November 3, 2025

The Campus Energy and Resilience Group (CERG) at the USG Energy Summit hosted at Georgia Tech

On October 1, the Office of Sustainability led the the USG Energy Summit in partnership with the Campus Energy and Resiliency Group (CERG), a recently formed energy collaboration among Georgia colleges. The summit focused on setting USG energy targets and increasing energy management practices for campuses statewide.

President Cabrera delivers opening remarks at the 2025 Campus Sustainability Forum

We were honored to welcome President Cabrera to the 2025 Campus Sustainability Forum. His keynote address illustrated Georgia Tech’s deep commitment to sustainability and inspired our community to accelerate progress toward our Institute goals. The Forum convened individuals from across campus to collaborate on innovative solutions for a more sustainable future. Through working groups, attendees helped shape actionable strategies in key areas: energy management, circular economy, living learning campus, and water stewardship.

The Office of Sustainability extends our heartfelt thanks to all who participated. Your insights, energy, and dedication are driving real change—and we’re excited to continue this journey together!

This year, the Office of Sustainability launched the Living Campus Research Pathway, a new initiative designed to connect cutting-edge research with real-world sustainability applications on campus. Our first step is to better understand the breadth of sustainability-focused research happening at Georgia Tech and explore opportunities to translate that work into tangible campus impact. 

We kicked off this effort with an inspiring conversation with Dr. Carolyn Seepersad, a professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. Her research offers promising pathways for reusing plastics right here on campus. We look forward to continuing these conversations and building stronger bridges between research and implementation.

Dr. Carolyn Seepersad, professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering

Georgia Tech colleagues sharing a photo with Georgia Tech President Emeritus Wayne Clough

Our office was honored to join our other Georgia Tech colleagues at the 2025 Georgia Resilience conference. The conference brought together leaders and researchers from across the state to share strategies on "Minimizing Georgia's Risk, Maximizing Georgia's Future." Associate Vice President of Sustainability Jennifer Chirico and Resilience Specialist Jairo Garcia presented on urban resiliency and disaster preparedness. Associate Director of Utilities Management Jermaine Clonts and Project Manager Vanessa Suarez attended to learn from the more than 430 resiliency experts on hand. A special highlight was the keynote speaker, Georgia Tech President Emeritus Wayne Clough, who gave an inspiring presentation on the history of conservation in Georgia. 

Lauren Barredo, NY Climate Exchange Chief of Staff, moderates a panel on the New York Climate Exchange with panelists Jennifer Chirico, Georgia Tech Associate VP of Sustainability, Celil Scheib, NYU Chief Sustainability Officer, NYU, and Tom Lanzilotta, Stony Brook Campus Energy Manager

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) held its annual national conference last week. Dr. Jennifer Chirico served on a panel for The New York Climate Exchange and shared the Institute's role as a founding partner and Georgia Tech's collaborative initiatives. Thank you to Georgia Tech Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems and Georgia Tech Infrastructure and Sustainability for sponsoring our participation.

Timothy Sterling, sustainability coordinator

Please join us in welcoming Timothy Sterling to the Office of Sustainability as our new sustainability coordinator! Tim is a recent graduate of Georgia Tech's Masters in Sustainable Energy and Environmental Management (MSEEM) program. He brings experience in sustainable buildings, energy policy, and stakeholder engagement. Welcome, Tim!

Enabling the Global Hydrogen Market Ramp-Up: Regional Pathways and Policy Drivers will examine how European ports are driving the development of both regional and global hydrogen economies through innovative policies, targeted investments, and cross-sector collaboration. Expert speakers will discuss the key drivers, challenges, and opportunities shaping hydrogen deployment, sharing lessons learned and outlining pathways toward a sustainable and interconnected energy future.

Join us on Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. in the Kendeda Building atrium for the final Sustainability Network of 2025 - a cozy regifting social. Bring one to two used but good condition items for exchange (no wrapping needed!) and gather with sustainability friends over puzzles, board games, and warm beverages. No registration required. 

The Office of Sustainability is committed to reducing food waste on campus and increasing landfill diversion. Last week, we received Georgia Tech's first large-scale composter through a grant from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. It is the first composter of its size for an urban campus in Georgia and one of very few in the Southeast. Join us at the ribbon cutting event on November 13 at 1 p.m. in the new I&S Resource Recovery Yard for a demonstration.