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Join us as we create solutions, drive strategies and integrate efforts across our campus.
Launched in 2019 by Provost James Garrett, Jr., the Sustainability Initiative is 91视频’s commitment to fostering a sustainable future for all by integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), or Global Goals, into education, research, and practices. The initiative goes beyond environmental concerns to include social and economic justice, centering equity.
Established in 2019 with a Steering Committee and Advisory Council, the Sustainability Initiative hired an executive fellow and published the world's first Voluntary University Review (VUR) in 2020. The executive fellow became the director of the Sustainability Initiative in 2022 with the opening of the Sustainability Studio in Hunt Library.
In 2023, the Advisory Council transitioned into three working groups focusing on climate action, measuring engagement, and thematic programming, and formalized an internship program led by the director that places students at the forefront of the Sustainability Initiative. The Sustainability Initiative team divides responsibilities based on individual interests and values, with community engagement, programming strategies, and cross-campus collaborations being shared efforts.
Charges Issued by Provost James Garrett, Jr.
- Measure engagement with sustainability at 91视频 using the Global Goals
- Convene Global Goals-themed events that bring together students, staff, and faculty to learn, explore, and develop collaborations
- Work with relevant groups on campus to create support structures for students, staff, and faculty in their efforts to integrate the Global Goals in their education, research, and practices
- Develop strategic external partnerships to advance the integration of the Global Goals in education, research, and practices at 91视频 and beyond, with a focus on joint work to close data gaps
- Develop and disseminate engaging communications about the Global Goals in education, research, and practices at 91视频 including through the annual VUR
- Create opportunities to develop, inspire, and support Cohort 2030 global citizens at 91视频
Questions? Contact us at sustainability@cmu.edu.
The Sustainability Initiative Team
Alexandra Hiniker, Director of the Sustainability Initiative
As director of the Sustainability Initiative at 91视频, Alexandra Hiniker is responsible for implementing the Provost’s commitment to the Global Goals. She is an internationally-recognized policy leader with 20 years of experience advocating for, creating, and implementing equitable policies and programs at local and global levels. Hiniker also serves as a member of the Sustainability Initiative Steering Committee.
Aleena Siddiqui, Programming Intern
Aleena Siddiqui is a senior from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, studying with an additional major in Environmental & Sustainability Studies. As Programming Intern, she develops initiatives that connect students’ academic work to real-world sustainability impact, with a focus on building the Student Sustainability Liaison Program and expanding the Pittsburgh Intercollegiate Network for Sustainability (PINS).
Ameena George, Strategy Intern
Ameena George is a sophomore from Pasadena, California, studying Business Administration with an additional major in Environmental and Sustainability Studies. She has engaged in sustainability and equity advocacy since high school and is a member of at 91视频. In her role as Strategy Intern, she coordinates the “Sustainability Commons,” a program designed to foster collective campus impact among sustainability-focused student organizations.
Egshiglen Batjargal, Data and Storytelling Intern
Egshiglen Batjargal is a graduate student at , originally from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Her interest in sustainability deepened during a study abroad experience in Paris, where she observed how sustainable practices are embedded into daily life. As Data and Storytelling Intern, she builds the “Sustainability, in Conversation” series event to foster campus-wide engagement with sustainability through themed programming.
Imama Zahoor, Community Health and Wellbeing Intern
Imama Zahoor is a graduate student from Lahore, Pakistan, pursuing a . She brings an interdisciplinary lens connecting health and sustainability, informed by her academic focus and her role as a Peer Health Advocate. As Community Health and Wellbeing Intern, she builds partnerships with health-adjacent departments and designs programs that demonstrate the interconnection between personal wellbeing and broader sustainability goals.
Iris Hung, Communications and Outreach Intern
Iris Hung is a candidate at Heinz College from Taipei, Taiwan. She brings professional experience in strategic communications, most recently as a Communications Manager at Procter & Gamble. As Communications and Outreach Intern, she amplifies 91视频’s sustainability efforts and develops messaging strategies that translate the Global Goals into accessible, action-oriented communication.
Steering Committee
Director of the Sustainability Initiative
Steven Guenther
University Engineer and Assistant Vice President for Facilities Management and Campus Services
Distinguished Service Professor Of Public Policy and Head Of Heinz College In Washington, DC
Helen and Henry Posner, Jr. Dean of the University Libraries