Sustainability at USD

10/16/2026

Alluvial sediment or playas?
Proud to share the new publication by Mark Sweeney exploring what drives desert soil dynamics in the southwest USA.
Dive into the full paper and learn more in this link: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2026JF009221

10/02/2026

So glad we could be a part of this milestone event. Kudos to UMACS for hosting an amazing and inspiring 2026 conference!

The 2026 UMACS Conference (celebrating the 20 year anniversary as a network) was a huge success! We had 286 attendees, 42 campuses represented, and 14 community partners in attendance - a record year!

This year, we had 32 engaging breakout sessions to choose from, 43 incredible poster presentations, and an inspiring keynote speaker (Ben Passer of the McKnight Foundation).

Thank you to all that played a part in making the 2026 Conference a success! A huge thank you to College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University for hosting on your beautiful campuses and to our amazing sponsors:
Midwest Dairy, McGough, University of Colorado Boulder, DLR Group, RMF Engineering, Re:wild Your Campus, Thoreau College, Carleton College, Western Technical College, College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University

We can't wait for next year!

10/01/2026

Exciting news! USD was awarded a $2.63M NIH grant for the new SEEDS program. Proud to have our Department Chair, Dr. Meghann Jarchow, serving as a faculty lead on this project
Learn more: https://www.usd.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/college-of-arts-sciences/south-dakotan-arts-and-sciences/usd-receives-nih-grant-to-expand-graduate-research-training

09/29/2026

A huge shoutout to our incredible USD Department of Sustainability attendees Meghann, Sonja, Sylvia, Simon, Joshua, James, Faith and Maria who represented us at the 2026 Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability (UMACS) Conference at College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, Minnesota. The 2026 event brought together higher education institutions to share insights across dozens of research presentations, interactive workshops and a powerful keynote address by Ben Passer of the McKnight Foundation. We look forward to implementing these collaborative strategies and driving forward-thinking sustainability initiatives right here at the University of South Dakota.

09/19/2026

Ready to build your career? Applications are open for the National Sustainability Society (NSS) Sustainability Career Coaching Program! This external program pairs students with experienced sustainability leaders for valuable 1-on-1 mentorship.

Deadline: October 31, 2026
Registration is required
Use the link below to secure your spot for the January cohort today!
https://www.memberleap.com/members/forms/form.php?fid=8736979

09/18/2026

From a USD PhD dissertation to a real-world climate solution!
Meet alumna Khushboo Jain, co-founder of EarthMaze. Her breakthrough work at USD uses remote sensing technology to map cover crops and monitor conservation tillage, providing the crucial data agribusinesses need to scale regenerative agriculture.
Click the link to read how she brought her research to market:
[https://gp-icorps.org/more-than-just-a-paper/]

09/17/2026

We loved having the Sustainability Education Accreditation Commission (SEAC) on campus to review our Sustainability Program. A massive thank you to Rebecca Watts Hull, Meghann Jarchow, Jordan King and everyone, administrators, faculty, and students alike who shared their experiences with the review team. From campus tours to sunset walks at Spirit Mound, we loved showing off what makes the USD community so special.

09/15/2026

Thank you to Kevin O’Kelley, Mark Sweeney, and Molly Rozum for their fantastic remarks at the Drowning in Dirt exhibition reception! Their insights shed light on Joseph Hutton's visionary fight against soil degradation in South Dakota. If you missed the reception, you can still experience this incredible mix of history, science, and poetry yourself.

The traveling exhibit is open on the third floor of the I.D. Weeks Library through October 22nd. USD is committed to accessibility. If you need accommodations to visit, please contact the Office of Accessibility at 605-658-3745 or [email protected].

09/15/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out to our Sustainability Department welcome event yesterevening! We had the best time networking over Cow & Spoon ice cream, taking a guided hike and watching the sunset.
A special thanks to our volunteers who helped clear invasive trees to protect the Spirit Mounds prairie!

09/11/2026

Do you know what makes some soils more vulnerable to wind erosion than others?

That is the question Sustainability student Isabella Rabac is exploring through her research on soil aggregation in the Northern Great Plains.

Her research looks at what helps keep soil stable and what causes it to break down and become a source of dust.

Wind erosion can lead to topsoil loss, economic impacts, and hazards to human health. Understanding what makes soil more susceptible to wind erosion can help identify vulnerable landscapes and support better conservation and land use practices across the region.

Isabella’s research is funded by the Peter Birkeland Award from the Geological Society of America and is conducted with faculty mentor Dr. Mark Sweeney.

Research starts with a question, but its impact can reach far beyond the lab. Isabella’s work is helping us better understand the landscapes around us and how research can inform the way we protect them for the future.