Sustainability-Related Centers and Institutes

Center on Urban Poverty and Community Development

The Center on Urban Poverty and Community Development seeks to address the problems of persistent and concentrated urban poverty and is dedicated to understanding how social and economic changes affect low-income communities and their residents.

Coleman P Burke Center for Environmental Law

In 2019, CWRU School of Law received a $10 million gift to launch the Burke Center for Environmental Law. The size of this transformative gift instantly put CWRU on the map in the environmental law field.  Our location in Cleveland, on the shores of Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River, in a region confronting the full range of contemporary environmental challenges and opportunities, renders the Burke Center an especially important new player in this area. 

The Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit

Located in The Weatherhead School of Management, The Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit is a hub for sustainability focused business innovation, with the goal of creating value for society, for the environment, and for businesses. The center embodies the idea of business “doing well” by “doing good” for the world.

Great Lakes Energy Institute

Founded in 2008, the Great Lakes Energy Institute is a  network of researchers and individuals  dedicated to energy research in North East Ohio. The organization works to connect enthusiastic researchers with funding and support, and offers the research community opportunities for collaboration through speaker series, energy research facilities and outreach. The Institute's vision is  “Empowering our faculty, students and partners to catalyze breakthroughs in energy sustainability that address the most pressing problems facing our world.”

Mary Ann Swetland Center for Environmental Health

The Mary Ann Swetland Center for Environmental Health works to integrate environmental health initiatives into the lives of the Cleveland public and beyond through medical education, clinical care, and research. The center inspires faculty to teach beyond the book, and encourages students to consider the physical environment in the prevention of illness and care of individuals.

Prevention Research Center for Healthy Neighborhoods

The PRCHN works to prevent and reduce chronic diseases resulting from environmental and lifestyle issues that often burden populations within urban neighborhoods.  The center does this by leveraging collaborations between residents, community leaders and partner organizations to develop, test and implement strategies that increase access to healthy, local food, combat obesity and tobacco use, among other support structures.   

Social Justice Institute

The Social Justice Institute works to understand and address social injustice and support access to equal opportunities for all people. It conducts research, builds social relationships and supports local social justice leaders within CWRU through events, conferences, speakers and more.

The University Farm

The Squire Valleevue and Valley Ridge Farms offer students, faculty, and staff opportunities to engage with their local environment, learn more about sustainable agriculture. The farm hosts undergraduate and graduate classes and extracurricular events like retreats and cross country meets. A number of trails, picnic areas and gardens make the University Farm a unique place to visit.