Sustainability Awards

STUDENT RECIPIENT

Kate Macleod is a senior in Sustainable Materials and Technology who has dedicated herself to sustainability on campus and beyond. She has served as an ambassador for the College of Natural Resources since 2021 and interned with NC State’s Waste Reduction and Recycling office since 2022. Kate also works for a local non-profit, Toward Zero Waste, where her contributions helped establish a new Raleigh compost drop-off site. In addition, Kate also supports the Zero Waste Wolves student organization and has initiated numerous waste reduction events and educational initiatives on campus. 

FACULTY RECIPIENT

Jessica Yinka Thomas is director of the Business Sustainability Collaborative at the Poole College of Management and an associate professor of practice. Her work includes engaging students, faculty and business partners in developing innovative experiential learning opportunities like the nationally-recognized B Corp Clinic and the newly established graduate certificate program for business sustainability. She is currently the executive director of B Academics, a global network of over 2,100 educators studying B Corps and is also the NC State representative for the global Sustainability Consortium. Thomas teaches and mentors students in sustainable business, social innovation, business ethics and advises the Student Business Sustainability Association. 

STAFF RECIPIENT

Paul Matney is NC State Dining’s Business Officer. A strong advocate for sustainability, Paul established and leads a Dining Sustainability Committee that integrates sustainability-related activities in the workplace centered on health, wellness and community building. He supervises two Campus As A Classroom student interns who are helping to improve Dining’s sustainable purchasing and marketing efforts. These efforts have led to greater awareness of Dining’s sustainability initiatives and have helped set new targets for sustainable purchasing within Dining. 

ORGANIZATION RECIPIENT

The Zero Waste Wolfpack is a collaborative effort by NC State Waste Reduction and Recycling, Athletics, Wolfpack Sports Properties, GFL Environmental and numerous student and community volunteers to reduce landfill waste at NC State Athletics events. These efforts not only have an operational impact on waste management, but they also provide volunteers and fans the opportunity to learn and actively participate in sustainability programming. 

INNOVATION/IMPACT RECIPIENT

The Blue Economy Innovation Program is a campus-wide initiative to inspire innovation and entrepreneurial thinking in undergraduate and graduate students and faculty to solve the challenges of ocean sustainability. Under the direction of Dr. Chris Osburn, the Blue Economy Innovation Program explores opportunities for workforce development across the state and region and focuses expertise on how to preserve the health of ocean ecosystems while supporting the economic livelihoods of coastal communities.

STUDENT-LED INITIATIVE RECIPIENT

Campus Thrift Store provides the NC State community with an on-campus sustainable and affordable shopping option. From pop-up shops to Vintage by the Pack Market, which supports over 60 local vintage clothing vendors, Campus Thrift Store promotes a circular economy, a sustainable approach to fashion and a reduction in textile waste. The initiative also hosts donation options for both campus and community members. Its collaborative and community-based platform allows organizations across campus to magnify their impact while making ethical shopping a reality. 

Meet the 2023 Award Winners

Alie Akins (Student Recipient) is a senior in the Department of Nuclear Engineering, in which she has published multiple papers, presented at prestigious conferences and developed an AI-based anomaly detection algorithm during an internship at the Argonne National Laboratory. Additionally, she serves as the resource conservation team coordinator for the Sustainability Stewards at NC State and has been part of significant projects, such as the solar bus stop on Dan Allen Drive and Solar Space at Gardner Arboretum. Alie is currently working to install a pollinator garden at Talley Student Union along with organizing multiple events to engage students in conservation, including the campus-wide Energy and Water Competition. 

Dr. Karen Leonas (Faculty Recipient) is a dedicated sustainability leader from the Wilson College of Textiles. With a background in textile chemistry and fashion management, she has a unique understanding of both the science and managerial aspects of sustainability in this field. Her work includes developing courses, research and promoting a circular economy in the textile industry.  Dr. Leonas also mentors both undergraduate and graduate students and serves on sustainability committees on campus and for industry organizations. She is dedicated to making textiles and apparel more sustainable and her efforts have had a significant impact at NC State and the global textile industry. 

Laurel Krynock (Staff Recipient) is a GIS Administrator in the Facilities Division at NC State. Beyond her professional role which directly impacts campus sustainability, Laurel also mentors students for the GIS graduate certificate program on various sustainability projects. These projects include a GIS-based mobile application to manage campus trees, a GIS model to identify optimal locations for electric vehicle charging stations and a GIS-based tool to track and manage pollinator habitats on campus. Laurel’s mentorship efforts have had a significant impact on campus operations and maintenance, as these tools help to improve the health of campus green spaces and help determine optimal charging stations for electric vehicles. 

The NC State Turtle Rescue Team (Organization Recipient) is a volunteer organization run by veterinary students at the College of Veterinary Medicine. These dedicated students provide medical, surgical and husbandry services free of charge to over 300 wild turtles, reptiles and amphibians each year in the hope of releasing them back into the wild. Additionally, the team is involved with various public outreach programs. The Turtle Rescue Team’s efforts directly impact the health and biodiversity of North Carolina’s natural environment.

Sustainability is a primary focus of the Landscape Services (Innovation and Impact Recipient) department at NC State, which oversees the maintenance of 1,200 acres on campus. With a team of 90+ professional landscape horticulturists, Landscape Services prioritizes sustainable practices of using native, pollinator and perennial plants, composting, employing integrated pest management techniques and using electric-powered equipment to decrease noise and air pollution. The department has started an on-campus greenhouse and whenever possible, materials removed from campus landscapes are reused in new projects. Students, staff and faculty seek out the resources and knowledge that the department provides to support curriculum and campus-wide enhancements. Landscape Services also engages with students through internships and support of student-led projects that improve the campus environment. 

Meet the 2022 Award Winners

Ann Winstead (Student Recipient) is a senior majoring in Environmental Science and Political Science, with a minor in Renewable Energy. Ann has been impacting sustainability since her freshman year as a resident in University Housing’s EcoVillage living and learning community. Since this time, she has worked with NC State Waste Reduction and Recycling as a Plastic Policy student intern and installed more than 250 compost pails to expand apartment composting within University Housing. Ann is currently serving as a Sustainability Evaluation and Planning student intern and also serves as a Student Government Senator representing the College of Natural Resources. Recently, she wrote and helped pass a Student Senate bill that promotes compost education and the elimination of single-use plastics on campus. Ann is also a College of Natural Resources Ambassador and the assistant director for the Sustainability Department of Student Government.

Dr. Carol Seals Price (Faculty Recipient) is an instructor for the North Carolina Center for Marine Sciences and Technology in Morehead City in addition to also being a conservation biologist and research coordinator for the North Carolina Aquariums system. Dr. Price conducts and oversees research and fieldwork to protect the species and habitats that call North Carolina home. Dr. Price is also inspiring and training the next generation of environmental leaders through her mentorship and instruction of students, where she showcases a commitment to equity and inclusion to ensure everyone can be involved with research at the coast.

Dennis Kinsler (Staff Recipient) is the supervisor for the Zone 4 Maintenance Shop in Building Maintenance & Operations of NC State Facilities Division. In this position, he oversees a staff of 15 multi-trade technicians and is responsible for the maintenance and operations of all mechanical, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems for over 1.1 million square feet of buildings on campus. The preventive maintenance work that Dennis performs and manages ensures reliable and efficient operation of campus building systems. Dennis’ efforts have earned a completion rate for the Maintenance Shop of over 98.3% of the 1,500 assigned Preventive Maintenance work orders for 2021, equating to 8,100 staff hours. This dedication advances the university’s energy conservation goals, greenhouse gas reduction goals and saves the university both economic and environmental resources.

The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (Department Recipient), or CEFS, is a partnership of NC State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. CEFS develops and promotes just and equitable food and farming systems that conserve natural resources, strengthen communities, improve health outcomes and provide economic opportunities in North Carolina and beyond. The Business and Events Team within CEFS hosts more than 150 events annually across the state of North Carolina. The team is committed to not only creating these educational and outreach events but doing so in a sustainable way through careful planning and research. These events model zero waste practices — such as choosing reusables vs. single-use items — and showcasing locally grown foods whenever possible to connect farmers with chefs and to also reduce their carbon footprint. The team’s work also provides community members with a replicable path to utilize these sustainable event practices. DEFS Business and Events Team members include Emma Hirshy, Mary Elizabeth Morris, Amber Polk and Chris Starbird.

The Facilities Division Commissioning Team (Innovation and Impact Recipient) works to optimize mechanical systems in strategic campus buildings. In the last 7 years, their work has created a collective $10 million in utility savings for the university and reduced carbon emissions by 200 million pounds. The Commissioning Team’s work includes energy reduction measures, as well as preventative efforts that help prevent future building issues like biological growth. Often at the end of a project, a building the team worked on has a higher level of thermal comfort, a smaller carbon footprint, and saves the university money on the utility budget. Commissioning Team members include Michael Shelton, Chris Young, Mike Bell and Matt Nolan.

Meet the 2021 Award Winners

Martina Gonzalez Bertello (Student Recipient), who is majoring in Environmental Technology and Management in the College of Natural Resources, got involved in sustainability as soon as she started at NC State by living in EcoVillage her first year and later continuing as an EcoVillage program leader. She also joined the NC State Stewards program, where she now serves as the lead student coordinator and oversaw projects including installation of water-saving timers for showers in residence halls and development of a solar-powered trellis on North Campus. Martina is also the cofounder and current president of the Student Energy Club.

Connor Celentano (Staff Recipient) is the assistant facilities coordinator in the College of Natural Resources and has been leading the college’s efforts to reduce waste and save energy. He advocated for the college to partner with NC State Waste Reduction and Recycling to become the largest Zero Waste Workplace on campus. As a result, the college added 60 food composting bins, 47 paper towel composting bins, 3 plastic film collection points and 2 composting dumpsters throughout the college’s five main buildings. Connor has also gone above and beyond to find new homes for reusable items during lab clean-outs and renovations and helped the Energy Management department convert Biltmore Hall and Pulp and Paper Labs to all LED lighting.

Seth Murray (Faculty Recipient) is an associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. In addition to his work as Director of Undergraduate Programs and International Studies Program Director, Seth has selflessly given to the effort to understand how the UN Sustainable Development Goals can be translated and applied to university-wide curricula.

Feed The Pack (Student-Led Initiative Recipient) on campus works to meet the food needs of students, faculty and staff with dignity and respect. In 2019, there were 3,904 pantry visits in comparison to 8,274 visits in 2020. To rise to this challenge, Feed the Pack gave out 116,079 pounds of food throughout 2020. By consistently staying open, through the summer, fall, and winter, Feed the Pack combatted food insecurity sustainably.

University Housekeeping (Department Recipient) was an early adopter of more environmentally-friendly chemicals and practices and, in 2019, became the first university in NC and the sixth university in the nation to earn the rigorous Green Seal certification for sustainability. Over the past year of the COVID-19 pandemic, NC State’s housekeeping employees have gone above and beyond to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our campus community.

Wilson College of Textiles Sustainability Committee (Innovation and Impact Recipient) launched in fall 2017 as an employee effort that quickly incorporated students. The collaboration has resulted in sustainability lunch and learns, water bottle refilling stations, K-cup recycling and reusable utensils in break rooms, a textile recycling program that diverted 5,500 pounds of textile waste from landfill and more. Composting for the building is also on the way.

Meet the 2020 Award Winners

Sriya Gottumukkula (Student Recipient) is an Environmental Sciences major in the College of Natural Resources. In her first year at NC State, Sriya participated in the Eco Village Living and Learning Village, as well as the College of Natural Resources’ Engaging Leaders program. Through this involvement, she constructed homes for Habitat for Humanity, assisted in hurricane recovery, maintained campus farms, promoted composting and recycling during sporting events, and designed a sustainable urban development seminar. She also served as an NC State Steward, where she planned residence hall conservation competitions and helped create a sustainability certification for students living on campus. She also conducted research in Zambia focused on poverty alleviation and sustainable energy. In India, she assessed climate mitigation actions of companies as part of an internship. In Australia, she served in conservation efforts including stream maintenance and habitat restoration.

Zero Waste Wolves (Student Organization Recipient) has made a large contribution to NC State’s efforts to reduce waste. In one of their first semesters, they worked with D.H. Hill Jr. Library to remove over 300 desk-sized trash bins and install convenience sites that included both landfill and recycling bins. They have also created, implemented and expanded a paper towel composting program for campus residence halls beginning with a pilot program in Bragaw and Metcalf Hall and have since expanded to 8 residence halls. Their most recent project included working with NC State Wellness and Recreation to begin recycling used and unwanted tennis balls, which were being sent to the landfill, to local schools and dog shelters in Raleigh. In addition to projects, they host educational workshops about zero waste.

Veronika Maynard Simon (Staff Recipient) is a customer service specialist in NC State Transportation, where she has inspired a department-wide sustainability effort. In 2019, she developed a month-long sustainability challenge that helped employees create new sustainable habits. She collected information from participants and found a nearly 50% increase in environmentally-conscious actions. The department also consumed less energy in its building — Administrative Services I — during the challenge than in the preceding 12-month period. Since then, Veronika worked with Energy Management to have energy-saving, motion-sensing lights installed in strategic areas. She also regularly sends emails with sustainability reminders, helped the department switch to using compostable and reusable supplies, and started a coffee club to reduce the number of single-use coffee pods and cups utilized by her colleagues.

LEED Lab Course (Innovation and Impact Recipient) in the School of Architecture is a transdisciplinary immersion course that utilizes the built environment to educate and prepare students to become green building leaders and sustainability-focused citizens. Based on the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system, the course facilitates partnerships between student teams and NC State departments. Students work with facility professionals to understand the current impact of the building operations across water, site, energy, materials, transportation, and indoor environmental quality categories, ultimately providing strategic recommendations to improve the building’s environmental impacts. Over the six-year history of the course, 150 students have engaged the operations staff and occupants of Nelson Hall, Bragaw Hall, McKimmon Center, Talley Student Union, Wolf Ridge Apartments and Weisiger-Brown Athletics Building. As a result of the course, Talley Student Union was able to achieve its second LEED Certification in LEED for Operations and Maintenance. The course has been a model for other universities while also preparing students for green-building careers.

Michelle Shroeder-Moreno (Faculty Recipient) is a professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Michelle both developed and currently leads NC State’s agroecology education, which focuses on the sustainability of agriculture and the food system. In response to the continued growth of student interest in agroecology programs, Michelle led the intensive effort to develop and gain approval for a new major in Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems. Many years ago, she also developed a unique outdoor classroom: NC State’s Agroecology Education Farm. She serves as the director of the six-acre farm, where students and the community can learn about sustainable and organic horticulture crop production. The farm’s harvest returns to campus for use by NC State Dining. Michelle also advises the student-run Campus Farmers Market and leads service learning efforts with Interfaith Food Shuttle, school and community gardens, and in her classes. In 2013, she co-chaired NC State’s Earth Day, which focused on sustainable food systems.

Social Innovation Fellows (Department Award) enables NC State’s young social entrepreneurs and innovators to consider more fully their impact on humanity and the planet. Hosted by the NC State Institute for Nonprofits, the Fellows explore issues of ethics and sustainability at the intersection of the social sector and responsible business practice. Individuals are grouped into teams and assigned to an innovative venture that addresses some of the most adverse sustainability-related challenges society faces today. 

Meet the 2019 Award Winners

Megan Boland is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering. She researches anaerobic digestion of animal and agricultural waste, which simultaneously produces renewable energy. In addition to a busy research and course load, Megan joined the NC State Stewards sustainability leadership program. As the Academic Success Coordinator for the Stewards, she provides academic and career mentorship for younger Stewards. She’s also making a difference in her home department. She has initiated and maintains a compost program and is planning to create hanging gardens and bee hotels.

In addition to teaching courses about the environment, Dr. Steph Jeffries leads the Environmental First Year Program in the Department of Forestry & Environmental Resources. The Program and her courses are critical to engaging new students and exciting them about addressing environmental challenges with sustainable solutions. In one large course, she won two grants to take learning outside the classroom by engaging students in data collection on campus trees. This citizen science project was key in helping NC State earn designation as a Tree Campus USA from the Arbor Day Foundation.

The ultimate job of Mail Services is straightforward: manage and deliver campus mail. Amanda Franklin initiated several waste reduction efforts. Her team recycles tons of unsolicited mail items annually, and Amanda is instituting measures to ensure this material doesn’t reach campus at all. She tracks her department’s waste diversion rate and has optimized mail routes to save fuel and create efficiencies.

The Landscape Architecture Department in the College of Design has a long history of advancing sustainability through its teaching and applied scholarship. Faculty have successfully partnered with other units on campus to create several sustainable campus landscapes, and this collaborative spirit continues off campus. After Hurricane Matthew devastated parts of eastern North Carolina, 5 faculty members led an interdisciplinary team to create rebuilding guides for leaders and residents in low-resource rural towns. For several years, the department has also developed and managed DesignWeek, an inter-institutional event for students to explore sustainability issues related to Hurricane Matthew recovery, pollution in the Neuse River Watershed and the community impact of increased extreme weather events.

The Energy Storage Study for North Carolina involved an interdisciplinary team of NC State researchers evaluating the potential for energy storage in the state. Members of the project team were drawn from agricultural and resource economics, public administration, electrical engineering, civil engineering, and NC Clean Technology Center. Because storage can help enable the deployment of emissions-free wind and solar, the topic has important environmental implications and needed rigorous evaluation. The completed report is intended to guide the NC General Assembly as it develops storage-related energy policies.

Meet the 2018 Award Winners

This year’s student winner is Mary Paz Alvarez Valverde. A Sustainable Materials and Technology major in the College of Natural Resources, she began her sustainability efforts at NC State the day she stepped onto campus. As a part of the EcoVillage living and learning community in Bragaw Residence Hall for two years, she engaged with sustainable projects and practices. Last fall, she worked as an intern with NC State’s Waste Reduction and Recycling Office, where she helped push the football season composting totals in Carter-Finley Stadium from 8,900 pounds in 2016 to almost 28,000 pounds for the 2017 season.

Reggie Howell, a marketing manager with Campus Enterprises and Talley Student Union, is the winner of the staff award. This spring, Howell gave up a week of his time to serve as the advisor for an Alternative Service Break trip focused on environmental justice. Howell also serves on the Campus Enterprises sustainability task force and has organized outreach events to teach Talley occupants and visitors about the building’s composting and recycling initiatives.

This year’s faculty winner is Dr. Ryan Emanuel, an associate professor in the College of Natural Resources. He researches hydrology and has authored articles related to watersheds, groundwater, climate change and land use. In 2017, Emanuel helped organize North Carolina’s first tribal environmental summit, where leaders of the state’s eight Native American tribes met with state and federal officials to discuss issues surrounding environmental justice, sustainable development and indigenous rights. He also consulted extensively with the NC Department of Environmental Quality on its environmental justice review of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline project.

NC State’s student chapter of Engineers Without Borders is the campus organization winner. This student organization is dedicated to building a better world through sustainable engineering projects that empower communities to meet their basic human needs. Currently, the chapter volunteers in Guatemala, where students developed rainwater catchment systems for houses, and Sierra Leone, where students have provided a school with access to clean water and reliable, renewable energy. These sustainable engineering projects have directly impacted more than 1,000 people.

This year’s innovation and impact winner is an initiative focused on Food and Housing Security Among NC State Students. Under the leadership of Dr. Mary Haskett and Sarah Wright, this initiative has sought to ensure all NC State students have access to sufficient, nutritious, culturally appropriate and affordable food as well as safe, affordable housing that is accessible to the university. This project developed a campus and community steering committee, conducted a research survey on campus, and is helping create solutions to improve food and housing security among NC State students.

Meet the 2017 Award Winners

Jenkins MBA student Shannon O’Shea is the student recipient. O’Shea helped organize a sustainable foods conference at NC State called FoodCon and has served as a team leader for B Corp Clinic, which pairs students with local businesses interested in sustainability certification. She is a Business Sustainability Collaborative Associate in the Poole College of Management and president of NC State’s graduate chapter of Net Impact, a sustainability-focused student organization. Last spring, she was part of two MBA student teams that earned recognition in sustainability business competitions.

This year’s staff winner is Derek Liles, facilities supervisor at Carter-Finley Stadium. Liles serves as the Athletics point-of-contact for the WE Recycle program and the Carter-Finley Composts program. His efforts allowed the stadium to post its all-time season record: a 27 percent waste diversion rate. Derek worked to integrate compost collection in post-game stadium cleaning and also obtained support for adding recycling bag distribution stations in tailgate parking lots, which allowed Athletics to remove hundreds of trash bins and reduce landfilled items by 29,000 pounds.

This year’s faculty winner is Dr. Larry Nielson, who was responsible for helping create the university’s Campus Environmental Sustainability Team. This team was the foundation for much of the sustainability progress NC State has made. He also helped kickstart the campus climate commitment and the winter energy setback program, which has saved more than $3 million since it began in 2005. He helped integrate sustainability into Hunt Library, preserve Lake Raleigh Woods and educate thousands through teaching and campus sustainability events.

This year’s campus organization winner is the Food Recovery Network, a student organization that partners with NC State Dining to donate leftover food from campus dining halls to local nonprofit organizations that serve the homeless. Food Recovery Network has built a network of 100 student volunteers who take turns collecting leftover food from dining halls three times a week. These efforts not only help the community but also address food waste. So far, the group has donated more than 3,500 pounds of food to two Raleigh nonprofits.

This year’s innovation and impact winner is Zero Waste Workplace, a waste diversion program of NC State’s Waste Reduction and Recycling Office. Since starting last summer, the program has been implemented in Administrative Services Buildings 1, 2 and 3 as well as other Facilities Division offices. So far, the program has diverted 3,000 pounds of waste from the landfill through composting. There has also been a 32 percent increase in recycling in these buildings. The program has been so successful that 21 other buildings have requested the program.

Biological and agricultural engineering student Annie Lopez is the student recipient. A Park Scholar and an NC State Steward, Annie has been the driving force behind the Stewards’ efforts to remove plastic bags from campus. She lived in the campus EcoVillage living and learning community, has served on a sustainability-related Alternative Spring Break, helped start the Student Sustainability Resource Coalition and she has spent the past two years conducting stormwater filtration research.

The staff winner is Jessica Thomas, the founding director of the Poole College of Management’s Business Sustainability Collaborative. Thomas has infused sustainability into the foundation of Poole College’s research, academics, student programs and culture. She revived the undergraduate and graduate Net Impact chapters, which have now received gold status at the national level. Last fall, Jessica created the B Corp Clinic that matches students from NC State, Duke and UNC as consultants for local companies pursuing B-Corp sustainability certification.

The faculty winner is Dr. Bob Patterson, the Alumni Distinguished Professor of Crop Science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Beyond his research on the sustainability of global food systems, Patterson has exposed students to sustainability through courses such as World Population and Food Prospects and Global Sustainable Human Development.

The campus organization winner is the NC State Agroecology Education Farm. Dedicated in 2006 as part of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the farm is where many students and community members learn the principles of agroecology. Since 2013, University Dining has purchased the farm’s produce to serve in campus dining halls. With the addition of a new season-extending hoop house, the farm will be able to provide even more produce for campus dining halls.

The innovation and impact winner is the Waste Reduction Committee of the NC State Stewards student organization. This committee of about half a dozen students has been working for more than two years to phase out the use of retail plastic bags on campus. In partnership with Campus Enterprises, the students started the university’s first plastic bag recycling program in campus C-Stores in 2014 and most recently led the switch from plastic bags to more sustainable paper bags in the Atrium dining facility and C-Stores.

The student recipient is interdisciplinary studies major Hannah Frank. Hannah is a Caldwell Fellow, co-manager of the Campus Farmer’s Market and a core organizer for Fossil Free NCSU, a student-led campaign for climate neutrality and renewable energy within the UNC System. Hannah also works as a research assistant for the Appalachian Foodshed Project, an initiative addressing issues of food security throughout southern Appalachia.

The staff recipient is David Johnson, a chef with University Dining at its On the Oval restaurant. David envisioned and helped develop a roofside garden atop Wolf Ridge Student Apartments. This garden grew fruits and vegetables that were later served in the Oval’s restaurant.

The faculty recipient is Dr. Danesha Seth Carley, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Horticultural Science and Associate Director for the Southern Integrated Pest Management Center. Among her most visible projects is the famed Pinehurst No. 2 golf course that was the host of the 2014 U.S. Open Golf Championship, where her research drew national attention and widespread media coverage about the importance of native plants. At NC State, she guided sustainability efforts that led to the university’s Lonnie Poole Golf Course gaining Audubon Certification and created an Executive Course on sustainability, which has engaged leaders from some of the nation’s top agriculture companies. Danesha also initiated an environmental education program at Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School, launched a Sustainable Managed Landscapes Program for other K-12 groups, and chaired the 2013 NC State Earth Week celebration on sustainable food.

University Student Centers received the campus organization award for its efforts to enhance sustainability at the nearly-completed Talley Student Union. Upon completion of construction, Talley is expected to earn LEED Silver Certification for leadership in energy and environmental design. But the commitment to sustainability doesn’t end there. Since the opening of the building’s first phase, 30 percent of waste at Talley has been diverted from landfills through robust recycling and composting programs. Plus, the building is actively seeking ways to reduce its energy use.

The student recipient, Matt Abele, is a graduate student in communications. He volunteers his videography skills for numerous local and environmental organizations in addition to personal filmography he does on environmental issues impacting the local community. He is also an intern with the North Carolina Solar Center.

The staff recipient, Keith Smith, is University Dining’s director of dining operations. In 2012, Smith launched My Roots are at NC State to increase the amount of local food served in campus dining halls. In addition to this award-winning program, Smith also started a dining hall compost program, campus-grown produce procurement and an herb garden outside Fountain Dining Hall.

The faculty recipient, D. Scott Showalter, is a professor of practice in Poole College of Management. He integrates sustainability into all the accounting courses he teaches and also developed an MBA course on Sustainability and Business. He also collaborates on sustainability-related research within the college and industry.

In the first-ever organization category of the Green Brick Awards, the Alumni Association Student Ambassador Program was honored for its efforts to incorporate sustainability into NC State’s Homecoming events. As one of the university’s largest events, the students’ efforts resulted in significant reduction of paper, water and material use associated with the event.

The student recipient, Carlos Vega, is a junior economics major and residence advisor in the Honors Village, where he also leads the Honors Village Sustainability Committee. He helped organize Honors Village participation in Shack-A-Thon, which raised money for Habitat for Humanity and has implemented a program called Quad Bikes, a pilot project for bike sharing on campus.

The staff recipient, Rick Gardner, is NC State’s associate director of student leadership and engagement and serves as one of the advisers for the Union Activities Board (UAB). Rick has inspired student event planners to make events more sustainable through efforts such as composting and purchasing carbon offsets for large events.

The faculty recipient, Dr. Jonathan Casper, is an assistant professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. He organized a campus Committee on Sustainability in Athletics and was instrumental in facilitating NC State’s first green baseball and football games.

Student Chelsea Amato, a senior in Graphic Design, uses sustainability as a baseline in her school work and has developed projects such as Sustainable Forest Management, a way-finding system within the Borneo rainforest to discourage logging and deforestation; Plant and Pollinate Raleigh, a honey bee advocacy campaign based around agricultural solutions that promote local initiatives and decreased pesticide use; and a Deforestation Advocacy Campaign. She has worked at Whole Foods, the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and NC State Waste Reduction and Recycling. She also volunteers her design talent and time towards the “greening” of Raleigh’s Hopscotch Music Festival and helped create, found and grow CompostNow, which allows businesses and households to compost from their doorstep.

Staff member Anna Mangum works at E3 (Economy, Energy and the Environment) where she creates and fosters relationships with more then 150 partners from local, state, and federal organizations all working together to create a more sustainable manufacturing sector. Due to Anna’s efforts, E3: North Carolina was recognized as one of the country’s premier initiatives, having received attention from the White House Rural Council and Governor Perdue and was a recipient of the National Association of Development Organizations Innovation Award.

Faculty member Dr. Stephen Terry is a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Student Energy Internship Program, placing students in real-world projects and giving them priceless experience for their job search. As the Assistant Director of the Industrial Assessment Center, Dr. Terry has grown the program’s reach to 450 industrial facilities, 3,324 energy conservation recommendations, and implemented savings of more than $22.3 million per year. Dr. Terry has partnered with NC State Facilities Operations to apply his expertise on campus and save the university $635,000.

Student Megan Cain is a senior in Environmental Technology and has utilized two internships to help pay for college while expanding her knowledge in various areas of sustainability. In her time with NC State’s Waste Reduction and Recycling office and the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources she has: organized a cleanup of Schenck Forest, acted as volunteer coordinator for WE Recycle, volunteered to co-lead the first Costa Rica Alternative Service Break trip, organized several NC State Earth Day Concerts and assisted with many green events on campus.

As Program Manager for the Clean Transportation Program at the North Carolina Solar Center Anne Tazewell helps coordinate statewide efforts to increase the use of advanced transportation technologies and alternative fuels. Anne helped conceive the Clean Fuels Advance Technology (CFAT) project for NC State that helped the NC Solar Center buy a neighborhood electric and the very first electric charging station in Raleigh, located at the NC State Joyner Visitor Center. In addition, Anne helped NC State in funding an E85 (Ethanol) station thereby increasing the use of biofuels in the campus fleet.

As an Assistant Professor in Landscape Architecture, faculty member Andy Fox focuses on sustainable construction methods and technologies, outdoor educational environments, and urban design of public spaces. In 2010, Andy and a class of graduate students designed and installed a rain garden at Syme Residence Hall. The project transformed a forgotten piece of land with multiple stormwater issues into an aesthetically pleasing and functioning site. The success of that project led to a partnership with University Housing for additional improvements at other residence halls.

As a freshman, student Ariel Fugate  formed a group of passionate students devoted to launching the Campus Farmers Market. Ariel is also involved in a full sustainable food assessment of the university, understanding the challenges of getting local foods in the campus cafeteria and composting food wastes. She serves as an intern with Waste Reduction and Recycling and has been working to bring local foods and food waste composting into the university dining halls. All of this while maintaining her status as an honors student and Caldwell Fellow.

As Information and News Services Coordinator for the Office of Information Technology (OIT), staff member Jude Davis has been making an effort to promote green technology. As the primary liaison between OIT and the University Sustainability Office she has been devising ways to assist NC State in its efforts to become more environmentally sustainable.

Faculty member Dr. Francis De Los Reyes, Associate Professor in Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering started an NC State TED chapter designed to spark additional creativity and innovation on campus. As part of this program Dr. De Los Reyes was named a TEDIndia Fellow, a highly competitive honor. Dr. De Los Reyes’ research in water resources and environmental engineering works to create sustainable solutions.

Student Natalie Bunch was the student-lead for the WE Recycle program. As a Caldwell Fellow she has helped to make the meetings more sustainable by encouraging attendees to bring their own reusable utensils and plates or containers.

Staff member Wade Fulghum began his time at the university in the Office of Energy Management. He was a key organizer of the water challenge between NC State and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As a result, the two schools saved more than 11 million gallons. Wade also set up a trip to the Durham headquarters of CREE, which initiated talks between CREE and NC State. As a result, NC State has started working on becoming the first LED University. Currently, Wade is a program manager at the North Carolina Solar Center.

Faculty member Dr. H. Christopher Frey has developed an internationally recognized educational and research program in the areas of air pollution control, air quality, and human exposure to air pollutants and pathogens. He is the founding adviser of the NC State student chapter of the Air & Waste Management Association (A&WMA), a fellow of the A&WMA, and both a Fellow and Past President of the Society for Risk Analysis. Dr. Frey has led new research efforts to measure and model the real-world implications of alternative fuels, vehicle technologies, driver behavior, and infrastructure on the activity, energy use and emissions of a wide variety of vehicles.

Student Elin Arnaudin became actively involved in G.R.E.E.N. and helped promote sustainable behavior to other campus residents through her volunteer efforts at numerous events. She has also worked as an intern with NC State’s Center for Environmental Farming Systems and lived in NCSU’s Eco-House. She worked on NC State’s 2008 Earth Week Planning Committee and created a free-range, organic pig-pickin’. University Dining is working with Elin to begin using local cage-free eggs and examine other sustainable practices.

Staff member Barry Olson is the Associate Director of University Housing-Facilities. He has worked to establish the Eco-House at ES King Village – an ongoing project to have a “green” living facility on campus. He has also initiated the use of sustainable building materials in residence halls such as recycled carpet and furniture, LED lighting, and low-VOC paint. Olson also took a leadership role in water conservation on campus.

Faculty member Rhonda Sherman has been an Extension Specialist for Solid Waste Management in the  Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department for more than 20 years. She has worked with people and organizations around the state and helped them rethink and reorganize their means of handling solid waste. Rhonda has always been willing and eager to lend a hand to faculty who teach about sustainability. She does so by being a guest lecturer, running workshops, and working one-on-one with students to give them a hands-on experience with composting.

Student Heidi Bunn was instrumental in starting GREEN, a campus group dedicated to increasing environmental educational programming in the dorms. Recently, Bunn worked with a group of Alexander Hall residents to explore purchasing blocks of NC Green Power to minimize their dorm floor’s ecological footprint and to initiate a backyard-composting program.

Staff member Jim Konowski initiated an effort to recycle metal-encased air filters that were previously thrown into the trash dumpsters around campus and sent to the landfill. Expanding on the success of the metal-encased air filter recycling, Jim initiated another effort to recycle rubber belts that are routinely replaced in mechanical systems.

Faculty member Traci Rose Rider came to NC State in 2006 to obtain her Ph.D. in Design and has made an impact immediately. Rider taught one of the graduate-level seminars on Sustainability for architecture students at the College of Design. During this class, she acted as an advisor on the MTVu Ecomagination Challenge. She provided an abundance of guidance and support. Rider was also responsible for organizing the 2010 Imperative Global Teach-In for NC State’s campus.

Ryan Powell, a graduate student in Resource Economics, works with the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling on projects such as using students fees to subsidize green power.

Staff member Barbara Doll is a water quality extension specialist for North Carolina Sea Grant, a state/federal program that funds research outreach and education activities that promote the wise use of coastal resources. Since joining North Carolina Sea Grant in 1992, Barbara has led award-winning stream and wetland restoration projects both on campus and across the state.

Faculty member Nancy Creamer is the Director of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, a 200-acre research and teaching facility that focuses on sustainable practices in agriculture. She runs one of the nation’s best organic agriculture summer internship programs there and is known nationally and internationally for her steadfast support of sustainable thinking for all aspects of living.

Student Christine Carol (C.C.) Maurer’s thesis project was on monitoring the performance and effectiveness of a transpired solar collector system at an industrial facility in North Carolina. While  working at the NC Solar Center, she also assisted fellow Solar Center engineers with field work on photovoltaic and solar thermal systems and has worked on renewable energy demonstration projects at the NC State Solar House. CC was also involved with the NC State Sustainability Coalition.

Staff member Dona Stankus, is a registered architect and the High-Performance Building Programs Manager at the NC Solar Center at NC State. Stankus is on the Board of Directors for the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council, a mentor for the AIA Young Architects Forum, on the City of Raleigh Environmental Advisory Board and involved with the Human Rights/Program Committee for Learning Together, a non-profit developmental early childhood education center. She is the past Chair of the NC Sustainable Energy Association and the Carolina Recycling Associations’ Green Building Council.

Faculty member Will Hooker, a  Department of Horticultural Science professor, teaches students about sustainable designs, specifically permaculture. His teaching methods include “Hands-on” experiences, including extended camping/cooking field trips to visit good and bad examples of relative work. He hosts workshops and building projects utilizing sustainable methodologies and has created many sculptures out of renewable materials.

Student Becky Jo Townsend joined the Forestry and Environmental Outreach Program at NC State in 2001 and also took courses to pursue a Master’s Degree in Natural Resources. Her thesis focused on uncovering how the campus community informs itself about environmental issues.

As the Operations Manager for the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling, staff member Nessa Stone oversees all operational aspects including equipment purchases, recycling and waste crew supervision, and program development. In addition, Stone maintains campus collection routes for about 300 trash, cardboard and autoclave dumpsters and more than 4,200 indoor and outdoor recycling bins for office paper, mixed paper and beverage containers.

Faculty member Dr. Herbert M. Eckerlin, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, has been teaching industries how to use energy more efficiently since 1992 when he helped establish NC State’s Industrial Assessment Center (IAC). Eckerlin also helped found the NC Solar Center, one of the nation’s leading renewable energy centers, and the NC Solar House, a renewable energy demonstration home.