Sustainability Students
Sustainability Students at UWS
SURF Projects - Sustainability 'Photovoice' Exhibition – School Of Natural Science
The Sustainable UWS Rolling Fund (SURF) program funds sustainability projects that are developed, managed and implemented by UWS staff and students.
Student and staff sustainability workshops using 'photovoice' a community engagement tool to create a travelling photo exhibition and discussion on sustainability at UWS. Please see the video clip below for full details on this project.
Student Initiatives and Groups
UWS Hawkesbury Sustainability Collective
UWS Hawkesbury Sustainability Collective (HSC) is a student-run project initiated with the help of a SURF grant and the Office of Sustainability. The HSC is aimed at increasing sustainability at Hawkesbury campus for both UWS students and staff.
To find out more about what is happening to green your campus like the UWS HSC on Facebook (opens in a new window).
Landcare and Bushcare Groups
The University of Western Sydney have three landcare groups at Hawkesbury, Bankstown and Kingswood. The Hawkesbury Remnants Landcare Group has been nominated for an ACTS award in 2011 for Student initiatives and campaigns, and has won the Excellence in University Sustainability (Student) category of the VC's Excellence Awards.
For more information on volunteering please contact the Office of Sustainability.
Solar Car Club
With support from the Office of Sustainability and the School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics the solar car club is building a car to compete against about 30 other Universities from all over the world. The competition is a 3000km endurance race in a car that weighs less than a motor bike and travels over 100km/h on the same amount of power as a toaster.
The club is looking for new enthusiastic volunteers to design, build, support and eventually race our own car to solar glory in 2013. Find them on Facebook (opens in a new window).
Animal Arc
Animal Arc is a group of student who raise awareness about national and global welfare issues including wildlife, domestic and production animals. They also hold a number of fundraising initiatives for donation. Find them of Facebook (opens in a new window).
UWS Indigenous Student Collective
The Indigenous Student Collective aims to promote and enhance Indigenous student life at UWS through academics (group study programs/student to student mentoring), sports & athleticism (National Indigenous Tertiary Education Games), spirituality, creative arts (performance opportunities) and social activities.
There are a large number of different student groups and clubs all around UWS. To find one that suits you and get social visit the uwsconnect website (opens in a new window).
Sustainability and Social Research Group
The Sustainability and Social Research Group is a multidisciplinary research group between various UWS Colleges. The Group’s focus is closely aligned with the University’s mission of 'Bringing Sustainability of Life' ®.
SSRG’s research embraces the often neglected, but crucial social, economic and cultural aspects of sustainable development. The Group’s research is concentrated in five key programs, ones of which is environmental and natural resources law and environmental governance.
Professor Michael Jeffery is the head of the environmental law program. All of the PhD candidates supervised by Professors Michael Jeffery and Donna Craig are focussing on environmental law topics, chosen by them.
Pictured, left to right:
(Back row) - Manzoor Rashid (Bangladesh); Prof. Michael Jeffery; Xiaobo Zhao (PRC); Prof. Donna Craig; Ling Ling (supervised by Professors Caroline and Razeen Sappideen - her topic involves trade agreements between Australia and China).
(Front row) - Elizabeth Gachenga (Kenya); Qi Gao (PRC); Xiangbai He (PRC) and Ying Shen (PRC).
(Not in attendance) - Hem Lata (India), Kip Werren (Australia) and Jane Scanlon (Australia).
Ben Dessen
Ben is an outstanding first year student at the University of Western Sydney and is passionate about animal science and welfare. He has been selected from thousands of applicants around the world to take part in a documentary filmed in Borneo to help save the orangutans.
Ben Dessen is currently working in Borneo on the frontline of some of the most extreme environmental devastation on the planet, as one of 15 young global Eco Warriors in a 3D action movie along side Dr Willie Smits. He has already spent a few weeks in Borneo and will be going back next year. For more information of Ben Dessen's adventure of a life time, please visit his personal blog (opens in a new window)
Lucy Wilkinson
Lucy Wilkinson is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts, Pathway to Primary Education. She has a keen interest in recycling, stating that a recent unit entitled 'Education for Sustainability' opened her eyes to the way humans take Earth of granted. Lucy looks forward to the challenge of mentoring her future students as the generation who will care about the environment.
John Wright
John is a Bachelor of Science (Honours) student with the University of Western Sydney who's honours project is providing reasons for the altering response of different oyster species and how climate change stressors impact on valuable marine and estuarine organisms important for aquaculture industry. John has received an award for 'Best Young Research Poster' (opens in a new window) from the World Oyster Society for his poster presented at the Fourth International Oyster Symposium in Tasmania. John is also a recent recipient of the VC's Excellent Award for Excellence in University Sustainability and today continues on with his PhD at UWS.
