Universities provide a unique opportunity to be a place to ideate, build, and implement creative solutions all in one place. In classrooms and labs across UMD’s campus, research is being conducted on complex, evolving, and interdisciplinary issues, from developing new high-efficiency batteries for the clean energy transition to advancing policies that ensure climate change is a key regional priority. The technologies, policies, perspectives, and lessons studied and developed by our Terps can be leveraged to tackle environmental challenges both on-campus and worldwide.
A key challenge is bridging the gap between siloed academic research and eager students who don't know where to start. By creating direct connectivity between researchers, operational staff, and students, discussions can flourish about how to apply research findings directly to campus operations and local environmental stewardship. For example, how can faculty-led research on species biodiversity inform the UMD Arboretum and Botanical Garden’s maintenance plans? Or how can guided student creativity boost participation in campus reuse systems? Ultimately, these efforts strengthen our academic network, connecting students with top UMD faculty and supporting informed decision-making.
Measuring our Progress
A new dashboard is being built to track our progress toward this goal and will be available in fall 2027. In the meantime, explore our past metrics below to see how our current work builds on previous progress.
Books for Further Exploring
Not sure where to start? These recommended books aim to supplement on-campus learning by broadening perspectives about this goal area, sparking creative thinking, and inspiring conversations about how we can work together to apply these lessons to our campus.
