FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Andrea Huggins
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
(888) 347-9997
andrea.huggins@aashe.org
Marc Edwards, Virginia Tech Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, will join more than 2,200 attendees at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Conference & Expo in Baltimore, Maryland on Oct. 9 to deliver a keynote address that speaks to this year’s theme, “Beyond the Campus.”
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A renowned expert on water contamination and MacArthur “genius” grant recipient, Dr. Edwards led the research teams that uncovered severe water quality problems in Flint, Michigan and in Washington D.C. In both cases, Dr. Edwards successfully challenged government agencies who had previously dismissed the risks of contamination. His work in DC earned him IEEE Carl Barus Award for “courageously defending the public interest at great personal risk.”
“The exposure of thousands of children in Flint to drinking water with elevated levels of lead is a heartbreaking environmental injustice,” said AASHE’s Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “Dr. Edwards’ tireless efforts to bring this and other crises to light, often at significant personal and professional cost, truly exemplify the theme of this year’s conference.”
Higher education institutions have been modeling sustainability solutions on their campuses for many years. With a theme of “Beyond the Campus,” AASHE 2016 focuses on the crucial next step: the dissemination and implementation of these solutions in surrounding communities and the world. Meeting the sustainability challenge requires collaboration across sectors and with stakeholders outside of academia. Dr. Edwards provides a powerful example of how faculty and other higher education leaders can partner with community stakeholders to advance and protect environmental quality.
About the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
AASHE empowers higher education administrators, faculty, staff and students to be effective change agents and drivers of sustainability innovation. AASHE enables members to translate information into action by offering essential resources and professional development to a diverse, engaged community of sustainability leaders. We work with and for higher education to ensure that our world’s future leaders are motivated and equipped to solve sustainability challenges. For more information, visit www.aashe.org. Follow AASHE on Facebook and Twitter.
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