Colgate University Ranks Fourth in 2024 Sustainable Campus Index sliddell@colgate.edu Thu, 09/19/2024 - 08:29 Colgate University has been recognized as a top performer in the 2024 Sustainable Campus Index, securing the fourth position among baccalaureate institutions and retaining its gold status. The index, published by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), acknowledges institutions’ sustainability efforts, as measured through the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS). STARS assesses environmental, social, and economic sustainability across the higher education landscape. Ratings range from bronze to platinum. Colgate’s journey toward excellence in sustainability among baccalaureate institutions has been marked by consistent improvements — work that, in 2019, led Colgate to become the first higher education institute in New York State to achieve carbon neutrality.  Key accomplishments along this journey include the construction of LEED-certified buildings: two LEED Gold buildings (Burke and Jane Pinchin halls) and one LEED Platinum building (Benton Hall). Benton Hall’s sustainable design in particular has earned it numerous accolades, including New York State’s Green Building of the Year award in 2019. Colgate continues its commitment to sustainability with the construction of Bernstein Hall in Middle Campus, set to become the university’s seventh LEED-certified building. Key features include geothermal heating and cooling, which significantly lowers energy consumption, and an advanced rainwater management system that captures and reuses 90% of the rainwater on-site. The building is also designed to use 30% less energy than traditional buildings, with enhanced systems commissioning to ensure maximum efficiency. Additionally, 78% of the construction waste was diverted from landfills, and the use of low-VOC materials promotes superior indoor air quality. Through the Third-Century Sustainability Plan, Colgate has made significant strides campuswide in reducing its carbon footprint by implementing low-carbon energy technologies, retiring fuel oil heating systems, upgrading lighting, and conducting HVAC repairs. These efforts have collectively contributed to a more than 70% reduction in Colgate’s campus carbon footprint since 2009. Colgate has also integrated sustainability into its academic offerings, with more than 100 sustainability-focused and sustainability-related courses across 22 academic departments. Colgate’s sustainability intern program, Sustainability Passport program, Green Bikes program, and other green initiatives further bolster its high STARS rating. “The University’s STARS rating is a powerful testament to the collective efforts of our entire Colgate community to embrace sustainability as a core value,” stated John Pumilio, associate provost for sustainability. “Being recognized again by STARS validates our ongoing work and inspires us to push further, knowing that our efforts make a meaningful difference.” In addition to providing recognition, the AASHE STARS data collection process engages staff, interns, and members of the Sustainability Council throughout the campus community.  “Our students are at the heart of our sustainability efforts,” explained Julia Sparks, assistant director of sustainability. “They lead initiatives, conduct research projects, manage the Green Bikes program and Free Store, and are active in sustainability-focused clubs and internships. They also run the S-Reps programs, care for our half-acre organic garden, teach Climate Conversations, and contribute to the Sustainability Newsletter.” This engagement from the entire Colgate community ensures that sustainability remains a top priority in daily operations and decision-making. Moreover, STARS offers a comprehensive analysis of Colgate’s sustainability program, allowing the University to identify both its strengths and areas for further improvement. As Colgate continues to advance its sustainability initiatives, Pumilio reiterated the importance of community involvement, saying, “We are incredibly proud of this achievement, but we also recognize that sustainability is an ongoing journey. There is always more we can do, and we need the support of every member of our community to keep progressing.” Looking ahead, Colgate will continue to build upon the sustainable practices it has already established and prepare for its next STARS submission in fall 2025. “Together, we can build on this momentum and create a more sustainable future for Colgate and beyond,” said Pumilio. For more information about Colgate University’s sustainability efforts and AASHE STARS ranking, please visit the STARS website.Third Century Faculty & Staff Student sustainability

Prof. Joe Levy and Students Deploy Drones for NASA Research Collaboration oaquije Tue, 09/17/2024 - 08:44 If there are places on Earth that resemble the conditions of Mars, Joe Levy wants to know. Levy, an associate professor in Colgate’s Department of Earth and Environmental Geosciences, has spent years studying such locations as part of his work to determine where on Mars water and ice might be present.  Now, Levy’s research has caught the attention of NASA. Levy and two of his students — Riley Taylor ’26 and Flannery Hogan ’26 — spent a week during the summer in the Alvord Desert in Eastern Oregon with a NASA team that’s designing a new generation of Mars helicopters with sensors to examine moisture in soil. Together, the groups worked on a NASA-PSTAR (Planetary Science and Technology from Analog Research) project called “HeliHabitable.” The collaboration involved using Levy’s research drones, which have been tested in Antarctica and are equipped with cameras and sensors that measure different wavelengths of light, to study wet soil. By analyzing the moisture in the ground of a desert in extreme summer heat using drones rather than the naked eye, researchers wanted to perform their study in the same manner that scientists would use when examining the surface of Mars. “My two summer students and I were working to figure out how detectable the muddy groundwater plume was from a helicopter-borne sensor and how the detectability of the water changed throughout the day as the water dried up in the desert sun,” Levy said. “If we could find the water with a hyperspectral camera on Earth, this would give the Mars helicopter team confidence that they could use the same approach on Mars.” The Colgate study began a few years ago with research by Levy and Jessica Johnson ’22, who together published their findings. That report caught the attention of NASA researchers, who contacted Levy about joining him at the desert study site. The NASA team heard about the Colgate study in the Alvord Desert from one of its scientists, who knew Levy from their days as grad school students. NASA contacted Levy about joining him at the desert study site.  The Alvord Desert, which looks like something out of a science fiction movie, is famous for its picturesque landscape and hot springs that pour out of valley walls and disappear onto the dry lakebed. The hot springs look similar to landforms on Mars called Recurring Slope Lineae, Levy said. So far, the project has been a success. “We’re off to a great start,” Levy said. “Even though the field conditions were intense — it got up to 108 degrees on the desert floor and strong winds would blow through every afternoon. But we worked early in the day and got in lots of flights with the Colgate drones.” Levy and his students will return to the Alvord Desert the next two summers to continue their work. The NASA researchers plan to test their prototype for the new helicopter in the desert, although the project is still years away from being used in a real mission. The project has been a fulfilling experience for Levy’s students. They have learned how to prepare a drone and swap out parts that need to be replaced. They can manage missions in the desert and assess the data, he said. In addition, Taylor and Hogan are preparing a report on their findings and will present it at this winter’s Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Houston. “It’s exciting to have student scientists working on NASA-funded research,” Levy said. “This is a chance to get right up to the cutting edge of mission design and to be part of a mission before it ever even lifts off. I hope my students get a sense of the teamwork that’s needed to get a mission off the ground—from inspiration to testing to actually getting a rover on a rocket.  “I also hope they walk away excited about doing fieldwork. It’s very unlikely that I’m ever going to set foot on Mars, but by visiting the most Mars-like places on Earth, I can still be part of advancing Mars exploration while also figuring out how our home planet works.”Academics Natural Sciences and Mathematics Faculty News Research Faculty & Staff Student

Brazile and Steele Launch 2024 Road to White House Series mcwalden@colgate.edu Wed, 09/11/2024 - 09:54 Former Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile and former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele kicked off Colgate’s Road to the White House series on Sept. 4. The Q&A session in Memorial Chapel, moderated by President Brian W. Casey, gave audience members a look at the election process, the 2024 presidential campaign, and the challenges facing America — all from the perspective of political party leadership. On replacing the nominee Brazile reminded the audience that, when the rest of the Democratic Party fled President Joe Biden’s side following his debate with Donald Trump on June 27, Vice President Kamala Harris was the only one publicly supporting the president’s campaign. Why? “[Biden’s delegates] represented 14 million Americans who voted in the primary,” she says. “Number two, the president had amended his [Federal Election Commission] reports to say Biden/Harris.” This is a highly unusual practice — presidential and vice-presidential candidates typically hold separate accounts. It was a strong signal that Biden was hearing rumblings within his own party against his second-term candidacy as far back as September 2023, the point at which he made the changes. Very few took notice. “I just wish these conversations had been taken seriously in my party,” Steele says. “It would be a different race today if you had Nikki Haley at the top of the ticket versus Donald Trump.” Who’s at the party? Nearly half of Americans are not affiliated with a political party, and Trump has made a particular kind of headway by pulling from the margins. “This is not a red or blue thing,” Steele says. “This is an American thing. This is how Americans are viewing themselves. There are far more people on the outskirts of hope that we walk by politically, that we ignore politically.” According to survey data, those voters are typified by the white, female, suburban mom of two, divorced and living in New Hampshire, who, when asked why she likes Donald Trump, responds, “Because he is just like me.” And that voter is not abandoning Trump, because, as far as she is concerned, he has done what he said he would do, Steele says. Of course, candidate Trump cannot necessarily be held to what he says on the stump. In a second Trump administration, “there will be an effort made to put in place a national ban on abortion, regardless of what anyone thinks or says,” Steele says. “What you’re seeing Trump do now — he’s testing some things to see how you’re going to react to it.” Rocking the vote Brazile and Steele lead the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Election Legitimacy Initiative. They use public education campaigns to help voters understand their rights, identify misinformation, register to vote and cast ballots, and make sure votes are accurately counted. The former party chairs made their case to the Colgate community from the chapel stage: We the people have the power. Don’t give it to the political parties.  “There are forces that are making it harder to register to vote,” Brazile says. “If you give the politicians and the parties power, they will use it against you.” Brazile continued to explain that the primary process is not in the constitution and can be changed to widen the field of candidates. Furthermore, Kamala Harris’ candidacy has proven that a president can be selected in three months and a two-year campaign cycle is unnecessary. The country could adopt ranked voting. Election Day could be in spring rather than the dreary end of fall. It could be a national holiday. The ability to make these choices was given to the people by the founding fathers, who feared entrenched factionalism. Steele suggested that the audience simply Google “Georgia voting” if they needed proof of the processes in play. “What is more galling to me is listening to and watching elected officials within my party target largely communities of color while, at the same time, they say, ‘Oh, we are the greatest party for black people.’ When I see what you did in Detroit, Atlanta, and Philadelphia in the last cycle, don’t hand me that. And you shouldn’t take it.” A call to the next generation Steele and Brazile spoke directly to the students in the audience, calling on them to bring the power of their numbers to the ballot box and to be engaged citizens. “It is hard to say someone cheated when that number is big,” Steele says. “Our system is designed in an ironic and interesting way. It is hard to cheat the system. It has reinforced itself against fraud.” Brazile remembered her own days as an activist, fighting alongside other college students to end South African apartheid and to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day a national holiday. These advances took place during the conservative Reagan administration because, according to Brazile, the young people of America were galvanized and organized and the two political parties had strong relationships across the aisle. “You have to understand the process, and then you have to work within it, and you can put pressure on it to make things happen,” Brazile says.  And that all starts now, with an election that is 60 days away. In spite of the party politics, voter suppression, and vitriol, “it’s still about us — it’s still about our hope and dreams,” Brazile says. “This is not Donald Trump’s country; it’s our country. This is not Kamala’s country; it’s our country. We have to take ownership of our citizenship and we have to learn how to believe in each other.” The Road to the White House, Colgate’s 2024 Lecture Series, is presented by the Office of the President and Lampert Institute for Civic and Global Affairs. Read more.The Road to the White House: Colgate’s 2024 Election Series Centers and Institutes Campus Life News and Updates Alumni Faculty & Staff Student Lampert Institute Left to right: President Brian W. Casey, former Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile, and former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele (Photo by Ryan John Lee)

Fairuz Ishraque ’22 Receives UCAR Next Generation Fellowship mniedt@colgate.edu Tue, 09/10/2024 - 09:31 Fairuz Ishraque ’22 has been named a UCAR Next Generation Fellow. The fellowship, funded by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), supports engaged, motivated next-generation students as they progress through graduate school, exploring the intersections among earth system science, diversity and inclusion, and public policy — on the way to becoming changemakers in the field of atmospheric and earth system sciences. “The Next Generation Fellowship will give me access to crucial educational, research, and networking opportunities at the National Center for Atmospheric Research [NCAR],” Ishraque says. “I will be able to collaborate with NCAR scientists at the climate science and computational science research labs, and their guidance will help me hone my research targets, both during and after my PhD.” Ishraque, originally from Chattogram, Bangladesh, was a double major in astrogeophysics and applied mathematics at Colgate, receiving high honors in astrogeophysics. He worked as a tutor for the physics and astronomy department. Under the mentorship of Professor Joe Levy, he investigated boulder banding across Martian glaciers and their potential as Martian paleoclimate records. Ishraque and Levy’s research resulted in a publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Ishraque served as the president of the South Asian Cultural Club and the Colgate Data Science Society. He was a founding member of the Colgate Student Coalition and a presenter at the Colgate Ho Tung Visualization Lab. His contributions to Colgate’s community were recognized through various honors, including the Phi Beta Kappa Daniel H. Saracino Prize for exceptional scholarship, Allen First-Year Mathematics Prize, Sigma Pi Sigma (physics) National Honor Society, and the Class of 1997 Award. He was also an Alumni Memorial Scholar. After graduation, Ishraque started his PhD in geosciences at Princeton University with a focus in ice core paleoclimatology, under the supervision of Professor John Higgins in the Department of Geosciences and as a part of the NSF Science and Technology Center, COLDEX (Center for Oldest Ice Exploration). COLDEX has recently discovered and drilled ice cores up to 6 million years old from the Allan Hills blue ice area in Antarctica. The noncontinuous chronology of these ice cores has presented challenges in interpreting the climate signals they contain. To address these challenges, Ishraque is developing a high-resolution analysis technique known as laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). This method aims to provide clearer insights into the ancient terrestrial climate records preserved in the Allan Hills ice cores. As a UCAR Next Generation Fellow, Ishraque will collaborate with William Lipscomb, PhD, and Dan Amrhein, PhD, from the Climate and Global Dynamics Lab at NCAR. Their work will focus on modeling the history of ice flow at Allan Hills to better understand the dynamics affecting the ice core chronology. This collaboration will also involve engaging with other fellows in professional development and outreach activities, bridging science, diversity, equity, and public policy. Ishraque’s formula for success is one he encourages other Colgate students to follow. “Pursue what makes you happy,” he says. “Take classes that excite you. Participate in activities that challenge you. Your goals and progress are unique to you and only have to make sense to you.” For more information on the Office of National Fellowships and Scholarships, visit colgate.edu/onfs.Research Alumni Outcomes News and Updates Alumni onfs Department of Physics and Astronomy Department of Mathematics

Chenango Nursery School Expands Thanks to Partnership With Hamilton Central Schools ddevries@colgate.edu Fri, 09/06/2024 - 16:40 A new agreement between the Chenango Nursery School (CNS), the Hamilton Central School District (HCS), with help from Colgate University, will provide for 32 additional childcare slots at the nursery school this fall. A Hamilton institution since 1948, CNS has long provided childcare services to the local community, including for many Colgate faculty and staff. The University has played a role in assisting CNS through the years, including funding a $1.3 million physical expansion in 2013. According to Joanne Borfitz, AVP of Community Affairs, “CNS is an important community anchor providing necessary childcare services.  In 2013 the University funded an expansion at its current location and we began talking about another addition but the partnership with HCS makes so much more sense. This is a great example of partners coming together to solve community challenges. The University is incredibly thankful to Hamilton Central for making this a reality.” CNS has long maintained a lengthy wait list for childcare, and Director Christina Buyea says the new agreement, which was approved by the Hamilton Central School Board on August 15, will provide the nursery school with access to five additional classrooms in the district’s building directly adjacent to the nursery school. These additional classrooms will ultimately enable CNS to increase its capacity to about 150 students, which includes an after-school program for approximately 40 children. “We’ve had a long waitlist for the last few years,” Buyea said, “This is something we talked about before COVID hit. Now, I’m happy to say that we do not have a waitlist and there are openings for new students. This might be the first time that CNS has ever had openings in the fall.” The new agreement benefits all parties involved, as school district officials say they have seen regular student enrollment decline at Hamilton Central by about 20% in the past 20 years. As a result, HCS has classrooms that are not being utilized. The classrooms are all move-in ready, and the only infrastructure investment needed for the partnership was the installation of new door locks and swipe cards for security purposes.  “While this is a new expansion, our relationship with Chenango Nursery School has been a long-term partnership,” said HCS Superintendent Bill Dowsland. “We actually had discussions about expanding before COVID-19. When the pandemic struck, we needed the space for social distancing. This year, we revisited those conversations and are really excited to see this come together. It’s a great example of community partners working together to provide a much-needed service to our community. I’m thrilled we were able to make this happen. It will benefit all parties involved and is great for our entire community." HCS Business Director Matt Crumb said that in addition to filling a need within the community, the collaboration will also play a role in helping to acclimate local children to the district’s school setting. “We hope this is something that families see as a great benefit,” Crumb said. “It’s another piece attracting people to this community and ultimately we see it as helping to stabilize or increase our enrollment.” Families looking for more information about childcare at CNS can email director@chenangonurseryschool.org, or call 315-824-1810.Institutional News News and Updates Faculty & Staff Chenango Nursery School in its additional space at Hamilton Central School (Photo by Bernie Freytag)

Colgate University Introduces Narcan (Naloxone) Access and Training to Campus Community rdowning@colgate.edu Fri, 09/06/2024 - 08:58 Colgate University’s Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs (CAD) is working to address the dangers of the national opioid epidemic through a new initiative that provides education, training, and the installation of emergency naloxone stations at several locations across campus. Naloxone is the generic name for Narcan, the widely used drug designed to treat accidental opioid exposure or overdoses in emergency situations. Despite a significant increase in fentanyl-related overdose deaths among young people, a study published in May in the journal JAMA Pediatrics found that fewer than 15 percent of U.S. college students are able to administer the life-saving medication to someone experiencing an overdose. Colgate’s new initiative is now offering training on administering naloxone, distributing free naloxone kits, and educating students about the dangers of opioid overdose. “We must do everything possible to educate students about accidental exposure to fentanyl and fatal opioid-related overdoses; however, education alone will not save a student’s life,” said Paul J. McLoughlin II, vice president and dean of the college. “While Campus Safety officers have Narcan available for emergencies, the national epidemic of overdose fatalities led CAD to make naloxone more readily available to students on campus. I am happy to support and recognize their efforts with this new initiative to protect our students.” A campus-wide coalition of staff, faculty, and students, CAD is charged by the dean of the college with overseeing Colgate’s approach to addressing high-risk behavior and misuse of alcohol and other drugs. Formed in 2023, CAD focuses on the education, prevention, and response to problematic consumption of substances. Naloxone training has been added to the educational sessions required of student organizations in order to host social events. Similar workshops are being offered to the student body at large as well as staff and faculty members. The 60-minute presentation includes information on the dangers of opioids, how to recognize an overdose, the use of naloxone to reverse an opioid overdose, and additional support resources. Participants receive a naloxone kit to have on hand. The kits contain a set of gloves, two doses of naloxone, a face shield, rescue strips, a resource card, and fentanyl testing strips. Community members can sign up for an upcoming training or contact the Shaw Wellness Institute at wellness@colgate.edu for more information.  Later this month, purple access stations will be installed in five locations on campus to provide free naloxone kits to members of the community. The stations look similar to a newspaper stand and display information on how to recognize an overdose; how to administer the nasal spray; a warning about counterfeit drugs that contain fentanyl; the station locations on campus; contact information in case of overdose emergency; and contacts for health and wellness resources both on and off campus. The naloxone access station locations will include:Shaw Wellness Center foyer (accessible 24/7) Case-Geyer Library fifth floor (accessible 24/7)  Frank Dining Hall O’Connor Campus Center Trudy Fitness Center  “Naloxone is a life-saving tool, but its effectiveness depends on both the medication’s availability at the right moment and someone who knows how to use it” said Dr. Ellen Larson ’94, director of Colgate’s Student Health Services. “By making Naloxone kits accessible to students and the campus community, we aim to ensure that the medication is available in the spaces where it is needed, when it is needed.” Colgate is actively partnering with BRiDGES, the Madison County Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse, which has provided support in multiple ways, including partial funding for the Narcan access stations, training sessions, and kits for distribution. “Being able to partner with Colgate has helped open doors in other areas across Madison County,” said Amanda Mullenax, community opioid outreach coordinator at BRiDGES. “Colgate’s openness and receptiveness to actions that reduce the stigma of substance use disorder help pave the way for future harm reduction measures. This program gives everyone the power and encouragement and tools to save a life.” “Our two-pronged approach of prevention and harm reduction is about kindness and respect, at the intersection of compassion and community,” said Stephen Elfenbein, alcohol and drug services counselor/coordinator and CAD co-chair. Of the initiative’s origins, he said, “Back in Spring 2023, Shaw Wellness Ambassador Ellie Marotta ’25 did incredible research on the opioid epidemic and how it has impacted college campuses.”  A chemistry major from Brick, N.J., Marotta identified successful initiatives such as awareness campaigns, and her work led to the development of a presentation on fentanyl reduction practices. “At this point in our lives, it’s important to be informed and make smart, educated decisions,” said Marotta. “We are still growing and developing as people and it’s important for students at Colgate to have that knowledge and prevention strategies in their toolbox in case they find themselves in a situation where it’s critically needed.” Educational programming began with Train The Trainers for the Shaw Wellness Ambassadors. “Our Shaw Wellness Ambassadors are critical to the success of this work,” said Rachel Evans, director of wellness promotion and CAD co-chair. “We are fortunate to have several of our ambassadors involved directly on the Council for Alcohol and Other Drugs, and a number of others who are involved in outreach and education pieces such as social media and poster campaigns.” The Narcan awareness initiative is just one aspect of CAD’s work, which broadly focuses on educating students — should they choose not to abstain — on the importance of knowing what they are consuming and the dangers of mixing substances. The council also seeks to underscore the importance of Colgate’s Good Samaritan and medical amnesty policies, which help students to seek medical care for themselves and their peers in situations where consumption of alcohol or other drugs leads to a medical or life-threatening emergency. “We are very appreciative to work in a community that works together to take these proactive steps,” said Dawn LaFrance, assistant vice president of wellness. “Education and harm reduction strategies are our keys to success in keeping our campus safe.”   Learn More: Alcohol and Other Drugs Services at ColgateWellness Faculty & Staff Student