Last Sunday, November 23, 2014, a movement of "Jammers" convened at the University of Maryland to build sustainable solutions for our UMD community. The 3rd annual Sustainability Jam united students from diverse backgrounds to create new, real-world ideas that promote and advance Sustainability on campus. Students also collaborated with UMD staff on how to make their ideas a reality at UMD.
What began two years ago as a weekend long event by the Center for Social Value Creation this year became an intensive six-hour session hosted by the UMD Student Government Association Sustainability Committee, with support from the Center for Social Value Creation (CSVC) and the Academy for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (AIE).
The Jam started with a design thinking workshop from AIE that pushed students to brainstorm and collaborate in creative and innovative ways. Students then worked with campus experts from such areas as energy, waste, storm water management, and facilities management to further their ideas, aiming to shape them into practical projects and initiatives that may be strong enough to win funding the from the University of Maryland Sustainability Fund. The student application deadline for funding is January 15, 2015.
Participating campus experts included Stephen Reid, Environmental Planner for Facilities Planning (Water), Maryann Ibeziako, Director of Department of Engineering and Energy (Energy), Adrienne Small, Recycling Specialist for Solid Waste Management (Waste), and Daniel Lawrence Wray, Assistant Director of Facilities at Stamp Student Union (Facilities Management).
The University Sustainability Fund provides funding for projects that promote environmental sustainability, and positively impact and enhance the student experience at UMD. The Fund is supported by student fees and administered through a student-majority subcommittee of the University Sustainability Council. By including UMD experts in the brainstorming and scoping process, students of the 2014 Sustainability Jam hope to bring their project ideas to fruition.
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The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and flex MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, business master’s, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.