“Living lab” toolkit: Processes and digital support systems for high impact sustainability projects

“Living lab” portal: Facilitating high impact sustainability projects

WHAT IS A LIVING LAB?

A living lab is a given place where problem-based teaching, research and applied work combine over time to develop actionable solutions that make that place more sustainable.

LIVING LAB INGREDIENTS• Place-based• Sustainability focused• Real-world learning and applicability• Assessment and continuous learning• Collaborative action and learning

OVERARCHING GOAL

Provide students and faculty with an abundance of opportunities and connections for building high impact educational and research projects that advance major sustainability goals in the community.

WHY AREN’T WE THERE YET?• Need to:– Move from ad hoc to systematic– Move wide spread impacts, to targeted,

coordinative and cumulative impact– More efficient systems for brokering and

maintaining partnerships– More avenues for community problem posing and

wide-spread engagement

THE LIVING LAB “PORTAL”

• Piloting an online space for:– Community problem

posing/idea generation– Crowd source fundraising– Archiving projects, best

practices and resources– Brokering connections

between community needs and academic resources

WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE?

• Not exactly sure…• Internal and external goal setting process and

extensive review of existing sites/software needed

Plenty of examples out there, not fit the bill perfectly…

iobyweb-based “crowd-resourcing” platform with online searchable database that connects people and money to site-based projects

Mind Mixer

Community engagement tool for gathering and crowd souring ideas...and then connecting those ideas to action!

Smarter CitiesA PROJECT OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL

Learn about best practices, initiatives, share ideas and solutions, and post news, events and opportunities

Hands OnGREATER PORTLANDWeb-based volunteer resource organizing platform with online searchable database to connect volunteers

Web-based resource platform with online searchable database to connect students, faculty, and staff to campus projects

UC Santa Cruz Sustainability Project Clearinghouse

Thanks!