2025 Pitt Sustainability Awards: Nominations Opening Soon!
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.
Check back in early January for the nomination link!
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
- 2024 Award Winners and Champions
-
Congratulations to the 2024 Pitt Sustainability Award winners and Student Sustainability Champions! Read more about the recipients.
Faculty Category
- Dr. Kevin Bell, Bioengineering
- Dr. Joaquin Rodriguez, Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
Staff Category
- Swagatika Bhattacharya, Foundations Lab Technician, Biological Sciences
- Eric Hammill, Recycling & Refurbishing Supervisor, Pitt Surplus
Student Category
- Martina Frederick, Environmental Studies
- Maggie Lincoln, Environmental Science / Ecology & Evolution
Erika Ninos Student Leadership Award
- Christy Kim, Environmental Studies
Undergraduate Student Champions
- Noel Do, Natural Sciences
- Julia Evers, Environmental Studies
- Alyse Faerberg, Neuroscience
- Claire Gendron, Environmental Engineering
- Jessica Gondak, Chemistry
- Emily Hoag, Geology
- Ria Hosuru, Neuroscience / Statistics
- Cindy Le, Biological Sciences
- Amanda Lee, Environmental Engineering
- Han Lempert, Urban Studies
- Nicole Marchese, Marketing
- Salome Margalitachvili, Public Health
- Abhi Nangunoori, Biological Sciences / Economics
- Elise Rinke, Biological Sciences / Environmental Science
- Mollie Rothbaum, Environmental Studies
- Ana Rowley, Environmental Science
Graduate Student Champions
- Bishal Dasgupta, Business Administration
- Melinda Go, Public & International Affairs
- Maria Jose Jiminez, Civil & Environmental Engineering
- Meghan Orman, Applied Developmental Psychology
- Jessica Vaden, Civil & Environmental Engineering
- 2023 Award Winners and Champions
-
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
- 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
- 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
- 2024 Awards Committee
-
- Ellie Cadden, Sustainability Academic Programs Manager, MCSI
- Cameron Chase, Pitt Alum, Environmental Studies
- Esmee de Cortie, Administrative Coordinator, MCSI
- Gena Kovalcik, Co-Director, Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation
- Sophia Lex, Graduate Student, Sustainable Engineering
- Aurora Sharrard, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Sustainability
- Corey Flynn, Program Manager, Office of Sustainability in the Health Sciences
- 2023 Awards Committee
-
- Brandon Brewster, Pitt Alum, Environmental Science
- Aaron Carr, Pitt Alum, Environmental Science
- Cassie Quigley, Professor, Teaching, Learning, and Leading, School of Education
- Felicity Shafer, Pitt Alum, Environmental Studies
- Madeline Weiss, Student Sustainability Engagement Manager, Student Affairs
- 2022 Awards Committee
-
- Zach Delaney, Pitt Alum, Environmental Studies
- Sydney Dubose, Undergraduate Student, Environmental Science
- Tony Kerzmann, Professor, Mechanical Engineering & Material Science
- Gena Kovalcik, Co-Director, Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation
- Aurora Sharrard, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Sustainability
- Jessica Vaden, Graduate Student, Civil & Environmental Engineering
- 2021 Awards Committee
-
- Ellie Cadden, Sustainability Academic Programs Manager, MCSI
- Erika Ninos, Student Sustainability Engagement Manager, Student Affairs
- Nick Goodfellow, Sustainability Manager, Business, Hospitality, and Auxiliary Services
- Gena Kovalcik, Co-Director, Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation
- Aurora Sharrard, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Sustainability
- 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