The Gund Institute for Environment today announced nearly $50,000 in Equity & Justice research grants—awarded in partnership with UVM’s Office of the Provost—for projects focused on the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion dimensions of sustainability and environment.
“Marginalized communities are disproportionately affected by environmental stressors, yet frequently excluded from decisions that shape the world around them,” says Gund Institute Director Taylor Ricketts. “Responsive, inclusive research can inspire action to reduce inequities and injustices that are at the core of all urgent environmental issues, from climate resilience to opening doors for future researchers and leaders.”
These awards will advance UVM scholarship on contaminant exposure in immigrant and indigenous anglers in Vermont, equity-based land access in the United States, and environmental science education for undergraduates.
The three projects receiving Equity & Justice awards for 2022-2023 are:
Ariana Chiapella (RSENR) and Kelsey Gleason (Larner Medicine) will examine levels of contaminant exposure from fish—including synthetic and industrial chemicals (PFAS, PCBs) and mercury—among immigrant, indigenous, and recreational anglers in the Lake Champlain basin. This research will support ongoing monitoring of these contaminants and help guide future community outreach and contaminant advisories. Collaborators include: the Vermont Department of Health, Middlebury College, the Vermont Military Poisons Coalition, the Association of Africans Living in Vermont, Gedakina, and the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation.
Katie Horner (CALS) will explore alternatives to private property-based land access with a focus on equity. In collaboration with Ernesto Méndez (CALS), she will explore systems and structures that address gender- and race-based disparities in agricultural land access. Focusing on Alternative Land Access Models (ALAMs), this research seeks to identify the role that cooperative and communal land access can play in enacting more socially just and sustainable agricultural and food systems in the U.S. This work is being done in partnership with the Agrarian Trust, with support from collaborators working with La Via Campesina, the Earth Law Center, the Vermont Law School, and George Mason University.
Krizzia Soto-Villanueva (Graduate College) and Isabella Bennett (RSENR) will develop a program to enhance the experience of undergraduate students from racial and ethnic groups traditionally underrepresented in the field of environmental research. Sponsored by Paul Bierman (RSENR), this program will help prepare and empower students to pursue ambitious career goals, enhancing diverse perspectives in environmental research to improve scientific outcomes and boost innovation. Collaborators include members of the following institutions: the University of Puerto Rico—Mayagüez, the University of Puerto Rico—Arecibo, Jackson State University, Oberlin College, the Purdue PRIME Laboratory, Williams College, and the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc.
“The Provost’s Office is pleased to support the Gund Equity & Justice Grants, which seek to advance cutting-edge scholarship and research addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the sphere of sustainability and environment,” says Patricia Prelock, UVM Provost and Senior Vice President.
The 2022-2023 awards will support at least 13 faculty and students from 4 colleges or schools and 5 departments at UVM. Local, national and international collaborators from at least 18 partner institutions will participate. Teams applied for up to $20,000 in funding to support their projects.
In just five years, the Gund Institute has provided over $1 million in seed funds, supporting 22 innovative projects and over 100 UVM scholars. These projects have generated over $14M in external funds, a 14-to-1 return on investment, and inspired real world action in Vermont, the US, and internationally.
Other Gund funding opportunities include: Catalyst Awards, COVID Rapid Research Fund (with the Office of the Vice President for Research), Apis Fund to support conservation and research on bee pollinators, fellowships and awards for PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and undergraduates, and the Eric Zencey Prize in Ecological Economics, which celebrates long-form environmental writing.
Learn more about the Gund Institute's new Equity & Justice research theme.