Shaping Sustainability at Loomis Chaffee

Gillian Tang ’27

Christine Wu ’25

Loomis Chaffee students are conducting research that could reshape the future of sustainability on campus with real-world impacts. The CL Guided Research Projects in Environmental Sustainability is a course taught by Mr. Dyreson, sustainability Coordinator at Loomis, and is open to students who have completed College-Level Environmental Science and are interested in pursuing more topics. The course allows seniors to delve deep into their passion for the environment through independent research. “A personal interest in the subject matter is essential,” Mr. Dyreson emphasized, noting the significant investment of energy and time required.

This year, the course consists of four students, each addressing real-world sustainability issues. The research projects include the creation of an on-campus greenhouse, investigating the environmental, economic, and social benefits of hydroponic growing, exploring which groups are affiliated with plant-based diets and why, and studying the mental health benefits of indoor green spaces for student well-being. Mr. Dyerson states students are dedicated to “exploring essential questions that guide their investigations.” For scientific inquiry, the students are “trying to gain more insights from scientific research and testing and conducting similar research studies here on campus.” This involves borrowing, looking at primary literature sources, and trying to recreate them. 

One of the most valuable skills students gain from this course is the development of practical research skills. Mr. Dyreson highlights that the coursework involves “a lot of primary literature review, secondary and tertiary literature review, which is a library skill,” allowing students to engage deeply with hands-on research. They also work on scientific method design and implementation, gaining experience by “seeing a project from start to finish.” This practical approach to the course ensures that the students are not just involved in the superficial theoretical practice but “actually accomplishing a project” with real-world significance.

Looking forward, Mr. Dyreson hopes the school will continue to celebrate these projects “to the point where some of these ideas can be put into what we call best practices,” which are projects integrated into regular campus operations. He points to successful student-led initiatives like the food composting system and the megawatt solar array installation, which originated as a guided environmental research project. With this legacy in mind, the course continues to bring impactful contributions to sustainability at Loomis.