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Center for Sustainability Thought Leadership

Thought Leadership from the Center for Sustainability 

Current (and former) Center for Sustainability staff have been actively advancing integral ecology for many years by presenting research at conferences, creating new partnerships, earning internal and external grants, and writing about sustainability for the Bronco community and beyond.  

To find our current staff roster and past alumni list visit Our Team. To learn about our university-wide thought leadership program, visit Sustainability Thought Leaders.

Grant Recipients

Congratulations to Erin Kimura-Walsh (Director, LEAD Scholars Program), Melissa Thiriez (Director, Employment Relations and Partnerships, Career Center), and Veronica Johnson (Academics and Engagement Program Manager, Center for Sustainability) on their receiving a grant from the Regents Experiential Learning Initiative for “Styling Success: Career Wardrobes.” This program aims to educate students on workplace attire and expand the Center for Sustainability’s thrift pop-up to a permanent store.


Forge Garden Manager Rebecca Nelson, Anthropology professor and Center for Sustainability Thought Leader Maia Dedrick, and English professor Amy Lueck received a grant from the Environmental Justice & Common Good Initiative and the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship.  Their project “Native Plants for Stewardship, Harvest, and Sustainable Use in Ohlone Cultural Projects” will support sharing Ohlone cultural knowledge and public education in the local community. Ohlone youth will engage in an annual summer cultural camp, while SCU students and community members will learn about Native plants at the Forge Garden.

Professional Affiliations

Urban Grower Network (UGN) Program: Becca Nelson, Garden Manager of the Forge Garden, represents one of eight Urban Agriculture Organizations that form the UGN Program. This initiative enhances equitable access to healthy foods and environmental education to serve community needs. 

Publications

Year Title, Author Publication
2023 A Sustainable Playbook for 2023 by Lindsey Kalkbrenner and Maria Judnick  

Santa Clara Magazine

Implementing the Laudato Si’ University Pathways: To change everything, we need everyone by Alison Benders, Chad Raphael, and Lindsey Kalkbrenner Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education
2018 Dreaming of a Green Christmas, by Lindsey Kalkbrenner Illuminate 
2015 How to waste less of California's precious water, by Lindsey Kalkbrenner San Francisco Chronicle
Lindsey shares water-saving tips in a story about Governor Brown's conservation regulations, by Lindsey Kalkbrenner KCBS
2012 Make a resolution for a sustainable 2013, by Lindsey Kalkbrenner SFGate

Conferences

Year Presenter/Moderator Title of Talk Conference Title
2024 Veronica Johnson, Leslie Gray and Dylan Houle, SCU "Building the Next Generation of Climate Leaders" Association for the
Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Webinar 
2023 Mary Ellen Mallia, Gregory Massara, and Courtney Ryan, University of Albany; Angela Melidosian, University of Florida; Veronica Johnson, SCU “Innovations in Assessing Sustainability Competence, Culture, Literacy, and
Engagement”
Global Conference for Sustainability in Higher Education, Association for the
Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
2022 Jose Aguto, Catholic Climate Covenant, and Lindsey Kalkbrenner, SCU "Ways Universities Can Lead on the Issues of Climate Change" Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities
Lindsey Kalkbrenner Keynote: Jessica Yinka Thomas AASHE Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education
2019

Cara Uy and Lindsey Kalkbrenner

“A People-Oriented Sustainability Strategic Plan” California Higher Education Sustainability Conference (CHESC)
Emma McCurry ‘21, and Lindsey Kalkbrenner Presentation: “Student-Campus Collaborations to Purchase Sustainable Food”
Cara Uy and Leslie Gray Workshop: “Campus Transitions Towards Sustainability and Environmental Justice” Environmental Justice & The Common Good
2018 Lindsey Kalkbrenner Presentation: “Sustainability Strategic Plan Overview” Silicon Valley Power Energy Task Force
2017 John Farnsworth and Lindsey Kalkbrenner Sustainability Across the Curriculum  "Penstemon 2.0" (Poster) Hawaii Sustainability in Higher Education Summit
Kayla Wells, '16, and Lindsey Kalkbrenner "How Does Your Campus Talk Trash?" (Poster)
2016 Cara Uy "Empowering Change Agents to Help Build a Culture of Sustainability" Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU)
Lindsey Kalkbrenner with Marissa Pimentel and Tim O'Keefe   "Data, Key Performance Indicators, and Reporting"
Cara Uy Presenting "Streamlining Your Communication Efforts" CHESC (Panel session: "Utilizing Communication for Strengthening Sustainability".)
2015 Lindsey Kalkbrenner Sustainability Liaisons: "Embedding sustainability champions throughout your campus’ social network" Hawaii Sustainability in Higher Education Summit 
Lindsey Kalkbrenner Student Engagement Discussion
Lindsey Kalkbrenner "Culture of Sustainability" Loyola Maryland University Sustainability Conference

John Farnsworth and Lindsey Kalkbrenner

 

Sustainability Across the Curriculum workshop: "Penstemon 2.0"  

AASHE Conference
Kayla Wells Poster Session: "How Do Your Campus Talk Trash?" 
Cara Uy Panel Presentation: "Activating Change Agents Across Campus"
Cara Uy AJCU Networking
Lindsey Kalkbrenner STARS panel with Stanford and UCSB CHESC
John Farnsworth and Lindsey Kalkbrenner "Sustainability Across the Curriculum and STARS"
Rose Madden "Communicating the value of campus garden"
Lindsey Kalkbrenner "Student Convergence: Waste Toolkit"
Janice DeMonsi "National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) - Recreation and Sustainability"
2013 Michelle Tang, '13 "Leaders for the Environment, Art, and Fashion (LEAF): Educating Students About the Impacts and Issues of Environment, Art, and Fashion" AASHE  Conference
Amelia Evans, '13, and Cara Uy "Institutionalizing Sustainability in University Residence Life and Engaging Student Residence Life Leaders"
Amelia Evans, '13, and Cara Uy Closing Panel CHESC
Lindsey Kalkbrenner  "Sustainability Liaison Network" AJCU annual Facilities, Sustainability, and Public Safety Conference
Lindsey Kalkbrenner "Managing Multiple Projects and Student Interns" Hawaii Sustainability in Higher Education Summit
Lindsey Kalkbrenner  "Principles of Influence and Social Media"
Lindsey Kalkbrenner "Ho'olaulima: Creating a Culture of Sustainability"
2012 Lindsey Kalkbrenner "The Sustainable Campus" National Professional Asset Management Association
Christiane Sanicola, '13 "Improving Residence Hall Waste Disposal" AASHE  Conference, Student Summit
Michelle Tang, '13 "Students Collaborating and Organizing Opportunities and Projects for Sustainability (SCOOPS): Supporting Student Leaders, Fostering Collaboration, Enhancing Events, Preventing Burn-out"
Christiane Sanicola '13, MichelleTang '13, Megan Anders '14, and Aven Satre-Meloy '13 "From Start to Finish (And Then Some): Collaborative Event Planning for Successful and Sustainable Projects"
Janice DeMonsi, and Lindsey Kalkbrenner "Powered by Sweat: Engaging Athletes and Campus Recreation in Meaningful, Incremental Steps" AASHE
Lindsey Kalkbrenner (SCU), with Mieko Ozeki (UVM), Smith Getterman (Baylor), andTavey McDaniel Capps (Duke)  "Sustainability Officers 1.0 to 2.0 Toolkit: Strategic and Sane Workload Management of People, Projects, and Programs on Your Campus"
Christine Cooley and Dave Kohler (Pacific Lutheran), with Jiffy Vermylen (Stanford), Lindsey Kalkbrenner (SCU), and Richard Smardon (SUNY). "STARS Case Studies" Association for Environmental Studies and Sciences 2012
Bill Mains and Lindsey Kalkbrenner  "Contemplative Leadership and Sustainability Program (CLASP): A Model for Developing Change Agents" This Way to Sustainability Conference hosted by CSU Chico
Michelle Tang, '13, and Lindsey Kalkbrenner

"Supporting Student Leaders: Fostering Collaboration, Enhancing Events, Preventing Burn-out"

2011 Dan DiLeo, Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, and Lindsey Kalkbrenner "Grounding Sustainability in Faith-Based Mission and Identity" AASHE 
Lindsey Kalkbrenner "Best Practices for Student Engagement with Sustainable Food Services" NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
Lindsey Kalkbrenner "Orientation and First Year Experience Programs" CHESC
2010 Lindsey Cromwell Kalkbrenner, co-presenter "Mobilizing the Mission: Sustainability on Faith-Based Campuses" AASHE 
 Liza Dadiomov '10 "A Quantitative Measure of the Culture of Sustainability at Santa Clara University"
Lindsey Cromwell Kalkbrenner Panel: "Participating in STARS: Case Studies From California Schools" CHESC
Hannah Slocum '11, Christopher Woodhouse, Cara Uy, and "Re-defining the term 'environmentalist' by developing a culture of sustainability on campus. Strategies to engage those not yet involved, while celebrating those who are"
Kristin Sterling "Take a Hike! Reviewing a program for undergraduate business students to cultivate their leadership and reflective potential while forming a commitment to sustainability"
 Amy Shachter "Sustainability and Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities"

Lindsey Cromwell Kalkbrenner and Amy Shachter

"Crossing the Sustainability Chasm: Strategic and Serendipitous Institutionalization at Santa Clara University"
John Braverman, Lindsey Cromwell Kalkbrenner, Kaelin Holland, and Christopher Woodhouse "Beyond Green: Engaging Students to Develop a Culture of Sustainability on Campus" Ignatian Solidarity Network's Environmental Justice and Sustainability Teach-in
Lindsey Cromwell Kalkbrenner Panel: A presentation of SCU's techniques to promote waste diversion RecycleMania Promotions Webinar
2009 Lindsey Cromwell Kalkbrenner Panel: "Sustainability & the Catholic University: Administrative Leadership" University of Notre Dame's "Renewing the Campus" Conference
Lindsey Cromwell Kalkbrenner "Using the Campus as a Living Lab: Linking Students, Academics, and Facilities" AASHE and Ball State's "Greening of the Campus VII" Conference
Lindsey Cromwell Kalkbrenner and Sophie Asmar '09 "Culture of Sustainability: Fostering Sustainable Lifestyles at the College Level"
Lindsey Cromwell Kalkbrenner "The Sustainability Decathlon: Empowering Undergraduates to Engage Youth"
Lindsey Cromwell Kalkbrenner Panel: "Carbon Footprinting for Your Company: Here are the Tools" Silicon Valley Leadership Group's Silicon Valley Energy Summit