It is with deep sadness we announce the passing of MCSI's founder John C. "Jack" Mascaro. Jack Mascaro was the founder and chair of Mascaro Construction, one of the largest general contracting and construction management firms in the nation. He earned his BS and MS degrees in civil engineering from Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering in 1966 and 1980, respectively. Jack went on to give back to Pitt Engineering with gifts to establish the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation, the John C. Mascaro Learning Center, and the Peter J. Mascaro Endowed Fund in the Construction Management Program.
You can read more about Jack's incredible life in the pieces linked below.
In Summer 2020, the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation's Summer Undergraduate Research Program was entirely remote. Supporting over 20 virtual student research projects, we also provided weekly virtual lectures on sustainability topics and ended the program with a vibrant Symposium wherein all students presented the results of their research. Check out some of theincredible research conducted this summer by video.
Claire Chouinard describes her current research with Nanobubbles in Dr. David Sanchez's lab.
Teach the Teacher
MCSI continued its traditional "Teach the Teacher" summer workshop remotely, providing guidance to 20 regional middle school teachers on how to incorporate sustainability into their curriculum. This year also included guidance for transitioning to remote and hybrid teaching models.
Diversity Forum
In recognition of current events and ongoing social justice issues in the U.S., Pitt hosted a Diversity Forum in July 2020. The Forum covered a wide range of topics, many overlapping with the social aspects of sustainability. Recordings and important conversations are available online.
Sustainability on Campus
Solar Purchase
Pitt continues making big strides towards carbon neutrality by 2037 with a new solar power purchase agreement that will supply ~13% of the Pittsburgh campus’s annual electricity usage. Under the 20-year agreement, the University will purchase all of the renewable electricity produced by a planned 20-megawatt solar power facility on the border of Allegheny and Beaver Counties. Read more about this exciting initiative.
Pitt in Top 30 Green Power Purchasing Universities
For the second year running, the University of Pittsburgh made the EPA's Top 30 list of Green Power Purchasing Universities , this time at #30. Read more!
Faculty Highlights
The University of Pittsburgh’s Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation (MCSI) announced three new 2020-21 Leonard Peters Faculty Fellows in Sustainability.
The Fellowships provide opportunities for Pitt faculty members focused on sustainability to contribute to strategic MCSI goals, including their mission of interdisciplinary excellence in sustainability research and education.
Danielle Andrews-Brown
Dr. Danielle Andrews-Brown is Assistant Dean of the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences and program coordinator of the Environmental Studies in the Department of Geology and Environmental Science. She has conducted lab and field scale research as it pertains to water and soil quality for over 14 years, focusing on carbon, nitrogen, and emerging contaminants like estrogens and antibiotics. Her research interests also include formal and informal science education. As part of her Fellowship, Dr. Andrews-Brown will help to implement a focus on sustainability in the curriculum.
Michael Blackhurst
Dr. Michael Blackhurst is a research scientist and professional engineer at the Center for Social and Urban Research at Pitt. Co-director of the Urban & Regional Analysis Program, he oversees research in the energy, water, and climate sectors. His current work involves energy and water efficiency, renewable energy, regional climate change mitigation and adaptation, regional water resource planning, and urban stormwater management. As part of his Fellowship, Dr. Blackhurst is co-teaching the course “Current Issues in Sustainability” and will assist with the "Sustainability Capstone" course project recruitment and mentoring.
Tony Kerzmann
Dr. Tony Kerzmann is an associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science. Kerzmann’s research focuses on the energy sector, leading projects relating to energy and sustainability, including solar energy. As part of his Fellowship, Kerzmann will help to co-teach the “Current Issues in Sustainability” and the “Sustainability Capstone” courses.
Alumni Profile
Young Grguras
I accepted a position at the Post-Landfill Action Network in April of my senior year at Pitt, started with them in July 2019, and have been working with PLAN ever since. I get to advise schools all across the U.S. (and sometimes world) on sustainable initiatives similar to the ones I worked on at Pitt.
Sustainability at Pitt in all its forms of student activism, SOOS, and Environmental Studies, basically defined my future. I still work in sustainability and always will. Pitt was a PLAN member school and I used their advising as a student -- and now I'm on the other end of the calls, doing the advising to students! It's quite the glow up.
Basically everything about my job is fun. I get to work with young adults that are changing the world, and make memes (like this one) as a part of my job, what else would I want?
Student Profiles
The Pitt Sustainability team has created easy-to-deliver modules to provide current Pitt students with sustainability information related to academic opportunities, operations, and activities. Our dynamic group of trained student volunteers (highlighted below) are ready and available to zoom into classes to tell students all about sustainability opportunities on campus in unprecedented numbers! To date, we have shared this presentation with over 1,200 Pitt students in Fall 2020 alone!
Brandon Brewster, Junior, Environmental Science
Aaron Carr, Junior, Environmental Science
Anna Coleman, Senior, Statistics and Global Studies
Zach Delaney, Senior, Environmental Science
Anfernee La Cruz, Senior, Environmental Studies
Jessica Sorick, Senior, Chemical Engineering
Coming Soon
Sustaining Sustainability Podcast
The Sustaining Sustainability podcastfrom Pitt's Center for Sustainable Business returned last week, featuring Lisa Osborne Ross, Chief Operating Officer of Edelman U.S. and President of Edelman Washington DC. She and Dr. CB Bhattacharya discusses the growing importance of brand trust during the current COVID-19 crisis -- and how companies can navigate brand trust as part of their sustainability strategy.
Join us for the first Green Speakeasy of the year!
Green Speakeasy: Responsible Investment for a Sustainable World
Thursday, September 24 at 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The Green Speakeasy Series returns with Tom Croft, Executive Director, Steel Valley Authority and Managing Director, Heartland Capital Strategies Network. Join us for this discussion with Tom about balancing equity, environment, and economics to ensure current and future generations can thrive.
Hosted by the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation and the Center for Sustainable Business. Registerto receive the Speakeasy link.
Ending Quote
"Although the effects of climate change are slow-moving in influencing our lives, the consequences from our current actions can be truly devastating to future generations. It is our duty as educators, advocates, policy-makers, designers, business owners, influencers, community-leaders, students, scientists, engineers, etc. to educate, influence and work toward a more sustainable future."
Dr. Tony Kerzmann Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science 2020-2021 Leonard Peters Faculty Fellow
