The Sustainability Institute is excited to announce the six award recipients of the 2025 Sustainability Seed Grant Funding program. Designed to support emerging sustainability-focused research, the program provides small seed grants to encourage sustainability projects and highlight the innovative research taking place at the University of New Hampshire (UNH).
This year, the Sustainability Seed Grant program received seventeen high-quality submissions, showcasing sustainability-related research from across all colleges at UNH. The recipients are pioneering projects that promise to advance sustainability knowledge and practices in New Hampshire and beyond.
We extend our sincere gratitude to the Sustainability Seed Grant Selection Committee for their dedicated work: Dr. Sara Morris, Dr. Katharine Duderstadt, Dr. R. Scott Smith, Dr. Fiona Wilson, Elisabeth Farrell, and Dr. Betty Woodman. Special thanks to Dr. R. Scott Smith and the Responsible Governance and Sustainable Citizen Project for their generous support of the 2025 Sustainability Seed Grant program.
Award Recipients and Their Projects
$5,000 Grants:
- “Agrivoltaics in New Hampshire”
Submitted by Dr. Constantine Spandogos, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Energy Policy, and Jillian Zube, Ph.D. student in Natural Resources and the Environment at COLSA. This project addresses the challenges of implementing agrivoltaics in New Hampshire—an innovative system combining agricultural and solar energy production on the same land. The team aims to establish a knowledge-sharing network in the state, laying the groundwork for future agrivoltaics projects that boost both crop yields and renewable energy production. - “Franklin NH Sustainable Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (SEE)”
Submitted by Dr. Guangzhou Chen, Assistant Professor of Recreation Management and Policy; Dr. Devkamal Dutta, Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship; and Charlie French, Extension Professor and Program Team Leader for Community and Economic Development, UNH Cooperative Extension. This project explores how Franklin, NH, transformed into a thriving sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem. using archival research, interviews, and focus groups. The team will present their findings at a UNH policy symposium they will host and through academic publications and conferences focused on sustainability and entrepreneurship. - “Algae Powered Buildings”
Submitted by Felix DeVito, Instructor in Civil and Environmental Engineering and Faculty Advisor for the Ocean Engineering, DOE Solar Decathlon, and Innovative Scholars teams. This research takes the concept of algae-powered buildings from the lab to a workable model. The goal is to demonstrate how algae can be grown on-site to generate enough energy to power a sustainable home, with potential to engage rural and suburban communities in the development of algae-based building technologies. - “Microplastic Pollution and Water Quality in Alaska”
Submitted by Dr. Jessica Ernakovich, Associate Professor in Natural Resources and the Environment, along with graduate students Sarah Gianturco and John Henkelman. This project will assess microplastic pollution in the Gunnuk Creek watershed in Kake, Alaska, providing a baseline for microplastic distribution and water quality. The research will also involve indigenous communities, educators, and students in developing a community-based water quality monitoring program.
$2,500 Grants:
- “Newcomer Mothers in N.H.”
Submitted by Dr. Ngozi Enelamah, Assistant Professor of Social Work. This research focuses on the mental health and well-being of newcomer mothers in New Hampshire—refugee mothers who face unique challenges related to healthcare, language barriers, and psychosocial stress. The study aims to explore the factors that influence resilience and well-being in these mothers and their children during early childhood. - “UNH Flax-to-Linen Project”
Submitted by Dr. Kimberly Alexander, Director of Museum Studies; Dr. Megan Howe, UNH Center for the Humanities; Katie Umans, UNH Center for the Humanities; and Dr. Becky Sideman, Chair of Sustainable Agriculture. This project builds on the educational film series, “Flax: From Field to Fabric,” creating three short films that teach middle and high school students about the sustainability of flax as an alternative to the fast fashion industry. The films highlight the historical, current, and future roles of flax in sustainable fashion.
