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The Dynamic Sustainability Lab at Syracuse University presented research and a guidebook to aid local governments on matters regarding electric vehicles and net-zero carbon emissions at the 2024 Sustainability Summit in Boston, MA.

The research presented at the symposium on March 11 was a collective effort by the students in DSL, said Jay Golden, the organization’s founder and faculty director. He and the students identified important sustainability impacts at the time and found a common interest to tackle — EVs and net-zero carbon transitions at the government and industry level.

“We are about to finalize (this) guidebook for the local government, and the authors are SU students,” Golden said.

DSL, a research lab that launched in 2021 on SU’s campus, is entirely independent of the university administration and seeks to “support organizations in realizing sustainability transition opportunities by identifying the dynamic risks and developing strategies,” according to its website.

Golden said the Boston symposiums serve to help government and industries see their research center as a nexus of business and policy, focused on net-zero carbon emissions.

“Our students can shine (in their research) and they take great opportunities to either go to grad school or get hired,” he said.

Michael Garzone-White, a DSL research fellow and graduate student in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, said the Boston Symposium was split into two sessions. One discussion centered around data needs for net-zero carbon emissions, and the other around energy and EV transitions.

DSL’s presentation was focused on energy and EV transitions, which Garzone-White said was the “cornerstone” of that session. He said DSL had been working on its presentation for two to three weeks before the symposium, where it was shown in front of local government and industry leaders.

“It’s just kind of an opportunity for the students to get their research out there. Especially for what our team is doing, we’re making a guidebook specifically aimed at local governments and municipalities and industry leaders to read,” Garzone-White said.

DSL’s guidebook, which Garzone-White said encompasses the research the team presented at the symposium, features a comprehensive report about EV transitions, focused on helping local state governments and industry leaders across the Northeast understand the impacts of EV transition, particularly in terms of budget deficits, fuel taxes and road upkeep, Golden said.

The guidebook’s goal is to aid local governments, especially at the city, town and county level, in understanding what they have to consider for their own “fleet.” It also seeks to help communities and constituents through the process of EV transition, Golden said.

“There are major budget issues and no state is really thinking about it,” Golden said. “It’s really going to impact transportation in the United States, both our roads, our highways, our bridges, but also mass transit.”

Golden also said DSL signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Northeast Clean Energy Council in November 2022. Golden said they partnered with NECEC because both groups are focusing on similar topics in their research.

NECEC is based out of Boston and works with industries and governments around the Northeast, aiming to “promote the widespread adoption of clean energy and climate technologies,” according to its website.

“Our research is very similar, not just EVs, but on clean energy and renewables,” Golden said. “So we work closely with them.”

Garzone-White said going to Boston gave him the opportunity to learn more — not just about energy and EVs — but other areas of leading sustainability research.

“To be able to go and present our research and get a sneak peek right before the guidebook comes out was just kind of a really, really good opportunity for us,” he said. “Just getting to hear everyone else on top of our presentation was really interesting.”

Sophie Creager-Roberts, a senior majoring in environment, sustainability and policy and history, wrote in a statement to The Daily Orange that the symposium allowed her to speak with individuals in person that she had been working with remotely for two years.

Aside from the guidebook, DSL students are currently working with regional communities throughout central New York as a “Climate Corps,” featuring student leaders across SU, Golden said. Students would receive support from the lab and faculty to help communities in addressing sustainability challenges, he said.

Golden hopes DSL can partner with other universities throughout the Northeast, such as Northeastern University and University of Vermont, he said, to have multiple universities and students “taking the lead” on helping communities.

“It’s great experience (because) it’s not theory, it’s really rolling up the sleeves and becoming consultants or quasi-government staff,” Golden said.

Creager-Roberts wrote she started at DSL to become more confident as a researcher and communicator when working with external clients and in conveying climate-related topics, which she has been able to accomplish through her work.

“I have been able to meet such incredible people — both students and (professionals) — in the space, through working at the lab, and it has helped enormously in landing my full-time role after graduation,” she wrote.

Golden said it was gratifying to watch the students present at the symposium as they have worked hard throughout the research process.

“The students did an incredible job of participating and presenting their research alongside government leaders and industry leaders, so that is probably the most exciting part of it,” Golden said.

Published on March 24, 2024 at 10:50 pm

Contact Faith: flbolduc@syr.edu