About the Center for Sustainability
Born from a grassroots movement of students and faculty in 1995, The Center for Sustainability (CfS) at Penn State has emerged as an important part of Penn State 's efforts to address the environmental, economic, and social challenges of sustainability through the engagement of its students. With the support from the highest levels of the Penn State Administration, the CfS has piloted hands-on student research projects, courses, and outreach efforts in sustainability such as the American Indian Housing Initiative and the Solar Decathlon. These combined programs have helped to develop experience, capacity, and facilities that position the CfS as a unique entity at Penn State that will focus upon the critical interfaces between sustainable technologies and the practices that will put these technologies into action.
Now, in this critical time facing our nation and our society, the CfS is poised to create a world class institute devoted to the development of global citizens, leaders and entrepreneurs that will flourish in the new global energy economy.
Detailed History
The Center for Sustainability at Penn State was founded in 1995 by Dr. Barbara Anderson, a fellow of the Leonard Center in the College of Engineering. Initial financial support came from 11 colleges and units on campus across disciplines, as well as a three year commitment by then-provost John Brighton. Dr. Tania Slawecki (PSU Alumna: MS physics 1987, PhD Materials Science and Engineering 1995) served as director from May 2001 to June 2004.
In the Fall of 2004, the CfS came under the direction of Dr. David Riley, a faculty member in Architectural Engineering and Dr. Andy Lau, a faculty member in the School of Engineering Design, Technology, and Professional Programs.
A planning grant from the Heinz Endowments in 2001 provided the Center with the unique opportunity to ask, "How can the Center contribute to the effort to make Penn State, Pennsylvania and the Planet more sustainable?"
Sustainability Metrics are tools that can be used to assess the degree of sustainability, including embodied energy costs, life cycle analysis, metabolic rate analysis, and ecological footprinting--the area of of land needed to provide the resources one needs to live and to absorb the waste one produces. Using these tools right on the University Park Campus provided the Center with a unique and innovative contribution.
Local government officials and residents of the Centre region became involved in many aspects of the Center’s work, developing a broadly based “University Without Walls” program. A particularly exciting challenge occurred on April 1, 1997 when the Center organized a one-day Institute in Applied Corporate Sustainability for the Lycrand Chemical Units of Dupont Corporation. As a result, Dupont established an internship for a Masters Degree Engineering graduate in sustainability metrics. Following the success with Dupont, the Provost extended his office’s commitment to the Center for three years. Administratively, the Center first became housed in the Science, Technology and Society Program in the College of Engineering. It has been promoted from a departmental level center to a college level Center in Engineering.
The Center currently resides on an nine acre piece of land beyond Porter Rd. only a few hundred yards from Beaver Stadium. The Site features a Hybrid Homestead, an off-the-grid residence and minifarm. Many faculty, staff, students and community volunteers have contributed over the years to install the current projects at the Site.