Living Lab Project & Partner Highlights

Students are shaping campus through these projects

student holds up a collection vile from a spout coming off the side of a large pipe

student holds a measuring tape around a tree trunk

two students walking with orange biketown bike share bicycles

one student standing overlooks and takes notes while another student looks at sensor on the wall

five people in protective clothing look at part of a beehive

several students sitting around a small conference table taking notes or conversing

Three consecutive engineering capstone projects have studied how PSU can supply potable water in the case of a large earthquake. Students have studied campus wells; water filtration technology; mobile pump designs; and storage options.

The Campus Tree Inventory was developed initially in 2015 and expanded by students in 2018 through course projects. The Inventory enabled landscaping staff to establish a system for tracking the overall health of the PSU urban forest and to promote its benefits to the campus community.

Through an independent study, a Geography student created an online story map that summarizes an analysis of PSU-related Biketown trips from February to July of 2018. This project provided a way to understand and visualize common trip origins, destinations, length, and other details.

See the story map

The annual Living Lab Green Building Interns are placed with the Capital Projects & Construction department, working on projects related to sustainable building design; construction project management; indoor environmental quality; and more. Check PSU Handshake for these positions.

As a result of a collaboration between students, staff, faculty and local community honeybee experts, the Campus Apiary started as a Living Lab project and is now permanently located in the Community Orchard. The Apiary is managed by the Student Sustainability Center.

Info about the Apiary

A business capstone studied the local real estate market and gathered ideas from community members and residents living near campus to develop recommendations about campus retail estate planning. PSU hopes to find tenants that meet the diverse needs of the PSU and surrounding community.

The Montgomery Plaza is an example of an interdisciplinary Living Lab effort leading to potential permanent change on campus. Students from urban studies and engineering have developed and pitched ideas to transform the street to a pedestrian-friendly outdoor plaza for all to enjoy.

Montgomery pop-up plaza

Examples of Partners

The work of Living Lab projects is primarily done by students in collaboration with faculty and operational staff. Check out who has been involved in Living Lab projects and how student, faculty, and staff partners have shaped PSU planning efforts and the physical campus.

Academic Partners

Living Lab projects have been tackled by students and faculty across a variety of PSU academic departments and programs. Some examples include:

Urban Studies & Planning
University Studies
Architecture
Biology
Engineering & Technology Management
Engineering: Civil & Environmental; Mechanical & Materials
Art
Business
Environmental Science & Management
Geography

Staff Partners

Most Living Lab projects start with an idea from University staff or are otherwise directly supported by a staff member when the project interacts with a department’s mission. Here is a list of some departments that have partnered on Living Lab projects, with some notes about the types of projects or topics they have supported:

Campus Planning Office (now the Planning & Sustainability Office)- transportation, retail, and open space planning
Transportation & Parking Services - transit and commuter programs and tracking; outreach and marketing; pedestrian-centered design
Facilities & Property Management - landscaping, trees, and ecosystem management and advocacy; infrastructure planning
Capital Projects & Construction - sustainable building design and material selection; building systems optimization; energy systems design
Emergency Management - seismic and disaster preparedness
Campus Sustainability Office - climate mitigation and resilience planning; utility and waste metrics; outreach and marketing design

in the planning phase the project team is formed and the scope is finalized then the project launch happens then in the project phase the project is underway and staff visit class as needed then there is a mid project check in then during the evaluation face there are final presentations and students complete an assessment and there is a faculty staff debrief and all documentation is finalized — The typical phases of a Living Lab project

Typical project process

Each Living Lab project is supported by a member of the Living Lab team, a "liaison". The typical process for a project includes three main phases:

Planning phase: during the planning phase, an idea is proposed and scoped out, and the team is formed. An official project launch, such as a presentation to class, or meeting between key stakeholders, marks the transition from the planning to the project phase.
Project phase: during the project phase, students work on the project through coursework, independent study, an internship, or in whatever way has been determined for the project. Usually, there is a mid-project check in to review progress.
Evaluation phase: students typically present the results of their work through a final presentation and report. We also like to evaluate and identify student learning, potential operational outcomes, and opportunities for future projects.

Ultimately, the Living Lab process is flexible! If you're interested in getting involved, email livinglab@pdx.edu.

Living Lab Project Archive

The table below captures the most recent Living Lab projects. See the full archive for projects since 2015.

Project Name or Topic	Project Type or Course & Year	Faculty Partner(s)	Staff Partner(s)	Brief Overview & Link(s)
Art Accessibility	Course: UNST 131A, 2020-2021	Sarah Wolf Newlands	Sarah Kenney: Planning, Construction & Real Estate	Develop process for making the PSU art collection accessible physically and digitally
Stormwater Management Assessment	ESM group masters project, 2019-2021	Jen Morse Max Nielsen-Pincus Sarah Carvill	Liz Hoekstra, Campus Planning Jenny McNamara, Campus Sustainability Office	Examine PSU stormwater management, outcomes, costs, benefits, and impacts
Exploring User Patterns at Campus Rec	Course: ACTG 407, Fall 2020	Kristi Yuthas	Jenny Welnick & Leslee Peterson: Campus Rec	Use available data to recommend how Campus Rec can meet its strategic goals
Bioswale & Green Wall Design for SW Montgomery	Student org: ASCE, Fall 2020	Evan Kristof	Liz Hoekstra, Campus Planning	Conceptual site design for a bioswale and green wall along SW Montgomery for submission to the EPA Rainworks Challenge
Waste Awareness & Behaviors	Course: UNST 108, Spring 2020	Leslie Batchelder	Brandon Lesowske, Campus Sustainability Office	Examine waste diversion knowledge and develop infographics about waste diversion at the residential through campus-wide level
Living Building Feasibility Study	Capstone: CEE 484/494, Winter & spring 2020	Evan Kristof	Liz Hoekstra, Campus Planning Quinn Soifer, Capital Projects Jenny McNamara, Campus Sustainability Office	Feasibility study and conceptual design for Harrison Street Building to be renovated to Living Building standards
Montgomery Street Plaza	Capstone: CEE 484/494, Winter & spring 2020	Evan Kristof	Liz Hoekstra, Campus Planning Susan Gust, Capital Projects Clint Culpepper, Transportation & Parking Services	Schematic design and engineering study for Montgomery Plaza block that maintains bike access
Parking Structure 1 Traffic Study	Capstone: CEE 484/494, Winter & spring 2020	Evan Kristof	Ian Stude & Jeff Sevilla, Transportation & Parking Services Cameron Patterson, Capital Projects	Alternative designs to improve traffic flow; reduce vehicle-pedestrian issues; and reduce idling at PS1
Water Filtration System, wells phase 3	Capstone: CEE 484/494, Winter & spring 2020	Evan Kristof	Cary Morris, Facilities Emma Stocker, Emergency Management	Design and operational guidelines of installing DIVVY water filtration system on campus
Residential Compost System Evaluation	Course: UNST 108, Winter 2020	Annie Knepler	Brandon Lesowske, Campus Sustainability Office	Survey student residents to determine how residential compost system is being utilized in Ondine and Broadway
Life Cycle Assessment Applications for PSU	Course: EC 522, Winter 2020	Sahan Dissanayake	Emily Quinton, Campus Sustainability Office	Explore how life cycle assessment can be used to inform purchasing and design decisions at PSU
Skybridges Network	Course: USP 410/510, Fall 2019	Ellen Shoshkes	Liz Hoekstra, Campus Planning	Design an intervention to activate the PSU Skybridge Network at the section between SMSU & Cramer
Food Waste Awareness	Course: UNST 124, Fall 2019	Jeff Gerwing	Brandon Lesowske, Campus Sustainability Office	Explore food waste prevention programming through activities and observation
Broadway Arboretum Interns	Internship, Summer 2019	Jeff Gerwing	Jenny McNamara, Campus Sustainability Office	Ecosystem services valuation modeling for SW Broadway & control street
Green Building Interns	Internship, Summer 2019	Elliott Gall	Quinn Soifer, Capital Projects	Air quality, occupant comfort, and building performance study of Karl Miller Center