Tech News Summary:
- Georgia Tech has announced the institutionalization of Serve-Learn-Sustain (SLS), a unit in the Office of Undergraduate Education that launched in 2016 as the latest Quality Improvement Plan. A new Center for Sustainable Communities Research and Education (CSCRE) will be established under the Vice President of Interdisciplinary Research starting July 1, 2023.
- CSCRE will collaborate with other sustainability groups to improve Georgia Tech’s competitiveness in applying for grants that require meaningful community partnerships. It will also support the education of sustainable communities and be administered by the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems.
- To continue advancing and scaling undergraduate service learning and community engagement as a high impact practice, OUE will establish a new service learning team, aligning SLS service-learning functions with other high-impact practices and positioning these programs to work collectively towards developing its next QEP beginning in 2025.
Atlanta, Georgia – Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly known as Georgia Tech, is making a bold move towards sustainability by institutionalizing the Serve-Learn-Sustain initiative. The initiative serves as a framework for addressing social and environmental challenges in the surrounding communities.
Georgia Tech’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its academics and research. The university’s School of Public Policy has been ranked as one of the best public policy schools in the United States for environmental policy, while the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business boasts cutting-edge research on sustainability issues.
Serve-Learn-Sustain aims to create a holistic approach to sustainability, incorporating community-based learning and research, as well as promoting community engagement. The initiative was initially launched in 2016, and since then, it has expanded to encompass all departments of the university.
The creation of a permanent home for the initiative is a testament to Georgia Tech’s commitment to sustainability. The university recently opened the Serve-Learn-Sustain Center, which serves as a hub for students, faculty, and staff to engage in sustainability efforts. The center includes a teaching and learning space, collaboration areas, and a resource library.
According to Jennifer Hirsch, executive director of Serve-Learn-Sustain, the center’s opening marks a significant step in the university’s sustainability journey. “The Serve-Learn-Sustain Center will be a visible and accessible space that will allow us to deepen our engagement with Atlanta communities and beyond,” Hirsch said.
Georgia Tech’s bold move towards sustainability is a testament to its commitment to creating a better tomorrow. With the institutionalization of Serve-Learn-Sustain and the creation of the new center, the university is poised to make a positive impact on its surrounding communities while also providing students with the necessary tools to become change agents for a sustainable future.