Living Lab Student Engagement

Sustainability as Service

This service comes in many forms such as outreach, education, citizen engagement and public interest design. These manifest in sustainable programs such as the Green Labs Initiative, Green RFP program, Sustainability week, Earth week, among others. What they symbolize is working with others to achieve a common goal. I plan to maintain and build my current relationships across campus and the community in sharing sustainability with DSA, Dining, Alternative Transportation and the Office of University Planning as well as the Town of Blacksburg to meet present needs with a strategic look to the future.

Sustainability as a Framework

Strategic frameworks such as Policy 5505 and the Climate Action Commitment develop targets, strategic goals and future direction. The freedom to develop new programs and initiatives towards this goal is critical. Sustainable programs need ideation, representation and iteration of a theme or goal – to see ideas from conception, research and development, and then adaptation or teaching over time. I have extensive research experience on sustainable practices at Oak Ridge National Labs as well as teaching experience with 9 unique course over four years at Virginia Tech.

Sustainability in Management and Planning

This requires engagement and knowledge of many topics relating to the concepts of sustainability and adaptation to program needs. I have experienced sustainability programs with the Green RFP program and the Sustainability Intern Program with the Energy Group. The Energy Group is currently working on an Electric Vehicle Master Plan, which serves as a Learning Lab for students. I have experience in management as the Editor in Chief for Studio Collective, which is a student magazine with a staff over 50. My Energy & Sustainability Committee involvement exposed me to policy and governance surrounding sustainability initiatives. I have developed strategic plans such as a multi-year prototype program for the MS in Architecture for Virginia Tech. I have the ability to be a self-starter and researcher for program development, with multiple grant proposals for approximately $20,000.