The Environmental Collaboratory
Mathy Vathanaraj Stanislaus, Esq
Vice Provost and Executive Director
The Environmental Collaboratory
The Environmental Collaboratory seeks to co-fund, co-design, and co-implement replicable, transdisciplinary on-the-ground solutions with community partners that drive systemic change and align climate transition and environmental justice with the needs of our communities.
Founded in 2022, The Environmental Collaboratory is centrally positioned in the Office of the Provost to facilitate Drexel’s broad expertise in environmental sciences, engineering, data, law, health care, public health, policy, social sciences, and humanities and the capabilities of its faculty, researchers, staff and students.
Visit The Environmental Collaboratory Site
Areas of Focus
- Research and Funding: With support from the Waverly Street Foundation, The Environmental Collaboratory has awarded Climate Hub Grants to faculty and students aimed at strengthening Drexel’s commitment to sustainability and climate resilience, in addition to its inaugural research grants.
- Community-Partnered Initiatives: The Environmental Collaboratory supports initiatives driven by our community partners — collaboratively documenting barriers, conducting research, writing policy recommendations and more. It established the Philadelphia Climate Justice Collective to bring together Drexel and four local, community-based organizations to develop a locally driven climate transition plan.
- Workforce Development: The Environmental Collaboratory is developing an in-depth assessment of how climate transition workforce opportunities, current worker training programs, and universities can align to increase the capacities of the green economy in local communities.
- Student Leadership: Students play an active leadership role in the work of the Collaboratory, from conducting independent research projects to getting other students involved in environmental and climate work.