The Resource Nexus for Sustainability Grand Challenge
The Resource Nexus for Sustainability Grand Challenge tackles the issues of resilience and sustainability with the goal to build more resilient and sustainable urban and rural systems. For example, three current ‘Nexus’ teams are exploring topics such as:
- Idaho regenerative ranching and carbon projects
- Tribal energy solutions
- Refugee farming resilience
This initiative will catalyze a nexus of scholars and practitioners to explore interactions between the built and natural environment through the lens of many disciplines and stakeholders.
View the Resource Nexus for Sustainability project report
The Nexus teams are exploring ways to connect the outstanding work of current research groups while establishing the resources for all of those who wish to engage. Additionally, these researchers are also investigating how to support multidisciplinary, community-engaged research efforts financially and through policies that promote and reward these efforts.
Three projects, one massive challenge
Idaho regenerative ranching and carbon projects
Ranching is the predominant use of western lands, and School of Public Service faculty Jared Talley and his team want to discover if different grazing management plans could impact how much carbon the soil can sequester, thereby potentially creating another economic opportunity for rural Idaho ranchers to contribute to their local communities while helping recover public land ecosystems.
Tribal energy solutions
“What is most interesting about the project for me is the deep involvement of our community partners in both the design and implementation of the research, as well as the ability to build interdisciplinary capacity and a community network to advance energy and water resource sustainability in the remote and rural regions of Idaho,” says Stephanie Lenhart, a School of Public Service associate research professor.
Refugee farming resilience
“By engaging in a range of methods and community partners we can understand more deeply the challenges that refugee farmers in the Treasure Valley face,” team lead Rebecca Som Castellano said. “From there we will be working with the city of Boise to put our findings to action.”
Leadership Team
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Brittany Brand
Principal Investigator and Leadership Liaison to Community Engagement Team
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Vanessa Fry
Leadership Liaison to Asset Mapping Team
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