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A Center for Environmental Excellence (CEE) at IUN
Table of contents

• Collaborating Units
• Other Affiliated Faculty:
• Synopsis
• Correlation with IUN's Shared Vision Goals:
• Specific Outcomes and Benefits
• Goals and Processes
• Sustainability
• Potential Areas of Faculty involvement with CEE
• Concluding Statement

A Center for Environmental Excellence (CEE) at IUN

Sustainable Vitality of NW Indiana Area
Environmental Systems programmatic area
 

Collaborating Units

The following units are collaborating on this project; contacts are in parentheses.

Geosciences  (Kenneth Brock, Timothy G. Fisher*)
Chemistry (Kizhanipuram Vinodgopal)
Biology (Spencer Cortwright)
SPEA (Ellen J. Szarleta)
Library Data Center (Timothy Sutherland)
Mathematics (Iztok Hozo)
Fine Arts (Neil Goodman)
United States Geological Survey (Richard Whitman)
Business (Donald Coffin)
Medicine (Nancy J. Mangini)

*Main Contact Person (980-7122) or tgfisher@iun.edu

Other Affiliated Faculty:

Dr. Gian Mario Besana, Associate Professor of Mathematics
Professor Angel Gochee, Lecturer in Biology
Dr. Richard Hug, Associate Professor in the Division of Public and Environmental Affairs
Dr. Vesna Kilibarda, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
Greg Quartucci, natural resources analyst at N.I.P.S.C.O.
Professor Peggy Ruckman, Lecturer in Biology
Dr. Henry L. Wyzinski, Associate Professor of Mathematics
 

Synopsis

Our vision is a further exploration, remediation, and preservation of the environmental realm through the establishment of a Center for Environmental Excellence (CEE) under the area of excellence Sustainable Vitality of NW Indiana. The environment is a fundamental substrate from which numerous branches of study extend. On Earth, three spheres (atmosphere?air, hydrosphere?water and lithosphere?land) are united by the biosphere where humanity is in constant motion taking from each sphere what it wants and juggling the remaining in an effort to make a profit, but still maintain an acceptable quality of life. In NW Indiana this juggling act is more than apparent in the health of the environment. Cause of death for heart disease for Lake County exceeds the state and national average. Lake and Porter Counties have the most polluted (air) in the country outside the major urban centers. Ozone Alert days during the summer can be numerous. Beaches have been closed because of dangerous levels of E. coli. bacteria. Clearly, there are serious environmental concerns.

Curiously, the four spheres of our environment have been systematically abused, modified, relied upon and cherished. It is this environmental enigma that makes it so worthy of study. In this proposal we discuss the various ways in that a CEE fits the Shared Vision as explored by the communities of IUN and the seven county community served by IUN. We demonstrate that continued environmentally related studies conforms to the Sustainable Vitality of NW Indiana Area of Excellence, which is unique to IUN within NW Indiana.  As long as we continue to rely upon the human material and physical environment in all of its aspects, future studies of the environment and engagement in the community by IUN, and thus the sustainability of CEE, will be ensured.
 

Correlation with IUN's Shared Vision Goals:

The term ëenvironmentalí is quite general, inherently cross-disciplinary, and embraced by a wide variety of users. One of the outcomes of the Shared Vision process is a focus on interdisciplinary programs. Within this proposal, there is direct support from four divisions (School of Arts & Sciences, School of Medicine, Division of Business and Economics and SPEA), the library, from at least 5 separate departments within Arts & Sciences, and indirect support from other divisions and departments. The authors of this report represent the areas of direct support.

By its very nature, environmental studies are multidisciplinary. For example, in the sciences there is a proposal in the works for a Masters in Environmental Studies. The curriculum for this degree consists of courses from Geology, Biology, Chemistry and SPEA because the natural environment of land, air and water is intimately linked. Thus, a holistic study and understanding of the environment requires a study of all three areas to best understand its linkages. The involvement with SPEA channels the academic knowledge and ideas into useable avenues at the industrial, governmental, and business level. Similarly, the concern of environmental justice adds a human dimension whereby lower income populations are situated in areas of greater pollution. In this example we combine minority studies with technology such as Geographic Information System (GIS) that utilizes a spatial analysis methodology to map environmental injustice.

Indirect support and involvement is envisioned with Allied Health and Nursing, divisions that are intimately linked with the quality of life and health of the regionís residents. Dr. Mangini of the IU School of Medicine in the NWCME indicates the need to compile and examine databases relating to the health of Northwest Indianaís diverse, multi-ethnic population. Variables such as ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and personal choice contribute to a personís health and well-being. However, environmental factors such as atmospheric pollution are insensitive to ethnic and socioeconomic variables, underlying the need for a holistic study of the environment that envelops the many varied aspects of the environment that includes the human element. Our proposed CEE complements the institutional outcome of community health and well-being, and for example the contribution from the School of Medicine to the Shared Vision proposal entitled ìNorthwest Indiana Center for Family Wellness and Life-long Learning.î

The use of technology, such as GIS mapping of relationships, can initiate projects, involve community, and portray data already collected. Working with health agencies and hospitals, health statistics can be incorporated into a GIS that simultaneously exhibits sources of pollution. GIS can be used not only for automatically producing maps, but it is unique in its capacity of integration and spatial analysis of multisource data: population, topography, hydrology, climate, vegetation (satellite pictures), access routes (roads and railways), public infrastructure (schools, main drinking water supply), and health infrastructure, including epidemiological data on diseases.
 

Specific Outcomes and Benefits
 

1. Bring regional, and perhaps national, recognition to IUN as a center of environmental expertise.
2. Generate studies and projects that will significantly enhance the environment, and quality of life, for all citizens of northwest Indiana.
3. Develop closer bonds and working relationships between IUN and industry.
4. Provide richer research, teaching and service opportunities for students.
5. Through CEE, faculty will likely develop more holistic research and creative activities, involving a greater diversity of investigators. Knowledge will be dispersed in the appropriate journals and academic outlets as well as in industrial, in-house and government publications.

1. CEE would be considered an umbrella organization for environmental studies at IUN with involvement from other NW Indiana academic institutes. Recognizing that ëenvironmentalí has a variety of meanings, the center would likely encompass two general areas. The first would be in the natural and physical sciences including Biology, Chemistry and Geology, and the second would be in applied areas such as SPEA, the Medical School, Fine Arts and the Environmental Justice Center. The CEE director, who would be provided with a support staff, would occupy an endowed chair.
2. Undergraduate and graduate student involvement in the proposed CEE will have a positive impact on their education, preparing them for life-long learning, ethical practices, successful careers, technological training, and effective citizenship.
3. The development of synergy in the proposed center will rely heavily upon strong partnerships with industry, regional businesses, and sister institutions. CEE would likely require a board of directors, some of whom should be from the regional businesses and industry, to complement board members from the academic community. The center would have a physical space suitable for workshops, conferences and meetings within the campus and for outside agencies. An academic component, perhaps science based environmental studies (to complement SPEA), and the proposed Masters in Environmental Sciences could be administered within CEE.
4. Continued promotion of environmental research in natural sciences and other applied areas.

Sustainability

By the definition of excellence, any area chosen must be sustainable. An interest in the environment gained popularity in the 1960ís when environmental degradation was becoming commonplace with the realization that resources on planet Earth were not unlimited. Since that time, recognition that the fate of humanity may be intimately linked with the environment has spurred considerable activity within government, academia, and private industry. Today, for example, climate warming is not just a buzzword, but receives significant attention as our future is linked to changes in climate and weather patterns, sources of safe drinking water, infestation and poleward migration of diseases from the tropics. With continued growth of the global population, and depletion of identified resources, all nations are concerned about their futures. In Northwest Indiana, one of the most polluted areas in this country, a future in environmental studies fueled by environmental degradation is secure.

A Center for Environmental Excellence can sustain itself financially through research grants obtained from the community, the university, and federal sources.  Environmental research is active within each of the natural sciences, SPEA, and Medicine areas. Much of the pollution in the region comes from local industry. By establishing partnerships with local industry, and in combination with fund raising activity from the Chancellorís office financial resources could be secured from the region. The Chancellor is presently negotiating such an approach. A meeting is being set up May 30th with regional government agencies, sister institutions, businesses and industries. This meeting was precipitated by a proposal from the Departments of Chemistry, Geosciences, Biology and SPEA request $ four million from the USX Foundation for: (a) an endowed chair in environmental studies, (b) renovation of the first floor of Marram Science Building to house new laboratories for the environmental center, and (c) acquisition of analytical instrumentation appropriate for such a center.  An alternative funding source could involve industries that exceed their pollution allotments; a percentage of their fines might be paid to the Environmental Center.  Finances in the form of grants may be available from Research and the University Gradate School (RUGS) at IUB to specific faculty to carry out research. Funds obtained from federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Health (NIH) and EPA can fund research activity, and also provide indirect costs (49% with NSF) that are recovered by our campus.

Potential Areas of Faculty involvement with CEE

• Urban Environmental Health Issues
• Ornithology
• Suburban Sprawl
• Environmental Outreach With The Public
• E. coli contamination Studies
• Environmental Chemistry & Geochemistry
• Mathematical Modeling
• Ecological & Geological Studies
• Mapping Using GIS &Remote Sensing Technology
• Groundwater Flow Patterns & Quality
• Science Olympiad
• Environmentally inspired Fine Arts

A Center for Environmental Excellence is perfectly suited for IUN.  Northwest Indiana faces a broad spectrum of environmental challengesósome have generated health issues and others involve environmental injustice.  All affect the quality of life in northwest Indiana. Accordingly, CEE would serve as a conduit through which the health and well being of all northwest Indiana citizens can be improved. Various levels of government are currently investing resources to address these environmental problems and related health issues; consequently, local, state, and federal sources will provide funding opportunities to sustain the established program.

Implementation of the four goals in this program will promote improvements in the environment throughout our seven county area, generate student involvement, enhance cooperation between IUN and northwest Indiana industries, and strengthen research capabilities on our campus. The CEE proposal is multidisciplinary, cross-divisional, and collaborative. Disciplines of the participants span the range from science/mathematics and medicine, through SPEA and Business, to the fine arts; CEE is clearly a diverse and collaborative endeavor. The program will provide additional academic and technical training for our students, thereby, attracting new students to our campus. Indeed, the Center for Environmental Excellence is precisely the program that can bring recognition, eminence, and distinction to IUN and these are the very characters that define excellence.