Campus as a Living Laboratory

Connecting FSU students and faculty to campus and community partners to tackle real-world sustainability challenges

WHAT IS A LIVING LAB?

The Campus as a Living Laboratory (Living Lab) program is an FSU Sustainable Campus initiative. A Living Lab is any educational use of the campus or Tallahassee community. Living Lab projects have a course or classroom dimension and involve experiential student learning that contributes to understanding or advancing sustainability.

At FSU, the Living Lab program connects university faculty and students to campus and community partners through multidisciplinary learning and applied research projects. Through the program, students gain hands-on experience and connect with professionals in the field while campus and community partners benefit from university resources, research, and faculty.


Living Lab process

Project proposals can be submitted at any time, and applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Once a project has been identified, the Living Lab Program Coordinator connects university faculty to the proposal and helps both parties navigate the implementation process.

All projects begin with a Memorandum of Understanding, which is signed at least two weeks before the beginning of the semester. The project is introduced to the class in the first weeks of the semester. At the end of the semester, students present their work and submit deliverables.

Explore Living Lab Projects

Project

Faculty

Campus/
Community Partner

Year

Semester

Course Code

Course Name

Consumer Behavior Sustainability Studies

Jaejin Lee

Sustainable Campus

2019

Fall

ADV 5503

Media Consumer Behavior

Sustainable Behavior Change in Dining

Jaejin Lee

Sodexo

2019

Spring

ADV 5007

Foundations of Integrated Marketing Communications

Cycling Savvy Advertising Campaign

Jaejin Lee

Sustainable Campus, Transportation and Parking Services

2019

Fall

ADV 5007

Foundations of Integrated Marketing Communications

Sustainability Research in the Community

Tingting Zhao

Sustainable Tallahassee

2019

Fall

IDS 2227

Sustainable Society

Single Use Plastic Reduction Campaign

Jaejin Lee

Sustainable Campus

2020

Spring

ADV 5007

Foundations of Integrated Marketing Communications

Rethinking Chuck It for Charity Messaging

Laura Arpan

Sustainable Campus

2020

Spring

COM 4560

Social Marketing

Student Food Insecurity Study

Will Butler

Second Harvest of the Big Bend

2020

Spring

URP 5407

Food Systems Planning

Reimagining Campus Spaces with Sustainable Design Principles

Meghan Mick

Facilities Design & Construction

2020

Spring

IND 3627

Principles of Sustainable Design

Comprehensive Plan Update for Wildlife Refuge

Tisha Holmes

St. Marks Wildlife Refuge

2020

Spring

URP 5422

Coastal Planning

Sustainable Sculptures for Living Coral Reef

Carolyn Henne

FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory

2020

Spring

ART 4928C & 5928C

Advanced Workshop

FSU Food for Thought Pantry IMC Solutions

Jaejin Lee

FSU Food for Thought Pantry

2020

Fall

ADV 5007

Foundations of Integrated Marketing Communications

Sustainability Research for Leon County

Tingting Zhao

Leon County Office of Sustainability

2020

Fall

IDS 2227

Sustainable Society

Student Food Insecurity Study, Part 2 Lara Perez-Felkner Second Harvest of the Big Bend 2021 Spring EDH 5078 Outcomes Assessment in Higher Education I
Social Media Marketing for Leon County Sustainability Initiatives Katherine Dale Leon County Office of Sustainability 2021 Spring COM 5565 Social Media Campaigns
Social Media Campaigns to Promote Sustainable Community Events Arienne Ferchaud ReThink Energy Florida 2021 Spring COM 4562 Social Media Campaigns
Updating FSU with Sustainable Design Meghan Mick Facilities Design & Construction 2021 Fall IND 3627 Principles of Sustainable Design
Exploring Community Attitudes Towards Sustainability Tingting Zhao Sustainable Tallahassee 2021 Fall IDS 2227 Sustainable Society
Assessing Sustainable Campus Engage 100  Learning Outcomes Jillian Volpe White Sustainable Campus 2022 Spring EDH 5078 Outcomes Assessment in Higher Education I
Branding a Sustainability Nonprofit Kelly Kelly ExpeditionTLH 2022 Spring ADV 4800 Advertising Campaigns
Recycling Messaging Laura Arpan KCCI and Leon County Office of Sustainability 2022 Fall SPC 4540 Persuasion
Say No To Plastic Laura Arpan Sustainable Campus 2022 Fall COM 4560 Social Marketing
CPI Social Media Campaigns Katherine Dale Coastal Plains Institute 2022 Fall COM 5565 Social Media Campaigns
Rooting & Branching: A Geolocative Augmented Reality (AR) Social Engaged Project Katie Kehoe, Keith
Roberson, and
Andy Opel
FSU Grounds 2023 Spring ART 3710C,
ART 4928C,
RTV 4595/
5596
 

Sculpture 2,
3D Animation,
Immersive Video Production

Food Waste Reduction Campaigns Laura Arpan Sustainable Campus 2023 Spring COM
6931
Social Marketing
CPI Social Media Campaigns Katherine Dale Coastal Plains Institute 2023 Spring COM
5565
Social Media Campaigns
Apalachicola River 360 Video Andy Opel Apalachicola Riverkeeper 2023 Spring RTV 4595/
5596
Immersive Video Production
CPI Social Media Campaigns Katherine Dale Coastal Plains Institute 2023 Fall COM 5565 Social Media Campaigns
Consumer Insights on Sustainability in Seminole Dining Jaejin Lee Seminole Dining 2023 Fall ADV 5605 Account Planning
Sustainable Design Guidelines and HipCamp Design Meghan Mick Sustainable Campus/White Oak Pastures 2023 Fall IND 3627/ 5628 Sustainable Design

Living Lab Resources for FSU Instructors

What is an ideal Living Lab course?

Living Lab courses can take many forms, and all sizes of classes and levels of student education can be accommodated within the program.

The most successful Living Lab courses share the following characteristics:

  • The course provides students with the opportunity to focus on an environmental, economic, and/or social sustainability challenge.
  • The course includes project-based learning and/or group work.
  • Students are prepared to research and network outside of the classroom setting.

What are my responsibilities as a Living Lab instructor?

Faculty or staff members teaching a Living Lab course should be open to working with campus and community partners to create experiential learning opportunities for students.

The Living Lab program requires instructors to:

  1. Work with a campus or community partner to identify related project proposals
  2. Sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the partner (using the Living Lab MoU template)
  3. Design appropriate learning objectives and modifying syllabus requirements to incorporate experiential learning
  4. Reserve at least two in-class sessions for a beginning-of-semester project introduction and end-of-semester student presentations (as agreed upon in the MoU)
  5. Guide and mentor student project implementation

Is there funding available to support Living Lab courses?

The Green Fund offers Living Lab Grants to faculty members in support of the Campus as a Living Laboratory (Living Lab) initiative. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and the limit of the grant request is $500 or less.

Funds can be used to support:

  • On-campus infrastructure development
  • Research
  • Site visits
  • Other related experiences that take place at FSU or in the Tallahassee area

Submit a Living Lab Grant application »


How can my class get involved with the Living Lab program?

All campus faculty and/or staff members teaching a course at any academic level are invited to participate in the program by requesting a Living Lab consultation.

To schedule a consultation, please email Holly Smith at hsmith17@fsu.edu.

Living Lab Resources for Campus/Community Partners

What is an ideal Living Lab project?

Projects should demonstrate a clear connection to environmental, economic, and/or social sustainability and engage students in real-world challenges.

  • Environment: Environmental sustainability projects enhance our ability to live within the means of our natural resources. Ex: A small group of students worked with their university’s Facilities Management department to assess water usage in campus buildings. They conducted inspections, placed work orders, and researched awareness campaigns. 
  • Economy: Economic sustainability projects support growth that positively impacts the social, environmental, and cultural aspects of a community. Ex: A small group of students worked with their university’s Housing department to draft sustainable purchasing guides to encourage the campus community and its suppliers to lower their environmental impact.
  • Society: Social sustainability projects promote systems, structures, and relationships that support the creation of healthy and livable communities for all. Ex: A Mechanical Engineering class worked with an Adaptive Sports & Recreation Club and their university’s Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities to upgrade wheelchairs for student athletes with disabilities.

Who can submit a project proposal?

All campus departments and community organizations are invited to participate in the program by submitting project proposals. Community organizations can include government departments, local businesses, non-profit organizations, and other groups in the Tallahassee area.

Campus and community partners should (at minimum) be committed to:

  1. Developing a project proposal
  2. Establishing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the faculty/staff partner (using the Living Lab MoU template)
  3. Attending two in-class sessions (beginning-of-semester project introduction and end-of-semester student presentations)
  4. Providing guidance to students throughout the project in the form of in-person meetings, phone conversations, email communications, and/or site visits (as agreed upon in the MoU)

How do I submit a project proposal?

Read more about the project proposal process here.

To schedule a consultation, please email Holly Smith at hsmith17@fsu.edu.

 

Related

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