community partners and citizens to engage in such conversations.