PROGRAM UPDATES

• SUSTAINABILITY COURSE SURVEY
  A revised STARS survey evaluating sustainability content in courses is now available to all instructors at Penn State.
• Earth Day Activities
  Click here for a list of activities occuring at the Sustainability Experience Center on April 20, 2012.
• Minor in Sustainability Leadership
  Students interested in applying can learn more here.
• Northern Mid-Atlantic Solar Education and Resource Center
  Many short and full length courses on a variety of solar topics are scheduled for 2012.
• National Energy Leadership Corps
  A new pilot program, in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh, will enable students to conduct energy assessments and teach local homeowners how to save money on their energy bills.
• American Indian Housing Initiative
  This summer a group of AIHI alumni are planning a reunion and will once again gather as guests of the Northern Cheyenne on their reservation in southern MT.
• Renewable Energy for Central America (RECA)
  PPG Industries Foundation recently granted $10,000 in support of the 2012 RECA program.
• GridStar Center
  The GridSTAR Center has begun the development of a new smart grid education training center at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

Penn State Launches New Minor in Sustainability Leadership

Penn State's Faculty Senate approved a new intercollege minor in Sustainability Leadership, open to students in any major. Administered by the Office of Undergraduate Education and a committee of faculty from across the colleges and campuses of the university, the program launched in Fall 2011. Advising for the minor is handled by Penn State's Center for Sustainability (CfS).

"All academic fields have a contribution to make in helping to solve global sustainability challenges. We're delighted to be able to offer this minor to students across all disciplines," said CfS associate director Susannah Barsom. "One of the primary goals for the minor is to prepare these students who are passionate about sustainability to make positive change in the world, no matter what their field of study."

Requirements for the 18-credit minor include a new course, Foundations of Leadership in Sustainability (SUST 200) and a capstone project that provides students the opportunity to gain experience applying sustainability principles in the field.

A wide variety of courses from across the Penn State curriculum are eligible for inclusion in the minor, allowing students to select sustainability classes from their major requirements and their general education electives. more