Daily Lobo new mexico
The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895
wednesday January 28, 2015 | Volume 119 | Issue 90
Working Interdisciplinary research center to open toward a green campus
Sustainability manager applies eco-friendly mindset to her job
Mary Clark
By Lena Guidi Before the term “sustainability” was coined, Mary Clark was interested in leading an environmentallyfriendly lifestyle. As a teenager, she was heavily influenced reading “Living on the Earth” by Alicia Bay Laurel, an illustrated book from the 1970s that serves as a guide for modern humans who wish to live off the land. “I became interested in sustainability when it was referred to as ecology or natural living,” she said. “Reducing waste and conserving natural resources simply made sense to me, and I began to learn all I could about how I could incorporate these practices into my life.” Now, Clark is the manager of UNM’s Office of Sustainability, a oneperson department that oversees the University’s recycling programs, green fund, conservation initiatives, energy use reports and the promotion of sustainable practices on campus. The position is part of the Physical Plant Department, which produces and distributes all of UNM’s utilities. Clark said her job involves assisting the PPD in reaching its long-term sustainability goals, such as achieving complete carbon neutrality by 2050. “Influencing utility usage is crucial for all universities that want to be sustainable,” Clark said. In the past decade, PPD’s Energy Conservation Program has commissioned and retrofitted buildings on campus with controls to make them more energy efficient. “For example, in the evening when certain buildings are not in use, this process allows for the building temperature to automatically drop,” Clark said. She said the fact that UNM’s utilities are all managed by the same department helps streamline conservation efforts, and that this could serve as a model for other universities. UNM’s recycling program — which Clark has managed since early 2014 — has also been notably effective, diverting nearly a third of the University’s waste away from landfills each year. However, despite
see
Clark page 2
Paul Talley / Daily Lobo
A piece of pallasite meteorite is seen under a binocular microscope at Northrop Hall on Tuesday. Meteorites can be analyzed at the Center for Stable Isotopes, a new research facility soon to open its doors at UNM.
By Lauren Topper UNM will soon open the doors to its newest research facility, the Center for Stable Isotopes, which will allow researchers from a wide range of fields to delve into the mysteries of the natural world by looking at its smallest building blocks. The new facility will expand an already existing program based within the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences into an interdisciplinary center. The center will provide state-ofthe-art equipment for the analy-
sis of isotopes, which are elements such as oxygen, carbon or nitrogen that have different weights. For example, carbon has three isotopic forms: carbon-12, carbon-13 and carbon-14. All are carbon, yet they may behave slightly differently from each other and they have different numbers of a tiny particle called a neutron. The levels or ratios of isotopes within an object provide it with a unique signature, like a fingerprint. Since nearly everything is made up of elements, this technique can be applied to components of virtually any scientific field.
Funding and support for the creation of the CSI has come primarily from the College of Arts and Sciences, the Office of the Vice President for Research and individual grants obtained by research professors. “It was started about a year ago,” said Zachary Sharp, regents’ professor and director of the CSI, who estimates that the center will have its grand opening in about a month. “It’s just this wonderful new center that’s still young, but has attracted a lot of activity. We have had some very good success getting grants from NASA and the
National Science Foundation.” Having the center on campus will generate more opportunity for UNM students and faculty who want to use this type of analysis and also lend a competitive edge when applying for grant money, said Seth Newsome, assistant professor of biology and associate director of the CSI. He believes that the CSI will become self-sufficient shortly after opening, generating its own money in part by analyzing samples sent from researchers at other institutions. “It’s not unlike running a
see
Isotope page 3
Governor donates to Cancer Center Susana Martinez supports Hugh Greenwood’s “Pink Pack” with $10,000 gift By Kyle Tomasi Senior guard Hugh Greenwood’s “Pink Pack” received an unexpected gift from a state figure on Monday afternoon to go toward the UNM Cancer Center. New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez presented UNM men’s basketball head coach Craig Neal with a $10,000 check to be given to Greenwood’s campaign, money that was unused from a privatelycollected inaugural fund. “I am donating $10,000 from my inaugural committee to the ‘Pink Pack’ because the only way we will find a cure for cancer is by joining together, pooling our resources and focusing on the lifesaving mission that everyone can fight back against cancer,” Martinez said.
Greenwood, whose mother is battling breast cancer, visited Twitter on Monday afternoon after receiving news about the donation. He tweeted, “Absolutely Speechless! Words can’t even begin to describe how thankful I am to you @Gov_Martinez, and your $10,000 donation to @HGPinkPack!” He later added, “The great thing is that the $ raised by @HGPinkPack is not only supporting Research, Patient Care and Facilities, but its doing so here in NM!” Anyone who watched last week’s game against UNLV or was on social media shortly thereafter saw something unexpected from the senior guard.
see
Pink Pack page 3
File Photo / Daily Lobo
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez cheers on the Lobos during a basketball game last season. Martinez donated $10,000 to Hugh Greenwood’s “Pink Pack” on Monday afternoon.