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Innovation With Nature

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Keeler Gardens Partners With Illinois Tech’s SoReMo Initiative

At Keeler Gardens, our mission is to improve urban community health and sustainability by fostering an impactful connection with nature. Together, Keeler Gardens and Illinois Institute of Technology’s (Illinois Tech) Socially Responsible Modeling Initiative (SoReMo) are advancing that mission. We are proud and honored to announce this partnership. This collaboration combines Keeler Gardens’ expertise in nature-based solutions with Illinois Tech’s academic research capabilities.  The goal is innovative, data-driven solutions to societal challenges through nature connections.

SoReMo’s core mission is to advocate for ethical, equitable approaches in computation, modeling, and design that serve the common good. The initiative attracts students who are passionate about making a difference by applying their technical education to real-world problems. This makes for an ideal partnership. Together, Keeler Gardens and SoReMo will develop research-backed applications of our philosophy and practice, extending our work beyond grassroots efforts into broader solutions for profound community health.

This partnership is a year-long fellowship program. The program will bring Illinois Tech students into direct collaboration with Keeler Gardens. The process unfolds in multiple stages. Keeler Gardens will share our story with interested students to inspire research proposals. Fellowship proposals are chosen, developed, and executed over several months. As each of these steps unfolds, we will report back and share our progress. The partnership will culminate with a summer session to implement the initiatives developed.

This partnership is so valuable as it intends to generate outcomes that will lead to actionable nature connections at varied levels, speaking to the uniqueness of individual communities. The long-term goal of our nature connection initiatives is to support socially, culturally, and economically thriving communities.

Fellowship projects might include a database of plant species, a nature space app, an engaging multimedia educational campaign, and even a bold interdisciplinary collaboration for an entire nature-connected community.

Projects aim to bridge nature, technology, and community, moving us closer to solutions that are both practical and scalable.

This collaboration is driven by existing data documenting that nature connectedness leads to measurable social benefits. Research shows nature spaces foster improved decision-making and self-discipline, stress reduction, enhanced healing, and strong community bonds.

“While the immediate focus is Chicago, our long-term vision is much larger: to change how communities everywhere are developed, integrating nature as a foundation for equity and resilience.” – Gina Iliopoulos, Executive Director, Keeler Gardens

It is with our sincerest gratitude that we thank our first sponsor, Dr. Michela Coffaro, as her generosity made this partnership possible. This gift is in memory of Josephine Coffaro and Leah Betts.

We now need your support to fully fund the project.

Together, we will demonstrate how innovation with nature connections strengthens communities. Join us in this exciting project as we unlock the transformative power of nature.