UConn Office of Sustainability Awards Environmental and Social Sustainability Grants to Student-Led Projects

Seven projects will increase environmental and social sustainability at UConn

UConn, consistently one of the top ten most sustainable universities in the United States, will be getting even better at upholding sustainable practices with the help of seven student-led projects this year.

These innovative projects are funded by the Environmental and Social Sustainability Grants (ESSG) Program through the Office of Sustainability. Creative student-faculty teams applied for funding to support campus programs that enhance environmental and social sustainability while engaging students and community members. Applicants shared ideas spanning education, research, authentic community engagement, and campus operations. This is the fourth round of ESSG funding since 2021, which has helped launch the Swap Shop (now Thrift Den), a composting privy at Spring Valley Student Farm, and efforts to combat food insecurity via hydroponic farming.

“The ESSG program is just one of the Office of Sustainability’s growing suite of experiential learning programs available to all UConn students. In alignment with UConn’s strategic goals, we are excited to be able to award these funds to empower students to take action on addressing real-world challenges that impact the wellness of people and the planet. Faculty and staff mentors play an instrumental role in ensuring the success of these projects and we’re also incredibly grateful for their support,” said Patrick McKee, Director of the Office of Sustainability.

Seven projects were awarded funds due to their interdisciplinary nature and ability to advance sustainability and equity.

 

Harnessing Phosphorus

Phosphorus is a key piece in fertilizing crops and producing food. This project aims to explore sustainable, easy ways of getting phosphorus out of wastewater to make it easier, cheaper, and less climate-intensive for farmers to grow food in underprivileged areas.

• • Student: Brenny Alcantara ’27 (CLAS)
  • Staff Mentor: Katie Milardo, Associate Director, Energy & Water Conservation

 

The Grove of Generosity: Sustainable Food Forest for Students

A food forest to create community for people, plants and wildlife on the Storrs campus. Using native plants, this project will provide habitat, food for all, and space to make connections between people and nature.

• • Students: Olivia Ballaro ’26 (CAHNR), Ella May ’27 (CAHNR), Howard Truax ’26 (CAHNR)
  • Faculty Mentor: Phoebe Godfrey, Professor in Residence, Sociology

 

Sustainability Practicum: Designing a UConn Hartford Service-Learning Course

This project will create materials for a UConn Hartford geography service-learning course titled “Sustainability Practicum,” designed to develop student leaders of environmental & social sustainability in collaboration with & in service of Keney Park Sustainability Project, a nonprofit developing sustainable community-based food systems in urban North Hartford.

• • Students: Thomas Bonitz, Ph.D. Candidate in Geography
  • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Carol Atkinson-Palombo, Professor in Geography

 

Project Racoon

Project Raccoon is a student-led initiative that collects redeemable bottles and cans to reduce waste, increase recycling, and fund student scholarships. With this grant, we will expand to over 50+ bins and engage more volunteers.

• • Student: Abigail Koval ’26 (BUS), Anny Zheng ’26 (COE), Jennifer Weng ’26 (COE), Virginia Weng ’26 (COE)
  • Staff Mentor: Cody Ryan, Innovation Zone Supervisor

 

Seeds2Sustain: Hartford & Stamford Campuses

Seeds2Sustain is a program designed to help students address food insecurity on a personal level by using hydroponics. Over 9 weeks, students are taught about the evolution of food production, food insecurity, hydroponics, nutrition, cooking and more to gain a solid foundation of knowledge.

• • Students: Lucy Ledesma ‘26 (BUS, COE), Audrey Larson ‘25 (COE)
  • Faculty Mentor: Johnathan Moore, Executive Director, Digital Frontiers Initiative, Director of OPIM Innovate Labs 

 

Disasters in Society: Working Towards Resilient & Sustainable Futures through Experiential Learning & Service

Our project captures Asheville’s recovery from Hurricane Helene, highlighting student engagement and hands-on learning in disaster resilience. Through storytelling and service, we aim to expand access to fieldwork and promote support for sustainability-focused education.

• • Students: Lisel Nee ’26 (COE), Melia Marshall, MPP Candidate, Daniel Kraemer, Ph.D. Candidate in Geography, Brandon Soto, Masters of Energy and Environmental Management Candidate 
  • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Carol Atkinson-Palombo, Professor in Geography

 

Sustainable Dairy Wastewater Treatment Using Microalgae at UConn

This project addresses the challenge of dairy wastewater from the UConn barns, which can be a significant source of pollution if not properly managed. By using microalgae to treat wastewater, we can convert it into a sustainable biomass that can be used as poultry feed. This approach not only helps clean and recycle wastewater but also aligns with circular bioeconomy principles, turning waste into valuable resources. This initiative advances UConn’s environmental goals and contributes to a more sustainable campus ecosystem.

• • Students: Azeem Sarwar ’27 (COE), Syed Zahid Ahmad, Ph.D. Candidate in Mechanical Engineering
  • Faculty Mentors: Dr. Yu Lei, Professor in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Dr. Yongku Cho, Associate Professor in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

 

Over $37,000 will be awarded in total to support these student-lead projects.

Thomas Bonitz, a grantee pursuing a Ph.D. in Geography says, “As an aspiring educator, I am thrilled to work on designing a “sustainability practicum” course for the UConn Hartford campus. There is obvious educational and community value getting students out of the traditional classroom setting to learn from and contribute to real-world efforts to practice sustainability.” His project exemplifies UConn’s dedication to promoting student success and providing service to Connecticut communities.

“I look forward to moving onto the next stage for my Harnessing Phosphorus project and being able to work with more resources. I’ve been working on this project independently since my first semester at UConn, so receiving this grant and finding support from new mentors is a reminder of how far I’ve come. It’s great to see the University also believes in my project’s potential,” shares Brenny Alcantara ’27 (CLAS) who will be working on ways to make fertilizer more accessible, less likely to cause algae blooms, and decrease the carbon footprint of a critical agricultural ingredient.

Students will present their project findings and impacts this fall at the Climate Change Cafe poster symposium in December.

For more details on the Environmental and Social Sustainability Small Grants Program, please visit: https://sustainability.uconn.edu/environmental-social-sustainability-small-grants-program/ 

If you’re inspired by these students and their positive impact, please donate to the Campus Sustainability Fund to support future grantees.