Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute

current projectschart

At any given time, the Graham Institute will be conducting multiple Integrated Assessment (IA) projects related to a variety of sustainability subjects or "wicked problems." Current projects include the following:

Campus Sustainability Integrated Assessment

As an outcome of the newly established University of Michigan (U-M) sustainability structure, the Graham Institute is charged with connecting academic activity to campus operations, as appropriate, to facilitate collaborative sustainability pursuits at U-M. In an effort to integrate this responsibility with our broader research and education agenda, we have initiated a Campus Sustainability Integrated Assessment that will engage campus stakeholders (e.g. faculty, staff, students) who are interested in campus sustainability issues. Areas likely to be investigated include: Transportation, Food & Health, Energy, Land & Water, Materials & Waste, Building Standards, and Culture & Communication.

Detroit Integrated Assessment

We have begun holding a series of meetings with faculty, environmental groups, and community stakeholders to identify the key question around which a Detroit Integrated Assessment will be done over the next three years. While we are currently hosting these meetings under the umbrella of developing “policy options for a sustainable Detroit,” we are using conversations with these groups to help us narrow a policy-relevant question for this project. In spring 2010, the Graham Institute will host a workshop to bring together faculty and community groups to further scope the project and organize analysis teams and topics. Please click here to register for the Detroit IA Meeting on December 14, 2009.

IA Topics Three & Four

We are working with our Executive Committee and other advisors to define two more IAs with a regional, national, or international scope. IA questions are being explored under the topics of Water, Energy, and Climate. Please revisit this webpage regularly to learn more.

If you have an idea for a sustainability-related IA project, then we invite you to send it in via the "Submit a Wicked Problem" page on this website.