Alisha Ramirez Watson
Alisha Ramirez Watson
Alisha is the Sustainable Labs Manager in the University of Pennsylvania’s offices of Sustainability and Environmental Health and Radiation Safety. The structure of this role allows Alisha to work at the intersection of laboratory safety and environmental sustainability. She oversees the Green Labs Program at Penn, coordinates events like the annual freezer challenge, and facilitates both the Green Labs Executive Committee and Green Labs Working Group.
Previously, Alisha worked in regulated laboratory spaces. She has worked in biotechnology labs as a lab resources manager and quality assurance associate. Prior to that, Alisha was the supervisor in a wastewater treatment laboratory regulated by the PA DEP and EPA. Alisha holds a B.S. in Environmental Biology from Salem State University and is a candidate in Penn’s Master of Environmental Studies program with a concentration in Environmental Biology. Alisha lives in Philadelphia and volunteers with wildlife surveys at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge.
Civic Sustainability Fellowship
Civic Engagement
Students
Penn’s Civic Sustainability Fellowship is open to both undergraduate and graduate students at Penn. This eleven-week summer program aims to support the City’s regional, sustainability objectives and provide professional development and real-world learning opportunities to Penn students by placing research interns in summer positions with city agencies and non-profit organizations. Selected organizations are dedicated to sustainability and social equity.
Fellowship Placements: Civic Sustainability Fellows are matched with organizations from across the region. Such locations have included:
- City of Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability
- Philadelphia Energy Authority
- Solarize Philly
- Philadelphia Green Capital Corp
- The School District of Philadelphia
- UC Green
Fellows work closely with these organizations to develop specific outcomes and goals for their internship projects. If you are a local organization interested in hosting a summer fellow, contact our office.
Requirements: To be eligible for this internship, applicants should have familiarity with sustainability issues, strong writing and communication skills, project management capabilities, and knowledge of environmental sustainability topics such as energy efficiency, waste and recycling, transportation, stormwater management, or urban greening. Previous experience working with diverse stakeholders is also preferred.
Job Duties: Fellows collaborate with project partners to define objectives and anticipated outcomes for their summer projects and are responsible for implementing specific projects and initiatives as directed by their project partners. Additionally, they are expected to measure and evaluate the success of their projects and provide recommendations for future improvements. Each fellow will present their work to the Penn Sustainability Office, their project partner, and other stakeholders at the end of the summer term.
Internship Details: The program offers three paid positions every summer and is 30 hours of work per week. The fellowship period spans the academic summer term and all work is completed in-person. Applications open in February and are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Preference is given to applicants who are eligible for work-study opportunities.
Overall, the Penn Civic Sustainability Fellows program offers a unique opportunity for Penn students to gain hands-on experience in sustainability-focused roles within city agencies and non-profit organizations. It aligns with the city's sustainability objectives while fostering professional growth and community engagement among the interns.
This summer fellowship matches Penn undergraduate and graduate students with local organizations advancing sustainability in their communities.
Purpose
Help advance the City’s regional sustainability objectives and provide professional development and real-world learning opportunities to Penn students.
Get Involved
Three applicants are selected each spring to support a local organization for the academic summer term. Application open in early spring.
Bird-Friendly Buildings
Bird-Friendly Buildings
Lauder College House
The large windows that surround the Lauder College House courtyard were originally a prime target for bird-window collisions, with dozens of birds being collected on some days during the spring and fall migrations. In a collaboration between Lauder House, Audubon Mid-Atlantic, FRES, and Residential Services, the largest bird-friendly retrofit on campus to date was implemented at the ground-level courtyard windows. The bird-friendly film was installed, improving window visibility to birds that should dramatically decrease the frequency of collisions. Going beyond the “2 x 4 rule”, these dots are spaced 2” apart horizontally and vertically. Ongoing monitoring of the site, including documentation of bird strike frequency, location, species, and time of day, will help to ensure the effectiveness of the retrofit, as well as inform future bird-friendly efforts. Additional bird-friendly strategies are being explored for courtyard windows above the ground level that have not been treated yet.
Hill Pavilion/Johnson Building
In 2015, Joe Durrance began to track bird strikes around Penn Medicine and Penn Vet buildings as part of his Penn Masters of Environmental Studies capstone. Using a Penn Green Fund Grant, Durrance and FRES led a pilot program in partnership with Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine and School of Veterinary Medicine to apply bird friendly film to windows on the Johnson Pavilion and the glass walls of pedestrian walkways at the Hill Pavilion, drastically decreasing the number of deadly bird strikes.
Singh Center for Nanotechnology
Despite having an entire front facade covered in windows, the Singh Center for Nanotechnology incorporates effective bird-friendly measures. The windows of the Singh Center are covered in an acid-etched glass vertical stripe pattern that interrupts the otherwise continuous glass surface. This interruption improves window visibility for birds, decreasing the frequency of bird strikes.
Levin Neural & Behavioral Sciences Building
The Stephen A. Levin Neural & Behavioral Sciences building utilizes a bird-friendly external scrim. The durable fabric is woven in a unique, amorphous pattern, and dramatically reduces the reflectivity of the glass. By reducing the reflectivity of the glass windows and creating a pattern that disrupts the continuous surface of glass, the building is made bird-friendly.
Left Bank Building
Bird-friendly film was applied to the first level of glass at the glass entrance tower to the Left Bank Building. White dots applied 2” x 2” apart are visible to birds and help to reduce bird-strikes. Further mitigation efforts are being explored at the glass windows above.
Ringe Squash Center
When the Ringe Squash Center was recently renovated, the architects at FRES prioritized improving the building's overall sustainability footprint as well. Large glass windows containing horizontal fritting were installed in an effort to minimize heat gain and bird collisions.
Gutmann College House
In preparation for the construction of Gutmann College House, a number of different glazing, etching, and silk-screening methods were evaluated by BCJ architectural practice in partnership with FRES for bird-friendliness, solar performance, and aesthetics. Ultimately, Arnold Glas Ornilux A70 glass was chosen, which utilizes a special UV coating only visible to birds and has an American Bird Conservancy threat factor of 20 and this was installed at the one-story glass passageway on the south side of the building. The American Bird Conservancy considers materials with threat factors of 30 or less as bird-friendly, with lower threat factors corresponding to a greater reduction in bird-window collisions.4 While continued monitoring of future bird strikes is still necessary to evaluate the performance of this glass, this bird-friendly installation sets a precedent for bird-friendly measures in future buildings and further demonstrates Penn’s commitment to balancing the needs of the natural and built environment.
Sustainability Coordinators
Sustainability Coordinators
Built Environment
Civic Engagement
Energy & Climate
Natural Environment
Procurement
Recycling & Waste
Transportation
Staff
The Sustainability Coordinators are departmental roles that support the University's Climate and Sustainability Action Plan.
Purpose
The Sustainability Coordinators are a collaborative group of campus leaders representing Penn’s Schools and Centers that strive to implement significant operational and behavior changes to support the University’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0 and drive a shift to carbon neutrality.
Impact
The Sustainability Coordinators act as a bridge to Penn’s senior leadership through the use of interdisciplinary, data-driven best practices and communicating accomplishments within their respective areas of campus.
Activities
Sustainability Coordinators attend monthly group meetings, lead their School’s participation in seasonal awareness campaigns, recruit Staff and Faculty Eco-Reps, and help to identify offices to participate in the Green Office program and labs to participate in the Green Labs program.
Student Eco-Reps
Student Eco-Reps
Built Environment
Civic Engagement
Energy & Climate
Food
Natural Environment
Recycling & Waste
Transportation
Wellness
Students
Each year, a cohort of 10-20 Penn sophomores, juniors, and seniors are selected to participate in the Eco-Reps program. Students meet weekly with staff in Penn’s Sustainability Office and work in small teams throughout the year to develop in-depth projects aimed at solving environmental challenges on campus. Initiatives may focus on topics ranging from energy conservation, waste and recycling, water conservation, academic initiatives, local food systems,
environmental literacy, and more.
All of Eco-Reps projects involve a strong hands-on component and focus on creating solutions through analyzing the current problem, developing small-scale pilots, and then focusing on broader implementation. Students are asked to bring an entrepreneurial spirit and a sense of willingness and motivation to each project in order to help them succeed.
The Eco-Reps program is organized by Penn’s Sustainability Office within the Division of Facilities and Real Estate Services.
Applications for the 2024-2025 cohort are currently being accepted. Interested students are encouraged to review the two opportunities and apply as soon as possible:
Student Eco-Rep | Student Eco-Rep Coordinator
Please reach out to sustainability@upenn.edu with any questions.
Student Eco-Reps is an environmental leadership program for undergraduate students to implement campus-based sustainability projects.
Purpose
Penn's Student Eco-Reps is an environmental leadership program for undergraduate students interested in advancing sustainability through the implementation of campus-based projects.
Team
Students work as paid employees of Penn’s Sustainability Office and collaborate with our University partners to carry out projects in support of Penn’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0.
Impact
Students have completed nearly fifty projects since 2016.
Student Advisory Group for the Environment (SAGE)
Student Advisory Group For The Environment
Civic Engagement
Students
Get Involved
If you are interested in serving on SAGE for the 2023/2024 Academic Year, please write to Noah Swistak, Sustainability Manager (swistak@upenn.edu) with information about which other campus groups/organizations you are affiliated with.
The Student Advisory Group for the Environment (SAGE) advises on Penn's Climate and Sustainability Action Plans.
Purpose
SAGE was formed in the fall of 2017 as a means for undergraduate and graduate students to provide feedback on Penn’s Climate Action Plan 2.0, launched in 2014, and progress to date on CAP 2.0 goals. SAGE then provided recommendations during the authoring of the next five-year campus sustainability plan, CSAP 3.0, which launched in the fall of 2019. The group will also participate in the development of Penn’s next sustainability plan, scheduled for release in 2024.
Activities
In addition to SAGE’s advisory role, the group also communicates and promotes environmentally focused resources and serves to increase transparency between the student body and administration regarding environmental sustainability initiatives.
Participation
SAGE has included representation from the Undergraduate Assembly (UA), Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA), Student Sustainability Association at Penn (SSAP), Climate Leaders @ Penn (CL@P), Penn Sustainability Office, other campus organizations, and at-large student membership.
Green Fund
Green Fund
Faculty
Staff
Students
About the Green Fund
Penn’s Green Fund welcomes ideas from students, faculty, and staff about ways to improve the University’s environmental performance and reduce campus emissions. Since 2009, this initiative of the Penn Sustainability Office, funded by the Division of Facilities and Real Estate Services, has seeded innovative ideas in environmental sustainability from members of the University community.
Proposed projects must support goals and objectives outlined in Penn’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0, a long-range strategy, launched in 2009 and updated in 2014 and 2019, to reduce the University’s carbon footprint and enhance its overall sustainability.
Green Fund Details
Below is a general overview of the Green Fund application guidelines. Additionally, it is recommended that all prospective applicants read the FAQs before submitting an application.
There is no minimum award for a Green Fund application and the maximum award is $30,000.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and are reviewed monthly by the Green Fund Review Committee. Typically, a maximum of two applications are reviewed each month. Upon submitting your application, you will be notified of your project's estimated review date.
Applicants requesting over $10,000 will be required to present their proposal to the Green Fund Review Committee. Applications of this size will likely take more than one month for review and approval.
Applying to the Green Fund
Proposal Criteria
Penn’s Green Fund accepts applications from all current students, faculty, and staff. The Green Fund is intended to provide financial support for projects that would otherwise not be implemented and that support the University’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0 objectives. Awards are not permitted to fund on-going costs or wages.
Prerequisites
The following items are prerequisites to initial review that must be included in your application:
- Description – Provide a detailed project description, including, but not limited to, goals, intended outcomes, criteria for evaluating success, and target audiences. If applicable, include an explanation of any additional, independent funding secured.
- CSAP 3.0 – Describe how the project supports the goals of Penn’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0.
- Budget – Provide a detailed budget for the funding received from the Green Fund. If applicable, include any expected returns on investment and other cost benefits.
- Timeline – Provide a project timeline, including a detailed implementation schedule.
- Team – Detail roles and responsibilities of project participants and leadership. If applicable, include any team succession plans.
- Endorsement– Include an endorsement letter expressing support from faculty member or administrator.
Additional Criteria
Preference will be given to projects that incorporate the following:
- Distinctiveness – Provide information on how this project demonstrates a unique idea with significant impact. Preference will be given to projects that have not yet been implemented in some capacity on campus, though applications that build off existing projects and provide significant additional benefits are also welcome.
- Equity – Describe any benefits the project will have to the representation or experience of historically disadvantaged groups within Philadelphia and the Penn community. Preference will be given to projects with observable and measurable benefits to these groups.
- Replicability – Provide information on future replicability and/or scalability. Preference will be given to projects that are replicable at a larger scale.
Email applications to sustainability@upenn.edu using the subject “Green Fund Application.”
Reporting
Upon completion, Green Fund recipients are required to report to Penn Sustainability Office. Reporting requirements include:
- Within one month, a written report emailed to sustainability@upenn.edu using the subject “Green Fund Final Report – Project Name”.
- Projects exceeding $10,000 are required to present the results of a project to Penn Sustainability, the Green Fund Review Committee, the Vice President of Facilities and Real Estate Services, and other relevant parties.
- Reports and presentations should include the following information:
- Project overview
- Key stakeholders
- Implementation procedures
- Project results
- Lessons learned and future recommendations
- Any related articles or sources
- Project photos
Application Support
Meeting with Penn Sustainability staff prior to submitting an application can be helpful to identify other University partners and to understand the types of projects the Green Fund supports. If you have an idea for a project, but you're not sure if it fits in with the scope of the Green Fund, or if you're looking for suggestions, guidance, or feedback, then schedule a time to meet with our staff by emailing sustainability@upenn.edu.
The Penn Green Fund is designed to seed innovative ideas in environmental sustainability from Penn students, faculty, and staff.
Purpose
To improve the University’s environmental performance and reduce campus emissions
Move-In Green
Move-In Green helps reduce the environmental impact of move-in for new and returning students as they arrive on campus.
Move-In Green is one of the first opportunities for new students to learn about Penn Sustainability’s work and about how to recycle on campus. Student volunteers receive free early move-in privileges for spreading awareness of campus sustainability initiatives providing recycling support during new student move-in.
Volunteer duties include staffing outreach tables at Houston Hall, the Quad, and Lauder College House / Hill College House; talking with students about sustainability opportunities on campus; educating students about how to recycle and recycling locations; and assisting with hands-on recycling support in College Houses. This is the perfect opportunity to work with staff and other students interested in sustainability.
Volunteering is open to undergraduate, second- through fourth-year students. Interested volunteers are encouraged to apply as early as possible.
Apply to Move-In Green
Penn Sustainability is currently accepting applications for 2024 Move-In Green volunteers. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis. Interested students should apply as soon as possible.
Volunteers are required to:
• Attend a training session with other Move-In Green volunteers
• Volunteer for sustainability outreach shifts during Move-In (20 hours minimum)
Volunteer benefits:
• Free early move-in privileges for students living in college houses
• A Penn Sustainability t-shirt
• Breakfast and lunch
• Leadership experience and an opportunity to work with staff and students interested in sustainability on campus
If you have questions, please contact Noah Swistak, Sustainability Manager, at swistak@upenn.edu.
Sustainability Student Groups
Civic Engagement
Students
Connect with Penn Sustainability
If you are a member of a student group and would like to collaborate with Penn Sustainability in some way, please email sustainability@upenn.edu.
Student groups hosting events for the general student body on campus can add events to the Penn Sustainability calendar by completing the event submissions form. Please note, it can take 1-2 business days to approve an event for posting.
Undergraduate and Graduate student-run groups at Penn.
Overview
There are more than 20 active undergraduate and graduate student groups advancing sustainability on campus and in the community.