Established over 20 years ago, SEEDS is a Campus as Living Laboratory initiative that supports the integration of academic and operational sustainability efforts, while contributing to student learning, research and professional experiences. SEEDS brings together UBC students, faculty, staff, and community partners to collaborate, on projects that make a meaningful difference in advancing UBC’s sustainability and wellbeing commitments, UBC’s Strategic Plan, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as they align with the University’s strategic priorities. Learn about all of the ways to collaborate with us.
Students
SEEDS provides UBC undergraduate and graduate students opportunities to lead impactful research through curricular or co-curricular pathways. These research opportunities provide valuable learning and professional experiences.
As a student researcher, you will have the opportunity to build on over 20 years of SEEDS student research and well-established campus partnerships. Together with operational staff and faculty, you will co-develop solutions to societal challenges and advance UBC’s sustainability and wellbeing commitments through an applied research project or interdisciplinary collaboration. Your work will mobilize knowledge and action to meet critical sustainability challenges faced by UBC and society.
Learn more about how you can collaborate with UBC faculty, staff, and community partners.
Faculty
SEEDS has collaborated with over 300 UBC Faculty members across 12 different faculties and schools integrating applied research opportunities in more than 250 courses.
Faculty members from any of UBC’s faculties or schools can partner with SEEDS to integrate applied student research into their undergraduate or graduate courses. Through SEEDS and a “Campus as a Living Laboratory" approach, faculty can connect their curriculum and use their expertise to advance UBC’s sustainability and wellbeing commitments and address critical societal challenges. Topics range from urban biodiversity, climate, and green buildings to food security and sustainability.
Students gain valuable applied experiences that contribute to their learning and professional development by collaborating with campus staff and community partners to advance UBC’s ambitious sustainability and wellbeing policies, plans and practices.
Find out how you can integrate applied research into your undergraduate or graduate courses, while offering practical and impactful sustainability learning and research experiences to your students. Or learn more about joining a SEEDS Interdisciplinary Applied Research Initiative. Joining a research initiative provides opportunities to expand your network and collaborate with other UBC faculty, practitioners, and students to provide expertise and guidance on advancing UBC’s sustainability and wellbeing policies, plans and practices.
Staff and Community Partners
Situated within Campus + Community Planning, SEEDS is closely connected to UBC’s operational sustainability commitments and plays an important role in helping the university develop and achieve its ambitious targets and broader commitments to sustainability and wellbeing. We have worked with over 600 staff in student research collaborations and interdisciplinary partnerships to inform the development and implementation of UBC’s policies, plans, and practices spanning our sustainability and wellbeing commitments.
Campus staff and community leverage the creativity, energy, and research innovation of UBC undergraduate and graduate students, the expertise of UBC faculty, as well as the institutional knowledge and resources of SEEDS to develop and implement UBC’s operational sustainability and wellbeing policies, plans and practices.
Staff and community partners can participate in SEEDS through applied student research or an interdisciplinary collaboration to help develop or implement a plan, policy, or practice.
Find out how you can gain access to applied research and interdisciplinary collaborations to advance your sustainability practices, plans or policies, and the university's sustainability and wellbeing commitments.
Staff and community partners: LEARN MORE
COLLABORATE WITH US
If you any questions, please contact our team about getting involved in a SEEDS Sustainability Collaboration.