On February 15, Muhlenberg College hosted the biennial LVAIC Sustainability Conference. This conference aims to empower and inspire students, faculty and administrators into action on their campus and surrounding community. The format included a keynote speaker, presentations, interactive workshops, a poster session, and an exhibitor forum. We are proud to announce that several students, staff, and faculty member represented Lehigh University by leading presentations, workshops and/or exhibiting a poster.
Aleksander Gulkewicz '20 and Mariah Matias '20 represented the Office of Sustainability's Metrics and Reporting team by presenting on Lehigh's commitment to the Real Food Challenge. Robb and Aguado Lira, members of the Eco-House, gave a presentation by undergraduates entitled Swap Shop: Reducing Waste through Trade. Additionally, Eco-Rep coordinators Matthew Fainor '20, Jane Le '20, Natalie Rosato '20, and Lexy Tracy '21 presented on the recent expansion of the LU Eco-Rep Leadership Program.
Master's student Nadine Cloption ran an eighty-minute workshop based on her work with the United Nations. The session was entitled Turning Advocacy into Action: Setting the Global Youth Climate Action Declaration in Motion.
There was an emphasis on integrating sustainability into curricula with two presentations focusing on the topic. Dr.Barbara Malt, director of Cognitive Science Program, and Katharine Targett Gross, Sustainability Officer, co-presented on Lehigh's Sustainability Across the Curriculum Initiative. Dr. Farah Vallera, Professor or Practice in the College of Education, discussed her participation in the initiative with a presentation entitled Encouraging Teachers and Designers to Integrate Sustainability into their Curricula. Dr. Rudy Shankar, Director of Energy Systems Engineering P.C Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, participated in the poster session, highlighting his students' work.
Lehigh University was well-represented by these 13 individuals. Their passion, dedication, and expertise in each of their respective areas shone through and left a positive impression on those who attended the sessions. It was a wonderful opportunity not only to share some of what Lehigh is doing in sustainability, but also, a rare opportunity to learn about what the other LVAIC institutions' initiatives are and connect with our neighbors face-to-face.