Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation 2023 Annual Report

MASCARO CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION

2023 ANNUAL REPORT

Who We Are

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Environmental Justice

Established in 2003, the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation (MCSI) is the University of Pittsburgh’s university-wide center focused on catalyzing sustainability research and education. MCSI leads Pitt’s faculty’s sustainability engagement via strategy and programs focused on integrating sustainability into the curriculum, groundbreaking sustainability research, and community outreach and innovation.

For students, MCSI provides a number of opportunities focused on exploring and experiencing sustainability in research, practice, and performance.

MCSI’s Faculty Sustainability Task Force brings together representatives from every Pitt school to advance sustainability through the integration of a multidisciplinary curriculum, groundbreaking research, innovation, community engagement, and partnership. MCSI also creates opportunities to coordinate academic collaborations across campus with Pitt’s other sustainabilityfocused and -related research centers

Sustainability work at the University of Pittsburgh has spanned decades, working to advance the balance of equity, environment, and economics so current and future generations can thrive. Defined differently by many, “environmental justice” is focused on maintaining healthy environments, especially for individuals and communities who have traditionally lived, worked, and played closest to sources of pollution and/or negative environmental impacts.

The Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation is committed to making diversity, equity, and inclusion a part of its research and education efforts by emphasizing the key role environmental justice plays in sustainability.

MCSI will continue to work with communities facing systemic environmental racism to make a positive change and strive towards environmental justice.

The Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation aims to foster & achieve the University’s sustainability vision through the development & integration of curriculum, groundbreaking

research, community outreach, & innovation.

MCSI LEADERSHIP

Eric J. Beckman, Director Emeritus

MCSI extends best wishes to Director Emeritus Dr. Eric Beckman, who is retiring this summer. A distinguished professor, researcher, and innovator, Dr. Beckman has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles and received 39 U.S. patents, with several more pending.

Dr. Beckman joined Pitt’s faculty in 1989 and co-founded MCSI alongside Gena Kovalcik in 2003. He has advised and established several companies, including Cohera Medical, Inc., which he founded after developing a biodegradable and biocompatible surgical adhesive, TissuGlu. Over the course of his career, Dr. Beckman has received several awards, including a 2020 National Academy of Inventors Fellowship and the Innovation Institute’s 2022 Outstanding Innovator award. MCSI is extremely grateful for the vision, expertise and leadership that Dr. Beckman has provided throughout the years

Melissa Bilec, MCSI Co-Director & Special Assistant to the Provost

On October 1, 2022, Dr. Melissa Bilec began her new role as Special Assistant to the Provost for Sustainability for the University. Appointed by Dr. Ann Cudd (Pitt’s former Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor), Dr. Bilec is working with the Office of the Provost to guide the University’s advancement of sustainability programs within research and academics; this duration of this role is one year. After serving as MCSI’s Deputy Director for several years, Dr. Bilec was appointed CoDirector in September 2021. She is a triplealumna of Pitt, having received her Bachelor’s (magna cum laude), Master’s, and PhD from

the Swanson School of Engineering. Dr. Bilec is recognized nationally and internationally for her expertise in circular economy, life cycle assessment, and sustainable engineering, with over 150 published peer reviewed articles and $13.4 million in secured funding (including 15 National Science Foundation grants).

Gena Kovalcik, Co-Director

Gena is MCSI’s administrative and strategic leader, a role in which she deepens engagements and develops partnerships that promote collaboration with industry, government, foundations, and universities. Gena’s responsibilities include supervising personnel, financial management, and utilizing organizational practices that foster impactful internal and external relationships. She is accountable for the smooth and successful development and implementation of all MCSI events and programs.

David V.P. Sanchez, Associate Director

Dr. Sanchez directs and manages MCSI’s faculty, education, and community engagement programs, including the John C. Mascaro Faculty Fellowships, the M.S. in Sustainable Engineering degree, and the University-wide undergraduate Sustainability Certificate. He is an award-winning educator elected to national offices for the American Society of Engineering Education and is the PI for Sustainable Design Labs, with expertise in water quality. Dr. Sanchez is recognized for initiatives in food sustainability, global engagement, and innovation. He continues to expand MCSI’s relationships with faculty, administration, students, industry, and community partners who support MCSI’s education and research efforts He also oversees the University’s sustainability curricula and K-12 programming

TEAM EXPANSION FOR BROADER IMPACT

MCSI established three new staff roles that help increase the breadth and efficacy of the University’s academic, service, and educational initiatives These team members are dedicated to integrating sustainability into K-12 and University curricula, building community partnerships through service efforts, and supporting MCSI’s mission.

Ellie Cadden, Academic Programs Manager

Ellie Cadden accepted the newly created role of Sustainability Academic Programs Manager in Fall 2022, helping ensure the successful planning and implementation of MCSI’s educational programs, marketing, and logistics. Ellie works with faculty to help advise students on research, education, and service opportunities related to sustainability, including sustainabilityfocused courses, the undergraduate Sustainability Certificate, the Sustainability transcript distinction, the master’s in Sustainable Engineering degree, and the University’s first-year sustainability programs.

Esmée de Cortie, Administrative Coordinator

In Spring 2023, Esmée de Cortie helped advance cross-departmental University Sustainability team work when took on the role of Administrative Coordinator, which serves both MCSI and the University’s Office of Sustainability. Esmée manages all Sustainability office activities including scheduling meetings, maintaining calendars, facilitating travel, proofreading and editing publications, and managing budgets

In addition to assisting with marketing and logistics, Esmée helps to coordinate and carry out MCSI’s education and community service initiatives both on- and off campus.

Savannah Denlinger, Community Engagement Coordinator

Savannah Denlinger became MCSI’s first Community Engagement Coordinator in Spring 2023. She develops and realizes educational and service initiatives that benefit on- and offcampus communities in partnership with MCSI faculty and their network of external partners. Savannah also supports MCSI’s K-12 sustainability education and outreach efforts, often leading activities and lessons for students in K-12 classrooms and at MCSI’s facilities. She also assists with local community service efforts.

STUDENT INTERNS

MCSI’s work would not be possible without the passion and on-the-ground support of its interns.

Grace Fanning is a recent Pitt graduate with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Urban Studies. They have worked with MCSI on multiple projects over the past year, including a SharePoint site for faculty to exchange curricular materials to help incorporate sustainability in every aspect of academia. They have also assisted in the creation of a contact list for MCSI faculty. Grace plans to work in the sustainability field.

Elaina Geiger is a recent Pitt graduate with a B.S. in Environmental Engineering. She worked with MCSI creating social graphics across multiple platforms. Elaina also planned programs for students to educate first year students on Pitt’s strategies to incorporate sustainability in academics, research, and student clubs.

Elaina is attending University of Pennsylvania this Fall to pursue a Master's in City Planning with a concentration in Environmental Planning and Land Use.

Jess Gondak is a rising Pitt senior pursuing a B.S. in Chemistry with a concentration in Materials Science. She manages MCSI website edits and updates. Jess also composes the quarterly Pitt Sustainability alumni newsletter, which features University-wide sustainability efforts, including alumni spotlights and MCSI news. Jess will graduate in 2024 and plans to pursue a PhD in chemical engineering.

Emily Hoag is a rising Pitt senior at Pitt Pursing A Geology degree with a minor in Environmental Engineering. She organizes volunteering events at Oasis Farm and Fishery for Pitt student organizations. She also helps to plan and organize ScholarCHEF events. Emily is involved in the Pitt Hydroponics student group, which has close connections with MCSI. She is currently interning with Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) in the Bureau of Forestry. Emily hopes to continue her career at PA DCNR and promote sustainable practices.

Sophia Lex is a current Pitt student pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Engineering. Over the past year, Sophia worked with MCSI to engage students outside of the typical sustainability-adjacent degrees, including via ScholarCHEF. She set up informational programs for student organizations interested in sustainability and created new student engagement channels including social media Sophia also helps plan and market new ScholarCHEF events, including the Spring Food Fair

5-YEAR PROGRESS REPORT ON THE PITT SUSTAINABILITY PLAN

The 2018-2022 Progress Report on the Pitt Sustainability Plan summarizes the University of Pittsburgh’s progress on each of the 68 goals in the 2018 Pitt Sustainability Plan

MCSI’s leadership and contributions helped advance significant progress on Exploration goals, including the following:

Teaching & Learning

Core to the University’s mission, sustainability teaching and learning are essential to Pitt’s preparation of students to lead lives of positive impact. MCSI engages undergraduate advisors, leads incorporation of sustainability into first year seminars and experiences, initiates sustainability-focused service learning, and creates and supports faculty tools, workshops, and funding opportunities.

Annually since 2017, MCSI has also increased the number of students applying for & graduating with the Undergraduate Certificate in Sustainability, keeping that goal on track,

Research

MCSI helps raise the visibility of Pitt’s sustainability-related research and tracks University-wide progress on sustainability research goals, including by providing research seed grants and supporting interdisciplinary research. MCSI also helps cultivate circular economy and environmental justice research, nurture research and operational collaborations that help make

Pitt’s campus a living laboratory, support oncampus sustainability internships, and confer conference grants

Via donated and endowed research funds, MCSI supports undergraduate and graduate research.

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Pitt thrives to ensure that research translates into positive innovations that benefit our community and the environment, including via MCSI’s co-hosting of the Pitt Sustainability Challenge , which will award $300,000 this year to an innovation that advances carbon neutrality to the benefit of the Pitt community.

MCSI also encourages student innovation through the Student Prototyping Fund and by co-advising the Pitt Green Fund. MCSI is also partnered with many across the University to develop a Innovation transcript distinction, including the Big Idea Center, Business, Engineering, SCI, and others

Partnerships

MCSI’s partner network of nonprofit organizations, local and regional governments, and industry abound, including the Covestro Circular Economy program, interdisciplinary projects through the Sustainability Capstone course, and a variety of K-12 and community collaborations These partnerships are imperative to accelerating the transfer of sustainability ideas from classrooms and laboratories into implementation.

Global Outreach

The University’s global engagement through sustainability abounds. MCSI offers Global Engagement in Sustainability grants in collaboration with the University Center for International Studies. MCSI faculty are also directly engaged through teaching and service opportunities across the globe

FACULTY AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR SUSTAINABILITY

In September 2022, a leadership group created by Provost Ann Cudd was tasked with providing recommendations for a University-wide Sustainability Institute.

Committee Chair

Staff Liaisons

VISIONING SUSTAINABILITY AT PITT

In January 2023, MCSI convened 37 faculty and staff from 25 different departments. Each attendee was a leader and advocate for sustainability research and education within their field and at Pitt

Conversations and discussion focused on how Pitt could have the greatest impact to address regional and global sustainability challenges, with the workshop leading to the formation of key working groups which convened over a 6-week period to further institute goals.

The emerging Pitt Sustainability Institute vision and mission are:

Sustainability is a universal value in the Plan for Pitt We have worked across campus to develop a strategic plan and broad partnership to define how the core value of Sustainability can be further:

• Woven and advanced into academics at Pitt; Accelerate the positive impact of our research on key sustainability topics;

• More closely connect various sustainability centers, initiatives, programs, and activities on campus; and

• Strengthen the critical link between academics and research to our operations, student activities, and communities.

Vision: Co-create research, education, and engagement opportunities by shattering silos and fostering critical connections to solve the complex challenges facing our planet while co-creating more just, equitable, and sustainable communities at the University, within the region, and around the world.

Mission: As the collaborative, interdisciplinary hub of sustainability at the University of Pittsburgh, the Pitt Sustainability Institute is making positive impacts that address our grand challenges. The Institute connects, strengthens, and complements existing, emerging, and exploratory sustainability nodes at Pitt.

“Thank you so much for all the planning yesterday. It was just fantastic. It is always difficult to convene so many people across various fields, but you created meaningful discussions (with a delicious, veggie-friendly lunch! Thank you!).”

Dr. Cassie Quigley, School of Education

Description

Break down silos, share capacity, elevate existing nodes of activity, and provide places for collaboration and innovation.

Expand impact in priority research areas and their intersections; environmental and climate justice are a thread woven throughout.

Emerging Research Themes

Front door for sustainability at Pitt, welcoming external partners, establishing service opportunities, & advancing global impact.

Education and interfacing opportunities for faculty and students, including using campus as a living laboratory

Cross-disciplinary working groups of the Faculty Ad Hoc Committee for Sustainability strategically focused on where a future Sustainability Insitutte should expand the positive impact of sustainability research in areas most aligned with Pitt’s current and emerging areas of research.

Connecting research efforts across Pitt’s academic schools and centers will help produce a larger impact on Pitt’s sustainability research constellation. As outlined in the figure below, four research themes have been proposed (and are still in development). Environmental and climate justice will be a thread that weaves through them all and helps guide each research thrust.

The Pitt Sustainability Challenge launched in November 2022 as a public competition for a $300,000 implementation grant to advance carbon neutrality that benefits the Pitt community.

Envisioned and co-led by MCSI and the Office of Sustainability, proposals from internal & external teams were received & evaluated by an external Evaluation Panel (below). Following months of deliberation, five (5) finalists were announced on July 7th. A public event will be held on September 14, 2023 where all five finalists will publicly pitch their solutions. A winner will be announced at this event. Get to know the finalists

EVALUATION PANEL

MCSI BROADENS INFLUENCE THROUGH CAMPUS ENGAGEMENT

MCSI engages the University community via a number of mechanisms, including events, collaborations, employee professional development courses

Events

MCSI brings together faculty, staff, students, and external friends to engage in dialogue on a wide variety of sustainability topics.

Pitt Employee Professional Development Courses

Ellie Cadden (MCSI) and Samantha Chan (Office of Sustainability) co-taught two required workshops for Pitt Human Resources’ Sustainability Certificate as part of the Faculty and Staff Professional Development Program.

The first workshop, “Sustainability Foundations: Balancing the Three Es,” had 71 employee attendees (58 in Fall and 13 in Spring). The Spring class was the first in-person course offering. The second class, “Sustainability: Environment, Ecosystems, and You,” had 83 attendees (60 in Fall and 23 in Spring)

The certificate is available to all Pitt faculty and staff, with 10 different workshops offered each semester.

Pitt Day of Giving

For the 2023 Pitt Day of Giving in February, the Pitt Sustainability team partnered to direct all donations to Pitt Green Fund to support student-led sustainability projects across campus. Collectively, over $2,345 was raised from 35 donors.

Collaborations Across Campus

The MCSI team collaborates and partners across campus on a variety of student facing engagement opportunities including events such as:

•Clean and Swap

•Clutter for a Cause

•Frederick Honors CollegeOrientation

•Farmers’ Markets @ Pitt

•Student Office of Sustainability -

First Thursdays

•Sustainability Activities Fair

Food Ecosystem Scholar Community: Student Programs

In Fall 2022, MCSI partnered with the Frederick Honors College’s Food Ecosystems Scholar Community (ScholarCHEF). Faculty lead Dr. David Sanchez worked with Corey Flynn (John C. Mascaro Faculty) and David Fraser (Frederick Honors College) to present multiple awareness-raising events for students, including engagement with the ScholarCHEF Community. In addition to a formal “Sustainable Food System” course, events provided opportunities for students to learn about how food systems operate and balance meeting environmental, economic, and social needs.

To grow the community, students from the ScholarCHEF Community held several dinner and discussion events that also raised awareness about food-related topics; these dinners included an on-campus “Carbon Tracked Dinner” where each food item was served with information on the emissions associated, the “Chancellor’s Scholar Seminar,” and a “Build Your Own Zero Waste Meal Kit” night. The community also participated in a service project at Hilltop Urban Farm and visited Triple B Farms’ Harvest Festival in the Monongahela Valley. During finals week, MCSI provided the ScholarCHEF Community comfort food and healthy snacks.

In Spring 2023, the ScholarCHEF Community and MCSI hosted a screening and discussion of Kiss the Ground, a documentary focused on soil remediation methods in the face of climate change. Spring also included the first annual CSA Signup and Food Fair, which provided students an opportunity to learn about local urban farms and community supported agriculture from organizations directly, including Blackberry Meadows Farm, Craft Chatham, Farmer Girl Eb, Feed the Hood, Food Recovery Network, Haffey Family Farm, Harvie, Hilltop Urban Farm, ReImagine Food Systems, and Soil Sisters

The Spring semester also included three cooking classes in collaboration Phipps Conservatory’s Teaching Kitchen and Pitt Pantry. Students cooked their own healthy ramen, vegan chili, and chana masala meals, which they took home in their zero waste kits. At the end of the semester, an Food Justice Seminar and Awards Ceremony was held in collaboration with the United Way Food Solution Steering Committee and a “Food Justice in Interdisciplinary Perspective” course. Guest speaker, Pascale Jossart-Marcelli discussed her book, The $16 Taco, which sheds light on the impacts that gentrification and displacement can have on the food landscape of a region.

2023 Pitt Sustainability Awardees & Champions

The Pitt Sustainability Awardees and Student Champions annually recognize Pitt students, faculty, staff, and groups who have prioritized sustainability in their work, extracurriculars, and daily lives, both on- and off-campus. Presented by the Office of Sustainability and MCSI, awardees and student champions were honored at the 16th Annual Sustainability Symposium on April 21. The inaugural Erika Ninos Student Leadership Award was also awarded to a Pitt student who consistently advanced sustainability at the University.

Faculty Awardee:

Dr. Maya Ragavan, Pediatrics

Staff Awardees:

Brandi Belleau, Academic Records

Nelson Castilho Coelho, Computational & Systems Biology

Student Awardees:

Claire Kemick, Environmental Science

Gal Yovel, Neuroscience

Group Award: University Movers & Drivers

Parking, Transportation, & Services

Graduating Student Champions:

Dahlia Edwards, English Literature

Grace Fanning, Environmental Studies

Elaina Geiger, Environmental Engineering

Daniel Petros Huffman, Environmental Eng

Drew Kallinicos, Environmental Studies

Amanda Latowsky, Anthropology

Sophia Lex, Environmental Engineering

Nori Schalles, Environmental Science

Erika Ninos Student Leadership Award

Cameron Chase, Environmental Studies

During her first semester at Pitt, Cameron Chase participated in Pitt Green Team, which led her to pursue involvement in campus sustainability as an EcoRep and eventually other leadership roles. Cameron was the Managing Student Director of the Student Office of Sustainability (SOOS) from 2021 through Spring 2023, helping oversee the SOOS student leadership team and lead sustainability programs and projects around campus. She graduated in Spring 2023 with a B.A in Environmental Studies, minor in Economics, and certificate in Sustainability. Cameron is incredibly grateful to have worked with so many talented and passionate students and staff.

MCSI RESEARCH PROGRAM EXPANDS COHORT OF ENGAGED RESEARCHERS & FORGES NEW PATHWAYS

Research Results

The MCSI Research Seed Grants catalyze the formation of convergent research teams focused on sustainability and associated solutions. Through this program, MCSI has supported over 120 faculty research projects resulting in $35.5MM in follow on funding since 2004. In 2022-23, nearly $1 million in follow-on funding was generated from MCSI seed grants, including these highlights:

NSF Grant for Circular Economy Research

MCSI Co-Director Melissa Bilec and Director Emeritus Eric Beckman, alongside colleagues Jenna Jambeck and Jason Locklin from the University of Georgia, have received a $750,000 NSF Grant for their joint research project, "A Tale of Two Cities: Optimizing Circularity from Molecules to the Built Environment " The project seeks to minimize material waste and resource depletion through the development of several circular economy models (which span multiple materials and scales) in two distinct metropolitan regions: Pittsburgh, PA, and Atlanta, GA. Learn more in this University Times article featuring the project

Bioconcrete: Harnessing the Endogenous Microbiota of Reinforced Concrete

Sarah Haig & Steven Sachs, Civil & Environmental Engineering

$81,000 from PennDOT

• Seed grant co-funded by MCSI and IRISE

• Featured in the Editor’s Choice section of the Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering

Research into Video Art and Ecological Filmmaking in Japan

Sarah Moore, Film and Media Studies

$4,350 from Asian Studies Center

Environmental Justice Pathway: Empowering Students Through Relevant & Agentic Data Science Lessons

Cassie Quigley, Education

Funded by the Grable Foundation

• Part of an ongoing research-practice partnership between Pitt researchers, Throughlines Edu, and Pittsburgh region STEAM-related educators.

Exploring the Feasibility, Governance, and Public Communication of Biomining to Advance Inclusivity and Environmental Justice

Meng Wang, Civil & Environmental Engineering

$51,482 from SSOE-SPH Pilot Project

• MCSI a co-created and collaborated on developing the School of Public Health and Swanson School of Engineering’s Trans-Disciplinary Collaboration Pilot Awards for topics in climate change and health, global health, environmental justice.

The Center for Healthy Environments and Equity Research (CHEER) - Led by Aaron Barchowsky in Public Health. MCSI is a key partner, advisor, and lead for the Center, with Dr. Melissa Bilec serving on the Advisory Board and Dr. David Sanchez leading the Research Synergy Group on Emerging Environmental Technologies & Equitable Interventions

2023-24 MCSI GRANT RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED

MCSI is pleased to announce its 2023-24 faculty grant awardees. These programs help both faculty and students engage in sustainability-related research, education, and outreach. Learn more about MCSI’s research funding.

Research Seed Grants in Sustainability

Shanti Gamper-Rabindran, GSPIA Tony Kerzmann, Mechanical Engineering Deploying Solar Projects in Rural Southwestern Pennsylvania: Understanding & Securing Community Acceptance

Mohammad Masnadi, Chemical Engineering Cellulosic Biomass Conversion via Liquid Metal Catalysis

Cori Richards-Zawacki, Biology Building & Bridging On-Campus & FieldBased Summer Undergraduate Research Programs in Sustainability

Sachin Velankar, Chemical Engineering Thermal Desalination Process Based on Hydrate Crystallization of Polyoxacyclobutane

John C. Mascaro Faculty Scholars

Inhee Lee, Electrical & Computer Engineering Creating a Sustainability Network between Engineering & Ecology for Ecosystem Monitoring

Sarah Moore, Film & Media Studies Sustainability Through the Lens of Film & Media Projects

John C. Mascaro Faculty Lecturers

Mohamed Bayoumy, Electrical & Computer Eng Green Computing & Sustainable Software Development

Amr Mahmoud, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Integrating Green Electronics Education in ECE Classes II

Stephen Quigley, English My Nature Outing Curriculum Development

New Facilities to Advance Sustainability Research

Engineering Resilience (DISCOVER) Laboratory Gets New Digital-Twin Infrastructure Science for Operation & Visualization

Housed in the new DISCOVER lab in Benedum Hall, Dr. Alessandro Fascetti’s research and educational hub helps generate new models and tools digitalize the built environment, with the ultimate goal of providing science-based methodologies for assessing the resilience of large-scale infrastructure systems. By blending augmented and virtual reality environments, advanced remote sensing techniques, monitoring structural health, and performing predictive modeling, the DISCOVER lab advances science and technology in infrastructure resilience, one of the major engineering challenges of the next decades. These advanced digitalization techniques are poised to dramatically change the way civil infrastructure is planned, designed, constructed, maintained, and decommissioned. The lab’s cutting-edge research can be directly translated into practice via undergraduate student engagement, collaborations with stakeholders and federal agencies, and outreach. Advanced visualization techniques have been proven to significantly increase the potential for communicating complex scientific concepts via accessible and immersive virtual environments.

SUSTAINABILITY CAPSTONE PARTNERS

Building upon students’ previous experience and skills, the project-based Sustainability Capstone course led by Dr. David Sanchez enables interdisciplinary student teams to synthesize comprehensive solutions to complex, real-world sustainability challenges.

One of the world’s leading dairy processors, AgroPur is committed to sustainability in their business practices. The capstone group updated return on investment business calculators to incorporate sustainability metrics.

The Congress of Neighboring Communities (CONNECT) has been developing and advancing municipal climate action plans. The capstone group created informational guides on the benefits and co-benefits for green infrastructure for local municipalities Millvale, Ross, and Shaler. By combining shared knowledge, regional municipalities reimagined and revised the stormwater section of CONNECT’s Climate Action Plan.

International e-commerce company eBay has a goal of reducing their Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions 90% by 2030, while also reducing Scope 3 emissions 20% by 2030. This capstone project focused on a decarbonization strategy for the last 10% of the company’s emissions.

EOS Energy creates sustainable, zinc-powered batteries that are 100% recyclable. The capstone group conducted a material analysis for the manufacturing operation that is scaling production of a new utility scale battery.

Floor & Decor is a specialty retailer of flooring and related products. The capstone group assisted the company with decreasing the number of pallets, crates, and wood waste discarded every year.

Sabic, Saudi Arabia’s Basic Industries Company, is a chemical manufacturing company. The capstone group developed a strategy for managing plastic circularity on a national scale.

“Working on the sustainability capstone project provided me with experience collaborating with diverse stakeholders, as well as students from other disciplines.”

- Grace Fanning

MCSI SUPPORTS NOVEL RESEARCH & EDUCATION ACROSS THE DISCIPLINARY SPECTRUM

Academic Programs Summary

Graduate Certificate in Circular Economy

Over the past year, MCSI developed and submitted a graduate certificate in Circular Economy for University approval, which MCSI will administer.

The 15-credit certificate is designed for individuals looking to develop the skills and knowledge of circular economy necessary to support promising career opportunities; it was developed based on research recommending the skills and knowledge required for the circular economy.

The curriculum is aimed at existing graduate students or professionals whose academic or professional aspirations require expertise in the understanding and application of circular economy.

Innovation & Entrepreneurship Distinction

In Spring 2023, MCSI led a workshop to develop the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Transcript Distinction, which will provide students with an opportunity to gain exposure to essential elements of innovation & entrepreneurship through related coursework, high-impact activities, and a digital portfolio. This sixth interdisciplinary Transcript Distinction will join existing distinctions in Civic Learning, Global, Honors, Learning Sciences, and Sustainability.

Participants included:

• Brandon Barber, Engineering

• Buddy Clark, Engineering

• Tom Davis, Business

• Sera Linardi, GSPIA

• David Sanchez, MCSI / Engineering

• Trupti Sarode, GSPIA

• Rhonda Schuldt, Big Idea Center

• Dan Yates, Engineering

First Year Programs in Sustainability

Nature/Cities/Humans Academic Community

This academic year, the 7-credit Nature/Cities/Humans Academic Community (FP002) had 15 first year students The first-year Academic Community creates a cohort for students to take Environmental Science, Introduction to Urban Studies, and a 1-credit seminar as a cohort. This past year, the 1-credit course ran for 12 weeks in Fall and was taught by Ellie Cadden, who included field trips to the Student Office of Sustainability, Plant 2 Plate’s Oakland garden, and Phipps Conservatory The class completed neighborhood group projects centered on environmental justice issues in East Liberty, Lawrenceville, North Oakland, and the Strip District. Students also hosted guest speakers from the Career Center, Study Lab, Hillman Library, Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation, and Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

Engineering for the Environment Panel for First-Year Students

MCSI worked with the Swanson School of Engineering’s First-Year Program to host an “Engineering for the Environment” panel attended by over 150 first-year engineering students. Undergraduate students, graduate students, and alumni shared their personal academic and career paths, how they developed their interest in sustainability, and answered questions about academics and professional development.

Panelists (left to right)

• Max Smith, Chemical Engineering ‘22

• Isaiah Spencer Williams, PhD Candidate, Environmental Engineering

• Robin Kaufman, Chemical Engineering

• Amanda Lee, Environmental Engineering

• Melina Hudson, M.S. Sustainable Engineering

• Elaina Geiger, Environmental Engineering

First-Year Sustainability Presentations

In the past year, our First-Year Presentation on Sustainability reached 1,555 students across 9 different departments These presentations are delivered by trained student volunteers who play important campus sustainability roles; a total of 37 classes across a variety of departments learned about sustainable opportunities available to at Pitt Additionally, volunteers presented to 15 First-Year Engineering seminar sections, encouraging students to choose a sustainability concentration as they move forward with their academic careers in engineering.

Sustainability Advisor Toolkit

Updated in 2023, the Sustainability Advisor Toolkit puts easy-to-reference resources in the hands of Pitt advisors about the many opportunities for students to apply and grow their interest in sustainability through academia, service, advocacy, and more.

The toolkit is available both in digital and physical form – and distributed campuswide to advisors, faculty, and mentors.

Faculty Resource Hub

The Sustainability Faculty Resource Hub will go live this Fall as the home for academic tools and resources to help faculty include sustainability in all aspects of teaching. Pitt faculty will be able to download content from these primers to incorporate into their curricula. The resources cover a variety of topics, including air quality, water, energy, food, materials, waste, and more

Undergraduate Summer Research

Over 19 years, MCSI’s summer undergraduate research program has supported over 375 students. In Summer 2023, this MCSI program is supporting 26 students from 14 different departments.

MCSI is especially thankful to the following donors who make this program possible each year.

2022 Summer Undergraduate Research

In Summer 2022, 26 students from 15 departments participated in MCSI’s summer undergraduate research program. Learn more about their project outcomes here Students presented their projects and 2minute videos at an Undergraduate Research Symposium took July 25 & 26, 2022.

Students voted for the best Symposium presentations (considering their connection to sustainability, creativity, and research quality). The winners were:

• Rebecca Hotton, Increasing the Energy Efficiency of 3D Binder Jet Printed Metal Filters

• Molly Draper, Sustainable Forestry within the Eastern Deciduous Forest Biome: Is Salvage Logging Compatible with Healthy Forest Regeneration Following a Major Windstorm?

Additionally, two student summer researchers led social media takeovers of the MCSI Instagram account: , Rishika Dhanda and Rebecca Hotton.

Summer 2023 Research Projects & Student Scholars

Graphene on Any Surface

Student: Nathan Carney, IE *

Advisor: Mostafa Bedewy, MEMS

Urban Permaculture

Student: Paloma DiBella, GES *

Advisors: Kevin Bell, bioengineering & Corey Flynn, BioE

Functional Magnetic Materials for Energy Efficient Magnetocaloric Cooling

Student: Emma Spatz, MEMS *

Advisor: Markus Chmielus, MEMS

Energy-Efficient Processors, Sensors, & Systems for Space-Based Sensing & Computing

Student: Guhan Kumaran, ECE *

Advisor: Alan George, ECE

Testing Algorithms for Electric Power Grid Operation

Student: Zekun Yang, IE *

Advisor: Oliver Hinder, IE

Using Machine Learning Models to Identify Wildlife Species in Field Recordings

Student: Tabea Schneider, Biology *

Advisor: Justin Kitzes, Biology

Developing Speculative Inference to Increase Energy Efficiency of IoT Systems

Student: Ziyu Xia, CS & MEMS *

Advisor: Stephen Lee, SC

Antireflective Coatings & Surfaces for Concentrated

Solar

Student: Fanbo Feng, MEMS *

Advisor: Paul Leu, IE

ESG-Related Metrics In Management Compensation

Schemes

Student: Declan Kelly, IE **

Advisor: Mark Ma, Business

Decarbonizing Chemistry with Renewable Electrons

Student: Isabella Hughes, ChemE *

Advisor: James McKone, ChemE

Applying Principles of Clinical Psychology to the Climate Crisis

Student: Anvi Joshi, Psychology *

Advisor: Kirsten McKone, Psychology

Generating Knowledge Graphs to Reduce Combinatorial Complexity Of Data-Driven Methods

Student: Haomiao Luo, MEMS *

Advisor: Natasa Miskov-Zivanov, ECE

Co-Localized Enzymes for Enhanced Biodegradation of Environmental Contaminants

Student: Zisong Wang, ECE *

Advisor: Paul Ohodnicki, MEMS

Modeling Democratic Resiliency of Civic Networks

Student: Xinyue Du, IE *

Advisor: Amin Rahimian, IE

Green Engineering

Student: Melanie Hong, ChemE *

Advisor: Joaquin Rodriguez, ChemE

Developing Climate Leaders

Student: Mina Kimak, Environmental Studies *

Advisor: Julia Santucci, GSPIA

Implementing Sustainable Development Goals in Pittsburgh

Student: Livia Daggett, PoliSci & Philosophy *

Advisor: Jackie Smith, Sociology

Practical optimization of traffic signals to reduce fuel consumption and vehicular emissions

Student: Noah Kochavi, CompE ***

Advisor: Alek Stevanovic, CEE

Environmental Inequality & Disasters Research

Student: Ruochong Zhu, IE *

Advisor: Fernando Tormos-Aponte, SOC

A Loopy Way to Hydrogen

Student: Hannah Zucco, ChemE *

Advisor: Götz Veser, ChemE

Design Spinel Ferrite Magnetic Adsorbents For Water Purification

Student: Zhengkai Chen, MEMS *

Advisor: Guofeng Wang, MEMS

Co-localized Enzymes for Enhanced Biodegradation of Environmental Contaminants

Student: Sophie Brazydola, Chem ***

Advisor: Meng Wang, CEE

Forest Carbon Credit Programs: Who Participates and What are the Effects on Forests?

Student: Adam Usmanov, Math **

Advisor: Jeremy Weber, Economics

Design of high-performance composite materials for sustainable structural applications

Student: Xinyu Wan, MEMS *

Advisor: Wei Xiong, MEMS

Developing Electrical Interfaces for Phototonic A.I. Hardware

Student: Alli Hastings, MEMS ****

Advisor: Nathan Youngblood, ECE

Sustainable Photopolymer 3D Printing

Student: Ethan Tost, MEMS *

Advisor: Xiayun Zhao, MEMS

* John C. Mascaro Scholar

** Douglas Condon Scholar

*** Charles & Linda Sorber Scholar

**** Frank & Daphna Lederman Scholar

2023 Summer Research Program Service Projects

Pymatuning Lab of Ecology

Every summer, MCSI’s undergraduate researchers perform three community service projects.

In May 2023, researchers joined Pitt’s Pymatuning Lab of Ecology in Linesville at Tryon-Weber Woods in Pymatuning State Park to help with trail maintenance, removing invasive species, and staining bridges and benches; students also learned about the park and its ecology.

The two additional service projects in Summer 2023 include a vacant lot restoration project with Grounded PGH and work to remove invasive species in the City of Pittsburgh’s South Side Park.

MCSI SUPPORTS STUDENT CREATIVITY

MCSI & Pitt Green Fund sponsored Pitt Electric Propulsion Team

Pittsburgh Electric Propulsion (PEP) provides a unique hands-on engineering and design experience that helps student members be among their field's most qualified and competitive students Mentored by Dr. Bob Kerestes (ECE), PEP strives to provide a unique skill set to prepare members for careers in sustainable energy fields and the electric vehicle field. Their work to advance sustainable technology in an industry currently behind in carbon neutral solutions is important – and their membership growth to 50 members this year reflects that urgency PEP is working on 2 projects: 1 hydroplane and 1 Zodiac emergency rescue boat. The hydroplane will be high power application with an attempt to set the world record for fastest C-Stock Electric Hydroplane. The Zodiac will attempt to develop applications tied directly to industry The PEP team partnered with professional hydroplane racing team, Schlarb Racing, who placed third at nationals last year

Student Prototyping Grant

Chris Kefalos & Luke Charlesworth, Computer Science

A year’s worth of planning and development culminated in creating a solar-powered remote technology system that enhanced educational outcomes for students in Sierra Leone

With support from MCSI’s Student Prototyping Fund, the student team traveled to Sierra Leone and installed solar panels on the school's roof Chris and Luke also worked with teachers and students on how to utilize the system, first conducting teacher trainings and live classroom sessions for teachers to practice using the resources. They also provided students with virtual lessons and quizzes and even worked individually with students who were struggling to improve their STEM skills and technical efficacy. Learn more

Graduate Student Rahaf Hasan Attended Future Leaders Climate Summit

In March 2023, Graduate Civil & Environmental Engineering student Rahaf Hasan (advised by Dr. Melissa Bilec) attended both the Future Leaders Climate Summit and Aspen Ideas: Climate conferences in Miami Beach, Florida on a full scholarship. Over several days, Rahaf had the opportunity to engage with and learn from various workshops, roundtables, and speakers, including Vice President Kamala Harris.

Undergraduate Summer Researcher Livia Daggett Attends Human Rights Cities Leadership Summit Atlanta, Georgia

In May 2023, MCSI provided a Conference Participation Grant to summer undergraduate researcher Livia Daggett that enabled her to travel with her research advisor Dr. Jackie Smith and a Pittsburgh delegation to the Human Rights Cities Leadership Summit in Atlanta. The project aims to advance and deepen prior coalition-building work that brings together Pittsburgh activists working on various human rights-related concerns to explore how we can strengthen local efforts to improve conditions in our city, especially for the most vulnerable groups. The HRCA and its partners have been connecting Pittsburgh with global agendas related to human rights and the UN Sustainable Development Goals and focused on prioritizing efforts to address the city’s extreme racial disparities and improving respect for housing as a human right.

Sustainability Course Development

MCSI provides annual faculty awards to support development of new or expansion of existing sustainability education courses The most recent MCSI Faculty Fellowships, Scholarships, and Lectureships awarded are below:

Mohamed Bayoumy, John C. Mascaro Faculty Lecturer Electrical & Computer Engineering

Dr. Mohamed Bayoumy developed a “Green & Sustainable Electronics” course during Summer 2022. He developed 6 course modules highlighting how different electronic circuit components and materials can promote the longevity and economic use of electrical circuits. The impacts of electrical circuits on the environment; public health, safety, and welfare; and global, cultural, and social factors were also covered He deployed the modules in two ECE101 offerings in Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 and in ECE 1247 in Fall 2022.

Faculty Scholar Film & Media Studies

Moore, John C.

Dr. Sarah Moore developed 3 new courses were developed and taught with support from the MCSI grant In “Creative Production Workshop” (FMST 1750), students researched and developed film projects for environmental organizations, In “Topics in Production: Ecological Filmmaking” (FMST 0855) and “Crew Production Practicum” (FMST 1847), students created documentaries for Tree Pittsburgh and Friends of the Riverfront, as well as a fictional piece conducted with the Breathe Project

Sarah

Mascaro

Manisha Nigam, John C. Mascaro Faculty Lecturer Chemistry

Pitt Johnstown faculty member Dr. Manisha Nigam teaches the school’s green chemistry and sustainability course. As a part of course requirements, students propose an on-campus sustainability project. Last year, Nigam’s students proposed to plant blueberries on campus The group received volunteer planning help from the Green Team; National Biological Honor Society Beta, Beta, Beta; and American Chemical Society UPJ Chapter. They also presented their plan at SPACE, UPJ’s annual undergraduate research conference. Their work was also highlighted in The Advocate

Cassie Quigley, John C. Mascaro Faculty Lecturer Teaching, Learning, & Leading; Education

In January 2023 with advisor Dr. Cassie Quigley, doctoral students Holly Plank and Hillary Chelednik facilitated a syllabus-sharing roundtable titled, “Environmental Justice, Activist, and STEM Pedagogies: A Freedom Seminar” at the Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE) International Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. Constructive feedback received also helped shape a new “Environmental Justice, Activism, and STEM Pedagogies” course being offered at the University of Pittsburgh in the future. Still in development, this new course is based on the findings from two Spring 2022 “Freedom Seminar” courses dubbed “Place, Collective Economies, and Environmental Justice: A Freedom Seminar” and “Global Water, Activism, and STEM Pedagogies: A Freedom Seminar.”

In the Freedom Seminar, cross-disciplinary undergraduate and graduate students were exposed to introductory environmental justice considerations using the lens of activism and STEM pedagogies. Through these lenses, students engage with concepts relating to how the environment connects, isolates, heals, impacts, and sustains in different ways. The course also considers how STEM pedagogies can be a site for activism and create liberatory futures. The Environmental Justice Freedom Seminar pushes students to collectively consider the relationships between activism, STEM pedagogies, and environmental justice and how those relationships might help us build theorized practices and sites of liberatory action towards an environment that is safe and just for all.

Patrick Shirey, Len Peters Faculty Fellow

Geology & Environmental Science

Taught in 2019 and 2021, “Urban Ecology & Sustainable Food Systems” is a week-long course for incoming first-year students invited to the Pitt Provost Academy Focusing the curriculum on the native pawpaw (a fruit important to Native Americans, European colonists, and African Americans), Dr. Patrick Shirey starts the week by serving the students homemade pawpaw dessert to generate excitement. At the end of their experience, students effectively recall and present what they learned from immersion in active service.

As part of the curriculum, students are introduced to the Pittsburgh community, including:

• Working with nonprofit Grow Pittsburgh to help set up a farm stand near food desert neighborhoods (2019),

• Installing deer fence around native plants in Frick Park with Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy (2019),

• Removing invasive vines with Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy in Schenley Park (2021) and Emerald View Park (2022), and

• Working with Pitt Grounds to plant pawpaw tree seedlings on the Pittsburgh Campus on the School of Public Health Fifth Avenue lawn (2019) and Vera Street (2021 & 2022)

To connect students to the Pitt campus and their futures, this learning experience asks the students to envision harvesting the fruit of these trees at their 5-year Homecoming post-graduation. The first trees planted in 2019 flowered this year, meaning fruit will be produced soon.

In 2023 and beyond, the course will help recruit undeclared first-year students to Sustainability programs and student clubs.

First offered in Fall 2022, the new “Environmental Justice” course was the result of a Sustainability class project by 4 undergraduate students (Dahlia Edwards, Xavier Johnson, Hope Matyas, and Debra Scott) Dr. Patrick Shirey teaches this course, which will become a core, required course for the B.A. in Environmental Studies once the program has been rebranded. In addition to classroom discussions, students visit the community to learn about ongoing efforts to address environmental injustices, including Tree Pittsburgh’s efforts to improve tree canopy to cool and beautify neighborhoods, Braddock Farms’ work to provide its community with over 28,000 pounds of fresh produce from less than an acre of land, and Zinna Scott’s efforts to improve stormwater management near the Wilkinsburg bus station.

In addition to field trips and class discussions, students wrote a proposal for the University of Pittsburgh to re-envision the Centre Avenue hillside below the Sports Dome to create a more visually pleasing space adjacent to the Sugar Hill section of the Hill District. At present, the hillside has tons of invasive Tree of Heaven and Giant Knotweed, which both outcompete native plants. Students proposed a terraced hillside with native species, including fruit-producing plants like paw paw and black raspberry for the campus and neighboring community.

MCSI PARTNERSHIPS CREATE PUBLIC GOOD FROM UNIVERSITY EDUCATION & RESEARCH

Lincoln Elementary Fun Day

In March 2023, Savannah Denlinger and Esmée de Cortie attended Lincoln Elementary School’s Fun Day to provide K-5 students with STEAM programming as part of station rotations Students built simple circuits using conductive playdough and LED lights to bring their clay creations to life.

Uniontown Area High School Visits MCSI

MCSI hosted a group of Uniontown Area High School students and their teacher, Mrs. Baker, at the University of Pittsburgh. The entire class toured campus, learned about engineering and sustainability, attend a question and answer session with current Pitt students, and had lunch with the MCSI team

Oasis Farm & Fishery Volunteer Days

Four Oasis Farm & Fishery volunteer days in the 2022-23 school year, supporting this local community garden and educational center in the Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Facilitated by Dr. David Sanchez and MCSI Community Engagement Intern Sophie Lex, volunteers helped with farm needs, including planting and harvesting crops in raised soil beds and the aquaponics shed. Additional tasks included as well as helping the farm prepare for the winter season and creating woodchip paths, a tree and permaculture garden, a pollinator garden, and a mushroom spore cultivator. Across 4 weekend days, 82 student volunteers assisted with the work. MCSI also worked closely with Hydroponics Club and Engineers without Borders (2 Pitt student organizations) Primary motivation for the volunteer days was completing construction of a 24’ x 48’ high tunnel greenhouse funded by a grant Pitt Year of Engagement grant received by MCSI Volunteers consumed lunch from Everyday Café, a local business in Homewood.

Franklin Regional Future Cities Mentoring

Nicole Bell (Civil & Environmental Engineering doctoral candidate and MCSI fellow) mentored a group of Franklin Regional Middle School students participating in the annual Future City competition. Their designed city *named “New-New Kensington”), won the award for “Most Creative Use of Recyclable Material.”

Pitt Hydroponics

MCSI sponsors the University of Pittsburgh’s Hydroponics Club, which is advised by Dr. David Sanchez. Over the past year, Pitt Hydroponics worked to build and maintain a hydroponic greenhouse inside of a garage in the Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh. This microclimate will allow them to grow fresh produce year-round. Project funding was provided by Pitt Green Fund and installation completes in Spring 2023. Pitt Hydroponics continues to donate their produce to Homewood’s Everyday Cafe

Allegheny Traditional Academy Sustainability Education & Pitt Visit

Two years ago, Allegheny Traditional Academy (ATA) partnered with The Efficiency Network on energy efficiency upgrades to their school building To help students better understand changes to their school, eighth grade science students participated in a series of MCSI educational modules focused on the connection between engineering, building performance, and human comfort. Prior to teaching these modules in 2023, Savannah and Esmée helped judge ATA’s middle school science fair. After a series of lessons, ATA 8th grade students visited Pitt’s campus to learn about sustainability and engineering careers, after which they toured various a makerspace, an environmental lab, the Cathedral of Learning, and learned about sustainable practices at Pitt

“Allegheny‘s partnership with Pitt has been all I hoped it would be... I am grateful to the University of Pittsburgh and Savannah’s team for investing in our students, many of whom would never have an opportunity like this if it were not for our school’s partnership with Pitt ”

– Seth Wermager, 7th & 8th Grade Science Teacher

Appalachian Teaching Project

As part of ongoing research for the Appalachian Teaching Project (now known as the Appalachian College Research Initiative), Dr. David Sanchez supervised students in engaging and serving Appalachia (Fayette County). The effort included visits to Connellsville, Uniontown, and Brownsville, Pennsylvania, where students visited with residents and local businesses. The group hosted a large luncheon with the Uniontown Mayor, city council, all 3 Fayette County commissioners, community leaders, and teachers and students from Uniontown Area High School. Other community stakeholders included Bill Talkington, Brad Trott, and Kelly Trott

Work was completed in collaboration with Dr. Michael Glass (Urban Studies), Dr. Kris Kanthak (Political Science), and Bryan Schultz (Business).

Nurdling with Central Valley High School

In 2022-23, student groups supervised by Dr. David Sanchez investigated the environmental impacts of the Shell Cracker Plant, which recently began operations in Beaver County. With a goal of producing polyethylene, the plant creates small plastic pellets called “nurdles,” which are then used to produce plastic products However, nurdles can create negative environmental impacts by becoming plastic pollution and leaching chemicals To create gather both nurdle baseline data and complete future nurdle collection, Pitt students identified several Ohio River sites upstream and downstream of the plant. Pitt undergraduate students in the Sustainability Capstone course also met with local Central Valley High School students to sample sites and share information.

Pittsburgh Pirates Green Team Pilot Supporting Earth Day

To help celebrate Earth Day 2023, MCSI collaborated with the Pittsburgh Pirates to help raise awareness among fans about their green initiatives via a pilot "Green Team" program. Pitt student volunteers from environmental honors fraternity Epsilon Eta Delta were stationed throughout the ballpark, where they discussed the Pirates' waste diversion programs with fans and helped them properly discard their recyclables

Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

In Summer 2022, MCSI hosted the Phipps High School Internship Program for a sustainabilitythemed tour of campus and environmental justice talk with MCSI summer undergraduate research students

In Fall 2022, MCSI collaborated with the Frederick Honors College to provide sustainability tour of Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

In Spring 2023, MCSI provided a guest judge for the Phipps Fairchild Challenge, an annual environmental education competition for K-12 schools throughout Western Pennsylvania This year’s competition, “Top it Off,” challenged middle and high school students to create wearable hats made from repurposed materials.

Vesper Gaucho Solar Tour

In Fall 2022, Pitt students, faculty, and staff visited the under construction Vesper Gaucho solar facility, located near the Pittsburgh International Airport along the Allegheny River. Participants toured the 20megawatt solar facility, which will provide 18% of Pitt’s future electricity needs for the next 20 years

Patrick Shirey, Len Peters Faculty Fellow

Dr. Patrick Shirey (Environmental Studies) and Dr. Sarah Moore (Film & Media Studies) are working with the Chalfant Run Thompson Run Watershed Association, Hedin Environmental, and Allegheny Land Trust to collect pre-restoration data on Chalfant Run and its fish community before stream restoration at the Churchill Valley Greenway (former Churchill Valley Country Club), which will remediate Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) and legacy pollution (fine sediment on floodplain).

Their Before-After-Control-Impact design will help communicate the importance of restoring Appalachian Region steams like Chalfant Run that are impacted by multiple sources of pollution. Surveys showed Creek Chub minnow populations upstream of the worst AMD pollution are significantly higher than downstream populations.

In 2023, undergraduate students supported by MCSI funds will be conducting research on Churchill Valley Greenway’s streams and collecting data throughout the Chalfant Run and Thompson Run Watersheds. Learn more in this video showing the electrofishing work created by Pitt’s Undergraduate Admissions team

Tony Kerzmann, Len Peters Faculty Fellow

In Fall 2022, Dr. Tony Kerzmann organized a student tour of the Perks Solar Farm in Jefferson Hills.

A subsequent Spring 2023 tour allowed more students and faculty to visit the solar farm along with a cattle, dairy, and sheep farm in Somerset County.

MCSI GLOBAL

Kevin Bell, MCSI Global Engagement Fellow Mexico, Jordan, & Guatemala

As a joint project with the Department of Bioengineering and School of Public Health, Dr. Kevin Bell developed a new elective course to help students gain understanding and hands-on experience of medical design in low resource environments. Throughout the semester, students receive hands-on experience and exposure to ongoing efforts to address the problems of medical device accessibility, usability, and feasibility in low resource environments; they also actively participate in regular classroom projects and discussions about low resource conditions, regulatory concerns, and engineering ethics amongst other topics. As part of course outcomes, 5 healthcare design projects were created with global partnerships in Mexico, Jordan, and Guatemala.

Sara Baumann, MCSI Global Engagement Fellow Nepal

A new undergraduate public health course “Can Art Heal?” is co-taught by Dr. Sara Baumann and Dr. Jessica Burke. The course was developed after research conducted in Nepal on the use of human-centered design (HCD) tools to engage community members in the co-development of their own interventions to sustainably improve health outcomes for women and girls.

An MCSI faculty award supported the investigators with establishing new Nepalese community partnerships, specifically with Tribhuvan University Education faculty and the Menstrual Health & Hygiene Partner’s Alliance. The faculty members undertook significant community outreach in rural Nepal and engaged local community members in designing solutions to address harmful menstrual practices. They also provided local human-centered design workshops in communities and supported training for team members in Nepal on human-centered design.

Melissa Bilec, MCSI Co-Director Florence, Italy

For the second year, Dr. Melissa Bilec led a group of Pitt Engineering students in Florence, Italy, teaching them about the connectedness between sustainability and the Renaissance Students explored the first sustainable farm in Italy, Renaissance cities, and structures like Piezna, the Pitti Palace, and more

Michael Glass, MCSI Global Engagement Fellow Newcastle, United Kingdom

Through his research on how philanthropic organizations are attempting to galvanize multisectoral interest in innovation for sustainability, Dr. Michael Glass participated in an information exchange with Dr. Tom Baker (University of Auckland in New Zealand)

Later, a panel session brought together 3 professionals to discuss the roles, opportunities, and challenges associated with philanthropydriven sustainable innovation practices Emmie Calland (The Pittsburgh Foundation) discussed how the Foundation uses responsible philanthropy to shape innovative solutions to the critical needs of Pittsburgh communities. Dr Emily Rosenman (Penn State University) presented on philanthropic-led innovation in racial justice and economic development in the Detroit region. Dr. Tom Baker (University of Auckland, New Zealand) provided insight on how and why city governments around the world have turned to philanthropic organizations (such as Bloomberg Philanthropies) to enact institutional innovation.

Elizabeth Oyler, MCSI Global Engagement Fellow Konan University, Japan

MCSI and the Student Office of Sustainability hosted students from Konan University (Kobe, Japan). The Konan students were participating in a Pitt’s “Imagining Global Cities of the Future” cultural exchange program (developed by Dr. Elizabeth Oyler and funded by MCSI and UCIS’s Global Engagement in Sustainability Grant)

The visit included a tour of Pitt’s campus highlighting its sustainable infrastructure. The group also visited Oasis Farm & Fishery, where they learned about sustainable urban agriculture practices.

Dr. David Sanchez, MCSI Associate Director Guam

For the second year in a row, Dr. David Sanchez led a study abroad program to Guam, Micronesia. By building strong partnerships in Micronesia, Dr. Sanchez and 8 engineering students worked on projects in Guam related to traditional medicine, sustainable economic development, water sustainability, and emerging contaminants.

Robert Kerestes, John C. Mascaro Faculty Scholar Brazil

During Maymester 2023, the first “Energy & Electrification in Brazil” course was offered by the Swanson School of Engineering, providing an opportunity for students to study renewable energy and electrification efforts in Brazil.

Students visited UNISINOS University and studied on-site solar power implementations used to power the campus. They also visited Osorio Wind Farm, where students learned about the combined effort of wind power generation and cattle farming. The next part of the course was a visit to Certaja Energia (a utility in the state of Rio Grande do Sul) where they learned about power distribution, control, and electrical system automation. Following the Certaja visit, students visited Higra, which produces submergible pumps and turbo generators Higra adds clean, distributed generation to the Brazilian electricity grid, while also aiding in the control of water overflow, which maintains healthy water levels; learn more about the visit on this Higra blog Students next travelled to Foz do Iguacu, where they took enjoyed its waterfalls, one of the seven wonders of the world. Students also visited the Itaipu Dam, which with an impressive 14 GW power capacity is the largest renewable power plant in the world in terms of energy production – and the third largest in terms of installed capacity.

Amazonian Studies Workshop & Round Table plus Piracicaba Visits

MCSI has long-partnered with Pitt’s Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) In January 2023, MCSI joined CLAS colleagues, Florida International University, and Amazonian institutions to discuss the possibility of creating an Amazonian Studies consortium. In May 2023, MCSI co-hosted a delegation of visitors from the greater Piracicaba region of Brazil to explore a potential partnership to help develop an ESG certification program with the City of Piracicaba, which hosts over 40,000 businesses.

Rodriguez, John C. Mascaro Faculty Fellow

Dr. Joaquin Rodriguez was awarded the Provost’s Diversity in the Curriculum Award and the James Pommersheim Award for Excellence in Teaching, including for contributions supported by MCIS’s John C. Mascaro Faculty Fellowship.

Chemical Engineering Global Day

The 2023 CHE GLOBAL DAY supported by MCSI and the Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering displayed 12 projects by 72 senior Chemical Engineering students in collaboration with 18 foreign partners in 10 countries. Topics included water pollution and treatment in Guatemala, Brazil, and South Africa; sewage and sanitation in Bolivia and Brazil; waste management in Bangladesh; flooding prevention in Pakistan; modular drinking water units for northern Canada’ air pollution in Brazil; renewable energy in Germany; and farming modernization in Paraguay.

The 2022 Mascaro Award for Global Sustainability Project went to the “Fluid Displacement & Education in Micronesia” project from students: Jared Renz, Justin Brozyno, Dylan Atkinson, Adam Taylor, Aarin Kheehan, Dante Policicchio (pictured below); the project was mentored by Dr. David Sanchez

The event was held at the Pitt Global Hub in Posvar Hall on December 7, 2023, and included 18 judges from industry (Covestro, PPG, ARCADIS) and the University (Asian Studies Center, Center for Latin American Studies, Engineering for Humanity, MCSI, Physical Therapy, SSOE Global Experience, and University Center for International Studies,).

Joaquin

MASCARO CENTER RECOGNITION & ENGAGEMENT

Invited Lecturers

Marcela Gonzalez Rivas, MCSI Global Engagement Fellow

The “Closing the Water Gap” working group led by Dr. Marcela Gonzalez Rivas researches environmental justice issues related to the Biden administration’s lead line replacement program, including a forthcoming report documenting information on the program and its impact on the environmental justice in the region Closing the Water Gap is collaborating with various advocacy organizations conducting research on this issue and plans to continue the work via 2 peer-reviewed articles.

During the 2022-23 academic year, the working group was granted special accreditation by the United Nations (UN) to attend the 2023 UN Water Conference. As a result, five students attended interactive dialogues, plenary sessions, and side events at UN Headquarters, where they hosted by different organizations attending the conference. Students engaged in meaningful discussions with world leaders in the WASH sector (water, sanitation, hygiene). Students are working on a reflection piece that summarizes their conference takeaways for the Journal of Human Rights

In October 2022, Dr. Gonzalez Rivas was an invited speaker for the “Water and Public Health: Inequalities and Affordability” webinar, part of University of Michigan’s “Environment, Health and Community” series. After the seminar, she was invited to co-author a chapter on water equity on a book on environment and public health with the other panelists; the book will be published next year.

“It was especially exciting for me to be there with students and to be able to join hundreds of water justice grass roots and other organizations who have been working to advance the implementation of the human right to water across communities around the world”.

Dr. Marcela Gonzalez Rivas

Corey Flynn, Rehab Sciences John C. Mascaro Faculty Lecturer

Corey Flynn spoke on American Dietetic Association Hunger and Environmental Nutrition Working Group (HEN) panel discussing food insecurity and sustainable food systems. She also addressed these topics on 2 podcasts: one by City Cast Pittsburgh and the other by a Nutrition Science student group

Sara Baumann, MCSI Global Engagement Fellow

In January 2023, Dr. Sara Baumann was an invited speaker at University of Pittsburgh’s Global Brigades Student Leadership Conference; her talk was: “Women Around the World: Using Creativity to Center Community Voices in Global Health Research and Interventions.”

Invited Collaborative Talks with Covestro

MCSI’s Dr. Eric Beckman and Gena Kovalcik participated in Covestro’s Innovation Celebration, sharing insights on Pitt’s leadership in circular economy and insights on innovation.

Dr. Melissa Bilec has co-led multiple panels with Covestro leadership at the “Global Manufacturing and Industrialization Summit” and “Recycling Livestream.”

Melissa Bilec Invited Lectures

• Bilec, M.M. (2022). “From Assessment to Impact?” Keynote -International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology Conference, June 21-23, 2022, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

• Invited Panelist for Circular Economy: Next generation solutions for circular industry. Global Manufacturing and Industrialization Summit (GMIS), September 28, 2022, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Bilec, M.M., Thiel, T. (2022). How Joint Solutions and Collaborations Can Make You Fully Circular-The Covestro Circular Economy Program at the University of Pittsburgh. ACS Sealants and Adhesives, September 2022, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Invited Panelist for Circularity and Climate Neutrality: Decarbonizing Products, Processes and Supply Chains. Clean Energy, Climate, and the Built Environment Workshop, Hosted by the Green Building Alliance, Covestro, LLC, UNECE, UNEP, Phipps, Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, September 21, 2022, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Bilec, M.M. (2022). “Connecting SSOE and SPH Advancing Sustainability in Academics and Research at Pitt.” CHEER Mini-Symposium, April 21, 2022, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

David Sanchez Invited Lectures

• Can Smarter Watersheds Accurately Monitor Emerging Contaminants? ASCE- EWRI Pittsburgh–April 20, 2023

• Engineering Happiness, SEISMIC Conference Jan 19, 2023

• Water: A Keystone for the Environment, Economy, and Community - McCandless Township Speaker Series, November 18, 2022

• Technology, Humanity, and Environment Carnegie Mellon University – Pitt Global Studies MicroCourse November 4, 2022 (Virtual)

• Engineering for Sustainability, University Lecture, Carlow University November 1, 2022

• Approaches to Sustainability and Systems Design – Engineering's Social Impacts – LEAD Institute – June 22, 2022 (virtual)

• Place-based University Sustainability Partnerships, Newcastle University, October 19, 2022

• Analytical Techniques and Methodologies for Measuring Contaminants of Emerging Concern, Civil Engineering, Unisinos University, Sao Leopoldo, Rio Grande de Sul, Brazil August 22, 2022

• Summer Institute for Global Educators - University Center for International Studies July 19, 2022

JOURNAL LEADERSHIP

Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability, Editorial Board Sister journal to Environmental Research Letters

Melissa Bilec

ASCE Architecture Engineering, Associate Editor Circular Economy and Regenerative Buildings Special Editor

Melissa Bilec

International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment Subject Editor

Melissa Bilec

ASCE Natural Hazards Review, Trial Associate Editor

Melissa Bilec

EXTERNAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEES

American Society of Engineering Education, National Environmental Engineering Chair

David Sanchez

American Society of Engineering Education, Engineering for One Planet Advisory Committee (Member)

David Sanchez

Food21 – Sustainable Regional Food Systems, Senior Advisor

David Sanchez

Green Building Alliance, Board Member

Melissa Bilec

Indigenous Pacific Island Knowledge U ((IPIKU), Representing 5 nations of Micronesia

David Sanchez

International Society for Industrial Ecology, Co-Chair Sustainable Urban System

Melissa Bilec

Sustainable Pittsburgh, CEOs for Sustainability Advisory Board (Member)

Gena Kovalcik

MEDIA REPORT

Social Media

Alumni Newsletters

In 2022-23, MCSI intern Jessica Gondak created 3 seasonal newsletters for Pitt Sustainability alumni. Newsletters covered campus updates, alumni features, student and faculty highlights, and event announcements. View our Pitt Sustainability newsletter archive

“MCSI and its professors are some of the best advocates for student success that one could imagine. I am deeply grateful for the education and growth opportunities I received as an IGERT Fellow and graduate student at Pitt. This education laid the groundwork for my career today and for many new journeys in the future.”

Dr. Briana Niblick, CEE ‘13

FEATURING ALUMNI

Our seasonal Pitt Sustainability alumni newsletters highlighted 4 Pitt Sustainability alumni in the past year, notable for their work in sustainability both during their time at Pitt and beyond. Briana Niblick (CEE ’09, ’13), Kareem Rabbat (CEE ’20), and MCSI interns Lucy Klug (Environmental Studies ’22) and Emily Albrecht (Psychology ’22) were featured throughout the academic year.

News Releases

July 8, 2022: Relentlessly Paying it Forward

David V.P. Sanchez, CEE Assistant Professor, Honored with Two Top Engineering Education Awards

• Facebook: 1,088 people reached, 25 engagements

• Twitter: 555 impressions, 38 engagements

September 22, 2022: Students Devote Summer to Sustainability Research

MCSI Summer Research Symposium Showcases Undergrad Sustainability Research

• Facebook: 156 people reached

• Twitter: 439 impressions, 26 engagements

September 26, 2022: A Step Toward Decarbonizing the Chemical Industry Pitt Engineers Lead $3.5m DOE Project to Advance Carbon-Neutral Hydrogen Technology

• Eurekalert: 500 pageviews

• Facebook: 942 people reached, 64 engagements

• Twitter: 6,672 impressions, 129 engagements

September 30, 2022: Katherine Hornbostel Receives Award for Work in Carbon Capture

• Facebook: 288 people reached

• Twitter: 557 impressions, 25 engagements

October 6, 2022: Getting It to Stick: Grabbing CO2 Out of the Air (K. Hornbostel, C. Wilmer)

• Eurekalert: 870 pageviews

• Facebook: 175 people reached, 4 engagements

• LinkedIn: 1,727 impressions, 72 engagements

• Twitter: 191 impressions, 11 engagements

October 27, 2022: The Virtual Water Impact of the U.S. Beef Network (V. Khanna)

Pitt Researchers Develop a Framework to Understand Water Use in Beef Supply Chains from Production to Consumption

• Eurekalert: 862 pageviews

• Facebook: 176 people reached

• LinkedIn: 422 impressions, 4 engagements

• Twitter: 426 impressions, 4 engagements

December 1, 2022: Lightening the Environmental Burden of Solar Power

Pitt Researcher Paul Leu Leads $2 Million DOE Project to Reduce Solar Power Waste

• Facebook: 294 people reached, 3 engagements

• LinkedIn: 2,097 impressions, 59 engagements

December 9, 2022: Pitt Announces the Pitt Sustainability Challenge

The New Pitt Sustainability Challenge Launches, with a Chance to Win $300,000 for Carbon Neutrality Solutions

• Facebook: 356 people reached, 3 engagements

January 11, 2023: “I know this is where I can best use my talents and passions.”

Environmental Engineering Alumnus Kareem Rabbat Works to Improve the Lives of Native Americans in New Mexico

• Facebook: 803 people reached, 9 engagements

• LinkedIn: 639 impressions, 22 engagements

• Twitter: 170 impressions, 16 engagements

January 24, 2023: Alumni Spotlight: Bhavna Sharma (CEE PhD ‘10)

Bhavna Sharma Builds a Global Career Blending Architecture and Engineering

• Facebook: 1,038 people reached, 12 engagements

• LinkedIn: 1,020 impressions, 22 engagements

• Twitter: 405 impressions, 7 engagements

February 20, 2023: A Tale of Two Sustainable Cities

• Eurekalert: 403 pageviews

• Facebook: 187 people reached, 2 engagements

• Twitter: 566 impressions, 25 engagements

March 6, 2023: A Growing Conversation on Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare

2020 Paper in Resources, Conservation & Recycling, co-authored by Melissa Bilec, Receives Most Downloaded Paper Award

• Facebook: 190 people reached

• Twitter: 197 impressions, 16 engagements

March 15, 2023: The Fight for Clean Drinking Water in McKeesport

Pitt Engineers Receive More Than $230k to Determine if McKeesport Residents Can Safely Drink Their Water after Contamination from an Area Fire (C Ng)

• Facebook: 234 people reached, 5 engagements

• LinkedIn: 880 impressions, 13 engagements

• Twitter: 653 impressions, 41 engagements

April 3, 2023: Researchers Find That to Achieve Sustainability, Urban Systems Must Tackle Social Justice and Equity (M. Bilec)

• Facebook: 240 people reached, 2 engagements

• Twitter: 196 impressions, 5 engagements

April 17, 2023: Come Health or High Water (S. Haig)

• Eurekalert: 332 pageviews

• Facebook: 234 people reached, 2 engagements

April 21, 2023: From Green to Grown

Pitt Hydroponics Helps to Feed Food Deserts in Pittsburgh while Creating Community Among Its Students

• Facebook: 2,313 impressions, 63 engagements

• LinkedIn: 1,110 impressions, 27 engagements

• Twitter: 573 impressions, 22 engagements

May 4, 2023: Six Swanson School Faculty Receive MCSI Funding to Support Sustainable Innovation

• Facebook: 284 people reached, 2 engagements

• Twitter: 951 impressions, 58 engagements

May 17, 2023: Sowing New Seeds of Collaboration

Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering and School of Public Health Award $220K to Four Collaborative Projects Addressing Climate Change, Global Health, and Environmental Justice

• Facebook: 155 people reached, 1 engagement

• Twitter: 755 impressions, 24 engagements

May 26, 2023: Celebrating 2023 Pitt Sustainability Superheroes

Pitt Sustainability and MCSI Celebrated 2023 Sustainability Awardees at Annual Luncheon and Student Sustainability Symposium

• Facebook: 164 people reached

• Twitter: 450 impressions, 20 engagements

Pittwire

• July 6, 2022: Pitt’s Online Travel Booking Tool Now Shows Carbon Emissions Information for Flights

• September 28, 2022: Want to Feel Less Stressed? Take a Tour of Pitt’s Trees

• October 31, 2022: The Assembly Earned LEED Gold Status

• November 7, 2022: Pitt’s New Solar Energy Partnership Is Among the Largest in Western Pennsylvania

• December 7, 2022: Win $300,000 and Help Pitt Achieve Carbon Neutrality

• December 12, 2022: Posvar Patio Is Now a Solar-Powered Study Spot, Thanks to Pitt Students

• December 15, 2022: These Students Want to Make Pitt Cleaner and Greener

• January 18, 2023: Too Many Textiles? Donate or Recycle Them around Pitt's Campus

• January 23, 2023: Meet the People Who Handle the Toughest Trash on Campus

• January 23, 2023: Pitt Earned Its First LEED Platinum Certification

• February 7, 2023: Bigelow Boulevard Was Ranked Among the Nation’s Best New Bike Lanes

• March 2, 2023: Pitt Faculty Will Study Circular Economies with A $750,000 National Science Foundation Grant

• March 15, 2023: What’s New in Campus Construction at Pitt

• April 7, 2023: Get Hands-On with Sustainability at These Earth Month Events

• April 11, 2023: See How People Get Around Pitt with the Results of the 2022 Commuter Survey

• April 18, 2023: Pitt Published an Update on Endowment Investing Related to ESG Factors

• May 4, 2023: 9 Pitt Projects Won $210,000 to Support Sustainable Innovation

• May 8, 2023: Highlights from the 2018-2022 Pitt Sustainability Plan Progress Report

• June 9, 2023: 3,900 Pounds of Supplies Were Diverted from Landfills During Pitt’s Clean And Swap

Sustainability Media Coverage

2022

• June 25: Should you buy green cleaners? (E. Beckman, Consumer Reports)

• July 18: Decades in the making: Alcosan is preparing to deal with one of Pittsburgh's most intractable problems massive stormwater runoff and deliver cleaner water and rivers. But the tight time frame and scope of work is also a challenge. (L. Casson, Pittsburgh Business Times)

• July 20: McKeesport residents say MAWC water remains contaminated (C. Ng, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

• August 22: Covestro's Commitment to a Circular Economy (Pittsburgh Technology Council)

• September 11: A New Plant in Indiana Uses a Process Called ‘Pyrolysis’ to Recycle Plastic Waste. Critics Say It’s Really Just Incineration (E. Beckman, Inside Climate News)

• September 22: The Department of Energy is opening a lab to capture CO2 from the air. Will it be in Pittsburgh or Morgantown? (K. Hornbostel, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

• October 4: Melissa Bilec named special assistant to provost for sustainability (University Times)

• October 12: Getting it to stick: Designing optimal core-shell MOFs for direct air capture (K. Hornbostel, Nano Magazine)

• January 5: NSF 'two cities' grant furthers Pitt's circular economy reuse research (University Times)

• January 28: Local water systems prepare to deal with stricter regulations for 'forever chemicals' (C. Ng, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

• February 14: Bill would encourage ‘advanced recycling’ in Indiana, but how much gets recycled? (E. Beckman, Indiana Public Radio)

• February 26: So thrifty: Buying, selling secondhand is affordable, sustainable and fun (M. Bilec, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

• April: The Last Warning - The Circular Economy (Al Hurra TV/Voice of America)

• April 25: Derailments could pose a major risk to southwestern Pa.'s rivers, Pitt researchers say (D. Bain, WESA-FM/NPR)

• April 26: Pitt researchers collect data on where train accidents occur and what they threaten (D. Bain, KDKA-TV)

• May 31: Pitt research grants ignite sustainable innovation for a greener future (Next Pittsburgh)

• June 13: Council advised to seek information on recycling (E. Beckman, Weirton Daily Times)

East Palestine, Ohio Coverage (Eric Beckman)

• February 7, 2023: Toxic chemicals released from train to prevent explosion, News Nation

• February 7, 2023: Vinyl chloride: What we know about the toxic chemical released at East Palestine train derailment, WPXI TV

• February 8, 2023: Derailed Train in Ohio Carried Chemical Used to Make PVC, ‘the Worst’ of the Plastics, Inside Climate News

• February 14, 2023: Derailed Ohio Train Carried Toxic Ingredient for “Worst” Kind of Plastic, Mother Jones

• February 14, 2023: Ohio Train Derailment: What is vinyl chloride?, News Nation

• February 14, 2023: Wall Street says Norfolk Southern profits won’t suffer from derailment, FreightWaves

• February 17, 2023: Health concerns related to the East Palestine train derailment: What to know, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

• February 20, 2023: What are the ‘colors’ seen in Ohio creek?, News Nation

• February 24, 2023: Opinion: East Palestine residents still have cause for concern even if the government says otherwise, CNN

• March 19, 2023: Failure is always an option: East Palestine and the case for resilient design in the chemical industry, Op-Ed, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Paid Advertisements

• Summer 2022: Covestro Circular Economy Program, Pittsburgh Quarterly

• March 2023: Big Research, Big Proposals, and Partnering for Global Impact:

• A Conversation with Rob Rutenbar at the University of Pittsburgh (includes CCEP video, Chronicle of Higher Education)

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Al Azri, N., Patel, R.,Ozbuyukkaya, G., Kowall, C., Cormack, G., Proust, N., Enick, R. and Veser, G. "Batchto-Continuous transition in the specialty chemicals Industry: Impact of operational differences on the production of dispersants", Chem. Eng. J. 445 (2022)136775. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2022.136775

Berry, B., Havercamp, J. Isenhour, C., Bilec, M.M., Lowden, S.S. (2022). “Is Convergence around THE Circular Economy Necessary? Exploring the Productivity of Divergence in US Circular Economy Discourse and Practice.” Circular Economy and Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-02200199-1

Boone, P., Yiwen, H., Lieber, A., Steckel, J., Rosi, N., Hornbostel, K., Wilmer, C. (2022). Designing optimal core-shell MOFs for direct air capture. Nanoscale, Royal Society of Chemistry. https://doiorg.pitt.idm.oclc.org/10.1039/D2NR03177A

*Journal Impact Factor: 7.79 Featured in Pitt press release and Nano magazine in October 2022. Cover art selected for inside front cover of journal issue.

Bozeman, J., Chopra, S., James, P., Cai, H., Carrasquillo, M., Rickenbacker, H.J., Nock, D., Ashton, W., Heidrich, O., Derrible, S., Bilec, M.M. (2022). “Three research priorities for just and sustainable urban systems: now is the time to refocus.” Journal of Industrial Ecology, 00, 1– 13. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.13360

Cruz Rios, F., Panic, S.+, Grau, D., Khanna, V., Zappitelli, J., Bilec, M.M.* (2022). “Exploring circular economies in the built environment from a complex systems perspective: A systematic review and conceptual model at the city scale.” Sustainable Cities and Society, 80 :103411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2021.103411

Engler, I.D., Curley, A.J., Fu, F.J., Bilec, M.M.* (2022). “Environmental Sustainability in Orthopaedic Surgery.” Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, June 1, 2022 - Volume 30Issue 11, 504-511. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35412500/

Fullerton, D., Babbitt, C.W., Bilec, M.M., He, S., Isenhour, C., Khanna, V., Lee, E., Theis, T. (2022). “Introducing the Circular Economy to Economists.” Annual Reviews of Resource Economics, 14:493–514. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-resource-101321-053659

González Rivas, Marcela. (2023). “Addressing the Impossible Triad High Inequality, Decentralized policy and Low Local Capacity Challenges for Drinking Water Policy in Mexico.” International Planning Studies, Vol. 28 No.1: 1-20.

Habib, M., Lantgios, I., Hornbostel, K. (2022). A Review of Ceramic, Polymer and Composite Piezoelectric Materials. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS D: APPLIED PHYSICS, 55, 423002. https://doi.org/10.1088/13616463/ac8687

*Journal Impact Factor: 3.207

Harries, K.A. (2023) Material Characterisation of Bamboo for Glued-Laminated Bamboo Products, Advances in Bamboo Science, 3, 100023, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bamboo.2023.100023

Harries, K.A., Rogers, C. and Brancaccio, M. (2022) Bamboo Connection Capacity Determined by ISO 22156 ‘Complete Joint Testing’ Provisions, Advances in Bamboo Science, 1, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bamboo.2022.100003

Harries, K.A., Trujillo, D., Kaminski, S. and Lopez, L.F. (2022) Development of Load Tables for Design of Full-Culm Bamboo, European Journal of Wood and Wood Products https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107022-01798-3

Kumar, S.; Nigam, M. (2023). Advances in Commercial Biodegradable Products in India: Alternatives to Plastics International Journal of Science and Research, Vol. 12 Issue 3, 271-274.

Leng, Y., Xu, Q., Chen, L., Wang, M., Harries, K.A. and Chen, X. (2023) Experimental study on mechanical performance of engineered bamboo subjected to accelerated aging with single and coupled durability factors, Construction and Building Materials 388, 131725. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.131725

Leng, Y., Xu, Q., Wang, M., Guo, H., Harries, K.A. and Chen, L. (2023) Experimental study of withdrawal behavior of self-tapping screws in laminated bamboo, Construction and Building Materials, 363, 129890. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.129890

Liu, K., Jayaraman, D., Shi, Y., Yang, J., Jin, W., Shi, Y., Wu, J., Jacombe, P., Harries, K.A., Trujillo, D. (2022) “Bamboo: A Very Sustainable Construction Material” - 2021 International Online Seminar Summary Report, Sustainable Structures 2(1) https://doi.org/10.54113/j.sust.2022.000015

Mantripragada, H. and G. Veser, G. (2022). “Hydrogen production via chemical looping dry reforming of methane: Process modeling and systems analysis”, AIChE J. 68 e17612.

https://doi.org/10.1002/aic.17612

Mohammadiziazi, R., Bilec, M.M.* (2023). “Quantifying and Spatializing Building Material Stock and Renovation Flow for Circular Economy.” Journal of Cleaner Production, 135765. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.135765

Mohammadiziazi, R., Bilec, M.M.* (2022). “Building Material Stock Analysis Is Critical for Effective Circular Economy Strategies: A Comprehensive Review.” Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability. 2 032001.

https://doi.org/10.1088/2634-4505/ac6d08

Nigam, M.; Tuttle, D.; Morra, B.; Dicks, A.; Rodriguez, J. (2023). Putting the Squeeze on Imine Synthesis: Citrus Juice as a Reaction Medium in the Introductory Organic Laboratory, Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews, 16, 1.

Shirey, P.D., and S.A.R. Colvin. (2022) Endangered Species Act Expenditures for Fish Taxa Managed by The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Are Predicted by Lawsuits, Captive Propagation, and Region Fisheries 47(7):299-30.

https://doi.org/10.1002/fsh.10742

Shirey, P.D., S.A.R. Colvin, L.H. Roulson, and T.E. Bigford. (2022) A Review of Recovery Plan Criteria for Threatened and Endangered Fish Taxa Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fisheries 47(6):256-261.

https://doi.org/10.1002/fsh.10743

Smith, E., Bilec, M.M., Khanna, V. (2023). “Evaluating the global plastic waste management system with Markov chain material flow analysis.” ACS Sustainable Chemical Engineering, 11, 6, 2055–2065. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c04270

Temizel-Sekeryan, S., Cruz Rios, F., Geremicca, F., Bilec, M.M. (2023). “Circular Design and Embodied Carbon in Living Buildings: What is the Missing Potential?” ASCE Journal of Architectural Engineering, Vol. 29, Issue 3, 04023013. https://doi.org/10.1061/JAEIED.AEENG-1445

Wang, M. Harries, K.A., Zhao, Y., Xu, Q., Wang, Z. and Leng, Y. (2022) Variation of Mechanical properties of P. edulis (Moso) bamboo with moisture content, Construction and Building Materials 324 126629 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.126629

Wang, Z., Zhang, F., Jiang, L., Zhang, Y., Harries, K.A. and Xu, Q. (2022) Shake table testing of masonryinfilled Chuandou timber frame strengthened using a simple, inexpensive approach, Journal of Earthquake Engineering, https://doi.org/10.1080/13632469.2022.2121330

Xu, Q., Wang, M., Chen, L., Harries, K.A., Song, X. and Wang, Z. (2023) Mechanical performance of notched shear connections in CLT-concrete composite floor, Journal of Building Engineering, 70, 106364 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2023.106364

In Review Lapp, S., Rhinehart, T., Freeland-Haynes, L., Khilnani, J., Syunkova, A., & Kitzes, J. OpenSoundscape: an open-source bioacoustics analysis package for Python. To be submitted in Methods in Ecology and Evolution.

In Review Nigam, M.; Tracey, M.P.; Pirzada, E.; Osman, T. A Solventless Carbonyl Addition Reaction as a Guided Inquiry Laboratory Activity for Second-Year Undergraduate Organic Students. To be submitted in Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews.

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

Best Paper Recognition

Inhee Lee,John C. Mascaro Faculty Scholar

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3447993.3483263 (paper #1)

https://www.sigmobile.org/mobicom/2021/ (paper #1’s best paper notification)

https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3539668.3539677 (paper #2)

Baumann, S. (2023, April). Considerations for Human centered design with preliterate and non-English speaking communities. Presentation: Linguistic Justice in Research Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.

Baumann, S., Rabin, M., Upadhaya, K., Joseph, B., Hawk, M., Devkota, B., Shrestha, G.R. & Burke, J. (2023, April). Human-centered Design (HCD) for Intervention Development in Global Public Health: A Menstrual Health Study in Nepal. Poster Presentation: Consortium for Universities of Global Health Annual Conference, Washington DC, USA.

Baumann, S., Rabin, M., Devkota, B., Upadhaya, K., Hawk, M., Burke, J. (July 2023, Forthcoming). Harnessing Human Centered Design Tools to Address Chhaupadi (Menstrual Seclusion) in Nepal Presentation: Society of Menstrual Cycle Research Biannual Conference. Washington, D.C.

Baumann, S., Devkota, B., Upadhaya, K., Shrestha, G.R., Rabin, M. (2023, May, Forthcoming). Harnessing Human-centered Design (HCD) for Intervention Development to End Harmful Menstrual Practices in Far-West Nepal: Preliminary Findings from Dailekh. Presentation at the National Conference on Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Ending Gender-based Violence and Harmful Practices, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Chacón, D., Papadopoulos, C., Acosta, F., Harries, K.A. and Saffar, A. (2022) Development of a Method to Test Bamboo Culms in Direct Torsion, NOCMAT 2022, June 2022 (virtual)

González Rivas, Marcela Advancing Water Infrastructure Equities in Practice: Challenges and Opportunities." Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning. Toronto, Canada, November 2022.

Kotchey, G.P., Sanchez, D.V.P., Inducing Nanobubble Collapse Via Dynamic Stimuli to Generate OH for Contaminant Degradation AIChE November 2022. Phoenix, AZ

Harries, K.A., Mofidi, A., Naylor, J., Trujillo, D., Lopez, L. F., Gutierrez, M. and Sharma, B. (2022) Knowledge Gaps and Research Needs for Bamboo in Construction, NOCMAT 2022, June 2022 (virtual)

Harries, K.A., Rogers, C. and Silva, E. (2022) Experimental evaluation of bamboo reinforced concrete, NOCMAT 2022, June 2022 (virtual)

Kaminski, S., Harries, K.A., Lopez, L-F, Trujillo, D. and Archila, H. (2022) Durability of Whole Culm

Bamboo: Facts, Misconceptions and the New ISO 22156 Framework, NOCMAT 2022, June 2022 (virtual)

Kerzmann, T., Tobey D., 2023, “Agrivoltaics in Pittsburgh, PA: A Team-Based Analysis of Dual-Use Solar Through Modeling,” 2023 ASEE North Central Section Conference, Conference Presentation.

M. A. Zaghloul, A. M. Hassan, and A. Dallal, "Using Teamwork in an In-person Class in the Decline of the Pandemic," in 2023 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), 2023.

Plank, H., Chelednik, H., Quigley, C. (2023-Jan.) Environmental Justice, Activism, and STEM Pedagogies: A Freedom Seminar. Round table presentation. The Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE). Salt Lake City, UT. Accepted

Rodriguez, J., Keith, J., and Dukes, A.A. A Diversity Index to Assess College Engineering Team Performance and Tracking Institutional Changes on Diversity. Paper presented as 2022 AIChE Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ, November 2022. Education Division (188e)

https://www.aiche.org/academy/conferences/aiche-annual-meeting/2022/proceeding/paper/188ediversity-index-assess-college-engineering-team-performance-and-tracking-insitutional-changes

Rodriguez, J. Outreach Projects: Towards a Structured Curricular Activity for Chemical Engineering Students. Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN, June 2022 https://peer.asee.org/41367

Rodriguez, J., and Sanchez, D. Global Projects: An Initiative to Train Chemical Engineering Students in Global Awareness. Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN, June 2022 https://peer.asee.org/41610

Vaden, J.M., Dukes, A.A., Parrish, K., Nave, A.H., Landis, A. & Bilec, M.M. (2023). “Inclusive Engineering Classrooms and Learning Communities: Reflections and Lessons Learned from Three Partner Universities in Year 2.” ASEE 2023 Annual Conference, June 25-28, 2023, Baltimore, MD, United States.

Vaden, J.M., Dukes, A.A., Parrish, K., Nave, A.H., Landis, A. & Bilec, M.M.* (2022) “Developing and Sustaining Inclusive Engineering Learning Communities and Classrooms.” ASEE 2022 Annual Conference: Excellence Through Diversity, June 26-29, 2022, Minneapolis, MN, United States.

Zhou, J., Kotchey, G.P., Sanchez, D.V.P., Hong, S.H. Improving electrode performance by engineering Shewanella oneidensis MR1 AIChE November 2022. Phoenix, AZ

BOOKS AND REPORTS

SSRN Report “Are Small-Scale Lng Export Facilities Underregulated in the U.S.?”

Jeremy Weber’s capstone course worked with the US Government Accountability Office on whether there is insufficient oversight of small-scale exports of liquified natural gas. It resulted in this report, which the students presented virtually to a group of 40 GAO staff.

Book Chapter (In peer review stage): Baumann, S., Devkota, B, Hawk, M, & Burke J. (2023). Putting People at the Center of Solutionmaking: Embracing Human-centered Design Thinking and Approaches for Developing Menstrual Health Interventions. Handbook of the Himalayas: Environments, Developments and Wellbeings. Routledge.

Geremicca, F., Sharrard, A.L., Bilec, M.M. (2022). “Greenhouse Gas Inventory” of the University of Pittsburgh, FY2021.” Completed 2022

APPENDIX – FACULTY & STAFF COMMITTEES

Faculty Ad Hoc Committee for Sustainability

• CHAIR: Melissa Bilec, Co-Director, Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation; Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering

• Allyson Delnore, Executive Director of Academic Affairs, University Center for International Studies

• Tony Delitto, Dean, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

• Betsy Farmer, Dean, School of Social Work

• Michael Glass, Director, Urban Studies Program

• Matt Kropf, Associate Professor, Engineering Science & Technology; Director, Energy Institute, Pitt Bradford

• Ruth Mostern, Professor, History; Director, World History Center

• Daniel Mosse, Professor & Associate Dean, Computing & Information

• Tina Ndoh, Associate Professor, Environmental and Occupational Health, Public Health

• Cassie Quigley, Associate Professor, School of Education

• David Sanchez, Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering

• Patrick Shirey, Assistant Professor, Geology and Environmental Sciences

• Carissa Slotterback, Dean, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs

• Göetz Veser, Professor, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering

• Jennifer Wasco, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing

• Staff Liaisons:

o Gena Kovalcik, Co-Director, Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation

o Aurora Sharrard, Executive Director, Office of Sustainability

Faculty Sustainability Task Force

• Drew Armstrong, Associate Professor and Director, Architectural Studies

• Dan Bain, Assistant Professor, Geology & Environmental Science

• Aaron Barchowsky, Professor, Environmental and Occupational Health, Public Health

• Melissa Bilec, Co-Director, Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation; Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering

• John Camillus, Beall Professor of Strategic Management, Katz School of Business

• Walter Carson, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences

• Matthew Burton, Assistant Professor, Computing & Information

• Emily Elliott, Associate Professor, Geology & Environmental Science

• Shanti Gamper-Rabindran, Assistant Professor, GSPIA

• Marcela Gonzalez Rivas, Associate Professor, GSPIA

• Michael Goodhart, Professor, Political Science & Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies

• Justin Kitzes, Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences

• Stephen Lee, Assistant Professor, Computer Science

• Gena Kovalcik, Co-Director, Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation

• Daniel Mosse, Professor and Associate Dean, Computing & Information

• Ruth Mostern, Associate Professor, History

• Mary Ohmer, Associate Professor, Social Work

• Cassie Quigley, Associate Professor, School of Education

• David Sanchez, Associate Director, Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation; Associate Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering

• John Sebastian, Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering

• Aurora Sharrard, Executive Director of Sustainability, Office of Sustainability

• Kay Shimizu, Assistant Professor, Political Science

• Patrick Shirey, Assistant Professor, Geology & Environmental Sciences

• Jeremy Weber, Assistant Professor, GSPIA

APPENDIX – FACULTY & STAFF COMMITTEES

Chancellor’s Advisory Council on Sustainability

• CHAIR: Aurora Sharrard, Executive Director of Sustainability, Office of Sustainability

• Jennifer Barnes, Supplier Diversity & Sustainability Manager, Purchasing Services

• Illona Beresford, Director of Planning & Projects, Business Auxiliary Services

• Melissa Bilec, Co-Director, MCSI; Professor, Civil & Environmental Eng.

• Cameron Chase, Managing Director, Student Office of Sustainability; Undergraduate Student

• Brooke Christy, JD Candidate, School of Law

• Justin Dandoy, Director of Community Affairs, Engagement & Community Affairs

• Keith Duval, Associate Director of Environmental Programs, Environmental Health & Safety

• Nicholas Goodfellow, Sustainability Manager, Business, Hospitality, & Auxiliary Services

• Dustin Gray, Executive Associate Athletic Director for Administration, Athletics

• Gena Kovalcik, Co-Director, Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation

• Will Mitchell, Facility Services Director, Facilities Management

• Madeline Weiss, Student Sustainability Engagement Manager, Student Affairs

• Cindy Wertz, Chief of Staff, Information Technology

• Laura Zullo, Director of Administration, Business & Operations

University of Pittsburgh Sustainability Steering Committee

• Aurora Sharrard, Executive Director of Sustainability, Office of Sustainability

• Nicholas Goodfellow, Sustainability Manager, Business, Hospitality, & Auxiliary Services

• Gena Kovalcik, Co-Director, Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation

• Laura Zullo, Director of Administration, Business & Operations

MCSI External Advisory Board

• Chuck Blumenschein, Vice President & Industrial R&D, Veolia Water

• David Constable, Director, Green Chemistry Institute at American Chemical Society

• Kendell Ernst, Project Manager, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

• Charles Liotta, Vice Provost for Research & Dean of Graduate Studies, Georgia Tech

• Annie Pearce, Associate Professor Department of Building Construction, Virginia Tech