Masters of the Environment (MENV) Students Showcase Innovative Solutions at Capstone Poster Session
Last week, the second-year Masters of the Environment (MENV) graduate students took center stage as they presented their Capstone Projects during a poster session to the MENV community. This event is a cornerstone of the program, highlighting the culmination of a year-long experiential learning journey. The Capstone Project offers students the chance to collaborate with organizations to tackle pressing environmental and sustainability challenges. Through courses like Capstone Innovation Lab (CIL) 1, 2, and 3, students enhance their skills in project management, partner engagement, and data analysis while crafting real-world solutions.
The students presenting last week were in their final Capstone course, CIL 3, where they focused on synthesizing data and producing impactful deliverables. The culmination of their summer work was showcased through engaging poster presentations that gave the MENV community insight into their year-long collaborations with external partners.
Innovative Projects Across Three Sessions
The poster session was divided into three groups, with each session highlighting a wide range of environmental and sustainability topics:
Session One Projects:
Drive Clean Colorado & Colorado Energy Office: Focused on expanding zero-emission mobility access and education across the state.
Boulder JCC: Worked on a climate resilience and sustainability plan.
Rising Routes: Developed capacity for inclusive outdoor opportunities.
Cloudbreak Energy Partners LLC: Conducted a comprehensive analysis of agrivoltaics in the western U.S.
NREL: Focused on workforce development for the wind energy sector.
Outdoor Recreation Roundtable: Unified sustainability efforts within the outdoor recreation industry.
Mad Agriculture: Created a stewardship plan for Haystack Farms.
CAP Management: Implemented a sustainable HOA certification.
Restore Hetch Hetchy: Supported public use of the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park.
Boomtown: Created a sustainable cities innovation platform.
Session Two Projects:
Albertsons Companies Inc: Devised a strategy for electric vehicle charging station deployment in grocery retail.
Colorado Dept of Corrections & Governor's Office of Climate Preparedness: Conducted climate risk assessments and resilience planning in Colorado prisons.
Colorado Parks & Wildlife: Advanced the state’s regional partnerships initiative.
Peregrine Energy Solutions LLC: Focused on strategic land acquisition for battery energy storage.
Chef Ann Foundation: Highlighted the importance of scratch cooking in school food programs.
Bonterra: Developed forward-thinking approaches for B Corp assessments and sustainability analytics.
Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger: Conducted a community food assessment and resiliency model.
Boulder County Housing Authority: Worked on the Casa de la Esperanza rehabilitation project.
Trust for Public Land: Addressed climate change through reforestation of public spaces.
ICLEI: Developed sustainable and circular public procurement strategies for local governments.
Session Three Projects:
Revesco Properties: Explored sustainable design, transit, and solar integration for The River Mile.
Colorado Office of the Future of Work: Studied the future of work in a climate-impacted Colorado.
Leeward Renewable Energy: Identified siting opportunities for renewable energy development.
Colorado Electric Transmission Authority: Focused on transmission expansion through existing right-of-ways.
Thule: Explored a brand-owned recommerce program.
Metro Caring: Investigated universal basic food access.
Boulder Valley School District: Worked on decarbonizing the school district.
High Line Canal Conservancy: Conducted an accessibility audit of the High Line Canal Trail.
Celebrating the Best of the Best
The day concluded with awards recognizing the standout teams. The Highline Canal team took home the Audience Award, while the ICLEI team received the Advisor Award. Additionally, the Colorado Electric Transmission Authority team earned a special award from Josh Radoff, the Renewable and Sustainability Specialization Lead.
Looking Ahead
Capstone Partner Proposal Submissions due October 1, 2024
Interested in working with our students? There’s still time to submit a Capstone Proposal for the 2024-2025 project cycle. Learn more about what it means to be a Capstone Partner and submit a proposal by October 1, 2024 to be considered for our next cycle. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to our Capstone Lead, Alice Renickova at Alice.Reznickova@colorado.edu
Capstone Symposium on November 15, 2024
The excitement doesn’t stop here! Mark your calendars for the Capstone Symposium on November 15, 2024, where these same student teams will present their projects in 20-minute sessions to a broader audience, including industry professionals and CU community members. Interested in attending? RSVP using this link, and join us in celebrating the innovative, solution-oriented work of our MENV students.