Sean Decatur

🌍 Exciting News for Sustainable Futures! 🎓We just published a few thoughts on, "Sustainability in Higher Education: Leading the Charge for Environmental Stewardship," which dive deep into how universities and colleges are pioneering sustainability efforts. From innovative curricula to green campus initiatives and beyond, learn how these institutions are shaping a sustainable future. 👉 Read more about the impactful strategies and join the conversation about how we can all contribute to environmental sustainability. Let's drive change together! 🔗 [https://lnkd.in/ezemf6A6] #Sustainability #HigherEducation #EnvironmentalStewardship #GreenCampus #EcoFriendlyInitiatives #EducationLeaders Feel free to share your thoughts and insights as we explore these crucial topics together!

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Congratulations to UMass Boston PhD student David Llamas and Assistant Professor Olga Goulko, as well as to Jaron Kent-Dobias, Kun Chen, and Adrian Kent on their publication in Physical Review Research! Origin of symmetry breaking in the grasshopper model https://lnkd.in/eUAnWiwm The recent publication builds on "The grasshopper problem," originally introduced by Goulko and Kent in a 2017 research article: "A grasshopper lands at a random point on a planar lawn of area 1. It then jumps once, a fixed distance d, in a random direction. What shape should the lawn be to maximize the chance that the grasshopper remains on the lawn after jumping?" (source: https://lnkd.in/emUn56-H) This work is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the following grants: PHY-2112738 (https://lnkd.in/emnYJdDU) PHY-2328774 (https://lnkd.in/e28EBReb) #NSFfunded #UMB #UMassBoston #QuantumPhysics #StatisticalPhysics #Geometry #GrasshopperModel #Physics

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As I approach the final weeks of my undergraduate degree at University College Roosevelt and write my thesis on the Importance of Students' Voices in Decolonization, it has become increasingly pertinent to question why students are at the center of decolonial projects or initiatives. This is supported by recent student-led protests and encampments in major universities in the US, the UK, the Netherlands, and other parts of the world. While these movements are not new, they have historical roots, from the occupation of the Magednhuis in UvA for Democratization and Decolonization in the Netherlands to the Rhodes Must Fall movement in South Africa. My four-month research using Participatory Action Research has been exceptional and supports the narrative of why students are central to decolonial processes. Moreover, it is intriguing to consider what it would look like when students and instructors come together in the larger project of decolonization. How would it appear for professors to share some power with students or grant them autonomy in academic spaces such as curriculum development. Therefore, I argue, in cases where lawmakers, presidents, lawyers, or authorities fail to act, students will stand up and strive to make an impact.

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IES invites applications for two new grant programs for FY 2025 through NCER’s Accelerate, Transform, Scale (ATS) Initiative:   ⚙️ Through the Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Education Policy and Practice Grants Program, NCER invites applications for an ATS Initiative Hub. The Hub will serve as a resource center for applicants and grantees in ATS Initiative programs, support the establishment of new ATS Initiative programs, and provide high level support to IES in coordinating existing programs that fall under the ATS Initiative.    🌱 Through the From Seedlings to Scale (S2S) program, IES will invest in innovative products, policies, and processes within an identified focus area through three phases of increasing funding and time duration to support ideas as they grow from seedlings to scalable solutions. For FY2025, IES invites bold thinkers to apply for Phase One projects focused on Seamless Personalized Education Experiences Delivered at Scale (SPEED at Scale).   Applications for both programs are due August 15, 2024. Letters of Intent may be submitted by July 11, 2024. For more information about these research opportunities and the application process, visit the link below.

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The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and American Council on Education have partnered to propose two methodologies for achieving a universal measurement of socioeconomic mobility across all American Higher Education Institutions. The importance of accurate data reporting cannot be overstated, as socioeconomic mobility, workforce development, performance-based funding, and student debt discussions revolve around one central concern: student performance and meaningful outcomes. This week, I share summarized insights of the report, and encourage more discussion about the two data systems IPEDS and NSLDS. #HigherEd #Policy

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Minority-Serving Institutions (#MSIs) continue to implement innovative strategies to improve student outcomes. The Institute for Higher Education Policy’s new research explores how MSIs are “fostering a student-centered approach, utilizing data to drive informed decision-making, and proactively identifying and removing barriers that hinder student success.”  🎓 Read more: https://lnkd.in/gByeDvei

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I am so humbled to be participating in this summit. I just arrived in Rome, and am looking forward to three full days of meetings across a very diverse and dedicated community - religion, art, science, policy, technology, NGOs, government leaders. Pope Francis will be presiding over the second day of the summit, further demonstrating his profound commitment to solving the climate crisis through collaboration. My talk, on the third day of the summit will emphasize the power of agricultural solutions for resilience - negative emissions + better nutritional outcomes for people + environmental sustainability. This is a major challenge, given the growing rate of hunger (~1 billion people) and hidden hunger, which is a deficiency of nutrients and vitamins in the human diet (~2 billion people). Climate change impacts are making just about every problem more difficult, which is why we need to re-imagine our thinking and embark upon full societal transformation. Food and agriculture must lead the way. I will update throughout the meeting with my thoughts!

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In our new blog, we highlight five #IESFunded research projects that assess the scope and effects of innovative financial aid programs in five states:

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Underlying inequities are challenges across social, economic and environmental justice. These cannot be solved by carbon emissions and recycling alone. We need to look at the broader factors addressed by the sustainable development goals in order to really make any progress. It's wonderful to work with Carnegie Mellon University colleagues who get it and are centering social justice in their sustainability efforts. Describing her work on energy equity, Destenie Nock, PhD says, "In the sustainability space, there’s so much talk about greenhouse gas emissions, but an overlooked area of need are the millions of people struggling to pay their energy bills. That’s who I am trying to advocate for." And I appreciate serving on the steering committee of the Dietrich Community Engagement Fellowship Program under the leadership of Kim Piatt, who explains that, “The students in this program have learned that they can make local-level impacts and changes in ways that have a ripple effect. It brings these higher-level goals and ideals down in a manageable way that they can actually operationalize it and make a difference.” I have only recently connected with John Soluri, who created the Coffee Break program through the Hospitality Initiative of Carnegie Mellon’s Center for the Arts in Society and also created a "Coffee and Capitalism" course, but we're already scheming (and I have a personal goal of getting coffee from Laos featured in his work). You can read more about the many ways that my colleagues are ensuring social justice is front and center of sustainability efforts across the university's education, research, and practices in this excellent article penned by Stacey Federoff.

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What are we learning about #PhelanMcDermidSyndrome from a #NaturalHistoryStudy? Members of the Developmental Synaptopathies Consortium and Phelan McDermid share more about the study and what it's like to participate: https://lnkd.in/dFjukuUk

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What capacities do humanities PhDs bring to their work? According to our host partners, their in-demand skills include holistic approaches to research, ability to synthesize large amounts of information, and gathering stories ethically and expansively. Learn more: https://bit.ly/44LCvAA

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In a new Q&A, Tufts University's Aditya Sarkar and World Peace Foundation's Alex de Waal discuss how hydrocarbon revenue is used to maintain political stability in fragile oil-producing states, what traumatic decarbonization means for peace and conflict, and how policymakers, international organizations and civil society can mitigate its effects. Read here:

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Can you spot the language of greenwashing? Companies can use vocabulary associated with positive climate action to conceal the true impact of their practices. I discuss the need to push back and reinforce what we mean by particular words - because the #fossilfuel industry is very good at co-opting terminology to push their agenda. See below ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇

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🌟Learn more about Questrom School of Business, Boston University's unique and innovative approach to #careerservices 🌟 Meet #ExecConnect, the brainchild of Monica Parker-James, EdD, and Dean Susan Fournier, that hires former corporate execs to provide industry-specific guidance and connections to students. 📊 Numbers speak louder than words: Questrom's investment in #careerservices through the Feld Center has resulted in a 𝟱𝟮% increase in one-on-one career coaching appointments in 2023 over 2022, a significant increase in industry engagement, and a 𝟯𝟵% rise in undergraduate participation in recruiting and networking events in the Fall of 2023 compared to the previous year. ⬇️ Read more ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/gx7tU_UT #QuestromMeansBusiness #CareerSuccess #StudentSupport #Networking #IndustryConnection #bestpractices Poets&Quants

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A new report from our team at American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) underscores the impact of the practices and strategies outlined in the Postsecondary Value Commission's Action Agenda and highlights the promising practices at AASCU institutions that are advancing student success and equity.   It is no surprise that Leadership and Culture were most frequently identified as crucial to closing equity gaps. AASCU Consulting places significant focus on our work with university leaders and their leadership teams. The presence of strong, cohesive leadership teams at all levels of the institution enhances the ability to address complex issues, foster a culture of adaptability and innovation, and pursue new strategies with greater focus and collaboration—all key factors for leading institutional transformation.

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