Grand Valley teams with Grand Rapids to create sustainable solutions

In a first-ever partnership, the City of Grand Rapids and students from Grand Valley State University are working together to create long-lasting sustainable solutions for the city.

In September the City Commission approved the formation of the Transformational Research and Analysis Team (TRAT), a partnership with Grand Valley designed to conduct research and analysis in areas of interest vital to transforming city departmental operation and service delivery models.

Three graduate students and one undergraduate student were selected to serve as TRAT members: Margaret Carney, Shane Schamper, Farrah Curran, Aaron Ferguson, and team manager, Olwen Urquhart.

“We’ve had student interns before, but never at this level of interaction,” said Tom Almonte, assistant to the city manager, who helped select the students for the team. “This partnership is unique because these students are working on projects with top management. They are in high demand around here because most of the city’s departments are in need of sustainable solutions that will help them reduce operating costs and help city’s economic and environmental goals.”

According to Norman Christopher, director of the Grand Valley Sustainable Community Development Initiative, the team has already provided 700 hours of research and has completed numerous projects in three months. “This clearly shows how much the students are in demand, and how much they are contributing to the future of Grand Rapids,” he said. “Through this partnership, we are learning a great deal more about the in-depth issues the city is facing and how sustainable solutions can be developed.”

Grand Valley and the City of Grand Rapids are working together on another project, as well. Both are supporters of Consumers Energy’s Street Smart Program to bring electric smart meters to various locations throughout Grand Rapids.

WGVU’s Morning Show will feature Almonte and Haris Alibasic, director of the Office of Energy and Sustainability, about the city’s sustainable plans and the partnership with Grand Valley on Wednesday, December 15, at 9 a.m. on 88.5 FM or 95.3 FM, or listen online at www.wgvu.org.