2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Engineering educators have a responsibility to prepare future engineers to address global sustainability challenges like climate change, infrastructure design, and access to clean water [1, 2]. To support this mission, this paper describes the development and implementation of a sustainability-focused, community-based project in a third-year undergraduate reaction engineering course. The semester-long project connected students with the Center for Sustainable Landscaping (CSL), a local nonprofit, to explore possible solutions to the CSL’s water reuse challenges.

Through the “Reacting with Nature” project, students engaged in experiential learning by touring the CSL’s constructed wetland and lagoon and analyzing real operational data. Each of the twelve teams explored a unique purification topic, modelling pollutant uptake and removal through physical and chemical filtration under varying seasonal conditions. The project assessments included a literature review, technical reports, a video presentation, and a final poster presentation hosted at the CSL’s public conservatory. The presentation venue and event allowed students to present their findings to both technical and nontechnical audiences.

This work highlights ways in which sustainability-centered, community-engaged projects can serve as powerful pedagogical tools for integrating technical learning with broader environmental and social contexts. It also shows the potential for student workers to serve as effective project assistants, aiding community partnership, curriculum development, and project implementation. This approach offers practical guidance for engineering educators aiming to design impactful, real-world sustainability projects within their programs.

[1] M. Ravi, N. Russell-Sewell, A. Hoadley, and J. Glassey, “Sustainability − The core of responsible engineering practice and education: Reality or still just utopia? A comparative study between China and the Rest of the World,” Education for Chemical Engineers, vol. 51, pp. 43–52, Apr. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.ece.2025.02.002.
[2] G. L. Rorrer, J. Krail, G. Piringer, and M. Roither, “Integration of broader impacts and international perspectives into a sustainable energy engineering course,” Education for Chemical Engineers, vol. 45, pp. 52–60, Oct. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.ece.2023.07.005.