Office of Sustainability announces inaugural Sustainability Awards Program

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University of Oregon students, teachers and employees will be recognized for their achievements and efforts related to sustainability.

The UO’s inaugural Sustainability Awards Program, sponsored by the Office of Sustainability, will present six awards Thursday, May 21, at a dinner and ceremony honoring the recipients. Candidates can be nominated for the awards or can be self-nominated. The deadline for nominations is Monday, April 27.

Awards will be given in the following categories:

Excellence In Teaching Award: This award will recognize a non-tenure-track or tenure-track faculty member who has developed a curriculum that emphasizes the principles and advancement of sustainability practices. The award honors a person whose teaching creatively incorporates principles of sustainability or inspires students to participate in sustainability projects on and off campus, or both.

To nominate (including self-nominations): Send faculty member’s name, applicable course syllabus, and a one-page letter of support to Steve Mital at smital@uoregon.edu.

Research Innovation Award: Given to a University of Oregon project or Oregon company distributing or commercializing products or services developed from UO research that improve sustainability.

To nominate (including self-nominations): Provide a summary (not to exceed two pages) about the project or company and what makes it a leader in sustainability. What solution does it provide? How is the project or company sustainable and/or how do its products or services encourage sustainability in its users or the community? How is its approach to sustainability innovative, and how does it impact its field? Send nomination information to Evey Lennon at evey@uoregon.edu.

Student Leadership In Sustainability Award: Open to a sophomore or junior with a 3.5 GPA or higher, this award also includes a $500 prize. It will be given to a student whose extracurricular activities represent the Office of Sustainability’s mission: Shrinking our Footprint, Raising Awareness.

To apply: Students seeking this award should submit the following to Steve Mital at smital@uoregon.edu by April 27:

  • A 500-word essay explaining how your extracurricular activities have contributed to the Office of Sustainability’s mission: Shrinking our Footprint, Raising Awareness.
  • A letter of reference submitted by UO staff or faculty member on student’s behalf.
  • An unofficial UO transcript.

Campus Operations Award: Individuals involved in day-to-day operations are eligible to be nominated for this award. The recipient will be recognized for contributions toward sustainability in waste and recycling handling, landscape planting and irrigation, vehicle usage and utility conservation methods and several other areas of operations.

To nominate (including self-nominations): Summarize the achievements in two pages or less and send to Jonathan Marchetta at jmarchet@uoregon.edu. In addition to the name of the individual UO staff member applying/being nominated, your letter should:

  • Describe the initiative or operational change this individual has pursued. Be sure to explain the old method compared to the improvement.
  • Explain how this benefits the UO. Is there a direct benefit (for example, a new type of flower cost 50 cents each versus $1 each for the old type) or indirect benefit (such as, the new flowers are watered once per week now versus three times per week for the old type)?
  • State whether this improvement provides an ongoing or one-time benefit.

Green Wings Award: This award will recognize a department, team or individual that contributes to improving and advancing sustainability in department of intercollegiate athletics.

To nominate (including self-nominations): Briefly describe how you/the nominee contributed to environmental, social and/or economic sustainability within athletics. Send submissions to Blair Hinton at bwillia5@uoregon.edu by April 27.

Campus Design Award: This award will be given to a project sponsor who has implemented the Oregon Model for Sustainable Development. (Note: Campus Planning, Design and Construction are aware of all eligible projects. Therefore nominations are not necessary.)

—By Corinne Boyer, Public Affairs Communications intern