PSU, SOU building climate coalition around research, teaching

Students and faculty from Portland State and Southern Oregon universities teamed up for a workshop focused on water, fire and climate last month, marking the start of a new collaboration they hope will lead to joint research projects and new student pathways.

"We hope this workshop is the beginning of a sustained and growing collaboration around research and teaching of topics relating to water, fire and climate between SOU and PSU," said PSU's Paul Loikith, an associate professor of geography who helped secure funding for the work from the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, of which PSU is a member. "This collaboration has potential to build academic bridges across regions in Oregon, strengthening our statewide efforts to address these challenges and investing in the future of our state."

The SOU-PSU Climate Coalition Workshop, held in Ashland March 16-19, explored areas of synergy and shared interests. Loikith said both institutions have a history of community-engaged research around water, climate and fire. PSU brings additional capacity in research and graduate programs, while SOU has close ties with its regional community. It’s an opportunity for Oregon’s Urban Research University to partner with the Southern Oregon region on important climate issues facing the state.

PSU brought a group of 18 faculty and students, including 11 graduate and undergraduate students from the School of Earth, Environment & Society, School of Social Work and Communication department. SOU had 12 faculty from various disciplines represented.

Community partners included the Rogue River Watershed Council, Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District, The Nature Conservancy, City of Ashland, Medford Water Commission and Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative. Attendees participated in two field trips to learn about river restoration and fire management in the Rogue Valley.

Loikith says next steps include a quarterly webinar series that will feature researchers from both PSU and SOU, pursuit of joint institution research funding proposals and exploration of shared opportunities for students.

This summer, PSU will host SOU faculty to continue the joint learning about one another's respective regions and institutions and broaden the collaborative beyond those who attended the workshop. Faculty are also exploring ways to build inter-institutional curriculum and streamlined pathways for SOU undergraduate students to come to PSU for graduate school.