UAlbany Campus Readies for Environment-Themed Month of Lectures, Competitions and Cleanup

 

ALBANY, N.Y. (April 1, 2010) -- The University at Albany�s commitment to sustainability will be highlighted in a series of environment-themed events in April. As part of UAlbany�s efforts to increase sustainability consciousness on campus and in the community, the University will host a leading researcher on the role the environment plays in the spread of cancer; a business plan competition focusing on energy technology; and a day-long Earth Day celebration featuring a discussion by UAlbany faculty experts John Delano and Steven Leibo on the year in sustainability policies. The month will be capped when more than 500 faculty, staff and students participate in the 14th annual Cleanup Day with a campus-wide beautification effort.

�The University is dedicated to leading by example, acting as a role model in environmental stewardship and encouraging personal accountability to facilitate sustainable living,� said President George M. Philip. �Part of the University�s role in this effort is raising the public consciousness of the challenges facing our world.�

UAlbany�s environment-themed month kicks off with the 2nd Annual Hogarty Family Foundation Lecture featuring renowned cancer expert John McLachlan, who will discuss how genes, germs and the environment play a role in the spread of cancer. McLachlan, the Weatherhead Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies at Tulane University, will highlight the intricate interactions between environmental estrogens and cancer, and the importance of developing sound public health policies to limit exposure to environmental carcinogens. The lecture, which is free and open to the public, begins at 7 p.m. on April 15 at the UAlbany School of Public Health on the East Campus.

Renewable energy and sustainable innovations will be the focus of the Capital Region�s first business plan competition, spearheaded by UAlbany�s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) and School of Business. Students will submit business plans centered on innovations designed for a currently unmet need in the energy sector. Held in partnership with the Lally School of Management and Technology at Rensselaer and Union Graduate College School of Management, the competition encourages students from accredited colleges to develop strategic business plans and present them to industry executives and investors. The competition will be held on April 28 at CNSE�s Albany NanoTech Complex.

With sustainability as a continued focal point, UAlbany will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day by promoting personal accountability and behavior change with �Earth Love 101� on April 22. Activities will focus on buying locally-grown produce and grass-feed beef, promoting environmental awareness and conservation. The day�s festivities will conclude with a panel forum with UAlbany faculty experts John Delano and Steven Leibo. Delano, an expert on renewable energy, solar power and environmental science, and Leibo, an expert on the climate crisis, will reflect on this past year�s environmental efforts and policies on state and federal levels.

More than 500 UAlbany students, faculty and staff will volunteer for the 14th annual Campus Cleanup Day on April 27. The UAlbany community contributes to this tradition by showing off pride in the campus and helping prepare it for Commencement Weekend.

�Students are an integral part of all of UAlbany�s Green Scene efforts,� said Mary Ellen Mallia, director of Environmental Sustainability. �We hope their dedication to strive for more sustainable practices serves as an inspiration to the rest of the campus and community.�

UAlbany is committed to fostering, adopting and advancing an environment of sustainability on campus and beyond. Consistent with the University's dedication to its �Green Scene" efforts, UAlbany environmental initiatives include sustainability-themed residence halls for students; locally-grown produce and grass-fed beef in dining halls; Fall and Intersession energy campaigns throughout residence halls and academic buildings saving $319,000; and campus transportation initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions. University faculty are also committed to sustainable research, including examining the coordination and optimization of traffic signals as a means to minimize wait-times at intersections, thereby reducing automobile engine idling time and greenhouse gas emissions.

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Educationally and culturally, the University at Albany-SUNY puts "The World Within Reach" for its 18,000 students. An internationally recognized research university with 58 undergraduate majors and 128 graduate degree programs, UAlbany is a leader among all New York State colleges and universities in such diverse fields as public policy, nanotechnology and criminal justice. With a curriculum enhanced by 300 study-abroad opportunities, UAlbany launches great careers. For more information about this globally ranked University, visit www.albany.edu. For UAlbany's extensive roster of faculty experts, visit www.albany.edu/news/experts.shtml.