UH Again Earns Gold Rating for Sustainability Initiatives
The University of Houston is devoted to advancing sustainability on all fronts and every 3 years, the significance of these efforts is proven by high scores in the AASHE STARS report. This year, the University earned a rank of GOLD (the second highest ranking in the report) for the second reporting period in a row - additionally raising its overall score.
The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education's (AASHE) Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System (STARS) report is the paramount benchmark for sustainability efforts in higher education. STARS ratings are generated through a point system and institutions are scored in the following categories: academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration, and innovation. According to Michael Mendoza, UH sustainability manager, this second Gold status reflects the community's further commitment to supporting sustainability activities, programs and academic initiatives.
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Sustainability in the news
Sustainability Meetups Return with Texas' First Bullet Train
To kick off the Fall Semester, the Office of Sustainability will be hosting Texas Central for a discussion regarding Texas' first bullet train! The train will connect Houston to Dallas and revolutionize transit for millions of Texans in a sustainable way. Join us for a lively discussion about the rail's impact, along with some free snacks and networking.
The Office of Sustainability attends the 2019 Greater Houston Environmental Summit
The Office of Sustainability recently had the opportunity to attend the 2019 Greater Houston Environmental Summit. The conference was hosted by the Citizens' Environmental Coalition (CEC), a cohort of nearly 150 environmentally-focused organizations in the Houston-Gulf Coast region, and sought to showcase how Houston has been working towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). From business incubators like Impact Hub, to umbrella groups like the Coalition for Environment, Equity and Resilience (CEER), the Houston area is blooming with opportunities for sustainable development.
Unprecedented Gift Establishes Four New Institutes
The University of Houston has received a landmark $50 million gift from an anonymous donor to hire distinguished faculty to establish and support four new institutes that will address crucial challenges in the areas of energy, infrastructure, population health and global engagement. Called "Aspire Fund: The $50 Million Challenge," it is the largest single contribution to UH's "Here, We Go" philanthropic campaign.
The $50 million pledge creates a matching endowment program to establish endowed chairs and professorships across the university, which will be a first-of-its-kind program for UH. The Aspire Fund challenge is designed to inspire another $50 million in investments from additional donors, making the total impact as much as $100 million and positioning UH to be nationally competitive in attracting preeminent faculty.
NSF Awards Analysis and Development Grant to UH for Porous Molecular Crystals Research
A three year, $456K grant from the National Science Foundation will fund the development and analysis of materials that can store, release and sense different chemicals. These materials, called porous molecular crystals, are scaffold-like structures which contain hollow pores.
"Porous molecular crystals have a wide range of useful properties," said Ognjen Miljanic, University of Houston professor of chemistry and principal investigator of the grant.
