SMASH THE CRASH: An Environmental Initiative to End Bird-Window Collisions in Rochester

Rochester is a major hotspot for birds. Over 300 different species reside in this city or migrate through the area every fall and spring—some 1 million birds in total. Nevertheless, tens of thousands of these very same birds will suffer annually from fatal collisions with our buildings, including many here at RIT.

Smash the Crash is a student-empowered environmental initiative to end bird-window collisions in Rochester, New York. Housed under the auspices of the Hub for Ethnographic Research and Design (HERD), this vertically integrated project (VIP)—part-lab, part-studio, will combine research in the natural and social sciences with mixed art and design practice to make Rochester “bird-safe.” Building upon the faculty leader’s ongoing work, students in this interdisciplinary course will work together to create solutions that both deter collisions and foster a sustainable, biodiverse, and inclusive city. By joining this VIP, students will help to protect nearly the 2 billion birds that die from collisions in the United States each year.

In Smash the Crash, student researchers and practitioners will address contemporary issues of architecture and wildlife conservation through individual and team projects with real-world social and ecological impacts. This will be an active, hands-on, and problem-based learning environment.

In the first year, our projects will center on collisions at RIT. We will study where such collisions occur, why, and how we can best prevent them. These projects will initiallyinclude a building monitoring study, citizen science platform, user ethnography, social media campaign, and production of a collision deterrent system that is specific to RIT.

Based on student interest and experience, we could also pursue additional objectives, such as automated collision detection technologies; histories of bird-window collisions; sound art and other installations; the economics of building retrofits; and algorithms to calculate regional collision frequencies.

Subsequent years will expand beyond RIT’s campus to study and prevent bird-window collisions across the Rochester metropolitan area. We will collaborate with community, industry, and government partners to develop educational programming (i.e., websites, flyers, curricula, and exhibitions); stakeholder analysis; accessible, place-based window treatments; and, ultimately, bird-safe legislation.

All students working in Smash the Crash will gain experience in environmental research and practice, with topical expertise in bird-window collisions and thematic emphasis on sustainable urbanism, regional politics, and human-animal relations. Participation in this VIP will give insight into what it might be like to work at environmental organizations—like FLAP, for instance.

In addition, students will acquire specialized knowledge and skills in one or more of the following methodological areas, based on their project selection:

1.  Biological fieldwork (research design, surveying, species identification, and data entry and analysis)

2. Qualitative methodologies (surveys, interviewing, and focus groups)

3. Creative study, expression, intervention (user ethnography, participatory design, human-centered/more-than-human design, prototyping, production, installation, and exhibition) across a range of media and materials, including architecture, photo, sound, film, and glass

4. Public outreach and environmental education/communication (graphic design, website development, social media, and op-ed writing)

5. Political advocacy (policy briefs and proposal/law writing)

We encourage students with pre-existing training in these scholarly, creative, and technical areas to join but also those who wish to learn.

All students will have opportunities for professional development, including teamwork, reading/research, writing, public speaking and presentations, constructive criticism and feedback, networking, and relationship-building.

Some students may choose to become team managers and practice their leadership and management.

A short list of our output might include maps, websites, design objects, exhibitions, white papers, conference presentations (the undergraduate research symposium or professional societies), publications, and a booth at ImagineRIT.

A complete list of technologies used will depend on student interest, but a minimal list would include:

1. iNaturalist, Merlin ID, and other species identification software
2. ArcGIS for data management and mapping of collision geographies
3. In Vivo/Atlas.ti and Ethnote/Obsidian for fieldnote-taking, coding, and analysis
4. Adobe Creative Suite (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, etc.)
5. Text editing programs, such as Microsoft Word
6. Web design and development platforms—for instance, WordPress
7. Social media platforms, like Instagram, Facebook, BSKY, and TikTok
8. Notion or a similar project management systems
9. Slack/Discord and email for group communication
10. Google Workspace, especially Drive, for file sharing

Smash the Crash welcomes all RIT students interested in applying their knowledge  and skills toward the protection of animals, the conservation of the environment, and the betterment of their local community. It is open to participants from any college, institute, and school and at any level of degree progression and program, from first-years to doctoral students.

Below are our primary lines of inquiry along with a list of majors, minors, and immersions that would be well-suited to this initiative:

1. The science of collisions – students in the College of Science (e.g., Biology and Environmental Science)
2. The history, meaning, and social context of collisions and the ethnography of  architectural users – students in the College of Liberal Arts (e.g., Sociology and Anthropology; Science, Technology, and Society; Global Futures, and History) and College of Art and Design, especially those interested in the anthropology of design
3. Bird-safe design and ecological art – students in the College of Art and Design and the Golisano Institute for Sustainability
4. Environmental communication and website development – students in the Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts (e.g., English; Psychology; Humanities, Computing, and Design; and  the School of Communication)
5. The politics and economics of bird-safe design – students in the Saunders College of Business, the College of Liberal Arts (e.g., Economics), and the Golisano Institute for Sustainability
6. Detection/deterrent technology – students in the College of Engineering Technology and the Kate Gleason College of Engineering

If you do not see your specific field of study listed here, you are encouraged to get in touch with the faculty leader to discuss other ways you might participate.

Students in Smash the Crash will conduct independent projects individually or in teams.

We will all meet weekly at a convenient time and location. The first meeting will introduce students to the field of bird-window collisions and review the available projects. Then they will select their project for the duration of the semester. Subsequent meetings will serve to coordinate progress and troubleshoot challenges in a collaborative learning environment. In addition to group meetings, students will meet with their teams as needed. At least once  per semester, every student will have a one-on-one meeting with the faculty lead. Our daily communication will take place via email, Notion, and Slack or Discord.

We will sometimes read and discuss articles and other texts; consult with subject experts; take fieldtrips; and meet with partners, stakeholders, and community members.

Drop-ins are welcome.

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