The 6th Annual Sustainable Societies Showcase

If you’re in need of a boost – a little pick-me-up to assure you that the students of today are up to the task of advocating for and repairing the world they’re inheriting from us, then take a gander at the CHC Sustainable Societies Showcase research projects.  The Campuswide Honors Collegium currently offers two course tracks to our students: Classic Track (Social Science Core and Science Core) and Sustainable Societies.  Sustainable Societies takes a cohort of students through six quarters of classes examining topics of sustainability in health care, environment, political systems, and urban design.  The CHC Sustainable Societies Showcase is an annual event where honors students in the Sustainable Societies course sequence present on the culmination of their work in the 6-quarter course, a group research project suggesting solutions to real-world problems of sustainability.  CHC alumni, CHC students, faculty, and community partners are invited to view student presentations and engage with the presenters.

The room was full at this year’s showcase with faculty, parents, honors students, honors staff, and administrators milling about to hear presentations from the 62 students in this year’s cohort.  The confluence of culminating honors student work, community enthusiasm, and plentiful refreshments lent a festive air to the showcase.  Presentation topics ranged from bus electrification to waste reduction to efficient food production and beyond.  For the first time ever, the Ted Wright Award for Excellence in Sustainable Societies was awarded to a group of students at the showcase.  The winning project, “Reducing Flooding in Costa Mesa,” was prepared and presented by Armando Jr. Villa, Star Santos, Mina Al-Yassiry, and Sophia La Perle.  Former CHC Associate Dean Ted Wright himself was present to judge the finalists and honor the winning group.  Current CHC Associate Dean Brandon Golob presented the inaugural award and congratulated all presenting students on completing the sequence.

If you are interested in mentoring CHC students on a future Sustainable Societies project, please contact Michelle Foley, Corporate Relations for the Office of the Vice Provost of Teaching and Learning, at avilesm@uci.edu.