Barrett Small Network Hero

Sustainability

Explore the various projects below categorized under the general theme of Sustainability. Be sure to return to the Barrett College Fellows Program main page and explore projects under the other 11 themes as well. You might be surprised at what you find and maybe you will discover the perfect research project for what you hope to study!

Please do not contact the research centers or faculty listed below directly (a formal application process is a required step to joining these research opportunities).

For questions about the Barrett College Fellows Program or specific research projects, please contact Dr. Sarah Graff at: [email protected].

Back to Barrett College Fellows main page

Research projects

Barrett SAEE (Space Architecture & Extreme Environments) ARC 493 Honors Thesis

Project # 145

Center name: MSD, Space Architecture & Extreme Environments (SAEE)
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Elena Rocchi

Project description

Barrett Honors students will participate in SAEE Barrett Research programs, including: 1) Working in the labs of the Interplanetary Initiative, The Next Lab, and the Luminosity Lab, contributing to cutting-edge science, with one student per lab. 2) Engaging in supply chain management within the Business program to contribute to designing the first Starbucks in space, with one student. 3) Participating in the SAEE Barrett Global Flex program in Rome, one of the space capitals of the world, providing an ideal environment for this program and open to all. The faculty lead is Elena Rocchi, working in collaboration with the different lab directors, program heads, and faculty abroad. By the time of application, new opportunities in labs and cities may arise, so students are encouraged to schedule a meeting with me, as the leading faculty member, to discuss available placements and opportunities in more detail.

Special skills needed

Self-Time Management; Design Capacity and Interest in Making Things; Collaboration and Teamwork; Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving; Adaptability and Flexibility; Attention to Detail; Interpersonal and Cross-Cultural Communication; Initiative and Drive; Technical Competency; Global PerspectiveArchitecture
Industrial Design
Graphic Design (for virtual simulations/technologies)
Computer Science (for virtual simulations/technologies)
Design, Arts
Mechanical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Urban Planning
Business Administration (Supply Chain Management)
Environmental Design
Aerospace Engineering
Biomedical Engineering (for health-related research in space)
Materials Science
Sustainability Studies
International Studies (for global perspectives)
Electrical Engineering (for wearable technology design)
Physics (for space science and research applications)

Majors

Architecture
Industrial Design
Graphic Design (for virtual simulations/technologies)
Computer Science (for virtual simulations/technologies)
Design, Arts
Mechanical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Urban Planning
Business Administration (Supply Chain Management)
Environmental Design
Aerospace Engineering
Biomedical Engineering (for health-related research in space)
Materials Science
Sustainability Studies
International Studies (for global perspectives)
Electrical Engineering (for wearable technology design)
Physics (for space science and research applications)

Years

First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025); 2nd Year Students; 3rd Year Students; 4th Year Students- Seniors; ASU Online; Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Art, Architecture, and Design, Business and Entrepreneurship, Education, Engineering, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Spatial Mapping of Vegetation for Amazon forest management

Project # 150

Center name: Swetty Center for Environmental Biotechnology
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Hinsby Cadillo-Quiroz

Project description

We are looking for a student with the ability to work with geospatial information. The student will work with geolocation information of palms and trees in permanent plots in a peatland in the Peruvian Amazon, collected from RTK (Real-time kinematic positioning) GNSS receivers (Emlid REACH 3 and REACH 2+). The positioning data will be used as a method of validation of a previous survey carried out by drones. The person in charge is expected to be able to learn post-processing of field information, and subsequently generate some classification models related to other biological and environmental variables.

Special skills needed

Have taken courses related to remote sensing, GIS, and knowing how projections work. - Knowledge of GPS principles. - Knowledge of a GIS environment (ArcGIS Pro, ArcMap, QGIS). - Have taken courses in statistics and data analysis involving classification methods. Know the principles of how to train and validate a model. - Be proficient in Python or R, or some programming language with which they can generate replicable classification models. computer science, spatial sciences, geology, biology, conservation majors

Majors

computer science, spatial sciences, geology, biology, conservation majors

Years

-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-3rd Year Students
-2nd Year Students

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Sustainability

Coral research

Project # 153

Center name: Marine Biochem Research Lab - Roger Lab
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Liza Roger

Project description

My team focuses on understanding stress in corals and other symbiotic cnidarians (ie. sea anemones and upside-down jellyfish) from a cellular and biochemical point of view. We work on protein, symbiosis, metabolites, free radicals etc. to better understand environmental stress ahead of designing treatments such as nanomedicine for corals or chemical cues to improve coral health.

Special skills needed

Cleanliness, willingness to learn, can think on their feet, interested in marine research, knowledge in chemistry and biochemistry (some knowledge in marine science would be nice), the specific skill set here will be acquired during the Honors project (e.g. coral cell dissociation, coral culture, multiwell assays, fluorescence imaging, coral/anemone/jellyfish husbandry, protein extraction western blot, nanoparticle synthesis, cytotoxicity etc).Chemistry, biochemistry, (case dependent: conservation biology, cellular biology)

Majors

Chemistry, biochemistry, (case dependent: conservation biology, cellular biology)

Years

-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Sustainability

Safe Routes to School/Safe Streets

Project # 155

Center name: Active Schools & Communities Lab
Campus/Location: Downtown
Faculty lead: Allison Poulos

Project description

Join Dr. Allison Poulos in the College of Health Solutions and an interdisciplinary research team to support our local communities to make the streets safer for walking, riding, and rolling. We work with City partners to evaluate changes in safety and human behavior after changes to the built environment. Our team meets weekly on the Downtown Campus on Thursdays from 11-1 and includes a large group of students ranging from first-year undergrads to post-doctoral fellows from various programs throughout ASU. You would assist with data collection including conducting surveys and environmental assessments of street and neighborhood conditions, tallying pedestrian and vehicular traffic counts, data management, and dissemination of results. This research provides a great opportunity for hands-on, community-based research with community partners in government and non-profit spaces.

Special skills needed

Interest in health, sustainability, safety, design; Interest in community-based work; Availability on Thursdays between 11-1

Majors

Health Education, Health Promotion, Public Health, Population Health, Kinesiology, Health Sciences, Engineering, Architecture, Design, Sustainability, Psychology, Education

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Art, Architecture, and Design, Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Business and Entrepreneurship, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Education, Engineering, Health and Wellness, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Nationwide School Recess Project

Project # 156

Center name: Active Schools & Communities Lab
Campus/Location: Downtown
Faculty lead: Allison Poulos

Project description

Recess is a critical setting to support children's healthy growth and development. Across, the U.S., the number of states passing legislation mandating daily school recess continues to increase; however, we don't have a good understanding of actual practices in schools. Join Dr. Allison Poulos in the College of Health Solutions and an interdisciplinary student and faculty group at other universities across 14 states to measure the relationship between recess policies and practices in elementary schools. On this project, you would assist with administering a statewide survey to schools in Arizona, data management, data analysis, and dissemination of results. The goal of our project is to translate evidence from our survey directly to school administrators, champions, and policymakers to support children's health. Our team meets in person on the Downtown campus every Wednesday from 11-1.

Special skills needed

Availability to meet in person on Wednesdays from 11-1 on the Downtown Campus; interest in health promotion, community-based research, policy, education

Majors

Health, Education, Communication, Sustainability, Humanities, Social Work

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Data Analytics and Mathematics, Education, Health and Wellness, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

HeatReady Schools

Project # 157

Center name: Active Schools & Communities Lab
Campus/Location: Downtown
Faculty lead: Allison Poulos

Project description

Interested in supporting elementary schools to make informed decisions about supporting children's health and movement when it's hot? Join Dr. Allison Poulos and our interdisciplinary study team to learn about the strategies used and challenges schools face; and collect data to identify how adding shade and greenspace to schoolyards can decrease children's thermal exposure and improve health. Students would get hands-on experience collecting and analyzing data. Availability to meet in person on Wednesdays from 11-1 on the Downtown Campus required.

Special skills needed

Interest in health, sustainability, education, design; Availability on Wednesdays from 11-1

Majors

Health, Education, Sustainability, Design, Engineering, Data Analytics, Policy

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Art, Architecture, and Design, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Education, Engineering, Health and Wellness, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Next-Generation Renewable Energy/Semiconductor Materials and Devices

Project # 165

Center name: Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Laboratory
Campus/Location: ASU Research Park
Faculty lead: Nick Rolston

Project description

Our group's research goals are to develop next-generation energy and semiconductor technologies and to ensure that they are fit for manufacturability and durability. We study the connection between material degradation in printable thin-film energy and semiconductor materials and devices with the evolution of mechanical and environmental stress. We leverage scalable, open-air deposition methods to fabricate robust devices toward the goal of manufacturing. We use thin-film metrologies along with newly developed and custom-built equipment to characterize material properties and reliability on length scales from angstroms to meters. Our focus is to develop the next-generation of photovoltaics, battery, and semiconductor technology using the paradigm of design for reliability. Up to 5 student positions are available for these projects.

Special skills needed

Above all else, enthusiasm and a desire to get hands-on experience and learn more about designing the future of energy and semiconductor devices!

Majors

Any field of engineering, physics, chemistry, or computer science

Years

-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Engineering, Sustainability

New Carbon Economy Consortium (NCEC) Insights

Project # 171

Center name: New Carbon Economy Consortium (NCEC)
Campus/Location: Tempe; Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Krista O'Brien

Project description

The New Carbon Economy Consortium (NCEC) is an alliance of universities, national labs, and NGOs working in partnership with industry leaders to build a carbon-conscious world. NCEC hosts members with carbon removal solutions in Engineered Solutions, Biological Solutions, and Hybrid Solutions as well as Finance, Governance, Policy, Business, and Entrepreneurship.

The NCEC Insights project intends to educate a broad audience on cutting edge solutions in carbon sequestration, use, and storage. These solutions range from technical solutions like mechanical carbon sequestration to natural solutions such as “blue carbon” which utilizes coastal ecosystems to capture and store carbon. The Barrett Fellows will be tasked with 1) conducting research into up-and-coming carbon solutions, 2) interviewing researchers and practitioners in fields of carbon capture, use, and storage, and 3) drafting written deliverables. This project will expand students' knowledge of carbon capture concepts and allow students to develop climate communication skills, as the insights will communicate complex topics to the general public.

The faculty lead for this project is Amanda Ellis, but Krista O'brien is the secretariat and primary manager of the New Carbon Economy Consortium. NCEC falls under the Global Partnerships department within the Global Futures Laboratory.

Special skills needed

Required:

Strong oral and written communication skills
Proficiency in email communication
Self-motivated to work independently and meet deadlines in a timely manner
An interest in climate action and carbon solutions
Experience working on a team
Preferred:

Understanding of various CO₂ concepts such as CO₂ sequestration, conversion, storage, and mineralization.
Experience conducting interviews English, Communications, Journalism, Sustainability, Engineering, Education (flexible on major if they fulfill the required & preferred skills through course work and professional experience)

Majors

English, Communications, Journalism, Sustainability, Engineering, Education (flexible on major if they fulfill the required & preferred skills through course work and professional experience)

Years

-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Business and Entrepreneurship, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Biomimicry Lab to Market Efforts

Project # 176

Center name: The Biomimicry Center
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Sara El-Sayed

Project description

Student will support existing activities related to lab to market for biomimetic innovations across campus, including developing an educational module on biomimicry to be used by Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The student will be involved in assessing the assessment tools used for the online platform/dashboard. The student will also maintain the social media page with periodic updates.

Special skills needed

Research methods, possibly grant writing experience, social medialife sciences, interdisciplinary, business, sustainability

Majors

life sciences, interdisciplinary, business, sustainability

Years

-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Business and Entrepreneurship, Sustainability

Indigenous Law & Policy Research & Writing Project

Project # 194

Center name: American Indian Policy Institute
Campus/Location: Downtown; Fully remote; Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Brooke Curleyhair

Project description

This project is designed for students interested in the intersection of Indigenous law, public policy, and governance, particularly those considering law school or policy-oriented careers. Under the mentorship of faculty and staff at the American Indian Policy Institute (AIPI), students will engage in a structured research and writing experience focused on a legal or policy issue impacting Indigenous peoples in the United States or internationally.

Students will develop a focused research question, examine the historical and legal foundations of the issue, and analyze contemporary federal, state, tribal, or international policy developments. As part of this work, students will contribute to AIPI’s ongoing policy analysis efforts by assisting with legislative and Federal Register tracking, maintaining and updating a shared policy spreadsheet, and drafting summaries of relevant policy developments in collaboration with AIPI researchers. These activities will support, rather than replace, their individual research project.

Students will produce a final written product, such as a policy brief, research article, or blog post, with opportunities for publication through AIPI’s policy blog and/or the Law Journal for Social Justice’s online platform. Year-long projects may support submission to a law or policy journal.

Special skills needed

This project is intended to facilitate learning opportunities in advanced research and academic writing techniques. While a specific set of qualifications is not required, we recommend students with some experience engaging in academic research and writing apply for this opportunity.

Majors

ANY major! Policies touching all facets of everyday life, from education to health to engineering, impact Indigenous peoples. The more research we do on these diverse issues, the more prepared and empowered Indigenous communities will be to develop quality of life-enhancing solutions!

Years

-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Art, Architecture, and Design, Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Business and Entrepreneurship, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Education, Engineering, Health and Wellness, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Arizona Power: Decision-Making for the Future of Energy in the Southwest

Project # 201

Center name: Decision Theater
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Manfred Laubichler

Project description

The Decision Theater is developing innovative decision-support tools to address critical challenges in Arizona's energy and environmental landscape. In examining the future energy landscape, DT is developing a data-driven model that will guide stakeholders in evaluating novel energy sources, including nuclear options, to meet the state’s 20 GW demand from coal and oil closures and new growth, while balancing safety, security, and efficiency concerns. DT also aims to map ozone pollution and risks that may trigger EPA-imposed restrictions on development. Decision Theater will integrate these data streams and models into cohesive visualizations, ultimately, to support decision-making across industry, government, and communities through understanding complex financial, regulatory, environmental, and societal factors.

Special skills needed

This position will assist the Decision Theater staff with subject-matter research and analysis which may include:

Writing briefs

Briefing colleagues on background for topics

Researching through complex techniques and procedures, library research, structured

interviews or other project-specific methodology

Writing and editing material for publication and presentation

Maintaining research documentation and sources

Running models and tools for presentations to clients and visitors


Qualifications include:

Demonstrated public speaking experience

Strong qualitative research skills

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Detail-oriented

Ability to pick up things fast with a strong desire to learn

Demonstrated leadership experience

Previous knowledge or skill and/or equivalent experience in Outlook, MS Office Suite,

Word, and Excel, specifically macros and functions

Experience with collaborative platforms such as Google Docs

Ability to lift/move heavy furniture with the assistance of a dolly

Interest in learning how to utilize technology to support decision-making and public policy All majors are appropriate but may be best suited for those in Sustainability, Complex Adaptive Systems, Fulton Engineering, School for the Future of Innovation in Society, WP Carey (Business Analytics), Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts

Majors

All majors are appropriate but may be best suited for those in Sustainability, Complex Adaptive Systems, Fulton Engineering, School for the Future of Innovation in Society, WP Carey (Business Analytics), Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Data Analytics and Mathematics, Engineering, Sustainability

Solution Theater: Citizen Assemblies and Decision Science

Project # 202

Center name: Decision Theater
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Manfred Laubichler

Project description

Solution Theater is a framework within a Decision Theater environment designed to help citizens work together on complex societal challenges. It brings representative groups of 12 to 15 participants into a structured setting where they have shared access to data, models, and scenario tools that support informed discussion. The project responds to growing political polarization, media noise, and declining trust in institutions, science, and expertise. Rather than relying on voting, participants deliberate, build trust, and develop proposals through guided, bottom-up processes. The central hypothesis is that when trust-building is paired with neutral data-driven decision-support tools, diverse citizens can reach reasonable agreements at a small scale. Solution Theater serves as a test case for a functioning micro-democracy, offering evidence that collective decision-making is still possible. Insights from these experiments will inform how participatory systems might scale, how civic education must evolve, and how democratic institutions can develop resilience against misinformation and manipulation in a modern information environment.

Special skills needed

This position will assist the Decision Theater staff with subject-matter research and analysis which may include:

Writing briefs

Briefing colleagues on background for topics

Researching through complex techniques and procedures, library research, structured

interviews or other project-specific methodology

Writing and editing material for publication and presentation

Maintaining research documentation and sources

Running models and tools for presentations to clients and visitors


Qualifications include:

Demonstrated public speaking experience

Strong qualitative research skills

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Detail-oriented

Ability to pick up things fast with a strong desire to learn

Demonstrated leadership experience

Previous knowledge or skill and/or equivalent experience in Outlook, MS Office Suite,

Word, and Excel, specifically macros and functions

Experience with collaborative platforms such as Google Docs

Ability to lift/move heavy furniture with the assistance of a dolly

Interest in learning how to utilize technology to support decision-making and public policy

Majors

All majors are appropriate but may be best suited for those in Sustainability, Complex Adaptive Systems, Fulton Engineering, School for the Future of Innovation in Society, WP Carey (Business Analytics), Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Data Analytics and Mathematics, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

International Disaster Archive

Project # 212

Center name: Institute for Social Science Research
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Amber Wutich

Project description

We are launching the International Disaster Archive for Narratives, Oral History, and Folklore. This project is under the direction of MacArthur Fellow and Regent's Professor Dr. Amber Wutich. We are recruiting a small cohort of ambitious ASU Honors undergraduates to be the first student research fellows on this project. Fellows will work directly with a team of professors and scientists to help build a global archive documenting how people experience, remember, and make meaning of disasters. Through this honors contract, you will gain high-impact research training—earning research certification, developing advanced interviewing and qualitative analysis skills, conducting and AI-transcribing original interviews, and producing a thematic, comparative analysis. This is a rare opportunity to help shape a new international research initiative from the ground up while building credentials, mentorship, and experience that strongly position you for graduate school, fellowships, and research careers.

Special skills needed

None, we will train you; all training backgrounds are welcome.

Majors

All majors are welcome, but an interest in social science would be helpful.

Years

-2nd Year Students
-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Governance of Distributed Energy Resources among households

Project # 235

Center name: Center for Behavior, Institutions and the Environment
Campus/Location: Tempe; Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Marco Janssen

Project description

Residential houses are increasingly integrating Distributed Energy Resources (DER), including rooftop solar, batteries, EVs, and smart thermostats, which allow households to generate a large amount of their electricity. However, it has also made electricity generation and consumption increasingly less predictable from the utility company’s perspective. Although residential DER management is technically possible, it is not happening at scale due to behavioral issues. We are developing a stylized model of residential home energy to simulate how households can manage their DER and include human responses (e.g., overriding thermostat settings, timing of charging and discharging batteries). The next step will be a community of households that can exchange electricity via governance protocols. Such a utilization of electricity storage and electricity generation could increase the energy security of households, but it could also lead to new vulnerabilities. This model aims to help identify vulnerabilities at the community level of DER systems.
This work is done in collaboration with the Agile Electrification initiative at UC San Diego, a collaboration between businesses and academics.
The Faculty Lead is Dr. Marco Janssen, who is a Professor in the School of Sustainability and has formal training in Operations Research. He also has extensive expertise in social science and translates social science expertise into simulation models relevant to sustainability questions.

Special skills needed

Programming experience (for example Python), data analytics, statistical analysis, proficiency with Excel

Majors

Sustainability, Sustainable Energy Systems, Mathematics, Data Science, Economics, Industrial Engineering

Years

-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Data Analytics and Mathematics, Engineering, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Empowering Youth Climate Action (EYCA)

Project # 237

Center name: Mary Lou Fulton College of Teaching and Learning Innovation
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Andrea Weinberg

Project description

The Empowering Youth Climate Action (EYCA) project responds to the urgent need for effective, justice-centered climate education. This research explores gaps in current climate learning efforts and strengthens the use of digital resources through three interconnected areas of work: (1) participatory mapping and analysis of existing climate education resources in collaboration with educators and youth, (2) the development and refinement of an open-access online repository to increase access to high-quality climate learning materials, and (3) research connected to yearlong professional development programs that support climate educators and their students.

The EYCA team will work with a cohort of 2-4 Barrett Fellows who will collaborate closely with each other and the research team, which is led by PI Andrea Weinberg, and Co-PIs Michelle Jordan and Iveta Silova. Students will not work independently or be assigned to isolated roles. Instead, responsibilities will be shaped collectively based on students’ interests, strengths, and developing expertise, which may include quantitative analysis, qualitative coding, synthesis and meaning-making, and collaborative interpretation of findings. Fellows will engage in shared inquiry, regular team meetings, and collective reflection as integral members of an ongoing, interdisciplinary research effort. This collaboration model was successfully used with a previous cohort of Barrett Fellows.

Special skills needed

The EYCA team looks forward to working with undergraduate students who are committed to sustainability and climate action and are eager to engage in collaborative research. Undergraduate researchers will become integral members of the research team throughout their participation in the Barrett College Fellows Undergraduate Research Program. In addition to being punctual, communicative, and self-driven, the following skills and dispositions would serve students well in this research:
- Interest in climate change, sustainability, and education
- Openness to collaborative, team-based research and learning alongside peers and faculty mentors
- Willingness to work with different types of data, including quantitative data, qualitative data (e.g., interviews, open-ended responses), and digital artifacts
- Interest in learning to use and contribute to data management and data analysis platforms (prior experience not required)
- Curiosity and comfort with making sense of complex information, patterns, and perspectives
- Willingness to complete required Human Subjects Research Training (IRB/CITI) and to engage in ethical research practices
- Thoughtfulness, reflexivity, and respect for diverse perspectives
- Reliability in meeting commitments and communicating progress and questions with the research team.

Majors

The climate crisis requires transdisciplinary responses. As such, students from all majors are encouraged to apply if their interests are well-aligned with EYCA’s research.

Still, because the EYCA project sits at an intersection of education and sustainability, students in related degree programs will find clear connections between its research and their academic work. Such majors include, but are not limited to:
- Early Childhood Education (BAE)
- Educational Studies (BAE)
- Elementary Education (BAE)
- English (Secondary Education) (BA)
- History (Secondary Education) (BA)
- Media Arts and Sciences (Education) (BA)
- Middle Grades Education (BAE)
- Secondary Education (BAE)
- Special Education (BAE)
- Applied Biological Sciences (BS)
- Culture, Technology, and Environment (BA)
- Earth and Environmental Sciences (BS)
- Environmental Engineering (BSE)
- Environmental Science (BA / BS)
- Sustainability (BA / BS)

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Education, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Sustainability in Action: Industry Collaboration Research

Project # 239

Center name: The Sustainability Consortium (TSC)
Campus/Location: Fully remote
Faculty lead: Christy Slay

Project description

The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) is a global ASU consortium that brings together retailers, suppliers, manufacturers, NGOs, and academic experts to address complex sustainability challenges through pre-competitive collaboration. This Barrett College Fellow project will support TSC’s Collective Action initiatives, which convene industry stakeholders to develop shared solutions, tools, and guidance that no single organization could create alone.

Fellows will work closely with TSC staff and member companies to conduct background research, synthesize emerging insights, and support stakeholder-facing materials across one or more of the following initiatives:

- Aerosol Propellants: An emerging working group focused on identifying and scaling lower-emissions aerosol propellants
- Agricultural Metrics: Navigating evolving metrics and definitions for regenerative agriculture and responsible pest management
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Developing Return-On-Investment (ROI) tools to inform packaging decisions under EPR regulation
- Scope 3 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions: Tracking changes in guidance, surfacing best practices, and facilitating peer learning on Scope 3 reporting
- Small Appliance Energy Efficiency: Improving GHG emissions data and recognition of energy efficiency for small appliances (e.g., hairdryers)

Students will gain hands-on experience in applied sustainability research, cross-sector collaboration, and translating complex sustainability topics for diverse audiences. Work will be conducted in a professional, remote, team-based environment that mirrors real-world sustainability practices.

Special skills needed

- Strong professional skills, including communication, research synthesis, time management, and teamwork
- Ability to work independently and meet deadlines
- Interest in sustainability and systems-level challenges
- Experience working collaboratively in a team environment
- Willingness to learn and adapt in a dynamic project setting

Majors

Sustainability, Environmental Studies, Business, Supply Chain Management, Economics, Public Policy, Engineering, Communications, Journalism
(Open to other majors with relevant coursework or experience)

Years

-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Sustainability

Science and Imagination Lab

Project # 240

Center name: Center for Science and the Imagination
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Ruth Wylie

Project description

The CSI Lab is a new undergraduate research and experiential learning program at the Center for Science and the Imagination (CSI). The program offers selected undergraduates the opportunity to work closely with CSI faculty and staff on applied projects that translate speculative thinking, futures methods, and science fiction into real-world public engagement and community impact. Students in the CSI Lab will contribute meaningfully to ongoing CSI initiatives while developing skills in research, creative production, collaboration, and futures-oriented problem solving.

The CSI Lab is designed as a mentored research experience, emphasizing hands-on work, iterative experimentation, and public-facing outputs. Projects will culminate in tangible deliverables such as curricula, media products, reports, toolkits, or public presentations.

Each CSI Lab cohort will pursue projects in one of two primary categories:
1. Public Engagement for Imagination and Futures Thinking
Students will adapt prior CSI work—such as science fiction stories from CSI anthologies, research reports, or speculative design projects—into new formats for education and public engagement. Working with CSI staff, students may:
* Develop classroom-ready curriculum modules or lesson plans
* Produce short-form social media videos or digital storytelling content
* Create informal learning materials for museums, libraries, or community organizations
* Translate speculative narratives into workshops, games, or interactive experiences
These projects emphasize accessibility, storytelling, and the translation of complex ideas into engaging formats for broad audiences.

2. Futures Clinics with Community Partners
Students will participate in a “futures clinic” model, providing consulting-style futures services to external partners such as nonprofits, government teams, or civic organizations. Under CSI staff supervision, students may:
* Conduct horizon scanning and trend research
* Facilitate futures workshops or scenario exercises
* Co-create speculative artifacts that help partners explore long-term possibilities
* Produce written or visual reports that synthesize insights and recommendations
Futures clinic projects prioritize ethical engagement, mutual learning, and practical value for partner organizations.

Special skills needed

Required: Collaboration, communication, creativity, reliability, and a sense of adventure

Interest in community-based work, futures foresight

Majors

All majors are encouraged to apply

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Art, Architecture, and Design, Business and Entrepreneurship, Education, Engineering, Health and Wellness, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Deserts in a Changing World: Data Collection from Images

Project # 241

Center name: Drylands Ecosystem Research Team
Campus/Location: Tempe; Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Heather Throop

Project description

Dryland ecosystems are uniquely vulnerable to climate change but also offer promise for helping to mitigate the consequences of climate change. This project will use image analysis to explore research questions related to how drylands interact with environmental change. Research questions will include: how do desert plants respond to wildfires over long time scales? How does plant canopy cover differ along different rainfall regions? How do inputs to desert soils differ through time and space? Barret students will work together in teams with researcher in the Dryland Ecosystem Research Team to define research questions, refine methods, and explore the data.

Special skills needed

Successful students working on this research project will be willing to work hard and think creatively to solve new challenges, will work well in a team-based research environment, and will be enthusiastic about learning how desert ecosystems respond to a changing environment. Good organization, ability to write clearly, and basic computer skills are needed.

Majors

Conservation Biology and Ecology, Earth and Environmental Science, Astrobiology and Biogeoscience, Biology

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Sustainability

Sky View Factor as a metric of urban landscape water use

Project # 245

Center name: Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Elizaveta Litvak

Project description

Plants in cities experience unique environmental conditions that may be very different from their natural habitats (even for native plants). In the US Southwest, plants are often exposed to a combination of hot, dry air and wet, irrigated soils, which is very unusual in natural ecosystems. The water use of plants under these conditions is not well understood and its quantification currently requires labor-intensive on-site measurements. However, it is well established that water use of irrigated urban lawns is highly sensitive to the intensity of solar radiation. This project will explore the application of a sky view factor, a metric of sunlight availability, as a predictor of landscape water use in residential yards. In addition to the image and data analysis, this project will provide opportunities to participate in laboratory and field research activities in the Phoenix area. I will accept up to two students to work on this project. Faculty lead: Elizaveta Litvak.

Special skills needed

Required:
- Love for mathematics, calculations, and graphs
- Interest and attention to detail
- Ability to use Excel

Desired:
- Experience with basic statistical analysis
- Basic knowledge of plant physiology and physics of evaporation
- Strong writing and communication skills

Majors

Biological Science, Conservation Biology & Ecology, or any other major related to quantitative data analysis and image processing

Years

-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Sustainability

Addressing social-ecological-technological systems (SETS) challenges

Project # 246

Center name: Grimm's Urban and Stream Ecosystems (USE) Lab
Campus/Location: Tempe; Fully remote/Remote considered
Faculty lead: Nancy Grimm

Project description

In the USE lab, we work at the intersection of social, ecological, and technological (SET) challenges. Our research group is interested in exploring human-nature connections, especially in urban and human-dominated systems. We have several ongoing research projects that explore a variety of prescient topics, including collaborative governance of nature with a particular focus on rivers and coastal zones, challenges and opportunities for implementing nature-based solutions addressing issues such as climate change and public health, and human values of and relationships with nature. We use mixed-methods and diverse approaches from life and social sciences to address our research questions, including qualitative analysis of interviews and text, participatory research, spatial mapping and modeling, and literature review. If you are interested in gaining hands-on research experience on topics related to water, conservation, public health, or environmental justice, we would love to hear from you. Undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to contact us and explore opportunities to work with the lab.

Special skills needed

No skills are specifically required.
Skills that students will potentially acquire in this position:
- Qualitative coding & analysis
- Interviewing skills
- Assisting in workshop facilitation
- Literature review
- Organizing meetings
- Spatial analysis / GIS
- Modeling
- Coding - Python and/or R

Majors

Anthropology,
Biological Sciences,
Biological Sciences (Conservation Biology and Ecology),
Environmental Sciences,
Environmental Social Science,
Geography,
Landscape Architecture and Design,
Sustainability,
Urban Planning

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Art, Architecture, and Design, Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Urban green spaces as sites of care

Project # 249

Center name: Jessica Quinton
Campus/Location: Downtown; Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Jessica Quinton

Project description

Care is defined as “a species activity that includes everything we do to maintain, continue, and repair our “world” so that we can live in it as well as possible.” Throughout our lives, we are all recipients and providers of care.

This research is interested in private and public urban green spaces (e.g., yards and parks) as sites of care. Fellows can get involved in this research by 1) analyzing social media data to identify how parenting influencers portray the role of green spaces in their care work; 2) observing park users to identify patterns in where and how pet and/or childcare takes place; 3) surveying park users about their care routines; and/or 4) conducting interviews with caregivers about their green space use. Depending on what Fellows wish to be involved in, they can gain skills in collecting and analyzing social media, observational, survey, or interview data. They can also gain skills in literature reviews and writing if they wish to co-author an academic journal manuscript.

Special skills needed

Dependent on the research question and level of involvement chosen:
- Attention to detail
- Comfort in outdoor settings
- Familiarity with social media platforms
- Strong written and oral communication skills

Majors

Any social science major

Years

-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Mapping and Measuring Urban Tree Health and Impact Under Extreme Heat

Project # 254

Center name: Human Biometeorology Lab/ HeatReady Initiatives
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Jennifer Vanos

Project description

This project focuses on measuring, monitoring, and evaluating trees planted across the Phoenix Metro area. Overall, the project aims to yield insights into how trees perform in extreme heat environments, and how community-based tree planting contributes to urban cooling and heat resilience. Students will assist in collecting field data for hundreds of trees, including indicators of tree health, growth, and survivability, and will help analyze these data as part of a larger database to assess the effectiveness of urban tree planting efforts. Students will be advised by Dr. Jennifer Vanos, Associate Professor in the School of Sustainability and the team at the HeatReady initiatives at ASU, in partnership with the nonprofit organization Trees Matter. Findings will support evidence-based decision-making for future urban forestry efforts, tree maintenance strategies, and heat mitigation efforts. Students will gain hands-on experience in field data collection, applied environmental research, and community-engaged science. Students will also be part of communication efforts with our partners at the Sustainability Teachers Academy to bolster ongoing collaboration on tree education.

Special skills needed

Looking for students who are eager to engage in outdoor fieldwork as part of a larger, collaborative effort, learning hands-on techniques related to urban forestry and desert tree health, being part of a collaborative team, and have an interest in urban ecology, GIS, and/or urban climate.

Majors

Environmental Science, Conservation Sciences, Sustainability, Geography/GIS, Ecology, Public Health, Education, or related fields.

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Education, Health and Wellness, Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Redesigning Public Research in a Competitive Funding Environment

Project # 256

Center name: Global Futures Office of Research Development and Strategy
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Ann Marie Hess

Project description

Public universities are navigating a period of rapid change in federal research funding, priorities, and regulatory expectations. As competition increases and safeguards vary across programs, institutions face complex decisions about how to balance innovation, responsibility, and public trust. This project treats the university itself as a research subject, examining emerging models of public-interest academic research that integrate discovery, implementation, and accountability. Barrett Fellows will analyze funding programs, research structures, and institutional responses to identify design options that allow universities to support diverse research pathways while remaining competitive and publicly accountable.

Special skills needed

Analytical thinking, qualitative research, policy or market analysis, synthesis writing, comfort working with complex systems

Majors

Business (Strategy, Entrepreneurship),
Public Policy,
Political Science,
Economics,
Sustainability,
Global Studies,
Sociology,
Journalism or Communication

Years

-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Business and Entrepreneurship, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Assessing electric vehicle charging access

Project # 257

Center name: Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation
Campus/Location: Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Eleanor Hennessy

Project description

As electric vehicles are growing in popularity, understanding barriers to access to charging infrastructure is increasingly important. In this project, we will assess access to home, workplace, and public charging infrastructure and identify "charging deserts", where access is limited. Using a variety of public datasets, we will explore how access to each type of charging infrastructure varies geographically and across different socioeconomic and demographic groups. We will identify disparities in access and identify potential solutions to improve access in areas lacking charging infrastructure.
I will accept 1-2 students to work on this project.
Faculty lead: Eleanor Hennessy

Special skills needed

Required Qualifications:
Interest in electric vehicles, equity, and just transitions
Excitement and motivation
Experience using Microsoft Excel

Desired Qualifications:
Scientific programming experience (e.g., R, Python)
Background in GIS
Data analysis experience

Majors

Sustainability; engineering; geography; urban planning; data science

Years

-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Data Analytics and Mathematics, Sustainability

Perovskites for Two-Step Solar Thermochemical Hydrogen Production Cycles

Project # 258

Center name: ASU LightWorks
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Ivan Ermanoski

Project description

This project aims to develop materials and technologies for thermochemical hydrogen production. The project is entirely lab-based, and students can choose between different project aspects: chemical synthesis of redox-active Ca-Ce-Ti-Mn-O-Based perovskite ceramics (CCTM), CCTM ceramics extrusion and reactor element fabrication, mechanical reactor engineering, and electrical/software sensors/controls/diagnostics.

Special skills needed

Knowledge of chemistry, mechanical reactor engineering, and/or electrical diagnostics. This project is lab-based and involves physical sciences and engineering (STEM) but also sustainability.

Majors

Biological sciences, chemical sciences, physical sciences, engineering, sustainability

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Engineering, Sustainability

Thermo-Electrochemical Hydrogen Production

Project # 259

Center name: ASU LightWorks
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Ivan Ermanoski

Project description

This project aims to demonstrate a novel two-step thermal-electrical hybrid cycle for hydrogen production. The project is entirely lab-based, with experiments focusing on the fabrication and testing of multilayer oxygen and proton-conducting ceramic cells.

Special skills needed

Students need experience in STEM to perform experiments and tests of multilayer oxygen and proton-conducting ceramic cells

Majors

Biology, Chemistry, Physical Sciences, Engineering, Sustainability

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Engineering, Sustainability

Solar-Thermochemical Ammonia Production

Project # 260

Center name: ASU LightWorks
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Jim Miller

Project description

This project is working to develop a renewable alternative to the Haber-Bosch process for ammonia synthesis, necessary for the vast majority of global food production. The project is entirely lab-based and includes chemical synthesis of redox-active mixed metal nitrides, and ammonia synthesis reactor operation (mechanical, electrical/software sensors/controls/diagnostics).

Special skills needed

Knowledge of chemistry, mechanical or electrical engineering

Majors

Biology, chemistry, engineering, physical sciences

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Engineering, Sustainability

Circumventing Photosynthesis

Project # 261

Center name: ASU LightWorks
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Ivan Ermanoski

Project description

The goal of this project is to decrease land and water use and overall biosphere appropriations in food production by >100x compared to present. As part of the project, students study the growth of edible mushroom mycelium on sustainably produced abiotic substrates, as a sustainable complement to our currently solely photosynthetic and unsustainable food system. The project is entirely lab-based and includes mycelium cultivation (in petri dishes, shaker flasks, and bioreactors), and growth rate, efficiency, and nutrient content characterization.

Special skills needed

Interest in sustainable food systems, attention to detail

Majors

Sustainability, Sustainable Food Systems, Agriculture, Nutrition, Biology, Plant Sciences, Engineering, Chemistry

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Engineering, Sustainability

Data Center Opportunities and Challenges

Project # 262

Center name: ASU LightWorks
Campus/Location: Fully remote
Faculty lead: Ivan Ermanoski

Project description

The aim of this project is to synthesize recorded discussions with leading experts in the data center and adjacent fields into a final report that would be helpful to Arizona communities in navigating the benefits and challenges of new data center siting. This project is entirely remote (open in-person and online students), with the team expected to meet weekly with projects supervisors for questions and project updates.

Special skills needed

Interest in data centers, Arizona communities, sustainability, and policy

Majors

Engineering, Sustainability, Political Science, Social Science, Anthropology

Years

-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-3rd Year Students
-2nd Year Students
-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Engineering, Sustainability

Fossil and Live Plant Curation and Digitization

Project # 264

Center name: Fossil Plant Collections, a part of the Natural History Collections, Biocollect…
Campus/Location: Tempe; Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Kathleen Pigg

Project description

The Fossil Plant Collection is a unique component of the Natural History Collections, which together with the NEON biorepository comprise the ASU Biocollections. We are housed 2 miles off campus in the Alameda Building, 734 W Alameda Drive in Tempe. The collection includes fossil plant remains from numerous significant worldwide localities as well as extensive live plant anatomical sections (wood anatomy, pollen) and fruits, seeds and pine cones. The collection is organized and has been partially digitized as part of SEINeT https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/index.php and the Pteridoportal https://www.pteridoportal.org/portal/index.php. The goal of this research is to continue to develop the organization, digitization and online presence of this collection in order to make the resource available to the larger community. A secondary goal is to develop collections based research, science education and outreach. Barrett College Fellows would be involved in a variety of curatorial work including organization, documentation, digitization and online database presentation. In addition of curatorial and museum skills Barrett Fellows will learn about plant evolution, systematics, anatomical structure and the role of fossils in understanding broader aspects of evolution and ecology. Several individual projects focused on fossils and/or living plant tissues of particular plant taxonomic groups, fossils of specific localities and preservation and material types will be available and can be tailored to individual student interests. Work will be primarily within the collections at Alameda with some remote work also possible.

Special skills needed

Careful detail-oriented, reliable individuals with organizational and observational skills, background and/or interest in collections-based research, plant systematics, evolution, and structure. Digitization and bioinformatics skills are helpful but can be trained. Our work is highly visual and individuals interested in science/art connections, outreach, and science education a plus.

Majors

Biology, Conservation Biology, Ecology, Earth Sciences, Plant-related areas of interest, potentially artistic and science education areas

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Sustainability

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