The National Institutes of Health has awarded researchers from UMBC’s Center for Aging Studies a three-year research grant totaling $1,366,702 to examine “The Subjective Experience of Diabetes among Urban Older Adults.” This ethnographic study seeks to inform targeted interventions to improve diabetes-related outcomes among underrepresented populations. Results may be used to design more sensitive and culturally appropriate education and self-management programs.

The Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education (CUERE) welcomes  Dr. James Connolly, Associate Professor of Public Policy and Political Science at Northeastern University, as guest for the seminar “Organizing Urban Ecosystem Governance through Environmental Stewardship in New York City” this Friday, October 12th.

The seminar is the latest for CUERE’s Fall 2012 Seminar Series, which has been held annually since 2003. It begins at 2 PM, and will be hosted in Room 206 of the Technology Research Center, and is free and open to the public. 

This week, AASHE is proud to release its third STARS Quarterly Review (SQR): The Role of Institutional Diversity. The fall 2012 SQR explores how the diversity of STARS institutions has changed over time and how participation in STARS according to institution type compares to U.S. demographics. Findings in this review suggest that the institutional characteristics that make higher education institutions distinct also play a role in how campuses are advancing sustainability.

Particularly compelling is how NCAA conference rivalry is furthering sustainability on campuses through healthy competition that involves a diverse population of students. Sports rivalries can motivate institutions to ramp up efforts in campus sustainability, with a potential to increase sustainability awareness and improve campus operations. For example, an AASHE case study highlighted in the fall SQR demonstrates how an intense rivalry between two institutions: the University of Oregon and Oregon State University, can be used to raise awareness on human-powered energy generation. In another SQR highlight, Middlebury College’s green athletics program demonstrates how athletes can serve as sustainability role models and encourage others to adopt sustainable lifestyles.

The October STARS blog expands on the fall SQR’s NCAA conference rivalry story, highlighting additional success stories on advancing sustainability through athletics.

NCAA division athletics is not the only area where fitness-related sustainability advancements have been identified within AASHE resources. Over the last year, the AASHE bulletin has highlighted numerous stories dealing with co-curricular athletics and student fitness centers. Stories like the one below highlight the breadth of impact that sustainable athletics programs can have at an institution.

While factors such as size, type, and country of origin may play a role in sustainability performance overall, across-the-board comparisons are not always the most effective means for measuring improvement. An institutions’ sustainability performance over time can be a more valuable method for encouraging improvement. As such, the greatest competitor for any institution should be itself. By submitting a STARS report on a regular basis, colleges and universities can identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to make improvement a reality.

We hope that readers will share ideas on topics of interest to help shape future SQR editions and other AASHE publications. Please send your ideas to stars@aashe.org or provide your comments below.