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2024 Conference Program

Monday, March 4th, 2024
12:00 -
3:00 PM
Student Sustainability Action Challenge

Learn more here.

TOURS

3:00 -
5:00 PM

Join Sustainability Engagement Institute staff for a walking tour showcasing sustainability initiatives throughout Western Washington University’s campus. This tour will feature operational innovations, student implemented projects, and more. Come see the newly constructed Kaiser Borsari Hall, which is the first publicly funded zero-energy academic building on a university campus in Washington State and will be pursuing Living Building Challenge Energy Petal Certification through the International Living Future Institute. Check out student led initiatives, such as the campus’ first electric utility truck, which was designed and built by students, and funded by our campus sustainability fund - the Sustainability, Equity, and Justice Fund. The tour will end at the Outback Farm, a 5-acre farm that features permaculture practices and is home to community gardens, chickens, a teaching apiary, vernal pools and a delineated wetland. Accessibility notice: This tour spans about a mile of campus, mostly flat, but part of which includes dirt paths and staircases. For accessibility accommodations, please contact sustain@wwu.edu. This tour is open for all community members to enjoy.

  • Tour Leader: Zinta Lucans | Grant Program Manager, Sustainability Engagement Institute, Western Washington University
  • Tour Leader: Meli Bernal | Student Ambassador, Sustainability Engagement Institute, Western Washington University
  • Tour Leader: John Tuxill | Outback Farm Faculty Advisor, Western Washington University
  • Tour Leader: Terri Kempton | Outback Farm Manager, Western Washington University
3:00 -
4:00 PM

Join us for a guided walking tour highlighting WWU's renowned Outdoor Sculpture Collection. Please wear comfortable walking shoes and dress prepared for the weather. Stops will include prominent environmental artworks such as Robert Morris' Steam Piece, Nany Holt's Rock Rings and more. If you are unable to join us on the guided tour, please feel free to stop by the Viking Union Info Desk for a printed self-guided tour or you may access the link to the self-guided tour map.


  • Tour Leader: Zoe Fejeran | Museum Educator, Western Washington University
3:00 -
5:00 PM

Forestry, forest health, and wood product manufacturing affecting rural communities join together to provide a new mass timber administration building showcasing the health and productivity benefits of wood for the Bellingham Public Schools. Leading by example, the new mass timber administration building showcases how mass timber is successfully implemented on public projects cost effectively, utilizing local resources, incentivizing proper forest management, and exposing the structure to provide biophilic benefits. The building tour leaders from the school district, architect, contractor, and engineer will showcase the project and decisions made to make mass timber successful and showcase that mass timber can be used in schools moving forward to provide the same benefits. Public schools tend to suffer from teaching environments that are not engaging for students nor teachers whereas wood brings proven biophilic benefits such as increased productivity, lower stress rates, a healthy connection with nature, and improved test scores.


  • Tour Leader: Ethan Martin – DCI Engineers
  • Tour Leader: Jason Williard – RMC Architects
  • Tour Leader: Auden Schilder – Dawson Construction
  • Tour Leader: Curtis Lawyer – Bellingham Public Schools
Tour 1: 3:00 -
3:50 PM
Tour 2: 4:00 -
4:50 PM

Welcome to the Kaiser Borsari Hall! Embarking on this tour, the first stop introduces you to the project's vision and goals. Using a QR code-guided document, participants will delve into the project's commitment to zero energy, zero carbon, and petal certification (ILFI) targets. At our second stop, we explore the building's exterior, where we discuss the choice of project materials, the innovative use of mass timber, Shou Sugi Ban, and the building's intentional connection to the arboretum. Moving inside to level one at our third stop, we unravel the building program and delve into the intricacies of mass timber construction and assembly and the projects role in the Contractors Commitment. As we ascend to stop four, leaders from AEI and McKinstry will enlighten participants on the MEP systems, providing a comprehensive understanding of the project's sustainable infrastructure. On level two, stop five invites further discussion on the connection to the arboretum and CF building, emphasizing the incorporation of biophilia throughout the design. The tour concludes with a brief Q&A session before returning to the job site trailer. Sturdy footwear is a must for this immersive exploration of Kaiser Borsari Hall, as the building will still be an active construction site at the time of the tour.


  • Dylan Tinnell | AEI
  • Lyle Keck | AEI
  • Devin Kleiner | Perkins & Will
  • Shanni Hanein | Perkins & Will
  • Keith Jurgens | Mortenson
  • Paige Adkinson | Mortenson
  • Adam Heffner | McKinstry
5:00 -
7:00 PM
Welcome Reception
Aslan Depot - 1322 N. State Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
5:30 -
6:00 PM
Elin Kelsey
Elin Kelsey, PhD | Spokesperson, Scholar and Educator; Author of Hope Matters: Why Changing the Way We Think Is Critical to Solving the Environmental Crisis

6:00 -
6:45 PM
Lummi Nation Blackhawk Singers Performance
Tuesday, March 5th, 2024
8:00 -
9:30 AM
Breakfast & Registration Opens
9:00 -
9:10 AM
Introduction & Announcements
  • Emcee: Grace Wang | Director, Sustainability Engagement Institute and Professor, Urban & Environmental Planning & Policy, Western Washington University (WWU)
9:10 -
9:15 AM
Welcome Address
9:15 -
9:25 AM
Tribal Welcome/Land Acknowledgement
  • Laural Ballew | Executive Director, Office of Tribal Relations, Western Washington University
9:25 -
10:00 AM
Jessica Hernandez, PhD
Jessica Hernandez, PhD | Indigenous Scholar, Scientist, Community Advocate and Author of Fresh Banana Leaves
10:00 -
11:00 AM
The relationship between the people and their natural environment is central to tribal culture, and sustaining environmental health is critical to maintaining these relationships. Join us for a conversation about how tribes in the Cascadia Region are using place-based knowledge and Indigenous science (e.g., Traditional Ecological Knowledge) of their ancestors combined with scientific research and planning tools to develop innovative ways to manage the environment and protect resources.
  • Moderator: Alyssa Macy | CEO, Washington Conservation Action
  • Todd Mitchell, swəlítub | Environmental Director, Swinomish Tribe - Dept of Environmental Protection
  • Jessica Hernandez, PhD | Indigenous Scholar, Scientist, Community Advocate and Author of Fresh Banana Leaves
  • Nick Zaferatos, PhD | Professor of Urban Planning and Sustainable Development, College of the Environment, Western Washington University
11:00 -
11:15 AM
Networking Break
11:15 AM -
12:30 PM
At the UW the sustainability office and a working group of faculty and staff have been struggling with the challenge of addressing the impact of the University of Washington's air travel. We've researched (and become very skeptical of) carbon offsets; we've looked to examples from other universities; we've tackled the challenge of gathering and presenting flight data; we've conducted a survey and focus groups to hear what the community is thinking; we've read the literature to understand what others are thinking, particularly in regards to equity issues; we've written policies; we've presented our work to constituents at the UW. We don't have all of the answers, but want to share the work we've done and hear about what others are doing.
Marilyn Ostergren | Energy and Sustainability Specialist, University of Washington
Vāsā (Ocean) is a term that is found throughout several Pacific and Austronesian languages. Today, it is popularly used by Samoans to denote "ocean/sea." Its etymological deconstruction can be as followed - Va: Space that relates rather than space that separates and Sa: Sacred, respect, the unknown. When the terms are combined, they form a new word Vāsā = sacred pace or the space that is sacred. When thinking about Ocean and the fight to protect the Pacific, one must come to terms with an understanding of what is sacred. A journey in higher education can be seen as a journey through Vāsā, time spent with our community could be a journey through Vāsā; The importance of climate justice in the Pacific Islander community is helping others to see Ocean as not just a body of water that separates us from the Continental US, but as a Sacred Space that connects our work. The Pacific Climate battle is not only one to save the islander nations, but a baseline to save our planet as a sacred space. Come and learn about the sacred journey of our Pacific Climate Warriors and the nations that we represent, both in the Pacific and our US team based in Portland, OR. We look forward to sharing our ups and downs, lefts and rights & everything in between as we explore the infinite knowledge Vāsā has to offer. "We should not be defined by the smallness of our islands, but by the greatness of our oceans." - Epeli Hau'ofa This workshop looks to explore the leadership of Pacific Islanders in the global climate movement. We'll explore our narratives that drive our work and reshape our understand of community, space and Ocean from an Indigenous Pacific Islander framework.
Makerusa Porotesano | Director of Multicultural Services, Portland Community College
The Student Sustainability Center (SSC) at the University of Oregon is a collaborative space for student-led initiatives that foster environmental justice, social well-being, and ecological resilience. At the SSC, we believe that environmental issues are the result of unjust social systems, and thus we strive to incorporate theories and principles of environmental justice, social justice, and critical sustainability into our programs. This interactive workshop, run by student staff of the SSC, will help participants learn how to integrate critical sustainability and environmental justice into their own academics, jobs, and lives. Participants are encouraged to come to the session with a programming idea they want to discuss with others!
Libby Mackin | Habitat Restoration Lead, Student Sustainability Center, University of Oregon
Marina Thompson | Waste Reduction and Reusables Lead, Student Sustainability Center, University of Oregon
Victoria Piñeiro | Environmental Justice Program Lead, Student Sustainability Center, University of Oregon
Sadie Creemer | Volunteer and Engagement Program Lead, Student Sustainability Center, University of Oregon
Mateo Reynaud | Environmental Justice Program Lead, Student Sustainability Center, University of Oregon
Hattie Sterns | Grove Garden Lead, Student Sustainability Center, University of Oregon
The recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) signifies that for the first time in the history of the United States, the full financial power of the federal government is aligned with the clean energy transition. With over $400 billion directed toward energy and climate-related activity over the next decade, this is a critical moment for leaders in higher education to transform their campuses by taking full advantage of a massive increase in federal funding for green infrastructure. Join this session to hear from various campuses and Washington State Department of Commerce about the different state and federal funding opportunities and work being done on these campuses.
Emily Salzberg | Managing Director, Clean Buildings Unit, Washington State Department of Commerce
Jeff Aslan | Campus Utility Manager , Facilities Development & Operations, Western Washington University

Sustainability Funds Lightning Round


The Green Revolving Fund at Lane Community College supports projects by providing funding the initiatives that reduce resource use use (e.g., energy, water, waste) or mitigate greenhouse gas emissions (e.g. renewable energy). One of the objectives of this fund is to empower any member of the college community to submit project proposals for approval regardless of their role on campus. Sharing information of how our organization has managed this funds can help other institutions establish similar funds or improve existing ones.
Luis Maggiori | Sustainability Coordinator, Lane Community College

The Campus Sustainability Fund (CSF) was established in 2009 at the University of Washington–Seattle with the original purpose of operating as a green fund to support students’ innovative climate change solutions. From its start as a student-led grassroots campaign, the CSF has evolved from a grant-driven body into a hub for intersectional sustainability. The CSF is informed by the Just Transition framework, which guides its shift from extractive relationships towards those of regeneration + collective well-being. In this panel you will hear from their exclusively student-staff as they explore core concepts of sense of place, weaving interconnectedness in their work to promote resilience, exercising deep democracy through community-led projects, and building reciprocity between their University and the larger Seattle community.
Tatiana Brown | Associate Program Director, Campus Sustainability Fund, University of Washington
Kort Maeda | Outreach and Education Coordinator, Campus Sustainability Fund, University of Washington
Boe Zhou | Project and Grant Coordinator, Campus Sustainability Fund, University of Washington

To address the complex and intersectional work that is making our colleges, universities, and communities more sustainable, we must uplift and support networks of communication and collaboration. Hosted by WWU’s Sustainability, Equity, & Justice Fund Grant Program, in this session you will hear about the successes, needs, and questions of sustainability grant programs representing a diverse range of colleges and universities. You will then get an opportunity to participate in an interactive discussion about how we can engage across the region to provide students opportunities to make sustainable change on their respective campuses.
Zinta Lucans | Grant Program Manager for the Sustainability, Equity, and Justice Fund, Sustainability Engagement Institute, Western Washington University
Meli Bernal | Student Ambassador for the Sustainability, Equity, and Justice Fund, Sustainability Engagement Institute, Western Washington University

12:00 -
6:30 PM
WOHESC Makers Market
  • Joao Vilca Soto | Ruta Verde
    Inca Merch - Fashion with Indigenous designs made from recycled polyester
  • Briar Schoon & Chelsea Kimmett | Portland Community College
    Eco-printing
  • Lexi Brewer | University of Puget Sound
    Slow fashion & housewares from reclaimed & sustainable yarn
  • Jade Menchaca | Portland Community College
    Handmade earrings and crochet goods
12:30 -
1:15 PM
Lunch
12:45 -
12:55 PM
McKinstry Champions of Sustainability Scholarship Presentation
1:15 -
2:30 PM
In the realm of ecologically-oriented art, there is a growing field of strategies, with artists and artist networks, curators, books and exhibitions, university majors and degree programs. Within this broad effort, eco-artists work across disciplines and within communities to:
~ Focus attention on the web of interrelationships in our environment — to the physical, biological, cultural, political and historical aspects of ecological systems;
~ Create artworks that employ natural materials, or engage with environmental forces such as wind, water, or sunlight;
~ Reclaim, restore, and remediate damaged environments;
~ Inform the public about ecological dynamics and the environmental problems we face;
~ Re-envision ecological relationships, creatively proposing new possibilities for co-existence, sustainability, and healing.
Through the Art and Ecology Practicum we extend the creative problem-solving of contemporary art to the larger societal concern of sustainability. Since the intersection of ecology and society is marked by uneven distributions of environmental vulnerability, we frame ""sustainability"" with environmental justice at its core, keeping in mind what Judith Butler calls the ""biopolitics of survivability"".
Cynthia Camlin | Professor, Department of Art & Art History, Western Washington University
Sasha Petrenko | Western Washington University
Dana Reason, PhD | Professor, Oregon State University
This session will present UW's latest GHG Emissions Inventory, including a full and first-ever look at 'Goods and Services Purchased' as part of our Scope 3 emissions. With this new information, UW is taking a step back to re-assess how we manage our measured emissions in order to scale-up and GO BIG!
Lisa Dulude | UW Director of Sustainability, University of Washington
Marilyn Ostergren | Energy and Sustainability Specialist, University of Washington
Those of us working in sustainability may find ourselves trying to address the challenges of climate anxiety without any formal mental health training. The presenters in this session will share our experiences and resources for meeting this challenge at the University of Oregon and Portland Community College. We'll provide examples of student-led programming, emotionally-aware curriculum and more. Please bring your insights to the conversation as well, and we'll learn together about the work of building resilient communities.
Roberta Richards | Reference and Instruction Librarian, Portland Community College
Taryn Oakley | Environmental Studies and Resources Faculty, Portland Community College
Makenna Smith | Climate Anxiety Program Coordinator, Student Sustainability Center, University of Oregon
Our Slow Motion, place-based teaching presentation combines context, practical advice, extensive personal experience, inspiring examples, and discipline critique in order to make a vigorous and encouraging case for college educators (and their students) to adopt a slower, more mindful, more sustainable approach to class, field trips (local), and travel (far and wide).
Irina Gendelman, PhD | Professor, Saint Martin's University
Jeff Birkenstein, PhD | Professor, Saint Martin's University

Sustainable Campus Landscapes Lightning Round


This participatory panel discussion will center around the Green Grounds Certification, a new certification for institutions of higher education that recognizes schools pioneering the transition to organic landcare and also serves as an incentive for schools to join this landcare revolution. The session will cover how to qualify and apply, and will feature speakers from campuses that have been certified at the Platinum Level, the highest level of certification available. Come learn about how to green your campus grounds and join the Green Grounds Community.
Sheina Crystal | Director of Communications and Campaigns, Re:wild Your Campus
Tyson Kemper | Grounds Supervisor, University of Washington Bothell and Cascadia College
Shannon Britton | Assistant Director Grounds and Waste Management, Seattle University
Stephan Classen | Assistant Director of Sustainable Practices, Cascadia College

For many universities there is an expectation that campus landscapes maintain a traditional look and style that is often focused on grass lawns and lush green foliage. However, maintaining this look can be resource intensive, produce negative impacts, and ultimately be unsustainable. At EWU, we have taken a critical look at our landscape management and have found it to be out of step with our broader sustainability goals. To address these concerns we have developed and begun to implement a campus landscape master plan to bring our outdoor spaces in line with other sustainable practices. In this presentation we will discuss the process to rethink and rewild our campus in a way that is innovative and transformative for a campus that, up until recently, always had the traditional collegiate style.
Erik Budsberg, PhD | Director of Sustainability, Eastern Washington University
Mary Voves | Vice President of Business and Finance, Eastern Washington University
Sonja Durr | Senior Lecturer in Design, Eastern Washington University
Michael Terrell | Principal, Michael Terrell Landscape Architecture, PLA

This case study session will showcase how Boise State University received national recognition as a Tree Campus Higher Education Institution and met campus sustainability goals in the process. The campus tree project started through an Environmental Studies service-learning course and has continued to grow into a collaborative partnership that engages engages students, faculty, staff, and multiple community partners. The project illustrates how college campuses can serve as living laboratories for students to address place-based environmental challenges, green the campus, and educate and involve the broader campus and surrounding community.
Mari Rice | Clinical Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies Program, Boise State University

2:30 –
3:00 PM
Networking Break
2:30 –
3:00 PM
Poster Sessions

2:30 -
3:00 PM
presented by  

Join us for an insightful session where current and former King County interns/fellows will share their professional journeys and highlight the projects and opportunities they have gained working at the intersection of climate change, equity, and social justice. Panelists will also delve into the various pathways offered that foster diversity and catalyze youth involvement within King County's climate workforce.
  • Moderator: Anoushka Adhav | Climate and Workforce Development Project Manager, King County Executive Climate Office
  • Timothy Randazzo | Former Ruth Woo Emerging Leaders Fellow and Green Building Program Associate, Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Solid Waste Division
  • Medha Kumar | NextGen Climate Intern, King County Executive Climate Office
3:00 -
4:15 PM
This panel discussion brings together faculty leaders from Washington State community colleges who initiated the Climate Justice Across the Curriculum program, which started at Bellevue College in 2018, expanded to North Seattle College in 2019, to University of Washington in 2020, and then in 2023 to 15 additional community colleges. Thanks to legislative support from the SBCTC Climate Solutions Program, 34 faculty leaders across 17 colleges facilitated curriculum development institutes, engaging over 200 faculty members from various disciplines to create lessons integrating climate justice and civic engagement into their existing curriculum. The panelists will share their experiences, successes, challenges, and strategies for continuing to integrate climate justice with civic engagement across their college curricula.
Moderator: Darnell Metcalf | SBST Intern, South Seattle College
Heather Price | Professor, North Seattle College
Sonya Doucette | Senior Associate Professor, Bellevue College
David Ortiz | Founding Faculty in Communication, Climate Justice and Social Justice, and Media Studies, Cascadia College
Joan Qazi, PhD | Geography & Sustainability Faculty, Wenatchee Valley College
Join Between Two Worlds staff to learn about what it’s like to learn about science in the space in and outside of Swinomish culture. Staff will speak on the history of the program and the importance Indigenous education for Swinomish youth. In addition to a brief lecture, the audience will have an opportunity to experience two hands-on, experiential lessons that BTW students get to participate in class. These lessons will center around cultural resource management, relationships, and seeing the science in cultural activities, along with interactive discussions on traditional values, Indigenous frameworks, and honorable engagement.
Todd Mitchell, swəlítub | Environmental Director, Swinomish Tribe - Dept of Environmental Protection
Jen Willup | Indigenous Science Specialist, Swinomish Tribe - Dept of Environmental Protection
Melissa Ciesielski| Outreach Specialist, Swinomish Tribe - Dept of Environmental Protection
This session will share the process and results of a community engaged workshop intended to support students in completing climate justice initiatives most relevant and important to their particular communities. The workshop involved partners from across higher ed, public, and private sectors, and delivered content through a focus on the humanities: building student's skills and tools through story-telling, connection, and personal resilience.
Amy Dvorak | Sustainability Director, Lewis & Clark College
Lexi Brewer | Sustainability Director, University of Puget Sound
Tianna Renee Arredondo | Environmental Justice Consultant, Researcher, Facilitator, and Trans-Disciplinary Artist
In 2022, Central Washington University created a Sustainability Living Learning Community (SLLC) to bring together students with a shared interest in sustainability, and to empower students to be sustainability leaders. Learn how the SLLC was created, and about the challenges and successes of the first two years of the community. Highlights of the SLLC include empowering students to become sustainability campus leaders, building strong relationships that support other campus groups, and establishing a plan for longevity.
Susan Kaspari | Professor, Central Washington University
Susan Rivera, PhD | Senior Lecturer, Central Washington University
Savannah Sanders-Olsen | Resident Advisor, Student, Central Washington University
Kaitlyn Flesher | Central Washington University
Dylan Gilbert | Central Washington University
Meghan Rothwell | Central Washington University
Niranjan Malla | Central Washington University
Adalyn Watkins | VSU

Examining Practices Abroad Lightning Round


In this presentation, the program director of a UW study abroad program to Taiwan will share the themes and topics of this study abroad program and strategies for engaging with local communities and high education institutions to explore sustainability in a cross-cultural comparative context. View the program website.
Yen-Chu Weng, PhD | Lecturer, Program on the Environment, University of Washington

Many Americans are familiar with the term “sustainability” nowadays, but very few aim to incorporate it into their everyday lives. So what separates the United States from some of the countries that are paving the way in the world of sustainability? Join along on an exploration of how citizens of the Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland) take on everyday sustainability in the home, the office, the government, and more.
Sierra Garrett | Student, Southern Oregon University; Institute for Applied Sustainability; Zero Waste Coordinato

4:15 -
4:30 PM
Transition Break
4:30 -
5:00 PM
Running Grass
Running-Grass | Director, Three Circles Center; Member, WA Environmental Justice Council
5:00 -
6:30 PM
Networking Reception
Wednesday, March 6th, 2024
8:00 -
9:30 AM
Breakfast & Registration
8:15 -
8:45 AM
Meetups
9:00 -
9:05 AM
Introduction & Announcements
Emcee: Grace Wang | Director, Sustainability Engagement Institute and Professor, Urban & Environmental Planning & Policy, Western Washington University (WWU)
9:05 -
9:30 AM
Moderator: Grace Wang | Director, Sustainability Engagement Institute and Professor, Urban & Environmental Planning & Policy, Western Washington University (WWU)
Daryl Pierson | Director, Planning and Sustainability Office, Portland State University
Kira Welch | Coordinator, Institute for Applied Sustainability, Southern Oregon University
9:30 -
10:00 AM
Grace Wang | Director, Sustainability Engagement Institute, Western Washington University
Belinda Chin | Lead, Race & Social Justice Change Team and Acting Manager, Public Programs, Cedar River Watershed Education Center City of Seattle and Seattle Public Utilities
10:00 -
11:00 AM
Ginny Broadhurst | Director, Salish Sea Institute
Laurie Trautman | Director, Border Policy Research Institute, Western Washington University
Aquila Flower | Associate Professor, College of the Environment, Salish Sea Atlas Project Lead, Western Washington University
11:00 -
11:15 AM
Networking Break
11:15 AM -
12:30 PM
From styrofoam to plastic bags to straws, local and state jurisdictions - as well as college and university systems and campuses - have taken on single-use plastics and put policies in place to ban them. How well are these measures working? Plastic waste continues to increase, as one product material type is replaced by another, e.g. bioplastics, that is an insufficient alternative. Colleges and universities must address this unintended consequence through the effective implementation of policies and strategies that reduce both the supplies of - and demand for - single-use plastics. This session will examine the successes and challenges that have come with phasing out single-use plastics, particularly at the campus level and with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a case study. UCLA’s Single-Use Plastics (SUP) Policy has recently come into full effect, and implementation is ongoing. Speakers from UCLA - representing both student and staff perspectives - will illustrate the obstacles and opportunities encountered in the implementation of the SUP Policy and related measures.
Christophe LaBelle | Sustainability Analyst, University of California, Los Angeles
Clara Castronovo | State Board Chair, California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG) Students
Bonny Bentzin | Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer, UCLA
It's all connected...basic needs support for students and our commitment to sustainability. Join this session to learn how Portland Community College, Central Washington University and the University of Oregon are addressing food insecurity and promoting food justice through a variety of innovative programs that intersect with sustainability. PCC will highlight partnership programs that center student needs outside of the campus food pantries. This includes Free Food Markets, Panther Packs, Panther Snacks, and on-campus partnerships with gardens and resource centers. CWU will share their food security efforts, free store and how the pantry became a university wide mission under the President's office. U of O will share info on food security efforts, free store and some of the other cost-reducing efforts provided that fall into the category of basic needs offered through the Waste and Reusables teams.
Keara Monique Alonso-Lopez | University of Oregon
Brady Smith | Central Washington University
Chelsea Kimmett | Coordinator - Basic Needs, Sustainability & Leadership Program, Portland Community College
A big infrastructure project like decarbonization can face pushback from many directions. Large price tags, construction disruption and project scope are all areas which require buy in from leadership, students and faculty. The UW is preparing for a Energy Transformation project by engaging a variety of stakeholders early in the process. This session will talk about some of the ways we’ve been informing and getting buy-in, including Inviting leaders and decision makers for tours of the existing power plant, creating faculty and student task forces around the project, organizing events to explain the process and putting together a campus communication plan.
Daimon Eklund | Sustainability Communications Manager, University of Washington
David Woodson | Executive Director of Campus Energy, Utilities and Operations, University of Washington

Curriculum Lightning Round


This presentation will provide an overview of Climate Justice Across the Curriculum program and NSF-IUSE research (DUE 2043535) in Washington State. This program supports faculty incorporating climate justice and civic engagement into their first- and second-year college curriculum. Since 2018, over 500 faculty, including over 200 in STEM, from more than twenty colleges and universities in Washington State have participated in our quarter long curriculum development workshops and institutes. This presentation will give an overview of this program, present results of surveys and case study analyses, and facilitate a conversation about opportunities and barriers to this type of education at our colleges.
Sonya Doucette | Professor, Bellevue College
Heather Price, PhD | Professor, North Seattle College

In this session, CWU’s IT-Management Department will offer a model for incorporating Sustainable IT into course content across 5 distinct teaching modalities. Sustainable IT applies environmental, social and governance goals to enterprise IT practices, thereby lowering resource and material needs while also improving resiliency. This presentation will give an overview on the opportunities and challenges associated with integrating the new field of sustainable IT into current and newly designed curriculum, with a focus on inclusive and equitable teaching modalities that center stakeholder relationships.
Susan Rivera, PhD | IT Management Faculty, Central Washington University
Luke Williams | IT Management Faculty, Central Washington University

Do the examples of local Indigenous peoples’ relationships to the land have a role in non-Indigenous efforts to foster sustainable behavior? If so, what is that role, and how should non-Indigenous sustainability educators reference those examples? As a non-Indigenous educator, I present some of my own attempts to do this, while inviting participants to critically engage by offering their own perspectives and examples.
Rob Efird | Professor of Anthropology and Asian Studies, Seattle University

12:30 -
1:15 PM
Lunch
1:15 -
2:30 PM
This session will be an active discussion between faculty teaching Environmental Studies at the University of Washington about different ways we engage students in immersive, place-based learning. How does place-making at “home” in Seattle differ from place-making in the region more broadly and place-making abroad? How do students learn one place deeply while critically evaluating the local examples of and connections to the global problems of climate change and environmental injustice? In this session we will grapple with effective teaching in a wide variety of immersive learning formats to help students engage with place and community and understand issues beyond boundaries.
Kristi Straus | Associate Teaching Professor, University of Washington
Eli Wheat, PhD | Assistant Teaching Professor, Program on the Environment, University of Washington
Yen-Chu Weng, PhD | Lecturer, Program on the Environment, University of Washington
Dr. Tim Billo | Lecturer, Program on the Environment, University of Washington
P. Sean McDonald | Associate Teaching Professor, Program on the Environment, University of Washington
In this session, the University of Washington Livable City Year (LCY) and University of Oregon Sustainability City Year Program (SCYP) will partner to share the immediate and long-term benefits of connecting university resources to local communities. Faculty and staff from each program will share case study examples from representative cities across Oregon and Washington that apply cross-disciplinary thinking to address pressing social and environmental challenges. The goal of the session is for attendees to leave with sparked curiosity, creativity, conversation, collaboration, and a plan for action of how their institution could further partner with communities to address the urgent sustainability-centered challenges of today while pursuing a livable, equitable, and resilient future.
Lindsey Hayward | Assistant Program Manager, Sustainable City Year Program, University of Oregon
Megan Banks | Director, Sustainable City Year Program, University of Oregon
Branden Born | LCY Program Manager, University of Washington
Neha Chinwalla | LCY Program Assistant, University of Washington
University of Puget Sound is taking Climate Action through a planning process that is at once both ambitious and actionable. The plan will focus on academics, decarbonization, and equity in pursuit of a safe, healthy, productive, and sustainable environment. Driven by engagement with stakeholders and the campus community, Puget Sound has takeaways applicable to local universities. Above all, Puget Sound is prioritizing meaningful action within the financial realities of a small, liberal arts school.
Moderator:Tamar Doss | Business Development and Marketing Leader, McKinstry
Brian Goldcrump | Senior Mechanical Engineer, McKinstry
Lexi Brewer | Director of Sustainability, University of Puget Sound
Mike Chang | Director of Equity, Cascadia Consulting Group
This case study presentation will take a close look at the benefits of building reuse, focusing on two campus buildings that illustrate very different pathways to discovering hidden value in existing assets. We will share our experience of design as the practice of stewardship and discuss the benefits that flow from this approach in terms of reduced carbon emissions, revitalization of academic programs, and enhancement of campus culture and student life. Case studies include: Revitalization of Place and Cultural Resources at the Evergreen State College, Olympia WA and Leveraging the Hidden Value of Existing Assets at Eastern Washington University, Cheney WA.
Ericka Colvin | Director of Sustainable Practice, Integrus Architecture
Erik Budsberg | Director of Sustainability, Eastern Washington University
Kayla Stoker | Architect, Integrus Architecture
Dawn Barron | Director & Faculty, Native Pathways Program, The Evergreen State College

Student Led Initiatives Lightning Round


Huskies' Precious Plastics is a student-led organization at the University of Washington with a clear and focused mission: to educate and empower the community about plastic recycling. To achieve this, Huskies' Precious Plastics offers educational workshops and access to tools. Huskies' Precious Plastics has a portable setup that we bring to events to show people how to use plastic shredders and injection molders. By equipping educators with knowledge, we hope they can start similar plastic recycling units in their communities. Precious Plastics can positively impact the community by reducing plastic waste, fostering STEM education through a hands-on application, and creating economic opportunities through upcycling.
Amy Jean Swanson | Student President, UW Huskies' Precious Plastics
Cody Birkland | VP of Operations, Husky Precious Plastics, University of Washington

In this session, we delve into the vital intersection of sports, sustainability, and community engagement. We explore how the world of collegiate athletics is becoming a powerful catalyst for positive environmental and social impact. Join us for this illuminating session as we dive into the multifaceted world of sustainability in collegiate athletics. From engaging fans and empowering athletes to hosting events that leave a positive imprint, this session is a call to action for universities, sports enthusiasts, and sustainability advocates to come together and champion a more conscious and vibrant future.
Jordan Spradlin | MPH, Oregon State University

In this session, the student perspective will be provided on a few initiatives within the new student leadership program that brings together basic needs and sustainability efforts. This new program recognizes the interconnectedness of these issues and provides meaningful ways for students to engage and be a part of the solution at a local level. To be covered included brief highlights on our new panther packs program, clothing drives, free food markets, pantries, bike rentals, and sustainable events
Jasmine Shaheen | Student Ambassador of Basic Needs and Sustainability, Portland Community College

2:30 -
2:45 PM
Transition Break
2:45 -
3:00 PM
Closing Remarks and 2025 Announcement

View the 2022, 2021, 2020, or 2019 programs.