Inspired to Lead: Sustainability at RIT
Contents
Inspiration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Inspiring Future Generations. . . . . . . 4
Academic Programs and Options. . . . . 6
Education in Action . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Golisano Institute for Sustainability. . 10
Integrating Education and Research. . 14
Practice and Involvement. . . . . . . . . 18
Making a Difference. . . . . . . . . . . . 20
A Campus Sustainability Leader. . . . 22
An Inspired Journey. . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2
Rochester Institute of Technology Sustainability
Inspiration
I
t is clear that the human race
cannot continue to consume
resources at the current
rate and sustain a growing
world population.” —Dr. Bill Destler
”
RIT seeks to become a world leader in
sustainability education, research, and
practice. As we strive to infuse innovation
and creativity into every element of our
campus, sustainability has become a
major focus.
Our comprehensive and interdisciplinary
commitment is spearheaded by President
Bill Destler, who signed the American
College & University Presidents Climate
Commitment in 2008.
Signed by several
hundred colleges
nationwide, the
Presidents Climate
Commitment provides
support and a framework for colleges and
universities to go carbon
neutral. There is
Dr. Bill Destler
particular emphasis on
reducing greenhouse gas emissions while
accelerating sustainability-related research
and educational programs.
Other leaders likewise inspire the RIT
community. In 2006, James Watters, senior
vice president, Finance and Administration,
established an advisory committee to review
institutional practices for sustainability in
facilities construction, alternative energy
technologies, green technologies, and
strategic policies for consideration by
the university.
We are driven to make a difference.
Through our teaching, learning, research,
and best practices in and around sustain­
ability, we hope to inspire current and
future generations to sustain our planet.
Every day, we see this concept breathe new
energy into curricula, intensify laboratory
activities, and light up the minds of
students and faculty across the campus.
We expect our inspiration to benefit everyone, everywhere. It matters to us all.
President Destler and his wife,
Rebecca Johnson, also lead by example
in their personal lives. The couple commute
around the region on electric bikes recharged
by solar power and resort to a hybrid Toyota
Prius for longer trips and inclement weather.
They have also retrofitted their 180-year-old
campus home, Liberty Hill: fluorescent light
bulbs, insulating film on windows, and zoned
heating/cooling areas with smart thermostats
reflect their commitment to living green.
“Thinking green is, to me, a spiritual attitude
– being respectful of the resources we use daily
and being mindful of our connection to this
planet,” says Johnson. “We need to do all we
can to help save Planet Earth. RIT is committed
to finding ways to reduce our consumption of
nonrenewable resources and address global
energy needs through new technologies
employing renewable sources.”
www.rit.edu/sustainability
3
Inspiring Future Generations
F
or centuries, the core of
every college and university
has been the interactions
among faculty and students where
learning and ideas take root and
new generations of thought leaders
and change agents emerge.
We are preparing the next generation
of sustainability leaders through a rich
array of graduate and undergraduate
programs and options in sustainability.
Dozens of faculty and hundreds of
students collaborate in classrooms and
labs across the campus. Solutions to the
issues of sustainability are approached
from myriad perspectives that include
engineering, science, management,
policy, and technology.
The educational opportunities in sustain­
ability range from doctoral programs to
undergraduate minors or concentrations
(a group of courses in sustainability).
4
The newest addition to our portfolio of
academic programs in sustainability is the
Ph.D. in sustainability. One of the world’s
first such programs, it features educational
and research opportunities integrating
environmentally conscious product
design and manufacturing, industrial
ecology, technology and public policy,
environmental science and management,
and sustainable business practice.
Academic initiatives under consideration
include ecological information technology;
sustainable systems; sustainable architecture; green packaging; and environment,
sustainability, and society.
Professors Brian Thorn and Andres
Carrano, faculty in the industrial and systems engineering department, travelled
to Caracas, Venezuela, with a group of
students to develop ecologically friendly
and cost-effective solar ovens and fabricate ultraviolet tubes used to disinfect
drinking water. The trip was a part of a
Kate Gleason College of Engineering
Multidisciplinary Senior Design project
sponsored by the EPA P3: People,
Prosperity, and the Planet Program.
Rochester Institute of Technology Sustainability
Sustainability-related Programs and Options
These programs all utilize an interdisciplinary approach; capitalizing on the breadth of RIT’s academic program portfolio in science,
engineering, math, technology, business, and the social sciences.
Ph.D. programs
Bachelor’s programs*
•Sustainability
•Chemistry (environmental chemistry option)
•Computing and Information Sciences
(environmental informatics focus)
•Chemical Engineering (alternative energy
and environmental tracks)
•Environmental Modeling
•Microsystems Engineering
(alternative energy or energy efficiency)
•Civil Engineering Technology
•Environmental Studies
•Electrical Engineering Technology
(power systems concentration)
•Historical Perspectives in Science
and Technology
•Environmental Sustainability,
Health and Safety**
•Industrial Environmental Management
•Environmental Science**
•Science, Technology, and Policy
Master’s programs
•Business Administration (environ­mentally
sustainable management concentration)
•Environmental Health and Safety
Management
•Environmental Science
•Facility Management
•Packaging Science
(sustainable packaging track)
•Science, Technology, and Public Policy
(environmental policy concentration)
•Sustainable Engineering (MS or MEng)
•Sustainable Systems (pending NYS approval)
•International Studies
(science, technology, and society track)
•Mechanical Engineering
(energy and environment option)
Undergraduate minors
and concentrations
•Environmental Science
•Science and Technology Studies
•Science, Technology, and Society
•Sustainable Product Design
•Urban and Community Studies
•Packaging Science
(sustainable packaging track)
•Polymer Chemistry
(sustainable/renewable materials focus)
•Public Policy**
(environmental policy concentration)
*A dual degree (combined BS/MS or MEng) is available in industrial engineering and sustainable engineering.
James Winebrake
Professor and Chair of the Department of
Science, Technology, and Society/Public Policy
Winebrake is an expert in transportation and
energy policy and currently works with a host
of national and international organizations to
reduce emissions and overall air pollution from
transportation sources. He co-directs the
Laboratory for Environmental Computing and
Decision Making and is leading two multi-year,
multi-university research projects designed to
improve computer modeling in transit planning
and policy decision-making. Winebrake is also
a member of two National Research Council
committees related to reducing greenhouse
gas emissions from transportation and is part
of an International Maritime Organization expert
group studying emissions regulations for
global shipping.
**Dual degree option (combined BS/MS) available
www.rit.edu/sustainability
5
Academic Programs and Options
Ph.D. Programs
Sustainability
The program advances research and education
in alternative-energy development, sustainable
design, green product development, industrial
ecology, and pollution prevention. It emphasizes
sustainable production systems, which create
goods and services using processes that are
nonpolluting; conserving of energy and natural
resources; economically viable; and safe for
workers, communities, and consumers.
Computing and Information Sciences
(environmental informatics focus)
Designed to produce independent scholars, wellprepared educators, and cutting-edge researchers
poised to excel in interdisciplinary environments
and industries, this program highlights two of the
unique characteristics of the Golisano College of
Computing and Information Sciences: the breadth
of its program offerings and its scholarly focus
on the theoretical and practical aspects of cyber­
infrastructure as applied to specific problems
across multiple domains.
Microsystems Engineering
The goal of the program is to provide a foundation
to explore future technology through research in
nano-engineering, design methods, and tech­
nologies and their integration into micro- and
nano-scaled systems in several key areas,
including alternative energy or energy efficiency.
6
Master’s Degree Programs
Business Administration (environmentally
sustainable management concentration)
This option familiarizes students with environmentally sustainable business practices and enables
them to manage social and political demands for
more environmentally sustainable products and
operations.
Environmental, Health and
Safety Management
The program provides students with a solid
foundation in both the technical and managerial
aspects of developing, designing, and implementing environmental, health, and safety systems.
The program utilizes an integrated systems focus
to ensure that students can design and implement
effective management systems and programs
that add value to the organization.
Environmental Science
The environmental science program enables
students to understand the complexity of problems that link environmental limits to economic
development, diverse cultures, ethics, values,
and social stability. Students use integrated
and holistic approaches to these issues.
Rochester Institute of Technology Sustainability
Facility Management
The physical assets of an organization are
typically one of its largest financial holdings,
and the strategic planning, development, and
maintenance of these assets are critical to an
organization’s financial health and stability.
Graduates of this program will gain knowledge
in business management, strategic planning,
interior and architectural design, construction
management, information technology, real estate,
engineering, labor relations, and quality of life
aspects in the work environment.
Science, Technology and Public Policy
This program encourages students to explore in
depth the intersection of public policy, technology,
and our natural world. Students generally focus
their policy studies in a particular area, such as
environmental policy, telecommunications policy,
or energy policy.
Sustainable Engineering
The program focuses on the integration of social,
environmental, and economic considerations into
product, process, and energy systems design
methods. Additionally, the program encourages
the analysis of the complete product and process
lifecycle during the design effort, minimizing the
total of the environmental impacts across the
entire lifecycle while simultaneously maximizing
the benefits to social and economic stakeholders.
Sustainable Systems (pending NYS approval)
This program fills a critical need for a master’s
level program that emphasizes education and
training in the foundational sciences of sustainability. Graduates of this program will be prepared
to undertake or continue careers as sustainability
experts in their chosen fields.
Packaging Science
Through the cutting-edge curriculum, students
learn and apply vast knowledge of packaging
science in a dynamic, multifaceted industry.
Classes are discussion and project based, and
provide students the opportunity to learn how
to make valuable contributions as future professionals in the packaging community.
Bachelor’s Degree Programs*
Chemistry
(environmental chemistry option)
Certified by the Committee on Professional
Training of the American Chemical Society (ACS),
this program meets a wide range of quality
standards relating to curriculum, teaching,
research, and intellectual climate. Students select
environmentally related courses such as field
biology, ecology, oceanography, hydrology,
environmental monitoring, geology, treatment
of waste and sewage, packaging, polymer
technology, and chemical research.
Chemical Engineering
(alternative energy, environmental focus)
The degree program in chemical engineering
prepares students to apply fundamental
knowledge, skills, and tools in a wide variety of
application domains relevant to the practice of
the chemical engineering profession. Students
with an interest in sustainability can select a focus
in alternative energy systems and environmental
applications.
Civil Engineering Technology
Solving challenges posed by the environment,
graduates of this program are prepared to restore
polluted rivers as well as centuries-old bridges,
design public parks accessible to people with
disabilities, construct roadwork in isolated areas,
and design water delivery systems.
Economics (natural resource and
environmental economics focus)
This program emphasizes the quantitative,
analytical approach to economic issues involving
the use and management of environmental
resources. Graduates are prepared for entry-level
positions in fields such as management and
quantitative analysis or to pursue graduate study
in economics, business, law, or sustainability.
Electrical Engineering Technology
(power systems concentration)
Graduates enter not only design and development
careers but related disciplines including manufacturing, research, sales and marketing, applications
engineering, and education. Students can select
professional electives in electric power systems
that enable them to focus their interests in
developing solutions to issues related to this
particular aspect of sustainability.
Environmental Science**
This program prepares students to solve problems
relating to power generation, waste reduction
and recycling, pollution control, land use and
land cover change, biodiversity preservation
and ecological services, transportation, forestry,
agriculture, economics, and a wide range of other
areas. They study our relationship to nature and
to each other, developing solutions that prevent
or reverse environmental deterioration and work
toward sustainability.
*A dual degree (combined BS/MS or MEng) is available in industrial engineering and sustainable engineering.
**Dual degree option (combined BS/MS) available
Environmental Sustainability,
Health and Safety**
The program prepares students to move organizations toward a sustainable future. Activities range
from keeping contaminated wastewater separate
from clean water to determine how a product can
be manufactured using less energy or without
using toxic materials.
International Studies
(science, technology and society track)
This program seeks to train a new generation
of global citizens with an understanding of the
social, economic, political, and environmental
issues that are central to globalization. The
program focuses on interdisciplinary approaches
for understanding global processes while allowing
students flexibility in developing the expertise
required for a successful career.
Mechanical Engineering
(alternative energy, environmental tracks)
The energy and environment option consists
of a series of electives that provide students
with exposure to a wide range of opportunities
and careers associated with energy-intensive
systems and how they relate to the environment.
This concentration is intended to increase the
opportunities for students to work in the fields of
building energy systems, alternative and renewable energy, and direct energy conversion.
Packaging Science
(sustainable packaging track)
The packaging science program prepares students for employment in areas such as package
development, sales, purchasing, structural design,
production, research, and marketing. Packaging
increasingly relies on the concept of sustainability,
and has even greater dependence on new developments in materials and processes.
Polymer Chemistry
The program provides students with a solid background in the traditional areas of chemistry (general, analytical, organic, physical, and inorganic)
supplemented by advanced courses and intensive
laboratory experiences in polymer science. This
program provides the background important for
success in many industrial research areas. It also
enables graduates to pursue further education in
chemistry, polymer chemistry, or materials science
and engineering.
Public Policy** (environmental policy track)
The public policy program explores the inter­
section of public policy, technology, and our
natural world. The program provides students
with an opportunity to integrate their interests
in science, technology, government, economics,
and other social science fields. It combines an
understanding of these fields with the analytical
tools needed to study the impact of public policy
on society.
www.rit.edu/sustainability
7
Education in Action
T
he issues of sustainability
reach far into the future. The ideas of today lay the
foundation for sustaining the
planet for many generations to
come. These ideas are molded into
solutions in the labs and classrooms of our campus and find
expression in the actions of our
students and faculty.
8
Ethical Solutions
Professors Wade Robison, Evan Selinger,
and Thomas Seager (above) are developing
new course work to focus on the ethics of
sustainability. They hosted an international
scientific symposium on the incorporation of
ethical concepts in sustainable development.
They also are conducting an NSF-sponsored
project with Arizona State University to
better incorporate curricula and course
work in sustainability ethics into science
and engineering graduate programs.
Rochester Institute of Technology Sustainability
Students Revamp Outdoor Lighting
Students conducting an engineering
multidisciplinary senior design project
designed an LED-based device to retrofit
RIT’s outdoor walkway lighting system.
LED-based lights use less energy, are more
durable, require less maintenance than
traditional light bulbs, and will drastically
reduce annual spending on lighting.
Each year, multidisciplinary engineering
design projects typically include more
than 10 sustainability-related projects
engaging more than 50 students from
many disciplines across campus.
Industrial Engineering Wins
Innovations in Curriculum Award
RIT’s industrial and systems engineering
program won the Innovations in Curriculum Award from the Institute of Industrial
Engineers at the organization’s annual
conference. Faculty members Andres
Carrano and Brian Thorn shared the honor.
Their entry described how sustainability
initiatives were incorporated into the
degree program. The award was given
to recognize creative instruction and
curricula meeting the changing needs
of the industrial engineering profession.
Annick Anctil
Packaging Science Students
Win National Design Challenge
Lynsie Gibson and Zachary Mendoza,
packaging science majors, won first place
in the Student Design Challenge for their
entry, Sustainable Paperboard Packaging
Innovation. The challenge is sponsored
by the Paperboard Packaging Alliance
and is part of the annual inter­national
Pack Expo, a conference for packaging
and processing professionals.
The students created a package that
would convert from a 3-D, triangular
design to a small, simple DVD booklet using a kraft, nonbleached paperboard
for strength and sustainability.
Reaching Out to Teens
The Women in Engineering program,
WE@RIT, and the RIT Leadership Institute
are offering a course, We Lead: Women,
Leadership, and Sustainability.
The nine-week online program was
developed to help young women in grades
10-12 learn critical leadership and effective
inter­personal skills. They develop these
skills through an examination of sustainability and the complexities of ethical
decision-making.
Exploring Human Impact
on the Environment
A team of cross-disciplinary faculty and
student researchers are studying forest soils
for the effects of acid rain, assessing wetland health in the Rochester embayment
area, and studying macroinvertebrates as
indicators of water quality in Mesoamerica
and developing revitalization plans for an
inner city.
Anctil is part of the inaugural class of
students in the doctoral program in
sustainability, one of the first in the world
to focus on sustainable engineering and
production. Through the program, she
completed a summer internship with the
United Nations’ Department of Economics
and Social Affairs in New York City.
She was part of a team that developed
new computer models to better measure
the economic, social, and environmental
impacts of the global tourism industry.
The results will assist the U.N. in promoting
sustainable tourism in developing countries.
At RIT, Anctil works in the NanoPower
Research Laboratories, where she conducts research on quantum dots used in
photo­voltaic technology.
www.rit.edu/sustainability
9
Golisano Institute for Sustainability
I
t is imperative that we
accelerate strategies to .
promote a sustainable society
and ensure future generations .
the opportunity to address their
own needs. ... It is my desire .
that the Golisano Institute for
Sustainability produce the first
generation of professionals .
with the vision and know-how .
to deliver on the promise of
sustainability.”—B. Thomas Golisano
”
Chairman of Paychex, Inc.,
B. Thomas Golisano donated $10
million to establish the Golisano Institute
for Sustainability (GIS) as a global resource
for education, research, technology transfer,
and outreach in sustainable manufacturing
processes that will influence all aspects of
product manufacture and design.
GIS offers one of the nation’s first doctoral
degrees in sustain­ability. The program
focuses on sustainable production systems,
sustainable energy systems, sustainable
mobility, and eco-IT or ecologically friendly
information technology systems. Graduates
develop skills in lifecycle assessment,
10 Rochester Institute of Technology Sustainability
Conceptual rendering of the future home of the Golisano Institute for Sustainability
environmental risk and impact assessment,
and design for the environment. They also
gain knowledge of corporate strategies for
sustainability and government policies for
promoting sustainability.
The institute collaborates with numerous
organizations in a wide variety of sectors
with the goals of reducing environmental
impact and enhancing economic competitiveness. GIS partners with Delphi Corp­
oration and the U.S. Department of Defense
to accelerate the application of solid oxide
fuel cells into the military’s stationary and
mobile systems.
Sustainable production systems are the
focus of academic and research programs
within the Golisano Institute for Sustainability. These systems create goods and
services using strategies and processes that
are nonpolluting; conserving of energy and
natural resources; economically viable; safe
and healthful for workers, communities,
and consumers; and socially and creatively
rewarding for all working people.
“We are focusing on designing production systems that are completely closed
loop, with no waste product and a high level
of reuse,” notes Nabil Nasr, assistant provost
for academic affairs and director of the institute. “In addition, our education programs
will seek to provide our next generation
with comprehensive knowledge and training
in sustainable industrial development.”
GIS consists of a team of tenured and
tenure-track faculty, research faculty, engineers, technicians, project managers, and
students all dedicated to an interdisciplinary
approach to removing barriers to achieving
sustainable production systems.
Callie Babbitt
Assistant Professor
Golisano Institute for Sustainability
Nabil Nasr
Assistant Provost and
Director, Golisano
Institute for Sustainability
and CIMS
Nasr is the founding director of the Golisano
Institute for Sustainability and the director
of the Center for Integrated Manufacturing
Studies (CIMS). For more than 20 years,
Nasr has been a leader in research and
development efforts in sustainability. He has
developed strong ties to industry through
efforts to implement and improve sustainable
design processes at hundreds of companies
from diverse sectors. Nasr also led the
development of RIT’s doctoral program in
sustainability, one of the first in the nation
to focus specifically on the discipline.
Babbitt’s research interests are
in the areas of lifecycle inventory
data development, assessing
and minimizing environmental
impacts of end-of-life management for electronic equipment,
and environmental and social
assessment of emerging energy
systems.
Gabrielle Gaustad
Assistant Professor
Golisano Institute for Sustainability
Gaustad’s research interests
include identifying and removing
barriers and disincentives to
secondary usage of materials,
evaluating effective technologies
for upgrading recycled materials,
and designing and selecting
recycling-friendly products.
Research centers/institutes
•National Center for Remanufacturing and
Resource Recovery (NC3R)—internationally
recognized as a leading center for applied
research in remanufacturing
•Center for Sustainable Production (CSP)—
dedicated to enhancing the environmental
and economic performance of products
and processes
•Center for Sustainable Mobility (CSM)—
evaluates the environmental and economic
impact of different alternative fuel and
propulsion technologies on the entire
U.S. public transportation system
•New York State Pollution Prevention Institute
(NYSP2I)—designed to enhance the
understanding of pollution prevention
techniques while also disseminating
technologies to enhance these efforts
•NanoPower Research Labs (NPRL)—
dedicated to the creation and utilization
of nano devices and materials for power
generation and storage
•Systems Modernization and Sustainment
Center (SMS)—develops technologies for
optimal lifecycle design, management, and
modernization of large equipment systems
www.rit.edu/sustainability
11
Golisano Institute for Sustainability (continu ed)
Amit Batabyal
Arthur J. Gosnell
Professor of Economics
NanoPower
Every hour the sun radiates more energy
onto the Earth’s surface than is consumed
globally in one year. Our NanoPower Research
Laboratories are making significant advances
in the development of new materials and
devices utilizing nanomaterials and nano­
technology for energy conversion, energy
storage, and power systems development.
Pollution Prevention
RIT hosts the New York State Pollution
Prevention Institute, sponsored by the New
York State Department of Environmental
Conservation. The comprehensive statewide
research and technology institute addresses
individual industry needs and focuses on
applied research in clean technology
development, design for remanufacture,
and green product assessment.
As the Pollution Prevention Institute’s
lead university, RIT collaborates with other
university partners as well as 10 statewide
technology development centers.
12 Rochester Institute of Technology Sustainability
Sustainable Production
At RIT’s Center for Sustainable
Production, engineers are developing
tools and methods to assist companies
in creating closed-loop, environmentally and economically sustainable
systems. Research includes maximizing
product reuse and remanufacturing,
environmentally benign design,
alternative energy technology
implementation, and developing
alternative nonhazardous materials.
Batabyal is using dynamic and stochastic
modeling techniques to create theoretical
models to assist resource managers in better
assessing how shocks, such as biological
invasions and droughts to ecological-economic
systems, affect cattle production, food safety,
and the sustainability of these systems.
Recently named interim academic director
of the GIS, Batabyal is a renowned inter­
national economist who brings his expertise
and interests to lead and enhance the GIS
academic programs.
He has published over 450 books, journal
articles, book chapters, and book reviews in
the above and other fields. He is the recipient
of many national and international awards
including the RIT Trustees Faculty Scholarship Award in 2007.
Matt Fronk
Director of the Center
for Sustainable Mobility
Sustainable Mobility
Our research teams are working with
the U.S. military, Monroe County (N.Y.),
and the Rochester Genesee Regional
Transportation Authority to develop smart
sensor systems to better assess the performance and efficiency of vehicle systems and
reduce the costs and pollution generated
from large fleets.
Remanufacturing
The institute’s remanufacturing research
is internationally recognized in the
development, testing, and implementation
of efficient and cost-effective reuse tech­
nologies while also promoting the design
of products that cause minimal harm to
the environment.
Systems Modernization
Researchers are advancing technologies
that improve design, streamline production
processes, and support real-time monitoring.
For example, the institute is partnering
with a number of companies to develop
new monitoring systems to reduce the cost
and the environmental impact of product
development and operation.
Fronk has been a leader in fuel cell research
and development for close to two decades.
He directs research programs in hydrogen
fuel technology, fuel cell development,
alternative fuels, and hybrid vehicle systems.
Prior to joining RIT, Fronk spent over 30
years at General Motors in a wide variety of
engineering and leadership positions. Most
recently he served as director of GM’s Fuel
Cell Research Laboratory, located in Honeoye
Falls, N.Y. He has also served on a number
of government and industry committees and
task forces, including the U.S. Department
of Energy’s Workshop on Manufacturing
R&D for the Hydrogen Economy.
www.rit.edu/sustainability
13
Integrating Education and Research
C
ourses with hands-on
experiences and multiple
points of view; interdisciplinary research with socially and
ecologically responsible applications;
student projects that address
current issues—these are just some
of the outcomes of our efforts to
integrate education and research.
The Golisano Institute for Sustainability
is just one example of the interrelationship
between education and research prevalent
at RIT. However, there are many more
outstanding examples of students working
with their professors to confront the global
challenges of sustainability.
The problems and solutions of sustainability are interdisciplinary. What emerges
from our comprehensive and collaborative
efforts will effectively address the breadth
of these issues.
Clean Energy
The Clean Energy Incubator is a joint effort
by the Golisano Institute for Sustainability
and RIT’s Venture Creations business
incubator that assists early stage clean
energy companies in product development,
business and marketing planning, and
technology commercialization. The
incubator enhances continued economic
development in a host of areas, including
wind energy, solar power, and fuel cell
development.
14 Rochester Institute of Technology Sustainability
Sustainable Communities
RIT is helping to build and maintain
sustainable communities throughout greater
Rochester. Since 2000,
RIT faculty and students,
led by professor Ann
Howard, have partnered
with residents of the northeast neighborhoods in
Rochester to propel the
implementation of the
Ann Howard
neighborhoods’ strategic
plans. The partnership has twice received
national recognition for its commitment
to university-community partnerships.
Responding to Natural Disasters
Associate professor Anthony Vodacek is
leading an international collaboration to address the dangerous levels of carbon dioxide
and methane gas that haunts Lake Kivu, the
freshwater lake system bordering Rwanda
and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Information Products Laboratory for
Emergency Response also collaborates with
other organizations to develop and implement innovative geospatial solutions using
remote sensing technology for improved disaster mitigation planning and response from
academia to the private and public sector.
Karl Korfmacher
Director, Environmental Science
Program and Professor, School
of Biological Sciences
RIT Conservation Wetlands and Federal
and State Wetland Boundaries
Korfmacher’s research focuses
on environmental and ecological
applications of geographic
information systems (modeling
and monitoring) and campus
sustainability projects.
Elizabeth Hane
Energy Systems
The Nanophotonics group, led by assistant
professor Stefan Preble, is enhancing
quantum optic technology by building
the first active quantum devices on traditional silicon chips. Experts believe that
the use of quantum optics, where individual
particles of light are used to represent
information, may hold the key for creating
the next generation of communication and
computing systems.
In the B. Thomas Golisano College
of Computing and Information Sciences,
researchers are also developing green
computing methods to both reduce energy
use and increase system efficiency.
Environmental Restoration
Researchers and students in the College of
Science are collaborating with universities,
conservatories, and governments across the
world in an effort to restore the global
environment. In Chiapas, Mexico, restoration efforts are underway to protect and
conserve the many unique plants and
animals found in the riparian forests. Back
home, they are conducting studies to assess
changes in wetland size, floral biodiversity,
and the impact of invasive species on
wetland communities.
Sustainable Packaging
RIT is home to one of the most extensive
packaging laboratories in the northeastern
United States. In addition to academic
support, the laboratory provides full
commercial package testing services to a
range of companies, from small to Fortune
500, in package development consulting,
materials testing, and distribution simulation. The lab works to develop innovative
and functional sustainable packaging
designs that aim to reduce package
volume and the amount of nonrenewable
packaging materials.
Associate Professor
School of Biological Sciences
Hane collaborates with students
and other faculty on several
research projects, including sugar
maple regeneration and northern
hardwood calcium cycling.
Christy Tyler
Assistant Professor
School of Biological Sciences
Tyler leads the NSF-funded
Aquatic Ecology Lab’s research
examining the interaction
between aquatic organisms and
their biological and physicochemical environment.
www.rit.edu/sustainability
15
Integrating Education and Research
(continu ed)
Sandra
Rothenberg
Associate Professor
and Zutes Faculty
Fellow, E. Philip
Saunders College
of Business
Alternative Fuels
Led by Satish Kandlikar, researchers in the
Kate Gleason College of Engineering are
using advanced diagnostic
methods with visual access
to enhance auto­motive fuelcell performance. A hydrogen station at the Golisano
Institute for Sustainability
helps to improve the operaSatish Kandlikar tion of hydrogen-powered
vehicles and increase public understanding
of hydrogen fuel.
Transportation Policy
Through the development of geospatial
models using geographic information
systems, RIT’s Lab for Environmental
Computing and Decision Making provides
better information to policy makers and
improved assessment of current regulations
and proposed reforms.
16 Rochester Institute of Technology Sustainability
Image Permanence
For precious artifacts and cherished documents, time is the enemy. The Image Permanence Institute at RIT works with a host
of national institutions and federal agencies,
including The Library of Congress and the
National Archives and Records Administration, to implement new scientific methods
for document and artifact preservation.
Rothenberg is a national expert in corporate
environmental strategy. She is the director of
the Saunders College’s MBA concentration in
sustainable management, co-director of the
RIT Sustainable Print Systems Laboratory, an
affiliate researcher with RIT’s Lab for
Environmental Computing and Decision
Making, and a researcher for the International
Motor Vehicle Program at MIT. Rothenberg
was awarded the Sloan Jr. Faculty Fellowship
in 2004 and the Bernard Rabinowitz
Fellowship for Leadership and Service in
1991. She has also worked as a research
associate for the Harvard Global Environmental
Assessment Program, U.S. Office of Technology
Assessment, and MIT Technology, Business and
Environment program.
Research Facilities
• Aquatic Ecology Lab
• Brinkman Machine Tools and
Manufacturing Lab
• CAST Environmental Lab
• Center for Electronics Manufacturing and
Assembly
• Center for Excellence in Lean Enterprise
• Center for Integrated Plastics and Packaging
• Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies
• Center for Sustainable Mobility
• Center for Sustainable Production
• Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Lab
• Fuel Cell Technology Lab
• Image Permanence Institute
• Imaging Materials Laboratory
• Imaging Products Laboratory
• Laboratory for Document Restoration
• Laboratory for Environmental Computing
and Decision Making
• Nano Power Research Laboratories
• National Center for Remanufacturing and
Resource Recovery
• New York State Pollution Prevention Institute
• Occupational Safety and Ergonomics
Excellence Program
• Packaging Dynamics Lab
• Rapid Prototyping Lab
• RIT Bird Observatory
• Safety and Efficiency in Automobiles Lab
• Sustainable Print Systems Lab
• Sustainable Engineering Research Group
• Thermal Analysis Lab
• Toyota Production Systems Lab
Research Sponsors
and Collaborators
• Boeing Spectrolab
• BP Solar
• County of Monroe, N.Y.
• Delphi Inc.
• Eastman Kodak Co.
• Emcore Corporation Photovoltaics
• Environmental Protection Agency
• General Motors Corporation
• Greatbatch Inc.
• Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute
• Hewlett Packard Development Corporation
• ITT Corporation
• Lockheed Martin Corporation
• NASA
• National Parks Service
• National Science Foundation
• The Nature Conservatory
• New York State Audubon
• New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation
• New York State Energy Research
and Development Authority
• New York State Foundation for Science,
Technology and Innovation
• Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Reflexite Corporation
• Torvec Inc.
• Toyota Motor Corporation
• University of Arizona
• University of Delaware
• University of Michigan
• U.S. Departments of: Agriculture, Defense,
Energy, Fish and Wildlife, Transportation
• U.S. Forest Service
• Xerox Corporation
John Morelli
Russell C. McCarthy
Professor and Chair,
Civil Engineering
Technology, Environmental Management
& Safety Department
Morelli is the founding chair of the environmental management BS degree program.
Under his direction, the program evolved
into environmental sustainability, health
and safety. Morelli was also the principal
developer of RIT’s MS degree program in
environmental, health and safety management. Says Morelli, “While the profession
of environmental management has evolved
through several manifestations, it is clearly
time for another evolutionary jump. The developing role of the environmental manager is a
principal research area, specifically focusing
on fostering sustainability in our economic,
environmental, and social systems.” Morelli
is the founding director of the Environmental
Management Leadership Initiative.
Ken Reed ’71
Alumnus Dr. Ken Reed (left) and Mick Stadler
(right) established a startup company, Cerion
Energy Inc., out of RIT’s Venture Creations
business incubator.
The company develops a diesel fuel additive
using nano-particles that tremendously
improves energy efficiency while reducing
harmful emissions. A separate formulation
added to lube oil reduces the friction of
internal moving parts, providing additional
fuel economy and reducing engine wear.
The pair assembled a team of faculty
members to work on the research project.
Together, they were able to develop a novel
chemistry. Three provisional patents have
been filed on the technology, which preceded
four additional applications. Several new
materials are also being investigated.
www.rit.edu/sustainability
17
Practice and In volvem ent
I
nitially, our goal was to
evaluate alternative energy
technologies,” says Senior VP
James Watters. “ Over time, we’ve
evolved into a much broader
mandate. … To be viewed as a .
progressive university, you must
be more sustainable. There are a
lot of opportunities, and we have to
make sure we are doing all we can.”
”
It is the belief of RIT community members
that everyone must work to adopt more
environmentally responsible practices and
reduce both consumption of nonrenewable
resources and production of greenhouse gases.
This self-contained community of more
than 20,000 faculty, staff, and students has
made a commitment to advance sustainability
in all areas—in academic programs and
research initiatives, in our campus opera-
tions and consumption practices, and in
efforts to promote social sustainability
within the RIT family.
Scores of projects are being carried out
by students, faculty, and staff, and just as
many are being hatched in classrooms, offices,
kitchens, and workshops across campus.
By making the campus more environmentally friendly and by engaging in and
learning more about sustainable practices,
the RIT community improves the extended
environment in real and measurable ways.
By doing so, we can take steps now to
ensure that the campus, the Rochester area,
and the greater world in which we live
will be cleaner, healthier, and more livable
tomorrow than they are today.
18 Rochester Institute of Technology Sustainability
RIT students, faculty, and staff
plant native trees and shrubs
in the wetlands near the birdbanding station on RIT’s campus.
These shrubs and trees provide
a natural habitat for thousands
of migrating birds, many of which
are species of concern that are
declining in population.
Habitat
Conservation
and Restoration
Kevin Surace ’85
The College of Applied Science and Technology Engineering Technology Hall
Visible examples of campus commitment
are the College of Applied Science and
Technology (CAST) Engineering Technology
Hall and the Student Innovation Center.
Both have achieved high levels of LEED
certification. Established by the U.S. Green
Building Council, LEED (Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design) is the
widely accepted rating system for evaluating
sustainable buildings. Both buildings were
cited in the College Sustainability Report
Card, which commended RIT’s policy
requiring all new construction to meet at
least LEED Silver certification criteria.
Alumnus Surace (right) is president and
CEO of Serious Materials, a burgeoning
green technology company visited by Vice
President Joe Biden (left). The White House
cited Serious Materials, based in Sunnyvale,
Calif., as an example of the benefits of the
economic stimulus package, the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Serious Materials develops and manufactures sustainable building materials that save
energy and money, improve comfort, and
aggressively address climate change. The
expanding company is hiring new employees to help manufacture its highly insulated
windows, glass, and drywall material.
Surace was named the 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year by Inc. Magazine.
John Waud, professor
of environmental
sciences, and
David Mathiason,
professor emeritus,
spend many hours
at the RIT Bird
Observatory located
on the edge of
campus near the Astronomical Observatory.
The Army Corps of Engineers and RIT have
agreed that the 32 acres of land around it
will not be developed but will be kept as a
conservation area for wildlife. It is at the
observatory that Waud, Mathiason, and their
group of students and volunteers band birds.
In fast urbanizing landscapes, birds’
migratory stopovers are often replaced by
the newest mall or parking lot, depriving
flocks of the nourishment and rest they
need during migration. About 95 percent
of mortality in birds occurs during migration.
“By banding birds, we are able to track their
stopovers during migration and determine the
characteristics that make natural stopover
habitats effective,” says Waud.
www.rit.edu/sustainability
19
Making a Difference
E
xamples of our commitment
to having an impact can .
be found across campus. Our intent is fed, in part, by the
energy of our students. Realizing
that they share even more responsibility for the future of the
planet, their actions contribute
and resonate in meaningful ways.
RIT Habitat for Humanity
RIT’s Habitat for Humanity, a student-led
campus organization, built its first sustainable
Habitat home. The home featured energyefficient innovations designed by students
and materials that minimize the home’s
environmental impact.
A number of alumni and industry partners also supported the project financially or
through donations of green building materials.
20 Rochester Institute of Technology Sustainability
Engineers for a Sustainable World
The RIT chapter of Engineers for a Sustainable World promotes the social and
environmental aspects of sustainability in the
Rochester region and communities around
the globe. Through its partnership with
Rochester’s St. Joseph’s House of Hospitality, a homeless shelter, the group volunteers
weekly at the shelter, assisting with its daily
meal program as well as cooking evening
meals for the organization’s 12 residents.
Students are also preparing an energy audit
of the shelter’s facilities to reduce energy
use and lower heating and electricity costs.
Heavy Metal Mobility
in Toys Research
Graduate and undergraduate students in
the environmental sustainability, health and
safety program are researching toys that are
imported into the U.S. from countries with
less stringent regulations and/or enforcement
regarding product safety. Graduate-level
research is determining the presence of heavy
metals in imported toys. Undergraduate
researchers are evaluating the mobility of
these metals when exposed to synthetic
saliva, simulating the effects when a child
puts such a toy into his or her mouth.
Joshua Goldowitz
Professor, Environmental
Management Undergraduate
Program Coordinator
Goldwitz is researching green
wall technologies that can
provide low-energy treatment
for gray water and nontoxic
aqueous wastes facilitating
water reuse and conservation.
Jennifer L. Schneider
Professor, Civil Engineering
Technology
Schneider is researching
multidimensional sustainability
(sector analysis), hazardous
materials/process safety, and
community sustainability.
Scott Wolcott
Professor, Civil Engineering
Technology Program Chair
Wolcott’s research is in the area
of critical infrastructure as it relates
to storm water management and
aqueous treatment systems and
development of the environmental
management profession.
Thomas Smith
Professor, Chemistry and
Microsystems Engineering
SEAL
The Student Environmental Action League,
commonly known as SEAL, seeks to
promote awareness of environmental issues
on campus and volunteers in the Rochester
community. SEAL’s most popular event
during the academic year is E-Waste, when
members collect old electronics—several
thousand pounds’ worth—from the RIT
community and turn them over to Maven
Technologies for proper recycling. Some of
their volunteer work has included International Coastal Cleanup and Rochester’s
Clean Sweep program.
Innovative Transportation
A group of students and faculty from RIT’s
Center for Student Innovation envisions
Greater Rochester as a world-class bicycling
region. The group has proposed Rochester
Greenway, a bike trail that would begin in
downtown Rochester and end at RIT.
Proposals include one-way bike tubes for
riders to travel downwind in either direction
or a five-mile-long canopy protecting riders
from inclement weather.
Other student groups at RIT are already
developing experimental electric bicycles
that would be ideal for such a greenway.
Thomas Smith is director of the Imaging
Materials Laboratory at RIT and is internationally recognized for his research in polymer
chemistry, nanomaterials, and electronic
materials. He is currently leading a team of
scientists and students that is developing
new conductive polymers that could assist
in improving the efficiency and productivity
of lithium ion batteries, fuel cells, and a host
of microchemical devices. The work is being
funded by the National Science Foundation
and builds upon more than a half-dozen years
of polymer research conducted by Smith.
Prior to joining the university, he served as a
research fellow for Xerox Corp. and has over
40 years of experience as a researcher and
educator. Smith was named an inaugural
fellow of the American Chemical Society
during the organization’s 2009 annual
meeting in Washington, D.C.
www.rit.edu/sustainability
21
A Campus Sustainability Leader
T
he university’s efforts to
develop comprehensive campus,
research, and education
programs in sustainability have
earned RIT recognition as one of
the most sustainable campuses .
in the nation. The College Sustainability Report
Card for 2009 selected RIT as a “Campus
Sustainability Leader” as part of its annual
survey of American colleges and universities.
“We are very excited to have been included in this list of sustainable campuses and
are honored that our efforts in this area have
been recognized,” says RIT President Bill
Destler. “RIT is committed to incorporating
sustainability into all aspects of university
operations, from construction and facilities
management to research and education.”
To be named a “Campus Sustainability
Leader,” universities had to receive an
average grade of A- or better across the
survey’s six campus categories. RIT received
A grades for administration, green building development, student involvement, and
investment priorities.
RIT was praised for its policy on green
construction—as all new facilities built
on campus need to be LEED-certified—
and the incorporation of sustainability
into the university’s latest strategic plan.
It was also cited for strong student involvement across the campus in sustainable
activities, including RIT’s annual Greeks
Go Green competition and strong university
chapters representing the Student Environmental Action League and Engineers for a
Sustainable World.
The College Sustainability Report Card
evaluates campus and endowment sustainability activities at colleges and universities
in the United States and Canada, focusing
on administration and investment priorities; student involvement; transportation,
recycling, and energy use; and endowment
transparency and shareholder engagement.
The Sustainability Report Card is pro-
22 Rochester Institute of Technology Sustainability
Focusing on Recycling
and Energy Conservation
Student Innovation Center
duced by the Sustainability Endowments
Institute, a nonprofit corporation dedicated
to enhancing sustainable practices in campus operations and endowment practices.
• $38 million major renovation of the HVAC
infrastructure, including installation of two
state-of-the-art centralized heating and
cooling plants.
• Use of solar power collectors for on-site
heat and electricity production.
• Utilizing a fleet of alternative fuel vehicles,
including hybrids, electric vehicles, and
vehicles powered by biodiesel and
hydrogen fuels.
• Dining Services purchases 75.6 percent of
its food from 20 local businesses, thereby
cutting transportation costs dramatically.
• Dining Services anticipates providing 55
tons of vegetable scraps annually to a farming vendor for composting and approximately
30,000 pounds annually of used frying oil
will be sold for biodiesel fuel.
• Removing trays from dining halls has
reduced food waste by approximately 30
percent, and decreased consumption of both
water and chemicals from the washing cycle.
• RIT recycles annually about 38% of all waste
produced on campus with a goal of recycling
over 50% of the waste.
To view RIT’s complete report, visit
www.greenreportcard.org
An Inspired Journey
S
ustainable development meets
the needs of the present
without compromising the
ability of future generations to
meet their own needs. —“ Our Common
Future,” World Commission on Environment and Development
There can be no debate: sustainability is a
growing international concern. Our reach
extends beyond our campus and includes
involvement in international organizations
like the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the International Symposium in Sustainable Manufacturing. Teams of faculty and students have
made an impact in Croatia, South Korea,
Kosovo, and Venezuela.
The focus on sustainability is going to
expand exponentially in coming decades.
We are inspired to heightened awareness of
its importance and take the steps necessary
to ensure the future of our planet. Sustain-
ability issues and practices will influence our
future in ways we can already foresee and
in many others that we cannot yet envision.
RIT and other innovative universities that
have already grasped the enormity of the
coming changes—and are acting on them—
will be more visible, stronger, and attractive
in the near future.
Opportunities abound for collaboration, and the assistance of inspired partners
will accelerate our trajectory to becoming
a global resource in sustainability education, research, and practice. RIT invites
collaboration from all corners: individuals,
philanthropic organizations, universities,
government agencies, and industry partners.
Anyone similarly inspired is welcome to
join our journey.
For more information, visit:
▶ Rochester
Institute of Technology
www.rit.edu
▶ The
Golisano Institute for Sustainability
www.sustainability.rit.edu
▶ RIT
Green
www.rit.edu/ritgreen
▶ Admissions
www.rit.edu/admission
▶ Government
and Community Relations
www.rit.edu/gcr
▶ Development
and Alumni Relations
www.rit.edu/development/giving
www.rit.edu/sustainability
23
Rochester Institute of Technology
60 Lomb Memorial Drive
Rochester, NY 14623-5608
www.rit.edu/sustainability
RIT at a Glance
Founded in 1829, RIT is one of the world’s leading
technological institutions and is a member of the
Asso­­ciation of Independent Technological Universities (AITU). It is among the nation’s largest private
universities based on full-time under­graduate
enrollment and among the top three producers of
bachelor’s degree holders in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics.
RIT is an international leader in experiential
learning with the fourth oldest and one of the
world’s largest cooperative education programs.
Selective in admissions, RIT enrolls approximately
13,800 undergraduate and 2,600 graduate students,
and has more than 100,000 alumni.
RIT’s eight colleges offer more than 90 bachelor’s
degree programs and more than 70 graduate
degree programs, including six doctoral programs.
Diverse, talented, and creative students from
all 50 states and more than 100 countries are at
home in RIT’s dynamic living/learning community.
Approximately 1,500 international students are
enrolled at the Rochester campus and an additional
1,100 international students are enrolled at
campuses in Croatia, Dubai, and Kosovo.
As home to the National Technical Institute for
the Deaf (NTID), RIT is an international leader in
educating deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The
university provides unparalleled access and support
services for more than 1,300 deaf and hard-ofhearing students.
RIT will admit and hire men and women; veterans; persons with
disabilities; individuals of any race, creed, religion, color, national or
ethnic origin, sexual orientation, age, or marital status in compliance
with all appropriate legislation.
Campus image by Stratus Imaging
13M-P0865-1/10-MLI-JSA