Syracuse Institute Studies Plastic Stormwater Pollution in Home City

The Institute for Sustainability Engagement (ISE, formerly known as the Center for Sustainable Community Solutions) is helping tackle plastic pollution in our waterways as a sub-awardee of a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Sea Grant.   This $300,000 project lead by Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and Cornell University centers its efforts around stormwater-derived debris,…

Syracuse University Research Highlights Puerto Rico’s Grassroots Climate Response Efforts

The diverse landscape of Puerto Rico — which encompasses coastal lowlands, mountain ranges, and a tropical rainforest — necessitates an equally if not more diverse range of tools and community action to support its residents and ecosystems living in harmony. Amid hurricanes, landslides, and other weather-related crises magnified by climate change, understanding Puerto Rico’s vulnerabilities…
illustration of sustainable community

Inspiring Change: Syracuse University Introduces Institute for Sustainability Engagement

Today, the Center for Sustainable Community Solutions (CSCS) is thrilled to announce its rebranding at Syracuse University as the Institute for Sustainability Engagement (ISE). This transformation reflects the organization’s continued and growing commitment to helping communities implement sustainability initiatives through transdisciplinary collaboration. The transition from a center to an institute marks a significant step forward,…

Syracuse University Joins Team in $650K National Science Foundation Award to Accelerate Drinking Water Solutions for Small Communities

With funds sub-awarded through the U.S. National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Convergence Accelerator program, Syracuse University’s Center for Sustainable Community Solutions (CSCS) will help develop more accessible pathways for small communities to develop and maintain safe drinking water infrastructure. This collaborative project will focus on communities in Puerto Rico, with the ultimate goal being to use…
Melissa Young

Center for Sustainable Community Solutions and Environmental Finance Center Announces New Director

The College of Engineering and Computer Science is pleased to announce the transition of Melissa Young into a new role as Director of the Center for Sustainable Community Solutions – Environmental Finance Center (CSCS-EFC) at Syracuse University. CSCS-EFC is housed within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. With her extensive leadership experience and dedication…

Launching EFCN’s National Water Leadership Program

In April, the Environmental Finance Center Network’s (EFCN’s) Water Leadership Program announced the inaugural cohort of 38 water professionals from around the country who will participate in a three-month professional development program. The program aims to give rising water leaders the training and resources needed to face the challenges of utility management with confidence and improve the quality of life of their residents. Through the pilot program, water professionals will participate in three months of sessions focused on asset and data management, disaster resiliency and planning, environmental justice, strategic communications, culturally responsive leadership, and other subject areas that are critical in an increasingly diverse and rapidly changing water sector. The program is funded by a grant awarded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Program, which launched in 2021. The pilot program is one of several receiving a total of $3.8 million in funding to help build the water workforce and connect individuals to career opportunities in the drinking water and wastewater utility sector, as well as expand public awareness about job opportunities at drinking water and water treatment utilities…

Improving Water Quality in Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico, more than 250,000 residents lack basic access to clean water or sanitation. While there are several barriers, one obstacle is a lack of coordination. How can we make sure all groups can  advance community goals of ensuring clean water? One community that is creating a new model for engagement is Las Curias, in greater San Juan.

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