IDEASS (CRSN 152 Sections 01-04)
IDEASS is a year-long sequence designed to advance students as change agents prepared to contribute to game-changing efforts to bring about a more sustainable world. It represents an extraordinary opportunity for you to help design and move on sustainable development projects that explore new technologies or strategies for advancing lasting technical, economic, social, cultural and environmental change on campus and throughout the Monterey Bay region. 2023-2024 marks the 13th year since the launch of the IDEASS program, which is now the capstone for the Sustainability Studies Minor at Rachel Carson College.
You will work with an interdisciplinary project team to integrate the different dimensions of complex sustainability challenges. Science, technology, engineering, mathematics, sociology, ecology and especially... innovative design practices are all critical to this interdisciplinary and community centered approach.
As part of our team-based approach, you will:
- Interact and work with experts from multiple disciplines to envision, design and apply innovations in sustainable technology, systems and practices to create sustainable solutions implicating energy, water, waste / pollution management, food and shelter in the built environment,
- Learn core principles and practices of regenerative design,
- Learn valuable team project planning, management, and implementation skills, and
- Learn new and innovative approaches to problem solving in complex decision-making environments
- Connect with key stakeholders on and off campus.
Below you will find our current student projects happening! If none of these catch your eye, you can propose your own project in the form below.
| Theme | Project Examples | |
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Section 1 |
Resource Recovery for a Circular Economy | Practical applications of knowledge emerging about the role of mycology in resource recovery and regenerative systems will include efforts in Mycorrhizal Carbon Sequestration, Post-fire Restoration and Watershed Pollution Prevention, Advanced Techniques for Waste Diversion and Resource Recovery (including degradation of food-soiled cardboard and polyurethane plastics). |
|
Section 2 |
Natural Resource Management |
UCSC Campus Reserve: Habitat Assessment and Human Disturbance, Recreational Trail Use Monitoring, Continuous Forest Inventory before Fuel Treatments Coastal Sustainability: Mussel Collecting at Davenport Landing, Seabird vs Pigeon Nests Along West Cliff |
|
Section 3 |
Innovative Water Systems for Food and Climate |
Learn water harvesting practices, sustainable food production, community engagement strategies, and much more. Deep dive into four sources of nonpotable water that can be optimized to grow food, create native habitat, save money and natural resources, and ultimately restore local water cycles and impact community micro-climates |
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Section 4 |
Housing Solutions Reimagined |
Learn sustainable design and green building principles while learning to use software. Explore ways to envision the concept of a home as socioeconomic factors make the traditional housing model less attainable. Apply knowledge of housing and alternative living to the implementation of students designs. |
