Five research projects tackling key sustainability issues have received funding through the Sustainability Catalyst Grant program, and four of them include University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) faculty. 

The grants are administered by the Graham Sustainability Institute at U-M. Graham Family Director, Jennifer Haverkamp, says the program helps "bridge the gap between academic research and real-world impact."

The four projects that include SEAS faculty are:

Reducing Radiology’s Carbon Footprint Without Compromising Care
This project will evaluate the energy footprint of various imaging protocols (ultrasound, CT, and MRI) to develop guidelines that promote energy-efficient options without compromising patient care. Researchers will integrate energy consumption data with clinical data from the University of Michigan Health System to demonstrate how modality selection influences patient care pathways and follow-up exam frequency.
Project team: Nikita Consul, PI (Department of Radiology); Shelie Miller, co-I (School for Environment and Sustainability); Geoffrey Lewis (School for Environment and Sustainability); Katherine Maturen (Radiological Society of North America Sustainability Task Force Member)

Mapping a Sustainable Future for Local Fiber Economies
In partnership with Fibershed.org and Michigan Fibershed, this research team will develop a fibershed ecosystem-mapping framework using Michigan Fibershed as a pilot. The concept of fibershed refers to a region where natural fibers are sustainably grown, processed, and manufactured.
Project team: Melissa Duhaime, PI (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology); M’Lis Bartlett, co-I (School for Environment and Sustainability); Joseph Trumpey, co-I (Stamps School of Art & Design); Erin Baker, co-I (Michigan Fibershed); Mitch Fehrle, co-I (Michigan Fibershed); Angie Martin, co-I (Michigan Fibershed); Courtney Lockemer (Fibershed.org)

Illuminating the Impact of E-Waste on Urban Evolution in Ghana
This project will conduct a comprehensive dataset of labor, health, and economic variables of Old Fadama, which sits adjacent to one of the world's largest electronic waste recycling sites in Accra, Ghana, addressing critical gaps in data to support informed, inclusive policy interventions. Researchers will collaborate with local authorities and academics to understand migration patterns, labor trends, and public health indicators to improve knowledge of the settlement’s socio-economic and environmental dynamics.
Project team: Brandon Marc Finn, PI (School for Environment and Sustainability); Emily Treleaven, co-I (Institute for Social Research); Dimitris Gounaridis (School for Environment and Sustainability); Suchir Gupta (University of Michigan student); Eden Gbeckor-Kove (Accra Metropolitan Assembly); Ebenezer Forkuo Amankwaa (University of Ghana)

Confronting Energy Injustice With Community-Driven Solutions
In collaboration with the Energy Equity Project and the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition, this project confronts the severe consequences of energy shutoffs in Detroit, with a focus on Black and Latinx communities. Although DTE Energy reports some shutoff data, it lacks the local detail needed to fully understand the impacts.
Project team: Tony Reames, PI (School for Environment and Sustainability); Marie O’Neill, co-I (School of Public Health); Justin Schott, co-I (School for Environment and Sustainability); Rahul Agrawal Bejarano (Energy Equity Project); Anne Marie Hertl (Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition (MEJC)); Chris Gilmer-Hill (MEJC); Xandr Brown (MEJC); Andrew Kaplowitz (MEJC)

For more information, read the press release on the Graham Sustainability Institute website.