Faculty Sustainability Chair
1. What are you most excited to accomplish with the President's Sustainability Advisory Council?
As Faculty Sustainability Chair, one of my central goals is to prepare students to be lifelong sustainability advocates, through providing the information needed to be effective, the skills needed to stay abreast of unfolding knowledge, and the inner and interpersonal strengths and capacity for resilience that will allow them to thrive in challenging situations.
2. What is the biggest opportunity on campus to increase sustainability and build resilience?
SSonoma State’s campus has an extensive network of gardens and green spaces, which are largely underutilized. Extensive research has established the effectiveness of time in nature to support emotional well-being and cognitive focus. By making these natural areas better known to the campus community, and encouraging engagement with them, we can support emotional resilience and provide opportunities to learn about the natural world.
3. What skill(s) are you bringing to the council to help facilitate change?
Familiarity with interdisciplinary approaches, skills in accessing information to keep myself current in the rapidly changing arena of sustainability, and a collaborative approach to leadership.