Bucknell Immersive Summer Program Tackles Real-world Sustainability Issues

Whether kayaking down the Susquehanna River, advising the University about land use or digging deep into an organic farm's practices, participants in Bucknell's Institute for Leadership in Sustainable Technology (ILST) are immersed in an experience that changes the way they view sustainability from the local to global levels.

The competitive program, open to current first-, second- and third-year students from across the University, is now accepting applications. The deadline to apply is Monday, Feb. 5. The four-week, campus-based institute runs from mid-May to mid-June. On-campus housing is provided.

"ILST is an amazing experience that brings students from the three colleges together to learn and engage in ways that help participants develop knowledge and skills in leadership, teamwork, consulting, technology and sustainability," said Professor Neil Boyd, management, who created the program in 2015 with Professor Peter Jansson, electrical & computer engineering.

Selected students take part in hands-on, team-based activities, including consulting projects that focus on economic, social and environmental issues in residential and commercial settings. Participants also create business plans for an entrepreneurial startup. Past activities have included field trips to a wind farm, working visits to organic farms and tours of the Susquehanna River and the local coal region.

"The institute gives participants a unique opportunity to meet people who are dealing with real-world sustainability issues and to make informed contributions to the dialogue," Boyd said. "It's also a chance for students from different disciplines to collaborate, share their perspectives and solve problems together. I encourage qualified students who want this type of immersive experience to apply."