Strategies for 2009-2011

NIES will approach its vision with the following strategies:

Build Engaged, Sustainable Communities

Use technology to connect
- Design a web-interface that will serve as a portal to environmental initiatives across the University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Use knowledge information technologies to advance social cohesion and intellectual community
Restructure to improve coordination and alignment among academic programs, research centers, and external relations
- Redesign committee structures
- Improve communication across the Director's Office, Academic Programs Office, research centers, and external relations
- Enhance alumni relations, career placement, internships
Create spaces and events for community building and gathering
Integrate diversity into the fabric of the Nelson Institute
Facilitate and lead campus-wide sustainability initiative(s)
- Integrate research, teaching, and campus operations around sustainability (using food as a pilot model)
- Create a learning community around food and sustainability

Enhance graduate programs (including certificates) to create intellectual community and improve administrative efficiency
- Develop common courses
- Provide professional skills training
Create an undergraduate major
- Finalize and implement

Engage and strengthen existing campus-wide expertise and on-going activities in such areas as health, energy, climate, biodiversity, water, food, history/culture, and land use.
Provide internal sabbaticals
Increase cooperation and joint projects across research centers
Increase the number of large interdisciplinary research proposals
Maintain and enhance community relations