FLC in Clean Energy & Sustainability

Curriculum Innovation Grants – Faculty Learning Community in Clean Energy and Sustainability

The College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) at Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) seeks to equip graduating 

students with the knowledge and tools to excel in jobs within a growing economy centered around the 

development of clean energy and implementation of environmentally sustainable practices. To meet this 

challenge, the CAS Dean’s office announces a new Faculty Learning Community (FLC) in Clean Energy 

and Sustainability and invites proposals describing projects that offer meaningful learning experiences 

to XULA students by either (1) adopting clean energy and/or sustainability topics within existing

Proposal Criteria: Public Health Implications of Clean Energy and Sustainability 

Project Summary 

This proposal is to implement a substantive change to my course (BIOL 4303: Determinant of Health). BIOL 4303 focuses on systematically studying the social, economic, and biological conditions under which people live that determine their health. In the substantive change to BIOL 4303, students will develop an understanding of the public health implications of clean energy and sustainability. Energy production, storage and use has a profound impact on the health of societies. Energy is both a social and commercial determinant of health. Throughout the semester, will develop a brief policy report on how clean energy and/or sustainability affects their chosen disease. Objectives are to enhance student outcomes by a) building scientific communication skills and b) fostering a framework for building an interdisciplinary approach to complex issues. 

Project Narrative 

Project Description 

Course description: This course (piloted in Summer 5W2 2024) focuses on systematically studying the social, economic, and biological conditions under which people live that determine their health. In this course, an exploration of how the structural and social determinants (e.g., income, living conditions, education, infrastructure, healthcare, gender, and race) affect longevity in diseases endemic to Louisiana. The course also covered the primary molecular determinants and signaling components (e.g., neurotransmitters, hormones, etc.) that interplay among the semester’s selected diseases. 

Project Objective: A complex interrelationship exists between the genes and environmental conditions affecting our lives which significantly impact health outcomes. To properly locate these genes and disease targets, the societal aspect of disease must also be investigated. Social determinants of health are the environmental conditions where people live. Where they are “born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age” that affect a wide range of health, functional, and quality-of-life outcomes.  

Stable access to clean and sustainable energy is integral for human wellbeing and the energy sector generates employment. Yet despite its importance the energy sector is rarely mentioned in discussions about the need for intersectoral action to tackle the underlying causes of ill health and health inequities. When it is considered, most attention is given to the impact of using fossil fuels for energy production which produces pollution and contributes to climate change. Health and equity outcomes associated with climate change are broad and include heat stress, floods, drought, storms, increased air pollution, changed and intensified patterns of disease, food insecurity, poorer nutrition, displacement and human stress. Notable diseases in which clean energy impacts include each category of the course. Creating electricity from clean energy sources like wind and solar—and cutting energy demand—reduces the need for fossil fuel power generation. That increases energy independence and lowers emissions of harmful gases like nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and carbon dioxide. This helps reduce premature deaths, heart attacks, asthma exacerbations, and hospitalization for cardiovascular or respiratory issues. Students will critically evaluate the effects of this consumption within the state of Louisiana. 

Impact on Curriculum and/or Instruction 

Curricular Enhancement and Instruction: My goal is that with the development and implementation of an instructional design that incorporates evaluating public health implications on clean, it will increase engagement with my upper-level STEM students while fostering critical thinking skills. The movement to weave sustainable development projects and hands-on activities into educational frameworks has seen a remarkable upsurge in interest and acceptance, a trend supported by a growing body of research. The shift in education toward sustainability requires the use of interdisciplinary methods has become increasingly apparent. Incorporating a clean energy curriculum will allow Xavier student to access a vast number of resources, including online databases, scientific literature, and multimedia content related to the basic and biomedical sciences. As we equip students to enter the role of physicians, scientists, and physician scientists they must be able to focus on the environmental influences (physical, biophysical, & societal/social) that impact disease. The anticipated product (assignment) of this proposal will be completed during the midterm of the semester. Students will have had the opportunity to learn about the impacts of clean energy and/or sustainability across two of the five major disease categories before submission. Students will then bridge their knowledge to demonstrate their written scientific communication and public health skills in the form of a policy report. Using this approach, I will also increase the capabilities of my instructional and assessment toolset as I continue to develop pedagogical activities to positively impact the students of Xavier University of Louisiana.  

Faculty Development: This project and course will contribute to the advancement of Xavier University of Louisiana STEM students. This course will facilitate my development of instructional design and curriculum assessment (faculty development). As junior faculty, one of my goals is to enrich the outcomes of my students. In the last decade there has been a dramatic expansion of biology education and curriculum design into undergraduate programs. Developing and implementing this exercise to drive critical thinking in the classroom has become increasingly apparent as Xavier continues to innovate the future of its students.  

Plan for Assessment 

Student assessment will be evaluated through a term paper/policy report and bi-weekly quizzes. Students will be able to participate in discussions and/or deliberations as we critically analyze different disease states throughout the semester. Student feedback will be evaluated by an external evaluator survey assessment (this class has a current IRB-research plan for evaluating student impact). Written and oral communication assignments will be developed as potential implementation/public distribution tools for nearby clinic/health departments and energy consortiums within the Greater New Orleans Area. 

Anticipated Product 

The anticipated project from this proposal will include new modules to incorporate into the five major disease categories of the course (chronic disease, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders and cancer). These models will discuss the public health implications of clean energy and/or sustainability on each disease category. Students will complete an assignment: Term Paper (Students will complete a policy brief report on clean energy consumption and the health impacts of their chosen disease). Disease topics will be selected from a list given at the beginning of the semester.