A total of 15 student-led teams at the University of Michigan were each awarded $5,000 in seed grants through the Dow Distinguished Awards for Interdisciplinary Sustainability to execute innovative sustainable solutions around the world. Each team includes students working collaboratively from at least three distinct disciplines, a U-M faculty advisor, and usually community or organizational partners. For 2017, a total of 98 students are supported through the Dow Distinguished Award program's seed grants, and they will work in six countries around the globe.
15 Schools and Colleges Represented:
- Taubman College of Architecture & Urban Planning
- Ross School of Business
- School of Dentistry
- School of Education
- College of Engineering
- School of Information
- School of Kinesiology
- Law School
- College of Literature, Science & the Arts
- School of Medicine
- School of Natural Resources & the Environment
- School of Public Health
- Ford School of Public Policy
- Rackham School of Graduate Studies
- School of Social Work
Potential for Large Grants
Project teams will submit progress reports on their work in September and may compete for up to $50,000 in additional funding through the Dow Distinguished Awards for Interdisciplinary Sustainability program this fall. The Dow Distinguished Awards competition is part of the Dow Sustainability Fellows Program and is open to all U-M Ann Arbor students.
Made possible by The Dow Chemical Company, the Dow Sustainability Fellows Program at U-M supports scholars at the university who are committed to finding interdisciplinary, actionable, and meaningful sustainability solutions on local-to-global scales. The program prepares future sustainability leaders to make a positive difference in organizations worldwide. We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are key to individual empowerment, and the advancement of sustainability knowledge, learning, and leadership.
Projects Awarded:
- Greening the Dental Clinic, multiple locations
- Thrive Nutrition (sustainable food products), Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Economic and Environmental Viability of Commercial-Scale Aquaponics Systems, Detroit, Michigan
- Assessing the Non-Economic Impact of Climate Change, Wisconsin
- Occupacao Ancheita Avanca, Brazil
- Large-Scale Water Storage and Drip Irrigation Systems, Peru
- Solar-Powered Irrigation in School Farms, Liberia
- Driving Hope, Washtenaw County, Michigan
- Belding Community Youth Food Collaborative, Michigan
- BLUElab India, Kalol Gujarat, India
- African Solar Electric Trailer, Ghana
- Natural Ventilation: A Passive Cooling System, Multiple Locations
- Development of a Student-Led Sustainability Consulting Firm, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Corporate Financial Transparency, Brazil
- Wellwith: Wellness Rewards Network, Michigan
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