John DeRosa, a student in the University of Georgia College of Engineering, has been awarded a Campus Sustainability Grant to launch a campus-wide “green labs” initiative.
DeRosa, an environmental engineering major from Lilburn, will use the $5,000 grant from the UGA Office of Sustainability to implement strategies that enhance safety, conserve resources and reduce waste in UGA laboratories.
“One particular component of the project involves inspecting autoclaves on campus for water efficiency issues,” explained DeRosa. “However, most initiatives involved will be primarily aimed towards energy savings in laboratories.”
The project also aims to facilitate communication between researchers on issues related to laboratory sustainability, according to DeRosa.
In all, the UGA Office of Sustainability awarded $40,000 to fund 10 interdisciplinary student projects through its annual Campus Sustainability Grants Program.
The program, funded by student green fees and a Sustainability + Arts partnership with Ideas for Creative Exploration, provides financial and staff resources to implement student-initiated projects that further the university’s sustainability goals.
