The Office of Sustainability and The Climate Solutions Initiative are pleased to present a funding call for Seed Grants for Sustainability.
The Office of Sustainability and The Climate Solutions Initiative are pleased to present a funding call for Seed Grants for Sustainability.
These grants seek to provide faculty, students, and staff with opportunities to advance sustainability research, teaching and community engagement while contributing to Brown's sustainability goals as articulated in the University Sustainability Strategic Plan. Please refer to the Call for Proposals for further details and instructions for proposal submission. The next proposal cycle is due by 5pm on Friday, October 13, 2023.
Please contact sustainabilityseedgrants@brown.edu with any questions.
Quantifying Carbon Dioxide and Methane Concentrations in Providence
Atmospheric methane is the second-most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide in terms of concentration, and more potent as a greenhouse gas when compared to carbon dioxide on a per molecule basis. To implement effective greenhouse gas mitigation policies, it is necessary to understand sources of methane emissions and curtail leaks. Leakage is particularly problematic in areas with aging infrastructure, such as urban centers in New England. The research project, Quantifying Carbon Dioxide and Methane Concentrations in Providence, RI, led by Professor Meredith Hastings, Deputy Director of the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society (IBES), will support the continuous measurement of carbon dioxide and methane concentrations in Providence to aid in the calibration of a network of sensors for air quality and greenhouse concentrations across the city, report data that can contribute to baseline understanding for decarbonization plans at Brown University and for the City of Providence, and support goals outlined by the Providence Climate Justice Plan.
Detection and Measurement of Methane Gas Leaks on Brown’s College Hill Campus
Brown’s energy and heating system relies on natural gas which, when leaked, releases methane, a greenhouse gas that’s 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. There is currently no system for detecting or quantifying gas leaks on Brown’s campus, despite their massive warming potential. Using detectors funded by the sustainability seed grant, the goal of the Methane Leak Measurement on Campus research project, led by Caitlyn Carpenter ‘25, is to create a comprehensive, living map of methane leaks across the main campus. This data can help inform Brown’s action towards net-zero emissions, and teach Brown students about the prevalence and dangers of this greenhouse gas.
Fashion Sustainability Conference
Brown Fashion Week is an annual event sponsored by fashion@brown, bringing the industry’s most creative and interesting individuals with the intention of informing and representing what the world of fashion is and inspiring what it can be. This year, a main pillar of fashion@brown will be a Fashion Sustainability Conference led by Samantha Martin ‘23, to highlight sustainability in the fashion industry and how it interacts with accessibility. Sustainability in the fashion industry has many moving parts and fashion@brown wants to showcase the work that is being done and encourage the next generation of fashion figures to practice sustainability with intention.