Bringing interdisciplinary STEM graduate education to take on deepening environmental challenges

Two papers in the Sustainable Earth Reviews journal highlight three NSF Research Traineeship programs and their work to provide innovative, solutions-oriented graduate education to address the gravest environmental crises. The authors synthesize the learnings gained by three interdisciplinary graduate training programs that specifically focus on leveraging partnerships with non-academic organizations, giving trainees the chance to engage in powerful experiential learning opportunities directly related to real-world environmental challenges.

The three projects include:

• Boston University's Graduate Program in Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health.
• University of Connecticut's Team-TERRA — Building Resilient Landscapes for Food, Energy, Water and Ecosystem Services in America's Original Megalopolis.
• Wayne State University's Transformative Research in Urban Sustainability Training.

All three projects use a "T-shaped approach to training that incorporates both depth and breadth while making strong efforts to broaden participation" that allows partnerships to benefit from both the research institution and the nonacademic institution. These projects model how hands-on science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduate education can support efforts across diverse sectors to combat global urban environmental challenges.

Learn more about sustainability and partnerships.

Learn more about strengthening graduate education through interdisciplinary training.