Student Inquiries into Neglected Research for a Sustainable Society: Communication and Application

By applying the interdisciplinary approach of Science, Technology & Society, students can solve often-neglected research problems of shifting society’s operation towards a sustainable state. A recent Penn State University student research report entitled “The Mueller Report: Moving from Sustainability Indicators to Sustainability Action”, contained a detailed ecological analysis of one campus building and addressed methods to optimize its ecological performance in terms of sustainability by utilizing both behavioral and technological improvements. This paper analyzes the factors that affected the successful implementation of sustainable practices generated by student research: i) choosing a receptive primary audience, ii) establishing interpersonal relationships with decision makers, iii) saturating the local media, iv) making sustainability convenient, and v) demonstrating fiscal responsibility.