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CUAS Mission, Objectives and Outcomes

Our Vision

The vision of the CUAS is that Houston citizens will apply their knowledge and resources to create sustainable neighborhoods throughout the city. 

Our Mission

The mission of the CUAS will be to create and support sustainable neighborhoods throughout Houston by engaging UHD and the external community in teaching, research and professional development and promoting best practices in business, technology, science and engagement.

Our Objectives

In order to accomplish the mission and support the vision of the CUAS the center has several objectives.  These objectives include:

  • Supporting the teaching of agriculture and sustainable practices relevant to living in an urban environment.
  • The promotion of new curriculum at UHD and teaching of practical skills to UHD students through engagement with the Houston community.
  • The support of academic research related to optimization of agriculture and food distribution in urban settings.
  • Support research projects that evaluate sustainable business and scientific practices in urban settings which would include topics such as conservation of resources, maintaining biodiversity and reducing the impact of climate change while supporting economic growth.
  • Serve as a hub to organize sustainability and urban agricultural initiatives and service opportunities both at UHD and throughout the greater Houston community. 

Our Outcomes

The outcomes of the CUAS will be the creation of new curriculum through both academic and continuing education.  The CUAS will support the creation of new courses that educate UHD students about issues of urban agriculture and sustainability. The other area of curriculum the CUAS will help create is continuing education courses.  Topics for such continuing education would include horticulture and urban ecology (i.e.. native plant landscapes, gardens for restaurants), specific food courses (i.e.. wine appreciation, molecular gastronomy), sustainable technologies (i.e.. solar powered garden systems).  The CUAS will increase the research focus and research dollars at UHD in the areas of urban agriculture and sustainability.  CUAS will help to coordinate faculty with shared interests for the writing of grant proposals and supply those engaged in research projects with any needed community partners or undergraduate research students.  The CUAS will also solicit industry donations to support relevant student or faculty research programs.  Finally, the CUAS will create a network of partners and novel collaborations between the Houston community organizations and the UHD faculty, staff and students with a focus on tackling complex issues of food and sustainability in Houston.  

A plan for the annual assessment of the center's or institute's objectives and outcomes provided to the director, provost, president and advisory board.  The plan must provide decision making procedures to act on the findings of the assessment report.