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Call for Proposals: ISAC 2026

A University-wide call to faculty and lecturers for course proposals for a paid student assistantship as part of the Integrating Sustainability Across the Curriculum program.

In light of the Environmental Innovations Initiative staff and programming integrating with Penn Climate, Penn Climate will be administering the Integrating Sustainability across the Curriculum Program for Summer 2026. 

Penn Climate, with support from the Penn Sustainability Office and School of Engineering and Applied Science, invites proposals for faculty and lecturer participation in the 2026 Integrating Sustainability Across the Curriculum (ISAC) program. ISAC offers support for instructors to incorporate sustainability into a new or existing course scheduled for the 2026-27 academic year by fully funding a paid undergraduate or graduate research assistant for the academic summer term (May 26 to August 7). 

Student research assistants will be selected in early March and matched with instructors based on experience, knowledge, and interests. Students will work both independently and with faculty for the duration of the program. Each student devotes 15 hours a week to two different faculty or lecturers, for a total of 30 working hours a week. Research assistants’ responsibilities can include updating course material, developing new teaching methods, evaluating current course topics, and/or reviewing new assignments.  

Please note that the ISAC program only offers funding to pay students, not faculty or instructors for their time overseeing the student research assistant. 

To apply, submit a one-page proposal that includes:
  • Description of the existing or new course (In rare cases we will consider proposals for one student to enhance sustainability content for multiple courses within a single program)
  • Purpose for integrating sustainability in the course
  • Brief work plan for student research assistant and required skills/expertise/background (if relevant) 

Proposals should be submitted by Tuesday, January 20, 2026 to contact@environment.upenn.edu, using the email subject, “ISAC Faculty Proposal 2026”.

For more on the ISAC Program
  • YouTube - Sustainability Coursework Created by Students at Penn
  • Penn Today - “Senior Michael Steele Helps Integrate Sustainability into the Classroom at Penn”