The “Smash the Crash” initiative at Rochester Institute of Technology is a student-driven environmental project aimed at reducing bird deaths caused by collisions with building windows in the Rochester area. The effort operates as a Vertically Integrated Project (VIP), bringing together students from different academic levels and disciplines to collaborate on long-term research and practical solutions. Through the VIP structure, students conduct field studies, analyze collision patterns, design deterrent systems, and develop outreach or policy initiatives to make buildings more bird-safe. By combining scientific research, design, and community engagement, the project gives students hands-on experience while working toward reducing the millions of bird-window collision deaths that occur each year.