SIUE Rooftop Vegetable Garden Seeks Crowdfunding Support
Edwardsville (PRWEB) February 25, 2014 -- People around the world have the opportunity to contribute to a vegetable rooftop garden project at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. An SIUE collaborative research team is seeking financial support for the project by garnering donations via online crowdfunding.
The project team has posted the Veggie Rooftop Garden project on superiorideas.org to initially raise $8,100 from the community to support the students working on the project.
Led by Susan Morgan, professor of civil engineering and associate dean of the SIUE Graduate School, and Bill Retzlaff, professor of biological sciences and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the project will establish a vegetable garden on the patio rooftop of the Morris University Center.
"The concept builds upon the notion of using “green roof” technology for a sustainable approach to stormwater management and energy consumption, while studying the effects of using a waste product in a growth medium," Morgan said. "But above that, the garden will provide learning and job experiences for both graduate and undergraduate students."
Students will learn about green roof technology and vegetable production. All produce will be used by SIUE Dining Services or donated to initiatives such as The Campus Kitchen at SIUE, which keeps food from going to waste while feeding those in need. SIUE recently received a $5,000 grant sponsored by The Campus Kitchens Project Inc. to open a local Campus Kitchen.
The collaborative effort is part of the SIUE’s Green Roof Environmental Evaluation Network (G.R.E.E.N.). In this project, G.R.E.E.N. is partnering with Filtrexx, St. Louis Composting and Illinois American Water to install the vegetable rooftop garden.
Funds will go to support the work of an undergraduate student and a graduate student on the project. It is hoped that by raising many small donations from a large network of donors, the project can reach its funding goal quickly. Those interested in providing donations to the project may easily submit their donations, however small, to Superior Ideas, a crowdfunding site owned by Michigan Technological University.
By preparing the next generation of leaders in a knowledge-based economy, SIUE’s Graduate School fulfills the region’s demand for highly trained professionals. Graduate school offerings include arts and sciences, business, education, engineering, nursing and interdisciplinary opportunities. SIUE professors provide students with a unique integration of theoretical education and hands-on research experiences. Students can obtain graduate certificates or pursue master’s degrees, and be part of a supportive learning and rich intellectual environment that is tailored to the needs of adult learners. The Graduate School raises the visibility of research at SIUE, which ranks highest among its Illinois Board of Higher Education peers in total research and development expenditures according to the National Science Foundation. Doctoral programs are available in the Schools of Education (EdD) and Nursing (DNP). The School of Engineering features a cooperative doctoral program (PhD).
Central to SIUE’s exceptional and comprehensive education, the College of Arts and Sciences has 19 departments and 85 areas of study. More than 300 full-time faculty/instructors deliver classes to more than 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Faculty help students explore diverse ideas and experiences, while learning to think and live as fulfilled, productive members of the global community. Study abroad, service-learning, internships, and other experiential learning opportunities better prepare SIUE students not only to succeed in our region's workplaces, but also to become valuable leaders who make important contributions to our communities.
Doug McIlhagga, Southern IL University Edwardsville, http://www.siue.edu, +1 (618) 650-5600, [email protected]
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