Increasing Collaboration to Build a Sustainable Future

Originally aired May 10, 2012, Co-produced by AASHE

Download the Increasing Collaboration slide deck

As the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) approached, thousands of participants from government, NGOs, the private sector, and other groups are prepared to join world leaders in a discussion of The Future We Want.  This session brought together a  panel of higher education and industry thought leaders to discuss ways these sectors can increase collaboration to further the goals of the UN’s RIO +20 conference through research, education, workforce preparation, sustainable practices, engineering solutions.

Moderator Georges Dyer,  Vice President of Second Nature hosted an expert panel:

• Chantal Line Carpentier, Sustainable Development Officer in the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs, offers a background on the Rio +20 conference, and what the UN hopes to accomplish.
• Alan Hecht, Director of Sustainable Development at the EPA’s Office of Research and Development, has been leading a research strategy to support transitioning sustainability from a concept into practice, and shares the EPA’s perspective.
• Paul Rowland, Executive Director of the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), the first professional higher education association for the campus sustainability community, oversees the network and provision of tools and resources to over 800 member institutions and over 200 Associate member organizations.
• Roy Koch, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Portland State University, oversees the academic mission of the state’s largest University with nearly 30,000 students and 1,500 professors.
• Rose Johnson, President of Haywood Community College, built a legacy by integrating sustainability not only into the campus, but also into the school’s curriculum.
• Dennis McGinn, President of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE), brings a military and defense background to the panel, along with ACORE’s work to bring all forms of renewable energy into the mainstream of the US economy.
• Jennifer Layke, Director of Johnson Controls’ Institute for Building Efficiency, leads the Institute’s research agenda and collaborations with a global network of experts working with high performance buildings and smart energy systems.  She brings a background of climate policy and renewable energy market development.
• Neil Hawkins, Dow’s Vice President of Sustainability and Environment, Health, and Safety,  drives the company’s strategy and implementation of sustainability programs, is a frequent keynote speaker in global forums on sustainability, and was part of the committee who produced the EPA’s ‘Green Book,’ guidelines for incorporating sustainability into the Agency.