On October 28, 2022, at a lively showcase event at Vancouver City Hall, three graduate students working with City mentors through the Sustainability Scholars Program shared their key research findings with the City’s Leadership Team.
Between May and Aug 2022, City of Vancouver staff mentored 17 UBC graduate students, working on applied research projects focused on the climate emergency, climate adaptation, climate action, and social sustainability.
Re-Imagining the Stanley Park seawall: An exploration of living shoreline alternatives
Brontë Mutukistna, a master’s student in landscape architecture presented her work, a re-imagination of the Stanley Park seawall, to explore living shoreline alternatives in response to sea level rise.
Equity impacts of energy sub-metering & low carbon building policies
Haowen Wu, a student in the Masters of Engineering Leadership program presented his project, equity impacts of energy sub-metering & low carbon building policies, produced for Charling Li, Green Building Engineer. Wu’s research focused on sub-metering practices in buildings powered by the City’s Neighbourhood Energy Utility and how the lack of transparency and inconsistent billing practices disincentivizes residents to change their energy usage.
Grassroots Community Organizing for Community Well Being
Natacha Monestel Mora, a Ph.D. student researching human development, learning, and culture in education presented her project, Grassroots Community Organizing for Community Well Being, prepared for Sonia Bianchi and Lanny Libby of the Social Policy & Projects Division. Her recommendations on further participatory action research will allow the Social Policy grants team to more systematically identify and connect with grassroots organizations.
UBC and the City also value the Sustainability Scholars. At the showcase, Vancouver City Manager Paul Mochrie pointed out that the Sustainability Scholars Program was the city’s flagship partnership with academia. Assistant Director of Sustainability Brad Badelt emphasized this saying that the Scholars’ research contributes new ideas, evidence, and innovative thought to inform the City’s sustainability and equity strategies.
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Through Strategy 3: Thriving Communities, UBC is committed to supporting the ongoing development of sustainable, healthy and connected campuses and communities.