Partnerships in Research, Academics, and Operations to Advance the SDGs: A Case Study of George Mason University

The Mason Sustainability Council (MSC) is an institution-wide initiative (SDG#17) integrating Mason’s research and academic strengths in sustainability with campus operations to create an ecosystem that mitigates Mason’s impact on the global climate (SDG #13), creates learning laboratories on our campuses (SDG #4), and further establishes Mason as an institutional leader in higher-education sustainability (SDG #16). The MSC is comprised of Mason’s academic and operational leaders, faculty, staff, and undergraduate and graduate student representatives who meet monthly. The Council is currently launching multiple task forces to address specific institutional sustainability challenges. This session will include a context-setting introduction from the co-coordinators of the MSC, followed by a moderated discussion exploring lessons learned and key challenges with audience members who may be implementing similar strategies at their institutions.

 

Presenters:

Leah Nichols, PhD (she/her), Executive Director, Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE), George Mason University

Greg Farley (he/him), Director of University Sustainability, George Mason University

Biruk Haregu (he/him), Graduate Research Assistant, Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE), George Mason University

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