Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities Presented: March 14, 2017 Laura Bloch, M.S., D.Env. Sustainability Advisor U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9 bloch.laura@epa.gov Jessica Barlow, PhD Professor, School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Founder and Director, The Sage Project San Diego State University jbarlow@sdsu.edu Marc Schlossberg, PhD Professor, Dept. Planning, Public Policy & Management Co-Founder and Co-Director, Sustainable Cities Initiative University of Oregon schlossb@uoregon.edu
Leveraging Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities March 14, 2017
U.S. EPA s Mission: Protect Human Health and the Environment Collaborate with our States Delegate programs Oversee State implementation Regulate Issue Grants Enforce Voluntary Partnerships Technical Support Best Practices Convene Key Partners Networking Recognition
U.S. EPA Interest in Campus Community Sustainability Partnerships (CCSPs) Committed to improving community health, sustainability, and resilience Realize need to encourage creative solutions and partnerships Recognize unique position of colleges and universities to partner with surrounding communities and greatly enhance capacity Interested in catalyzing and leveraging CCSPs through a proven, adaptable, and sustainable model - Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities (EPIC)
U.S. EPA and EPIC Catalyze and Leverage EPIC Framework and Network - Workshop to educate institutions of higher education and community representatives - Link with other EPA programs and initiatives - Information sharing and potential coordination with federal partners, states, local governments, tribes, industry, foundations, and non governmental organizations Share EPA priorities, strategies and tools
Examples of EPA Tools of Interest
Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities Jessica A Barlow Marc Schlossberg
Needs in Communities Housing, transportation, revitalization, etc. Be proactive and responsive Design, policy, & community engagement New ways of thinking Time and capacity
Assets in Universities Multidisciplinary expertise Multiple skills: design, policy analysis, & outreach Best practice knowledge New ways of thinking Time and capacity
The Challenge Match community needs with university capacity EPIC Framework makes it happen
The EPIC Framework: Radically simple Connect existing university faculty teaching existing courses to existing community-identified projects that address the community s pressing social, economic, and environmental needs
How EPIC is Different Large-scale Multi-disciplinary Opt-in by faculty Not new curricula Community-identified projects No permission necessary at University Fee-based, partner has skin in the game Catalytic All based on University resources that already exist.
A Typical Year 15-20 projects 25-35 courses 20-25 faculty 10+ disciplines 500+ students 40-60,000 hours of student time
Range of Disciplines Planning Architecture Public Policy Landscape Arch Interior Arch Journalism Digital Arts Public Administration Product Design Business Law Civil Engineering Economics Arts and Admin. Geography Public Health
Sample Projects Win-win-win
Economic Revitalization Industrial By-Product Re-Use Jennifer Howard-Grenville Business Resulted in more than $800,000+ in annual revenue for city Now part of regional economic development strategy
Economic Revitalization Salem North Downtown Waterfront Rich Margerum, Bob Parker, Robert Young, Jan Wilson, Chris Monsere, Nico Larco Architecture, Planning, Law, and Engineering
Sustaining Local Economies Special Topics: Storm Surges & Sea Level Rise Victoria Chanse Landscape Architecture
Watershed and Rural Health Regional Water Quality Improvement Planning Brad Collett Landscape Architecture
Air Quality and Urban Health Freeway and Industry Impact and Mitigation Zohir Chowdhury Public Health
Economic Security and Sense of Place Way-finding System Patricia Cue Couttolenc Graphic Design Resulted in over $1 million in wayfinding grants for National City, CA
Engaging Marginalized Communities Cultural Mapping in Northeast Salem Doug Blandy and John Fehn Arts and Administration Salem Latino Civic Engagement Gerardo Sandoval Planning
Improving Transportation Choices Bicycle Transportation Marc Schlossberg Planning
Benefits Win-win-win
Benefits to Cities Increased capacity Expanded breadth of conversation Innovation exploration Broad community outreach Energy
Benefits to Private Sector Get projects unstuck Groundwork for new project development Testing approaches (feasible / political) Connecting with university (research / students)
Benefits to Students Real world experience / workforce development Engagement with local government Sense of purpose Empowering their education (skills) Energy and focus
Benefits to Universities / Faculty Putting the public back in public universities Building external relationships Building internal relationships Platform for research / outreach
one of higher education's most successful and comprehensive service-learning programs. Scott Carlson May 24, 2013
Future Upside Win-win-win
Model Expansion Adopted and adapted across small/ large, public/private institutions with urban/ rural communities across the US UABC -Ensenada
Model Expansion 1. Annual replication workshop NEXT: MARCH 20-23, 2017 @ TEXAS A&M 2. Specially commissioned workshops NEXT: MAY 3, 2017 @ RESILIENT CITIES / BONN, GERMANY 3. Ongoing technical assistance 4. Build and support EPIC-N
EPIC-N Goals 1. To increase the number of EPIC efforts; 2. To improve existing EPIC programs; 3. To help facilitate knowledge to practice; and 4. To modernize higher education s role in society.
epicn.org Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities Jessica A Barlow, PhD San Diego State University jbarlow@sdsu.edu Marc Schlossberg, PhD University of Oregon schlossb@uoregon.edu
EPIC-N Workshop http://www.epicn.org/annualconference/