Sustainability Clinic staff spotlight: Professor Stephen Levett
Professor Stephen Levett, Director of the Sustainability Clinic, shares his personal reflections about the clinic, why student collaboration is important, and where he wants to see the clinic going in the future.
We're continuing our theme of introducing some of the dedicated staff team behind the Sustainability Clinic. Professor Stephen Levett, Director of the Sustainability Clinic, has shared his personal reflections about the module, why student collaboration is important, and where he wants to see the clinic going in the future.
Tell us about your role within the Sustainability Clinic?
I am the Director of the Sustainability Clinic and so have responsibility for driving the overall strategic direction of the Clinic, as well as ensuring the teaching and learning experience for our students is the best it possibly can be.
Could you share a specific moment or experience that stands whilst working with the Sustainability Clinic?
That's a really tough question. Personally I love seeing students who have not previously had the chance to work collaboratively across disciplines develop into really effective team members. Recently, we had a project meeting looking at quite a large scale and complex issue around funding for Net Zero projects. One of the Maths students had done work which added a completely new layer of understanding of the sustainability problem we had been looking at. As lawyers, and geographers and chemists, we had all brought something unique to the table, but if they hadn't added in their bit I think we would have had a very different solution.
What does a successful Sustainability Clinic look like to you, and where do you see the Clinic going in the future?
I think a Clinic which is embedded in the local community, which can help York as a city and a region to become more sustainable - that would be a great start. If we can help act as a conduit to get some of the amazing thinking that is going on in the University out into the wider community that would also be good. I also want to see many more students opting to get involved - any student, whatever their subject can take part in the module - and I would like us to be seen as a model for how interdisciplinary teaching and learning can be done effectively.
As a staff member, how do you foster a sense of collaboration and community among students engaged in sustainability projects?
This is a really interesting question. One of the most surprising things for me has been discovering the different teaching approaches you find around the university. Not all students are used to things like problem based learning, or working in teams, or reflection, so we spend some time at the start of the module introducing students to practice and theory relating to topics like these.
The project team facilitator who meets weekly with their student teams has a vital role in helping the students to think about how they can work effectively as a team and what lessons they can learn about the climate crisis and sustainability. That regular contact which is focused around project updates and discussion of progress and direction, really helps the teams to develop a sense of cohesiveness and a sense of shared purpose.
A module for all
The Sustainability Clinic has recently won a Green Gown Award for student engagement. Interested in taking this module as part of your studies? The Sustainability Clinic will be available to undergraduate and postgraduate students as an interdisciplinary elective module again in 2024/25 (subject to department availability/timetabling). Find out more using the link below.