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Pitt Sustainability Awards

2024 Pitt Sustainability Awards: Nominate by February 16, 2024!

"Students cheer at 2023 Sustainability Awards Luncheon"

The Pitt Sustainability Awards recognize Pitt faculty, staff, and students who are making an extraordinary impact on campus sustainability. These individuals or groups could have demonstrated their impact in any of the three categories of the Pitt Sustainability Plan—Stewardship, Exploration, and/or Community and Culture—via ideas, talents, and passions that contribute to a thriving culture of sustainability at Pitt.

Nominate Today!

Specifically, we seek nominations in three award categories:

Pitt Sustainability Awards

Since 2015, the University of Pittsburgh has annually awarded Pitt Sustainability Awards, which recognize Pitt faculty, staff, students, and groups who make an extraordinary impact on campus sustainability. These individuals or groups have demonstrated their impact in one or more categories of the Pitt Sustainability Plan (Stewardship, Exploration, and/or Community and Culture) via initiatives, leadership, and talents that contribute to a thriving culture of sustainability at Pitt. Eligible nominees include Pitt students, faculty, and staff.

Erika Ninos Student Sustainability Award

Being awarded for the first time in 2023, the Erika Ninos Student Sustainability Leadership Award will be awarded to ONE Pitt student annually who has demonstrated significant, exemplary, and consistent leadership and dedication to advancing sustainability at the University of Pittsburgh. Eligible students should be nominated if they have individually started, significantly improved, or changed a program. 

Student Sustainability Champions

Since 2021, the University of Pittsburgh has recognized graduating students for dedicating considerable time and talents to advance Sustainability efforts across campus, in the community, and beyond. Eligible nominees include undergraduate or graduate students graduating in the calendar year in which they are nominated.

Award Winners and Champions

2023 Award Winners and Champions

Congratulations to the 2023 Pitt Sustainability Award winners and Student Sustainability Champions! Read more about the recipients.

Faculty Category

  • Maya Ragavan, MD, MPH, MS., Pediatrics

Staff Category

  • Brandi Belleau, Academic Records
  • Nelson Castilho Coelho, Computational and Systems Biology

Student Category

  • Claire Kemick, Environmental Science
  • Gal Yovel, Neuroscience

Group Category

  • University Movers and Drivers, Parking, Transportation, and Services

Erika Ninos Student Leadership Award

  • Cameron Chase, Environmental Studies

Undergraduate Student Champions

  • Dahlia Edwards, English Literature
  • Grace Fanning, Environmental Studies
  • Elaina Geiger, Environmental Engineering
  • Daniel Petros Huffman, Environmental Engineering
  • Drew Kallinicos, Environmental Studies
  • Amanda Latowsky, Anthropology
  • Sophia Lex, Environmental Engineering
  • Nori Schalles, Environmental Science
2022 Award Winners and Champions

Faculty Category

  • Dr. Danielle Andrews-Brown, Geology and Environmental Science
  • Dr. Cassie Quigley, School of Education

Staff Category

  • Mei Yu-Kephalogianis, Facilities Management

Student Category

  • Brandon Brewster, Environmental Science
  • Aaron Carr, Environmental Science
  • Felicity Shafer, Environmental Studies

Undergraduate Student Champions

  • Annalise Abraham, English Writing, Urban Studies
  • Emily Albrecht, Psychology
  • Suchi Attota, Computer Science
  • Anita Bargaje, Computational Biology
  • Jared Deluccia, Economics, History
  • Matthew Hess, Economics, Environmental Studies
  • Lucy Klug, Environmental Studies
  • Taylor Laing, Environmental Studies
  • Meri Raughley, Ecology and Evolution
  • Madison Stanley, Political Science
  • Abby Zolner, Environmental Studies

Graduate Student Champion

  • Daniel Nigh, Katz Graduate School of Business

Watch a video about the 2022 awardees and champions.

2021 Champions

Undergraduate Students

  • Hannah Chen, Health Information Management
  • Anna Coleman, Global Studies
  • Julianna Cooper, Geology and Environmental Science, Political Science
  • Zachary Delaney, Geology and Environmental Science
  • Sydney DuBose, Geology and Environmental Science
  • Maya Knee, French and Italian, Political Science
  • Anfernee La Cruz, Geology and Environmental Science
  • Liz Logan, Geology and Environmental Science
  • Gabrielle Sampson, Geology and Environmental Science
  • Louis Tierno, Geology and Environmental Science

Graduate Students

  • Eric Raabe, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, CONNECT
  • Jessica Vaden, Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Kelsey Wolfe, Administrative and Policy Studies, PittServes

Faculty

  • Tony Kerzmann, Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Staff

  • Kim Barlow, University Communications
  • Caitlin Courtney, Pitt Eats
  • Timothy Howland, Pitt Eats
  • Joshua Jones, Chemistry
  • Will Mitchell, Facilities Management
  • Kristin Olexa, Purchasing Services
  • William Parker, Pitt Eats
  • Monica Rattigan, University Store
  • Meagan Sotirokos, Maggie & Stella's
  • Ciara Stehley, PittServes
  • Dez Stuart, PittServes

Watch a video about the 2021 sustainability champions.

2020 Award Winners

Faculty Category

  • Dr. Danielle Andrews-Brown, Geology and Environmental Science,
  • Dr. Shanti Gamper-Rabindran, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs

Staff Category

  • Liza Allison, Industrial Engineering
  • Tiara Arnold, Housing, Housekeeping

Student Category

  • Ellie Cadden, Environmental Studies, ’20
  • Sarah Hart, Undergraduate, Environmental Studies

Group Category

Pitt Business Staff Leadership Collaboration led by

  • Chris Driscoll, Information Technology
  • Greg Guzewicz, Facilities Management
  • Karri Rogers, Dean’s Office

Student Group Category

Zero Waste Period Initiative led by

  • Pitt Planned Parenthood
  • Student Office of Sustainability 
2019 Award Winners

Faculty Category

  • Emily Elliott, Geology and Environmental Science

Staff Category

  • Corey Flynn, Sports Medicine and Nutrition
  • Melissa Warthen, Student Life

Student Category

  • Forest Goebel, College of Business Administration 
  • Isabelle Ouyang, English Writing

Student Group Category

  • Real Food Challenge 
2018 Award Winners

Faculty Category

  • David Sanchez, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Student Category

  • Sarah Grguras, Undergraduate, Geology and Environmental Sciences 

Staff Category

  • Gina Gowins, Parking and Transportation
  • Andrew Moran, Facilities Management

Group Category

  • Pitt Pantry

Student Group Category

  • Fossil Free Pitt Coalition
2017 Award Winners

Faculty Category

  • Dan Bain, Geology and Environmental Science

Student Category

  • Alyssa Martinec, Political Science 

Staff Category

  • Rich Heller, Facilities Management, and Nick Goodfellow, Dining

Group Category

  • Food Recovery Heroes
2016 Award Winners

Faculty Category

  • Ward Allebach, Geology and Environmental Science
  • Jacob Bethem, Adjunct Faculty at Pitt Greensburg

Student Category

  • Naomi Anderson, Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Anna Greenberg, Environmental Studies 

Group Category

  • Surplus Property 

Student Group Category

  • University of Thriftsburgh
2015 Award Winners

Faculty Category

  • Walter Carson, Biological Sciences

Staff Category

  • Elizabeth Tiedemann, Student Services at Pitt Greensburg

Student Category

  • Troy Salvatore, Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Sage Lincoln, Urban Studies and Environmental Geology

Group Category

  • Student Computing Services Team, Computing Services and Systems Development

Awards Committee Membership History

2020 Awards Committee
  • Emily Elliott, Professor, Department of Geology and Environmental Science
  • Gena Kovalcik, Co-Director, Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation
  • Isabelle Ouyang, Undergraduate Student, English Writing
  • Aurora Sharrard, Pitt Director of Sustainability
2019 Awards Committee
  • Ward Allebach, Instructor, Department of Geology and Environmental Science
  • Sarah Grguras, Undergraduate Student, Environmental Studies and Ecology, Student Office of Sustainability Program Assistant
  • Gena Kovalcik, Co-Director, Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation
  • Erika Ninos, Pitt Serves Sustainability Program Coordinator
  • Aurora Sharrard, Pitt Director of Sustainability
2018 Awards Committee
  • Ward Allebach, Instructor, Department of Geology and Environmental Science
  • Nick Goodfellow, Sustainability Coordinator, Pitt Dining Services by Sodexo
  • Rich Heller, Senior Electrical Engineer, Facilities Management
  • Gena Kovalcik, Co-Director, Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation
  • Alyssa Martinec, undergraduate student, Political Science 
2015-2017 Awards Committee
  • Melissa Bilec, Associate Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Deputy Director, MCSI
  • Gena Kovalcik, Co-Director, Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation
  • Erika Ninos, Sustainability Program Coordinator, Office of Student Affairs
  • Troy Salvatore, Student Intern, Student Office of Sustainability (2016-2017 Awards Committee)
  • Joe Streets, Student Intern, Student Office of Sustainability (2015-2016 Awards Committee)
  • Laura Zullo, Senior Manager, Utilities and Sustainability