Sustainability is embedded within teaching practices across the Faculty through interdisciplinary curricula that address global environmental challenges and promote sustainable solutions. Courses integrate real-world case studies, research-led content, and experiential learning opportunities to equip students with the skills needed to tackle climate change, resource management, and environmental stewardship. Additionally, sustainability principles are woven into project work and collaborations, encouraging students to apply critical thinking and innovative approaches to complex, real-world issues.
Opportunities for students:
Introduction to Climate Change
This new course will provide the knowledge and skills to help you make informed and climate-conscious decisions to your daily life, study and future career.
I-Explore modules for undergraduates
Undergraduate students take a for-degree-credit I-Explore module from outside of your discipline in either Year 2 or Year 3.
FoNS Make-a-Difference (FoNS-MAD)
Open to FoNS undergraduate students and team members across faculties, FoNS-MAD provides undergraduate students with a forum to develop low-cost technology that would have a positive impact on society- so we are looking for projects that are not purely commercial in nature, but that would have some societal benefit (such as a change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, and the environment or quality of life).
Across our departments:
- Centre for Environmental Policy
- Department of Chemistry
- Department of Life Sciences
- Grantham Institute
Degrees relating to sustainability:
Chemistry also offers a wide range of teaching modules relating to sustainability and the environment:
- Y1 Hack it! lab-based group project* - students work on an open-ended sustainability-focussed project, most recently the project has been testing kitchen waste to treat water pollution
- Y1 Synthesis 1.3 lab written assignment – students suggest ways to make a previous year 1 experiment more green
- Y2 Synthesis 2 lab experiment – students are testing green solvents for the synthesis of ferrocene, and use their own data in calculations of various green metrics*
- Y2 Synthesis 2 lab written assignment – students suggest ways to make a literature protocol more green*
- Y3 Synthesis lab experiment – students prepare a nickel-based catalyst and test its scope for traditionally palladium- or platinum-catalysed reactions*(with Ravi Singh)
- Y3 Interdisciplinary experiment – students test methods to de- and re-polymerise waste plastic
- Use of the product of one experiment in a later experiment – this is in place for two practicals in year 1, there is scope to extend the practice and to develop ‘circular’ experiments to reduce waste*
- A Laidlaw Scholars summer 2024 project gathered data and opinions on sustainability in the curriculum from students and staff in the department*(with UG student Dalia Taleb)
- A proposal for a StudentShapers summer 2025 project to build on the 2024 project findings is in preparation.
Many of Life Sciences' degrees offer great insight into sustainability and the environment, including:
Grantham offer postgraduate opportunities, including:
- MSc in Cleantech Innovation
- Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet Doctoral Training: a unique and prestigious doctoral training programme, funded by NERC and based at the Grantham Institute.