Academic Research Projects

Environmental Studies 4100: Appropriate Technology and Ecological Design, Campus as a Living Learning Laboratory

2017 | 20162014 | 2013 | 201220112010200920082007

2017

1. Farmers Market and Food Waste
Hunter Ward, Alyson Melnik, Christopher Carpenter, Kayla Snellenberger

2. Pollinator Waystation 
Sidney Bicknell, Jill Syrotchen, Claire Freeland, Jonathan Basset, Alex Davis 

3. Improving Recycling and Reducing Waste in Western Michigan University Athletics 
Teagan Reeves, Courtney Pilette, Kegan Thomas, Trevor Roberts 

4. Promoting Sustainability Through First Year Experience Courses
Evan Asher, Charles DeDene, Brandon McNeil 

5. Reusable Campus Bag
Alyson Melnik, Hunter Ward, Sara Holgate 

2016

1. Recommendations for Sustainable Restrooms in Future Development at WMU
Kevin Looney, Shannon Patterson, Zack Santen

2. Waste Not, Want Not: Dining Hall Waste as a Landscaping Tool
Annie Lilac and Chelsea Strating

3. Winter Park: Four Season Public Space at Western Michigan University
Ed Ryan

4. Pop-up Farmer's Market on Campus
Erin Peterman and Casey Warren

5. Sustainable Kitchen
Marissa Jennings and Maureen Massie

6. Assessing a Carpool Program at Western Michigan University
Gerrit Anderson and Isaac Green

7. Implementation of Alternative Transportation Infrastructure
Keith Heatherly

8. A Cost Benefit Analysis: Exploring Alternative Transportation Initiatives with Parking Services
Joseph Birdsall and Ray Masterson

2014

1. Green Roofs at Western Michigan University
Adam Carlisle, Donny Stout, Kenneth Barbera

2. Western Michigan University Thrift Store : Bronco Throwbacks
Stephanie Davis, Michael Dresen, Lauren Kurtz

3. Student Sustainability Fee Survey and Town Hall Report
Erin Denay, Reid Klintworth, Amy Alexander, Holly Ekkert

4. Student Centered Sustainable Café : Campus Trends Re-imagined
Nora Gimpel, Taylor Sawyer, Conor Downey, Marianne Twork

5. Bronco Bikes : A Bike Rental Pilot at Western Michigan University
Doug Ladner

6. Western Michigan University Post-Consumer Food Waste Management: Black Soldier Fly Larvae
Alexandra Leist, Deanna Blankstrom

7. Energy Use Awareness
Angela Wehner

8. Water Consumption Analyzed through STARS
Courtney Wright

2013

1. Super Green Residence Hall
Howard Barrons, Nicole Davenport, Mike Lucas, Meghan Walsh

2. Plastic Bag Initiative
Dawn Clough, Ashley Daniels, Leigha Jones

3. WMU Greenhouse Gas Inventory
Christian Galbraith

4. Best Practice Review: Bike Rental System at Western Michigan University
John Ihling

5. The Student Sustainability Survey and National "Green Fee" Campus Interaction Assessment
Taylor Daugherty

6. Best Practice Analysis of Bioretention Cells and Rain Gardens
Amy Barrington, Kara Boyer, Patrick Schlaud

2012

1. Community Catalyst Team
Weston Hillier, Marley McVey, Joel Zilio, Michael Eriksen, Courtney Carlson, and Caitlin Arnold

2. Exploring Food Waste Reduction in Campus Dining Halls
Kylie Merrow, Philip Penzien, and Trevor Dubats

3. Paper and Energy Audit of Computing and Printing
Sean Kennedy, Spencer Welling, and Kris Dunlap

4. Social Learning Experiment: Creating Reusable Bags from Recycled Plastic
Caitlyn Prior 

5. Western Michigan University Reusable Bags in Bookstores
Tessa Gumpert and Dylan Sullivan 

2011

1. Internship Options for The Campus Beet
Susie Drust 

2. Green Roofing at Western Michigan University
Andrew Johnson

3. Recycling Initiative in Britton/Hadley Residence Halls
Daniel Nowak, Allison Perk, Sean Eisen, Shawndel Hunter, and Danielle Maxwell 

4. Carbon Offset Road Map
Yusuke Saito

2010

1. Filtered Water Stations on Western Michigan University's Campus: A Sustainable Alternative to Bottled Water
Alex Secrest and Kim Shafer

2. On Campus Thrift Store
Nick Bennett 

3. Purple Potato Café: A Student Led Campus Café Initiative
Kristiena Sartorelli, Caleb Oliver, and Ian Orawiec

4. Sustainability Across the Curriculum: A Preliminary Invesitgation by Students to Evaluate and Influence the Awareness and Application of Sustainability in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Haworth College of Business
Chelsea Keck and Karl Walls

5. Commuting Research
Megan Bessey, Kyle Braman, and Hannah Davis  

2009

1. Sustainability Tour WMU; the Green Walkthrough
Evan Groendyk

2. Raising Sustainability Awareness through Residence Life: A Recycling Information Sheet and Wesustain Bulletin Board
Nola Wiersma 

3. Western Michigan University Greenhouse Gas Inventory: Baseline Year 2007
Chris Caprara, Kaitlyn Shields, Matt Van Ness, and Kelly Krug 

2008

1. Reducing Waste at Western Michigan University: Cafeteria Food Tray Removal, Food Waste Audits, and Composting
Geoff Bolak, Liz Huggett, Ryan Koziatek, Fields Ratliff, and Carrie Susemihl

2. Wood Hall's Wood Recycling Containers
Todd Herbst 

3. The Weekly Initiative for a Student Cooperative Café
Ryan Walters and Matthew Hollander 

2007

1. Student Led Campus Café
Ash Norton 

2. Creating a General Education Sustainability Class
Kate Johnson, Cory Paradowski, and Pat Winninger

3. Environmental Peer Education Project
Lucy Kurtz and Steve Eick 

 

HONORS THESES

2012

1. Carsharing Vendor Analysis
Amani Gaillard