EOP Q2 2024 Newsletter

August 13, 2024

FUNDING & AWARD OPPORTUNITIES

In case you missed it, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)-Lemelson Initiative on Environmental and Social Sustainability in Engineering Education is providing funding for EOP-related projects. Proposals submitted this year will be reviewed for consideration in the upcoming fiscal year. For details and project submission guidelines, visit here.

With support from The Lemelson Foundation, the American Society for Engineering Education ASEE-EOP Mini-Grants program is offering financial support, guidance, and mentorship for educators to develop innovative sustainability-focused engineering curricula using the EOP Framework and companion teaching guides. Grant recipients are also connected with EOP’s wider community to share lessons learned and best practices.

ASEE recently announced 18 faculty teams selected for the Cohort III of the program, the largest cohort to date! ASEE also celebrated The Lemelson Foundation’s continuation grant supporting up to 48 awardees in total in 2025 and 2026 (Cohorts IV and V)! Cohort IV will open for applications this fall.

Announcements

We’re excited to announce the first ABET and The Lemelson Foundation Engineering for One Planet (EOP) Innovation in Sustainability Award: Jennifer Watt, Director Sustainability Education, University of Utah. Congratulations to Jennifer and all the 2024 ABET Award winners! Their groundbreaking contributions in engineering education highlight excellence and innovation. For more details visit ABET 2024 Award Winners.

EOP Was There!

EOP at Villanova University

In June, Villanova University hosted an Engineering for One Planet pilot faculty training workshop funded by The Lemelson Foundation. The workshop engaged five EOP grantee institutions with in-depth discussions on integrating sustainability concepts into engineering courses using the EOP Framework. An online version will take place in the fall. Stay tuned for future EOP faculty training opportunities.

EOP at ASEE Annual Conference

The EOP community had a large presence at the 2024 ASEE Annual Conference, hosting more than 20 events, sessions, and experiences, including a booth (with sustainable EOP water bottles) and a happy hour. Thank you to all who attended and presented EOP workshops and publications. Hundreds of individuals contributed valuable ideas about ways engineering educators and practitioners can create a more sustainable future by embedding social and environmental sustainability concepts across engineering education.

For more details about each event, check out the full guide to EOP-related sessions on our website.

EOP Network Convening

Following ASEE, 30 extraordinary EOP Network participants convened to celebrate their achievements and share promising practices, including course and program innovations, education research findings, and new approaches for measuring sustainability outcomes. Identified next steps included accelerating systemic change by further engaging administrators, students, and industry. If you are an administrator, a student, or work in industry and would like to get involved, email manager@engineeringforoneplanet.org

EOP at ABET Symposium – Tampa, FL, April 2024

In April, EOP Network member and strategy consultant Cindy Anderson attended the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) Symposium, where she led a workshop guiding attendees through best practices for using the EOP Framework and Guides for ABET-accredited engineering programs.

EOP at IISE Conference – Montreal, QC, May 2024

In May, Cindy Anderson headed north and presented a special session about EOP at the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Conference to introduce attendees to our resources to promote sustainability in Industrial and Systems engineering courses and programs.

Following the event, Cindy also hit the airwaves and was featured on the IISE’s “Problem Solved” podcast. Click here to listen to the full episode and also access her presentation from the conference.

Join Us at Upcoming Events

EOP at SEFI 2024 – September 2-5, Lausanne

Cindy Cooper, EOP’s founding Senior Program Officer, will be presenting at the 2024 SEFI Annual Conference with the theme “Educating Responsible Engineers.”

EOP at NSS Conference – September 9-11, Seattle

EOP leaders Cindy Cooper and Cindy Anderson will be presenting at the inaugural National Sustainability Society Conference. This conference is focused on the themes “Sustainability Innovation, Closing the Implementation Gap, and Workforce Development.”

EOP at ECL-USA Engineering Ideas Institute – September 23-25, Boulder

EOP is a sponsor and participant of the 2024 ECL-USA Engineering Ideas Institute. Register now to join us!

Engineers for a Sustainable World’s 2025 Annual Conference – March 27-30, 2025, Akron

Engineers for a Sustainable World is hosting its annual conference next year at the University of Akron with the theme “Designing Our Sustainable Future: Circularity, Community, and Creativity.” Presentation proposals are being accepted until August 31. Read through the guidelines for submission and fill out this form to submit. Students are encouraged to apply!

RESOURCES FOR CURRICULAR CHANGE

New Brochure on EOP and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

We’ve created a brochure showing how engineers are uniquely equipped to help achieve the United Nations’ 17 SDGs — from addressing poverty, hunger, and health to improving infrastructure, sustainable cities, and climate action — and how the EOP Framework maps directly to these. Click here to access the brochure and share EOP’s message!

FRAMEWORK FRIDAYS ON SOCIAL

Every Friday through the end of this year, EOP’s LinkedIn channel is featuring a Framework Friday tip that highlights how the EOP Framework and accompanying guides make less work of curricular change. Posts will also feature inspiring engineers, students, and educators in our community of EOP Signatories. Click here for a Framework Friday message from EOP Signatory Abasiafak Udosen, a mechanical engineer and doctoral researcher at Purdue University, about his commitment to sustainability in engineering.