UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Sustainability Institute officially has a new name. The Sustainability Institute, now named Penn State Sustainability, focuses on embedding sustainability in education, working to strategically decarbonize the University, and supporting communities throughout the commonwealth.
“Our new name captures our evolution as an organization, one that embodies our universal integration across the entirety of Penn State, and we’re excited to share it with the University and the community,” said Lara Fowler, chief sustainability officer and director of Penn State Sustainability. “It reflects our commitment to building a harmonious relationship between people and the planet, and our dedication to integrating sustainability into every facet of the Penn State experience.”
Fowler added that the University remains steadfast in its pursuit of innovative solutions, interdisciplinary collaboration, and transformative change.
“Together, as Penn State Sustainability, we strive to cultivate a University where our students’ education provides them with opportunities to be a part of sustainability solutions, where our campuses champion sustainable operations, and where the Pennsylvania communities we serve are thriving,” she said.
Penn State Sustainability boasts staff expertise across a number of areas, including student and staff engagement, curriculum development, student-community projects, operations, research and beyond, supporting includes programs such as the Sustainable Communities Collaborative, Local Climate Action Program, the Penn State Sustainable Labs Program, Green Paws, Green Teams and much more. The team uses the integrated framework of the United Nations’ 2030 Global Sustainable Development Goals to advance the causes of people, planet, shared prosperity, peace and partnerships for current and future generations by working to institutionalize sustainability across our colleges, campuses, communities and the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
"The transformation of the Sustainability Institute into Penn State Sustainability underscores the University's dedication to continue weaving sustainability into the fabric of our community,” said Justin Schwartz, Penn State executive vice president and provost. “By making this adjustment, we are fortifying our resolve to address the complex sustainability challenges of our time and to empower Penn Staters to become global advocates for a more sustainable and harmonious world."
It is Penn State Sustainability’s mission to increase sustainability literacy, expand commitments to sustainable University practices, address systemic challenges, and build capacity for leadership toward a sustainable, peaceful and prosperous future through Penn State’s teaching, research, outreach and operations.
"The renaming of the Sustainability Institute to Penn State Sustainability reinforces our University's commitment to creating a sustainable and prosperous future for our students, communities and planet,” said Sara Thorndike, senior vice president for Finance and Business and University treasurer. “Reflective of our holistic approach to sustainability, our commitment is not only a moral and academic imperative, but also a fiscal and operational one. Penn State Sustainability is poised to drive impactful change, both academically and operationally, as they amplify our collective contributions toward the advancement of Penn State's position as a leader in sustainable practices."
This year, Penn State Sustainability is celebrating its 10th anniversary, but has roots in preceding units as far back as the 1980s and '90s when faculty and students from across the University initiated the “Center for Sustainability.” These predecessors came from across disciplines, including engineering, philosophy, psychology, English, nutrition, education, geography and the former science, technology and society program. They were interested in solar power and renewable energy; sustainable and community agriculture; bioethics; green building and nature-based infrastructure; the emerging science about human-caused climate change; and alternative means of organizing community, society and economy.
“Over the past three years, the pandemic posed unprecedented challenges that temporarily slowed our ability to actively engage with the Penn State community on the vital topic of sustainability,” Fowler said. “However, resilience lies at the core of our community, and today, as we emerge stronger, we are thrilled to announce the reinvigoration of our commitment. By integrating sustainability into our curriculum, supporting innovative outreach programs, and catalyzing strategic operational shifts, Penn State Sustainability is reigniting its mission to foster a greener, more sustainable future. Together, as we reconnect, learn and collaborate, we are poised to create a legacy of positive environmental and social change that will inspire generations of Penn Staters to come.”
In recognition of the lingering effects of the pandemic, Penn State Sustainability acknowledges that many University initiatives, programs and opportunities for engagement were disrupted and slow to rejuvenate. To revitalize sustainability engagement, Penn State Sustainability is extending a yearlong invitation to engage with the Penn State community, reaching out to campuses across the commonwealth by hosting regional discussions; forming an advisory board comprised of students, faculty, administrators and staff; and providing a slate of sustainability-related educational events and programming.
Event details provided below are intended as a "save the date." While most events are confirmed, the most up-to-date and accurate event information can be found on Penn State Sustainability's events calendar or delivered directly to your inbox by subscribing to the Mainstream e-newsletter.
September:
-
Sept. 14 from 4-7 p.m.: Harvest Fest on the Student Farm (guest speaker, Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi).
-
Sept. 20 at 7 p.m.: Virtual Intersections Film Series screening of "Beyond Zero". Hosted by Penn State Sustainability with support from the Smeal College of Business.
-
Sept. 24-25: Sustainability Showcase Series invites Till Kellerhoff (Earth4All in conjunction with CotE).
October:
-
Oct. 8-11: The Colloquium on the Environment with keynote presentation from Mamphela Ramphele on Oct. 11. Hosted by Penn State Sustainability and the Penn State African Studies Program.
-
Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.: Virtual Intersections film screening, film TBD.
-
Oct. 26 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.: Plant Powered PSU in St. Paul’s United Methodist Community Room.
November:
-
Nov. 2: Sustainability Social with the Penn State Center Pittsburgh.
-
Nov. 5: Penn State University Global Sustainability Conference.
-
Nov. 5-9: Sustainability Showcase Series presents Chef Freddie and Native American Heritage Month theme meal.
-
Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.: Virtual Intersections Film Series screening, Appalachian Flooding Short Films.
-
Nov. 15: America Recycles Day. Hosted by Penn State Sustainability and EcoReps.
December:
-
Dec. 7 from 5-7 p.m.: Sustainable Communities Collaborative Fall Expo.