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The Post University of Utah Invites Faculty to Join New International Olympic Research Project

University of Utah Invites Faculty to Join New International Olympic Research Project

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Office for Global Engagement, Office of the Vice President for Research

 

The University of Utah and Université Côte d'Azur in Nice, France, are excited to announce a collaborative international research program geared toward Sustainable and Inclusive Olympic and Paralympic Games. The U invites interested faculty whose research areas intersect with the project's four pillars to apply to be a contributor:

  • Sustainable Environment and Biodiversity
  • Sustainable Infrastructure and Planning
  • Sustainable Socio-Economic Impact
  • Sustainable Health and Well-being

"Playing host to the Olympics is an honor and also an enormous undertaking,” said Mitzi Montoya, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the U. “We look forward to leveraging our institutional resources, unique geographic perspectives, and research expertise to support the sustainable development of the Games.”

The locations of the two universities—France’s Region Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur (PACA) and Salt Lake City, Utah—were announced on July 24, 2024 as the respective hosts of the 2030 and 2034 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games by the International Olympic Committee.

The U and Université Côte d'Azur first established a partnership in 2017 and have since jointly launched a successful Film & Media Arts learning abroad program.

This new, ambitious research partnership focused on the Olympics is set to launch in Fall 2024 and represents the growth of the relationship into the research sphere. It will highlight both institutions' commitment to ground-breaking innovation and impactful science-based actions to address societal challenges and support economic development.

"We anticipate the outcomes of the research to inform best practices regarding policy for environmental and biodiversity protection, and the well-being of the athletes and communities engaged in the Olympic and Paralympic Games," said Erin Rothwell, vice president for research at the U.

TO APPLY

U faculty interested in participating should:

  • Provide a summary (300 words or less) of your research interest related to one of the four pillars (see below for more details). Include any additional pertinent information, such as experience or connections with the research themes. NOTE: please do NOT provide a CV. Summaries are preferred.Send to both Cheri Daily, Executive Director for the Office for Global Engagement and Caren Frost, Associate Vice President for Research Integrity & Compliance.

Meetings will begin in late-August to prepare for a Fall delegation visit from Côte d’Azur. This project will involve faculty from across campus and all departments are encouraged to consider where they might contribute.

 

4 Research Pillars

    • Protection of the Mountains and their Biodiversity: Ensuring the preservation of mountain ecosystems and the species that inhabit them by preventing habitat destruction; minimizing disturbances to wildlife; and promoting area restoration after the games.
    • Carbon Emissions: Promoting the use of renewable energy sources, public transportation, emissions standards, and offsetting carbon footprints.
    • Water Usage and Management. Ensuring efficient water use for snowmaking, maintaining environmental sustainability, supporting venue preparation and enabling climate adaptation, promoting health and safety while considering community impacts and ensuring regulatory compliance.
    • Planning, Landscapes, Soil Sustainability: Preserving natural landscapes and ensuring soil stability during construction and event activities thus minimizing land disturbance, implementing erosion control measures, and restoring landscapes post-games.
    • Snow Properties and Dynamics: Understanding snow properties and dynamics to ensure optimal competition conditions, enhanced athlete and spectator safety, and promoting efficient resource use to support adaption to climate variability.
    • Sustainable Infrastructures: Ensuring the construction of energy-efficient buildings and infrastructures, using sustainable materials and designing multipurpose venues for sustainable use by the community during and after the games.
    • Sustainable Planning: Integrating sustainability into all aspects of planning, from transportation to waste management, and involving local communities in the decision-making processes. This can include the inclusion of decentralized production using 3D printers to reduce transportation costs and environmental impact or developing the value chain for intermediate vehicles to support sustainable transportation solutions.
    • Local Climate Impact: Conducting environmental impact assessments, implementing green building practices, and promoting sustainable tourism to limit the alteration of local climate conditions due to the influx of visitors and construction activities.
    • Population Flux: Managing the large influx of athletes, spectators, and media by ensuring efficient transportation, providing adequate housing, and managing crowd flow to prevent congestion and maintain safety.
    • Sustainable History, Memory and Heritage: Study and comparative analysis on the history and memory of sport between the South PACA region and Utah. Identify traces, archives, testimonies and heritage stories, propose a common reflection, consider the promotion of these stories in connection with questions of preservation and the environment.
    • Weather Forecasting: Deploying advanced meteorological equipment, providing real-time weather updates, and developing contingency plans for adverse weather conditions for planning and safety during the games.
    • Sustainable Economy: Address various dimensions of sustainability and economic growth to yield long-term impacts for the host community as a thriving, sustainable economic hub through the optimization of the infrastructure, tourism potential, and international exposure associated with hosting the Winter Olympic Games.
    • Circular Economy: Implement strategies to minimize waste and maximize resource utilization by adopting circular economy and functional economy frameworks, such as energy communities and energy and digital sobriety. It can also include the fostering the functional economy by embracing service provision models, including equipment leasing, shared facilities, and product-as-a-service.
    • Sustainable Behavior: Support the adoption of sustainable behavior by the visitors, the organizers and the athletes through nudges and similar mechanisms.
    • Physical Health: Ensuring training, conditioning, and medical support to prevent and manage injuries, including adequate nutrition and hydration plans addressing energy needs, recovery, and performance optimization. Accessible medical services and emergency care are also addressed.
    • Mental Health: Understanding mental health mechanisms in athletes to prevent distress while developing access to sports psychologists and mental health professionals to support the management of stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
    • Environmental Factors: Ensuring low pollution levels and monitoring air quality to limit the impact on respiratory health and performance on the one hand and, on the other hand, understanding the impact of weather conditions on health and performance.
    • Medical and Doping Regulations: Adopting strict anti-doping regulations to ensure fair competition and protect athletes' health including through testing techniques and education.