Brundtland’s definition of sustainability is the ability to “meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs” (IISD, 2021). But what if there are no future generations? Social sustainability, the sector of sustainability that foregrounds the well-being and livelihoods of people (and thereby continuation of humanity), is included in definitions within the sustainability field, but less developed in sustainability practice. In an effort to bridge this gap of knowledge, 14 U.S. cities and over 100 sustainability policies were analyzed for their social sustainability performance. An eight-item analytical framework that deals with differing areas of social equity guided the analysis. Results found that most cities’ sustainability departments fell short of truly addressing social sustainability concerns. Out of the eight items, the most frequently addressed were housing security and racial and gender equality whereas few, if any, cities addressed the more specific social concerns of immigration, technology and media, or arts/cultural preservation. Future research is recommended to gain a better understanding of the ways existing cities can improve in this area.

Lithium ion batteries are quintessential components of modern life. They are used to power smart devices — phones, tablets, laptops, and are rapidly becoming major elements in the automotive industry. Demand projections for lithium are skyrocketing with production struggling to keep up pace. This drive is due mostly to the rapid adoption of electric vehicles; sales of electric vehicles in 2020 are more than double what they were only a year prior. With such staggering growth it is important to understand how lithium is sourced and what that means for the environment. Will production even be capable of meeting the demand as more industries make use of this valuable element? How will the environmental impact of lithium affect growth? This thesis attempts to answer these questions as the world looks to a decade of rapid growth for lithium ion batteries.

Brundtland’s definition of sustainability is the ability to “meet the needs of the present<br/>without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs” (IISD, 2021). But<br/>what if there are no future generations? Social sustainability, the sector of sustainability that<br/>foregrounds the well-being and livelihoods of people (and thereby continuation of humanity), is<br/>included in definitions within the sustainability field, but less developed in sustainability<br/>practice. In an effort to bridge this gap of knowledge, 14 U.S. cities and over 100 sustainability<br/>policies were analyzed for their social sustainability performance. An eight-item analytical<br/>framework that deals with differing areas of social equity guided the analysis. Results found that<br/>most cities’ sustainability departments fell short of truly addressing social sustainability<br/>concerns. Out of the eight items, the most frequently addressed were housing security and racial<br/>and gender equality whereas few, if any, cities addressed the more specific social concerns of<br/>immigration, technology and media, or arts/cultural preservation. Future research is<br/>recommended to gain a better understanding of the ways existing cities can improve in this area.

The Difference Engine at Arizona State University developed the Women’s Power and Influence Index (WPI) in order to combat the systemic inequality faced by women in the workplace. It aims to analyze data, such as Equal Employment Opportunity data, from various Fortune 500 companies to provide a measure of workplace inequality as well as encourage these institutions to adopt more equitable policies. By rating companies based on what truly matters to women, ASU’s Difference Engine hopes to help both women in existing career paths as well as women seeking a new career or position in companies. However, in order for the WPI to become a relevant scoring metric of gender equality within the workplace, we must raise awareness about the issue of gender equality and of the index itself. By raising awareness about gender inequality as well as inspiring companies to further equality within their workplaces, the WPI will serve to have an integral role in increasing gender equality in the workplace. Our approach for raising awareness utilizes two different strategies: (1) establishing a new version of the WPI website that is both informative and aesthetically pleasing and (2) generating social media content on TikTok that appeal to a variety of audiences and introduce them to the WPI and our mission.

The Difference Engine at Arizona State University developed the Women’s Power and Influence Index (WPI) in order to combat the systemic inequality faced by women in the workplace. It aims to analyze data, such as Equal Employment Opportunity data, from various Fortune 500 companies to provide a measure of workplace inequality as well as encourage these institutions to adopt more equitable policies. By rating companies based on what truly matters to women, ASU’s Difference Engine hopes to help both women in existing career paths as well as women seeking a new career or position in companies. However, in order for the WPI to become a relevant scoring metric of gender equality within the workplace, we must raise awareness about the issue of gender equality and of the index itself. By raising awareness about gender inequality as well as inspiring companies to further equality within their workplaces, the WPI will serve to have an integral role in increasing gender equality in the workplace. Our approach for raising awareness utilizes two different strategies: (1) establishing a new version of the WPI website that is both informative and aesthetically pleasing and (2) generating social media content on TikTok that appeal to a variety of audiences and introduce them to the WPI and our mission.

The Difference Engine at Arizona State University developed the Women’s Power and Influence Index (WPI) in order to combat the systemic inequality faced by women in the workplace. It aims to analyze data, such as Equal Employment Opportunity data, from various Fortune 500 companies to provide a measure of workplace inequality as well as encourage these institutions to adopt more equitable policies. By rating companies based on what truly matters to women, ASU’s Difference Engine hopes to help both women in existing career paths as well as women seeking a new career or position in companies. However, in order for the WPI to become a relevant scoring metric of gender equality within the workplace, we must raise awareness about the issue of gender equality and of the index itself. By raising awareness about gender inequality as well as inspiring companies to further equality within their workplaces, the WPI will serve to have an integral role in increasing gender equality in the workplace. Our approach for raising awareness utilizes two different strategies: (1) establishing a new version of the WPI website that is both informative and aesthetically pleasing and (2) generating social media content on TikTok that appeal to a variety of audiences and introduce them to the WPI and our mission.