Programs and Centers Relating to Sustainability

The following centers and programs at Georgetown have a focus on issues relating to the environment and sustainability as a part of their mission or their related work. Follow the links below to learn more about each program, and contact each directly for more information.

Opportunities for Undergraduate Engagement

The Beeck Center for Social Impact (new window)and Innovation (new window) exists to inspire and prepare students, faculty and global leaders with the necessary skills to generate and innovate solution-based social change both locally and internationally. It will promote collaborative spaces for fostering innovation and provide experiential opportunities to pragmatically impact the social sector.

Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service – In order to advance justice and the common good, The Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service (CSJ) promotes and integrates community-based research, teaching and service by collaborating with diverse partners and communities. A variety of the programs that CSJ runs and the student initiatives they support contain an environmental sustainability component, such as environmental education for DC youth, local neighborhood clean-up activities, and environmental justice initiatives such as educating around cleaner burning stoves for rural villages in the developing world.

Program on Science in the Public Interest – Through a Fall and Spring Seminar, Internships, Congressional Visits, and national award-winning Student Projects, Georgetown University’s Program on Science in the Public Interest (SPI) provides opportunities for students to engage with the government, industry, and the community on scientific issues that are shaping the nation and the world. SPI students examine challenges in fields such as the environment, energy, health and security.

The Office of Global Education – The Office of Global Education facilitates undergraduate credit-bearing study abroad opportunities. Serving Georgetown College, the Walsh School of Foreign Service, the McDonough School of Business, and the School of Nursing and Health Studies, the Office sends approximately 900 students abroad to earn academic credit in over 50 countries. Sustainability-related opportunities include:

• BIOL 241: Ecology, Culture and Sustainability in the Yucatan (new window) (Merida, Mexico)
• SPAN 288: Nature and Culture in Latin America (new window) (Quito, Ecuador)
• INAF 225: Politics of Marine Conservation on the Great Barrier Reef (new window) (Queensland, Australia)
• ENST 2270: Humans and Nature (new window) (new window) (Cape Town, South Africa)

Faculty Research Initiatives

The Earth Commons Institute – Georgetown’s Earth Commons Institute is a hub for environmental and sustainability innovation, research and education to accelerate action on the most pressing issues of our earth. Assembling a team of interdisciplinary experts, researchers, leaders and students, the Earth Commons is transforming the university into a living laboratory to develop scalable solutions for a greener, more sustainable world.

Programs at the Georgetown Law Center

Georgetown Climate Center – The nonpartisan Georgetown Climate Center (GCC) seeks to advance effective climate policies in the United States – policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, help communities adapt to climate change, and bridge the gap between climate and transportation planning. GCC works with state and federal officials, academics and an array of stakeholders to strengthen state and federal climate partnerships in the United States.

The Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Program – The Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Program (GELPP) facilitates and encourages synergy among the elements that have contributed to making Georgetown a national leader in environmental and land use law. GELPPs three main functions include maintaining an informational website about all aspects of environmental and land use law at Georgetown, organizing events and conferences, and promoting communication and mutual support between Georgetown faculty, students, and alumni working in the fields of environmental and land use law.

Programs at the McDonough School of Business

The Business for Impact initiative at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business aims to prepare current and future leaders to make responsible management decisions that create both economic and social value. Led by Distinguished Professor of the Practice, Bill Novelli, and Executive Director, Ladan Manteghi, GSEI engages corporate, nonprofit, government, and other stakeholders to advance the understanding of social enterprise.

Global Engagement

Issues of the environment and sustainability feature prominently in scholarship, teaching, and outreach activities at Georgetown.

The Earth Commons Institute (formerly the Georgetown Environment Initiative) connects faculty and students across campuses and disciplines who are working on environmental and sustainability issues in their scientific, policy, and ethical dimensions. The Program on Science, Technology, and International Affairs in the Walsh School of Foreign Service is home to leading experts across disciplines who are working on environment-related issues, and the Law Center hosts the leading Georgetown Climate Center. Georgetown’s Washington, D.C., location and proximity to policymakers are critical resources for the university’s efforts to explore environmental issues, nationally and internationally, and advance the global common good.