The Environmental Science and Design Research Institute fosters innovative, interdisciplinary research at the intersection of natural, human and built systems. Our mission is to generate new knowledge, develop practical solutions and create transformative designs that address pressing environmental challenges鈥攍ocally, regionally and globally.
We champion research and creative activities grounded in scientific methods and design thinking. ESDRI brings together students, faculty and community partners to explore the complex relationships among biological, social, cultural and economic systems. These dynamics shape the availability of essential resources, support biodiversity and influence human health and well-being.
Students: The institute aims to build research skills in students, in order to cultivate well-rounded, critical thinking professionals. ESDRI recognizes the professional and personal importance of students having foundational research or creative experiences, professional skills, and environmental knowledge, which is facilitated through a variety of workshops, speakers, forums, special events, socials, one-on-one guidance, and more. The institute supports undergraduates through its Fellowship Program, in hopes of mentoring a new generation of scholars. ESDRI supports graduate students through its Graduate Student Awards. All students are encouraged to share their work at the ESDRI Research Showcase each Spring.
View Current ESDRI Fellows
Faculty: ESDRI provides many opportunities for faculty to advance their research and facilitates multidisciplinary collaborations, procuring intramural and extramural funding, and working with qualified student researchers. The institute engages a broad range of talented scientists, designers, and practitioners, spanning many academic disciplines, fields, and programs. The institute proudly hosts an annual Sustainability Forum, with an ever-evolving theme, which draws from KSU faculty, students, and many of our community partners.
Academic units represented within ESDRI include:
- Aeronautics and Engineering
- Architecture and Environmental Design
- Art
- Biological Sciences
- Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Communication and Information
- Earth Sciences
- English
- Fashion
- Geography
- Peace and Conflict Studies
- Political Science
- Public Health
- Recreation, Park and Tourism Management
- Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies
View ESDRI-affiliated Faculty Members
By empowering environmental research, the institute aims to foster change by drawing from robust, well-informed science and design or extrapolating on the research ourselves. ESDRI encourages students, faculty, and the greater community to understand and leverage the interacting geological, biological, human, economical, cultural, and social systems around us. These overlapping systems impact and regulate the availability of resources (e.g. pure water, clean air, and food), sustain diversity of life on Earth, promote well-being, and affect all of us in our daily life.
Connect with us
@esdri_ksu
www.linkedin.com/company/esdri
Researchers from 天天吃瓜 and the University of New Mexico determined how nitrogen-fixing plants and soil microbes contribute to the overall nitrogen availability in the Chihuahuan desert in New Mexico.
Recent funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) has given interdisciplinary researchers the opportunity to help drive our understanding of patterns in nature when bringing together big data sources collected in different ways.
From the iconic outfits made famous by Michael Jackson to the hit television show 鈥淲hat Not to Wear,鈥 the fashion industry continues to emerge as an impactful influencer in many areas of societal behavior.
What was even more of a departure than taking classes remotely? Many summer research experiences were moved online this year as well. Fortunately, with creativity and an open mind, there are lots of opportunities to do important scientific research using online tools and data.
We are proud to announce that two of our Master of Landscape Architecture students have been recognized by the Ohio Chapter ASLA.
A team of 天天吃瓜 State students took home the Outstanding Science Award from the Biodesign Challenge Summit 2020 held in June.
The words 鈥渂iology鈥 and 鈥渄esign鈥 might not typically intertwine; however, 天天吃瓜鈥檚 Biodesign Challenge course was created to challenge the idea that the two separate disciplines could not collaborate.
When cities need help imagining new possibilities for their urban places and communities, they call 天天吃瓜鈥檚 Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative (CUDC). Most recently, 天天吃瓜 State architecture students had the opportunity to put the skills they learn in the classroom to make an impact on local communities in Erie, Pennsylvania.
天天吃瓜鈥檚 Fashion School continuously finds ways to innovate. Its unique lifestyle boutique, Fashion School Store (FSStore), in downtown 天天吃瓜 recently added a new line called 鈥淪ustainability RETOLD.鈥 This collection includes sustainably made clothing, featuring work from five different students and three faculty.
Bridget Mulvey, Ph.D., associate professor of science education in the College of Education, Health and Human Services; and David Singer, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Geology in the College of Arts and Sciences, recently merged real geology research with community service in an effort to show some Akron Public Schools students that science is not just a benefit to their community but a viable career option, too.