Advisory: Marquette experts, story ideas for Earth Day April 22
April 19, 2022
MILWAUKEE — Earth Day is Friday, April 22, and Marquette University has a variety of experts to help with stories surrounding the environment and sustainability.
Experts available
Marquette faculty are available on a wide range of environmental topics. Experts are able to speak on the environment from social angles, such as ecological debt, ecology and environmental politics, philosophy, responsibility, economics, ethics and history. Some experts include:
- Dr. Gerry Canavan, associate professor of English, has expertise in ecological humanities, ecological debt, visions of ecological apocalypse, ecology and environmental politics.
- Dr. Heather Kohls, associate professor of practice in economics, can discuss environmental economics.
Other experts can cover technical aspects, including engineering and hazardous waste clean-up, as well as environmental chemistry and microbiology:
- Dr. Patrick McNamara, associate professor of construction and environmental engineering, is an expert in environmental chemistry, environmental microbiology and wastewater treatment.
- Dr. Daniel Zitomer, chair and professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering, has expertise in toxic pollutants in wastewater and contaminated groundwater and soil.
- Dr. David Strifling, professor of law, is director of the Water Law and Policy Initiative.
Stories
Following are just a few of the recent ways Marquette is working toward a more sustainable future:
- MUPD moving to hybrid squad cars — The Marquette University Police Department has begun its transition to hybrid vehicles, deploying its first two hybrid squad cars at the start of the spring semester. The move is the first step in transitioning the department’s entire fleet to hybrid vehicles. The whole fleet is expected to be hybrid by 2025.
- Enhanced opportunities for bicycle use — Marquette has outdoor bike racks located around campus and inside both parking garages, and the university offers secure indoor bike storage through its commuter program. Additionally, Marquette recently installed four Dero Bicycle Repair Stations strategically throughout campus. Each station is equipped with an air pump, common tools used to performance basic bike maintenance such as tightening gears and changing a tire, and a rack to hang your bike from. For those who do not own a bicycle but want to explore the city, a Bublr Bikes rental station is located just outside of the Weasler Auditorium.
- Renewable energy initiatives — Marquette has two solar arrays. One on the 313 Building (30kw) and one on Engineering Hall (10kw). The university is actively pursuing other ways it can reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and implement on-campus renewable energy sources.
- Sustainable building standards — Whether it is a renovation or a new building, Marquette University's planning team always has a sustainability mindset when planning a project. Energy conservation and efficiency measures like window glazing, LED light fixtures, low-flow toilets, automatic sinks, light sensors, Energy Star rated appliances and more are a part of a project’s plan. Additionally, the university has six buildings certified by The U.S. Green Building Council's green building rating system LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).
- Sustainability Internship Program — Launched in the summer of 2021, the Sustainability Internship Program gives five students of any major each year the opportunity to gain experience in the sustainability field by working on a wide range of projects and initiatives that work to advance sustainability at Marquette, from environmental justice to transportation to energy to landscaping.
Media interested in covering any sustainability stories at Marquette should contact Kevin Conway, associate director of university communication, at kevin.m.conway@marquette.edu.
About Kevin Conway
Kevin is the associate director for university communication in the Office of University Relations. Contact Kevin at (414) 288-4745 or kevin.m.conway@marquette.edu.
