Office of Sustainability
About the Office:
The University of Maryland Office of Sustainability supports and advances environmental performance, economic prosperity and social equality through a variety of initiatives. The staff facilitate the development and implementation of sustainable policies, practices and curricula for the campus community by:
- Educating the campus community about sustainability
- Developing sustainability programming that affects student education and campus operations
- Fostering collaboration between units of the university and external resources
- Consulting with campus departments (administrative and academic) to find ways of reducing environmental impacts and promoting sustainability
- Coordinating efforts to meet the goals of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment
- Measuring and reporting on campus sustainability efforts
- Providing outreach to individuals and organizations both internal and external to the University
- Supporting the University Sustainability Council
Staff:
Scott Lupin, Director
Scott is the Director of the Office of Sustainability and Associate Director for the Department of Environmental Safety. He has been with the University for 12 years where his primary focus involves the development of the campus sustainability program and environmental management. Prior to joining the university, Scott served as an Associate with Dames and Moore, an international environmental and engineering consulting firm. He has also served as an EHS Manager for Honeywell, Inc. and as a RCRA inspector and Superfund investigator for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Scott holds a Master`s degree in Environmental Health from the University of Minnesota and is a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager. He is also a LEED Accredited Professional.
Mark Stewart, Manager
Mark has been with the Office of Sustainability since its inception in 2007. He developed and leads the Chesapeake Project, Student Sustainability Advisors program, and Green Greek Challenge, among other projects. His work on integrating sustainability education into the student experience was published in the Journal of Sustainability Education and as a chapter in a book on ecological education. Mark earned his Master's degree in Higher Education Policy & Leadership from the University of Maryland where he studied the role of higher education in creating a sustainable society. Prior to attending graduate school, he taught high school earth and environmental science in Howard County, MD. Before teaching, he worked in organizational development. He holds a BS in Environmental Science, BA in Psychology, and is a LEED Accredited Professional. Mark also serves on the Board of Directors of the environmental non-profit, Pick Up America.
Sally DeLeon, Measurement Coordinator
Sally is the Measurement Coordinator for the Office of Sustainability. She manages data and progress tracking for the University’s sustainability efforts. Before joining the UMD staff Sally was an educator and environmental researcher. At Rocky Mountain Institute she co-authored a guide for colleges and universities on climate action. She worked for the University of Vermont’s Office of Sustainability while finishing her graduate research which focused on sustainable development challenges related to gemstone mining in poor countries. She also taught high school science, worked on a small organic farm, backpacked across the Cordillera Real, and biked across Alaska. Sally holds an MS in Natural Resource Planning, a BA in biology, and a BA in environmental studies. When not at work she enjoys playing outside with her daughter, travelling with her husband, and hanging out at home in Takoma Park.
Aynsley Toews, Enhancement Coordinator
Aynsley is the Sustainability Enhancement Coordinator at the Office of Sustainability. In this role, she supports existing and develops new campus green programs. Aynsley has worked in sustainability education and extension for the past 16 years in private, public and non-profit sectors. A former naturalist, Aynsley has increasingly worked on the development of action-oriented programs that encourage behavior change and the selection of sustainable alternatives. She has a Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science), with a focus on climate change and a Bachelor of Education. Aynsley, an immigrant from Canada, enjoys camping, hiking, running and attending Terps football games – go Terps!
Frances Avendaño, Communications Coordinator
As the Communications Coordinator for the Office of Sustainability, Fran develops public relations materials and strategies that unify, magnify and enhance campus sustainability initiatives. Before becoming a Terp, Fran helped establish UC San Diego's Sustainability Resource Center, the Student Sustainability Collective, and The Green Initiative Fund. Fran holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and in Economics with an emphasis on social, cultural and ecological awareness. She specializes in multi-media communications including graphic design, web, video and photography. When not at work she enjoys cycling, yoga, cooking and crafting.
Interns:
Anna delos Angeles, Illustration Intern
Anna is currently a sophomore student in Maryland's Landscape Architecture Program, where she also learns and practices visual communication and illustration. She hopes to eventually pursue studies in the field of urban design, having been inspired by the increasingly environmnetally conscious design of recent times. Anna is also a representative for Maryland's chapter of SASLA, the Student Society for Landscape Architects, and a student of the Honors College.
Andrea Doukakis, Green Office Intern
Andrea is a sophomore and is currently making a Sustainability major with the Individual Studies Program. She jumped on the “Green” bandwagon after arriving at UMD and learning the importance of sustainability and taking advantage of all the information UMD has to offer on the subject. She has travelled to France and Greece and has witnessed the sustainable future that Costa Rica has provided, with efficient recycling programs and wind turbines for energy. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, whether it be a movie night or an adventure to a museum or other local activities. She spends free time during the semester doing community service for the Primannum Honor Society and tap dancing with the Terrapin Tap Troupe. She looks forward to completing her Sustainability major and wonders where the future will take her!
Becky Welling, Graphic Design Intern
Becky is a junior and double majoring in Graphic Design and Marketing. She is from Towson, Maryland and cares about the environment and wellness. She is extremely interested in graphic design and wants to pursue a career in graphic design after graduating from the University of Maryland. Being environmentally conscious is very important to her because it is important to conserve the earth and its resources. The graphic design position at the Office of Sustainability was perfect because it combined both an interest in graphic design and the environment.
Boheng Ma, Measurement and Assessment Intern
Boheng is a sophomore Chemical Engineer working as a Sustainability Measurement and Assessment Intern. He has been involved with Engineers without Borders, working on projects such as a bioretention system on campus and a solar lighting project in Sierra Leone. He is also a member of the Gemstone Team PRESSURE, a student research group that seeks to implement piezoelectric materials on campus to supplement current energy sources. Boheng hopes to pursue a career in renewable energy, and is looking forward to making an impact within the University of Maryland community through his involvement with the Office of Sustainability.
Emily Dennison, Communications Intern
Emily is a junior Communication major on the public relations track and a women’s studies certificate candidate. She is a member of Global Communities where she promotes global competency in and out of the classroom. She is from northern Maryland and cares about the environment and wellness. When Emily created flyers for the Healthy Turtle and UMD Public Health Garden last year she realized she has an interest in promoting healthy, sustainable living and jumped at the opportunity to become the Communications Intern at the Office of Sustainability.
Hannah Glassman, Contributing Author, Campus Sustainability Report
Hannah is a senior Environmental Conflict and International Development major working as the Contributing Author of the 2012 Campus Sustainability Report. She is interested in studying global sustainability, and is in the process of writing a senior thesis about the global water crisis. Hannah is also a member of Alpha Chi Omega and is very involved in service on campus. She hopes to pursue a career in global sustainability after graduation.
Jessica Srun, Green Office Intern
Jessica Srun is an undergraduate majoring in Environmental Science and Technology with a concentration in Environmental Health. She recently studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain and joined Skamot Verd, an environmental club. She assisted in planning their annual Forum Ambiental (conference) promoting de-growth. In the summer, she plans to travel to Paraguay and help educate the rural girls in the community about environmental sustainability. She enjoys yoga, meditating, kayaking, spontaneous adventures and traveling. She loves to meet new people, explore different cultures and learn from others about their unique environments.
Jordan Koebler, Measurement and Assessment Intern
Jordan is a junior Civil and Environmental Engineering Major. This semester he is conducting research on recycling streams from Campus Projects. In his free time, Jordan enjoys playing guitar, rugby and tennis. After graduation, he would like to work in designing green buildings and research alternative energy sources.
Keeva Shultz, Green Office Intern
Keeva is a senior Environmental Science and Technology Major with a concentration in Environmental Health. She became interested in sustainability/global warming in high school and has since been pursing a career in this topic. While on campus she enjoys doing community service projects that involve the outdoors and working with the environment. Recently, she has been working on helping her sorority house become more sustainable by starting a compost pile and improving the recycling system. After graduation she hopes to go to graduate school and find a career in the environmental field.
History:
The Office of Sustainability was formed in the summer of 2007 following the signing of the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment. The University has had a long standing commitment to environmental stewardship. However, the focus on sustainability at the University began in 2002 with the completion of the University’s Facilities Master Plan and the University’s first national sustainability conference: Beyond Compliance – Campus Greening Through Stewardship. Sustainability efforts expanded over the next four years through a variety of efforts by individuals and campus departments. In 2005 and 2007, the University joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and several national higher education organizations to sponsor and host the Smart & Sustainable Campuses Conferences. In the spring of 2007, the University issued its first Campus Sustainability Report.
The Office of Sustainability is administered by the Department of Environmental Safety and reports to the Vice President of Administrative Affairs.