SUNY ESF Wins Grant to Create Climate Action Research Exchange and Study Abroad Program with University in Colombia

07/10/2024

Syracuse, NY – July 10, 2024 – Faculty at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in collaboration with faculty at Universidad Autónoma de Occidente (UAO) in Colombia won a 100,000 Strong in the Americas grant for their proposed Climate Action research project and student exchange program “Communicating Just Rural Transitions in the Americas.” ESF is one of 16 U.S. higher education institutions to win a grant to expand inclusive climate action education, research, and training programs with Colombian universities.   

Co-led by Dr. Theresa Selfa, professor of Environmental Studies, and Dr. Renata Moreno UAO and ESF Ph.D. 2016 alumna, the project will engage undergraduate students in learning, researching, and communicating about just energy transitions. The students will all enroll in a semester-long online course “Communicating Just Rural Transitions in the Americas.” During the exchange portion of the program, students will learn about a project with women involved in growing and marketing cacao, and the production and distribution of bioenergy in the United States and Colombia. 

“This partnership underscores the importance of international collaboration and renewable energy in addressing environmental challenges,” said ESF President Joanie Mahoney. “Dr. Selfa’s leadership, along with her colleagues at Universidad Autónoma de Occidente, provides a forward-thinking vision toward global climate action.”

Students from ESF and UAO will spend two weeks in the other country learning about just energy transitions, and developing bilingual multimedia stories using ESF’s Digital Storytelling Studio to communicate the challenges and solutions around just energy transitions to a broader audience. The goal is to secure funding to keep the partnership and student exchange program going and support more student and teacher exchanges in the future.  

“This is an incredible opportunity for faculty and students to explore some of the environmental problems facing rural communities and the strategies for using renewable energy to bring about sustainable agriculture and just energy transitions,” said Selfa, chair of ESF’s Environmental Studies department and program co-director.  

This 100K Strong in the Americas Climate/Inclusive Education competition, supported by Grupo Energía Bogotá (GEB), Fundación Santo Domingo (FSD), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Department of State, expands innovative higher education partnerships to increase access to inclusive, climate-focused student exchange and training programs in both countries.    

About SUNY ESF 

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient future through design, policy, and management of the environment and natural resources. Members of the College community share a passion for protecting the health of the planet and a deep commitment to the rigorous application of science to improve the way humans interact with the world. The College offers academic programs ranging from the associate of applied science to the Doctor of Philosophy. ESF students live, study and do research on the main campus in Syracuse, N.Y., and on 25,000 acres of field stations in a variety of ecosystems across the state.