Campus as a Living Lab Program Vision

Embodying sustainability begins on our campuses, in the spaces and environments where we live, learn, and work.  Collaborations allow researchers, instructors, students, and staff to test sustainability solutions, while using JHU’s physical campuses for learning and discovery. 

Developed by an interdisciplinary working group of the Sustainability Leadership Council alongside the Office of Sustainability, the program harnesses JHU’s identity as the nation’s leading research institution while utilizing our campuses to inform solutions at the local and global scale. The program will manifest this vision in diverse ways, cultivating invaluable connections through applied course projects, collaborative research endeavors, and grant funding opportunities. 

The Campus as a Living Lab program aims to advance sustainability practices, research, and teaching that support the priorities outlined in the university’s Climate Action and Sustainability Plan. Championing JHU’s mission for global impact and discovery, the Campus as Living Lab program will foster collaborations and propel the university forward in advancing sustainability priorities across the following themes. 

Whether through innovations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, address climate resilience, establish new zero waste approaches, or influence consumer purchasing and transportation practices—there are countless ways research and teaching can support JHU’s goal to advance healthy, just, and sustainable environments in our communities and around the world.   

Grant Funding

The program offers grant funding to support campus sustainability research and teaching. Grants up to $50k are open to JHU students, course instructors, and researchers at all JHU campuses.

Information Session

View a recording of the information session about the Campus as a Living Lab Program, grant application process and criteria, and Q&A

Share Feedback

2024 is the inaugural year of the Campus as a Living Lab program and your feedback will help shape the program in future years. Please share suggestions or questions with us.

Living Lab Highlights

Read about current Campus as Living Lab initiatives—and learn from examples of applied sustainability research and teaching conducted on campus

  • Reducing JHU's Air Travel Emissions

    Rose Weeks, Public Health Research Associate, conducted dissertation research on strategies to reduce emissions from university air travel. READ MORE

  • Climate Labeling Study at Dining Halls

    A team of researchers at the JHU Center for a Livable Future are conducting a study on the impacts of climate food labeling on student in campus dining halls. COMING SOON