As the Center for Sustainable Communities Research and Education (SCoRE) prepares to host Professor Juan Lucena for our Liam's Legacy 2023 Symposium: Humanitarian Engineering with Juan Lucena on Thursday, October 5th, we wanted to highlight our three Community Engaged Technology student fellows.  These students have been integral in the development and planning of this event.  We hope you can join us!

Who are the Community Engaged Technology Fellows?

My name is Sophia Ebbutt and I am a fourth-year Environmental Engineering student at Georgia Tech. I am passionate about creating sustainable and resilient water infrastructure. The CET Fellowship at SCoRE aligns with my interest in engineering for social good and has allowed me to develop my interest and learn more about how I can apply it impactfully. It has also been an excellent opportunity to… more


A recent article published by the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business highlights Garry Harris, founder and managing director of Center for Sustainable Communities, a signature partner of Serve-Learn-Sustain and the Center for Sustainable Communities Research and Education (SCoRE).  

In high school, Garry Harris (MSEEM ’22) earned the nickname, “Do It All Harris,” by competing in six track and field events, as opposed to one (which is typical). Garry’s life and career have been marked by an ability to move seamlessly across multiple interests. He has combined his passions for energy, sustainability, and community in order to pursue the humble goal he set out to achieve as an entrepreneur – “to save the world.” Garry is committed to pursuing global sustainable development as founder and managing director of the Center for Sustainable Communities (CSC), and president and CEO of the… more


The application for the second cohort of the SDG Futures Fellowship, a program launched last year by RCE Greater Atlanta, has opened. Co-led by staff and students from Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State, the program will run from October 2023 - April 2024.  The fellowship will have both in-person and virtual events over the course of the program, and feature project partnership and engagement with RCE Greater Atlanta community partners.

WHO CAN APPLY?

Any Youth (18-29) from any of the 11 RCE GA Affiliated HEIs interested in Sustainable/Professional Development are invited to apply. Our goal is to select 1 - 2 fellows from each HEI. Young professionals interested in transitioning to sustainability careers may also apply to the SDG Futures Fellowship.

PROGRAM GOALS

  1. Educate students about the UN SDGs through a justice and equity lens 

  2. Expose students to SDG-related problems and solutions both… more


Ridoine Idrissou is an undergraduate Computer Science student who participated in the SLS Sustainable Communities Summer 2023 internship program as an intern for the Center for Sustainable Communities.  This text was originally published in his Linked In feed and can be found here.

Over the past few months, I've had the honor of being part of something truly impactful. As a JUST Science Scholar and Intern at the Center for Sustainable Communities (CSC), a nonprofit dedicated to merging STEM with social justice, I've been on an exhilarating ride of innovation and purpose.

I proudly worked on not one, but two major projects that left me inspired and empowered. Crafting a dynamic newsletter for CSC and contributing to the inception of the National Environmental Justice Institute were… more


Dr. Brigitte Stepanov is a war researcher and Assistant Professor of Francophone Studies. She is the founder and director of the Energy Today Lab, an interdisciplinary research hub that reflects creatively and analytically on the energy - broadly defined from labor to thermodynamics - of our contemporary world.

Swann Community Library
Swann Community Library

Dr… more


As fall semester inches closer, we wanted to highlight a couple of ongoing, exciting opportunities, as well as one brand new course for your consideration during Phase II registration!

The Sustainable Cities Minor

If you are contemplating a minor, take a close gander at the SLS-affiliated Sustainable Cities Minor! The minor in Sustainable Cities emphasizes sustainability, community engagement, and social justice. It provides students with a deep learning experience that integrates classroom learning and real-world, community-based project experience in creating sustainable communities, with a focus on the built urban environment. You can learn more about the minor, and all the details on how to integrate into your present course of study, by visiting SCARP… more


Makaela Burch is a Masters student in City and Regional Planning at Georgia Tech. She participated in SLS' Sustainable Communities Summer Internship program this summer, as an intern for both SLS and Office of the Vice President for Interdisciplinary Research.

From June 5th-11th, I was able to attend the Southeast Environmental Justice Summit in Atlanta, Georgia. The Summit was organized by Harambee House, an environmental justice organization based in Savannah, Georgia.  On the first day of the Summit, I had the chance to go on an environmental justice tour of Atlanta, organized by Dr. Erica Hollman, of the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance. Along with Dr. Hollman, and other community organizers, we visited three sites across West Atlanta, and learned about the environmental justice efforts that were being tackled by local organizations. The most impactful site for me personally was the Chattahoochee Brick Company, located in west Atlanta, led by Donna… more


Monique Terrell is a Masters student in Public Health at the Morehouse School of Medicine.  Monique is currently serving as an intern for A Sip of Paradise Garden through SLS' Sustainable Communities Summer Internship Program.  

The Environmental Justice Summit hosted by Harambe House at the Grand Hyatt in Buckhead was an engaging and exhilarating conference. Being a part of conversations with the prominent stakeholders, organizations, nonprofits, and energy corporations who prioritize the environmental justice movement was an experience I will remember for years to come.

During the conference, I observed conversations concerning protecting the environment, organizations emphasizing the importance of safety and sustainability of all, and even discussions regarding Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their significance to communities countrywide. Tours were available that highlighted past and… more


During the second week of June, I had the opportunity of attending the Southeast Environmental Justice Summit held at the Grand Hyatt Buckhead. On the first day of the event, I participated in the Atlanta Justice40RWARD Environmental Justice tour, which included visits to significant locations, such as the Chattahoochee Brick Company site, Lindsay Street Park, and Project South. However, it was during our second stop at Lindsay Street Park that I had one of my most significant takeaways.

This park holds a special distinction as the first in the community created through the Conservation Fund's Parks and Purpose Program. The program aims to establish greenspaces that prioritize the safety of children while simultaneously addressing multiple challenges. These challenges include promoting access to healthy foods, creating employment opportunities for residents, and reducing the… more


Amani Allen-Beale is an Environmental Science major at Georgia Gwinnett College.  Amani was part of the inaugural SDG Futures Fellows cohort in 2022-2023, run by RCE Greater Atlanta.  Amani is currently participating in SLS' Sustainable Communities Summer Internship Program as an intern for RCE Greater Atlanta.  

Stepping onto the property of Southview Cemetery felt like stepping into a Black history time portal. If you haven’t heard of Southview, here’s a bit of background. Southview Cemetery is a Black owned cemetery that was started in February of 1886. During this time, Black Americans were not allowed to be buried near or next to white people or host their own funeral services. Southview was created by nine Black men whose descendants such as Winifred Hemphill now head the cemetery.

Initially, I didn’t… more