Sustainability in my research
ENG-650 / 2 crédits
Enseignant(s): Grazioli Jacopo, Miani Juliane, Mélo Michka Sylvain, Studer Melanie Roselyne, Suris Miret Joan
Langue: Anglais
Remark: Participants who want to enroll should provide a one-page (max) motivation letter to jacopo.grazioli@epfl.ch AND michka.melo@epfl.ch
Frequency
Every year
Summary
This course is designed to develop the necessary transversal skills to foster sustainability integration in the present and future research of the PhD students
Content
In the current era of socio-ecological crisis, research must step up and play a role to shape a future sustainable and just society. Sustainability must be integrated in research activities and research activities should find paths to contribute to sustainability. This challenge cannot only be interpreted as a disciplinary or even as an interdisciplinary problem; it requires first and foremost a preliminary effort to develop specific transversal skills. This class aims to offer PhD student an introduction to key sustainability concepts as well as a space for students to reflect on how they could contribute further to sustainability, by acting on their research questions, as well as on their research practices. The course provides a background on sustainability but it focuses on three important transversal skills to foster it: (1) system thinking, (2) ability to communicate effectively to a diverse audience, (3) Identify and assume the different roles, including leadership, that are involved in well-functioning teams. The course is hands-on and it includes a serious-game workshop to introduce the tragedy of the commons, a journal-club on landmark sustainability papers, an individual project tailored to the specific research of each enrolled PhD student as well as methodological and, when possible thematic, coaching for the individual project. Additional details about the course are available on Moodle link
Note
In-person attendance to sessions is key.
4 in-person slots:
- Slot 1: 12th September
- Slot 2: 30th September
- Slot 3: 1st October
- Slot 4 (final presentation): 3rd December
Keywords
sustainability, system thinking, leadership, effective communication, socio-environmental responsibility, planetary boundaries
Learning Prerequisites
Required courses
Interest for sustainability topics
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, the student must be able to:
- Develop leadership skills to act effectively on sustainability-related challenges
- Explain key sustainability concepts to a heterogeneous audience
- Apply research practices to sustainability by: a) Formulating a research question/project to solve a sustainability-related issue / b) (and/or) Identifying and prioritizing actions to make research practices more sustainable
Dans les plans d'études
- Nombre de places: 12
- Forme de l'examen: Exposé (session libre)
- Matière examinée: Sustainability in my research
- Cours: 20 Heure(s)
- Exercices: 16 Heure(s)
- Projet: 28 Heure(s)
- Type: optionnel