Four Tapped for Spring Terra Awards

A composite of 4 photos shows a young woman standing by a research poster, another looking into distant scenery, a woman standing with arms crossed near a fountain, and a smiling headshot of a man in a blue shirt and tie
This semester’s Terra Award winners are, clockwise from left Shelby Brennan, Carly Lindsay, Martha Asselin and Dennis McCarty.

ALBANY, N.Y. (May 11, 2021) — A CEHC professor, a staff member dedicated to sustainability, an undergraduate student who is president of a student sustainability group and a graduate student who dedicated her whole college career to promoting sustainability are being honored with this spring’s Terra Awards for working toward a greener UAlbany.

The awards honor outstanding commitment to advancing the culture of sustainability on campus, through curriculum, operations, research or engagement. This year’s announcement came just a few days before Earth Day.

The award is handed out each semester by the Office of Sustainability after a committee oversees a University-wide nomination process. This spring’s winners are Dennis McCarty, a lecturer in the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cyber Security (CEHC); Martha Asselin, director of The Center for Leadership and Service; Carly Lindsay, a senior Environmental Science major, and Shelby Brennan, a graduate student in the MSIS program with a concentration in Intelligence Analysis.

“UAlbany is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and this is due in part to the individual efforts of many faculty, staff and students,” said Todd Foreman, vice president for Finance and Administration. “This year’s award recipients are great examples of exceptional academic, operational and experiential efforts.”

McCarty was recognized for his steadfast work in bringing the Fair Trade University designation to fruition. His collaborative spirit, mentoring of students and passionate advocacy for the effort was key to making it a success.

Asselin was recognized for the multitude of programs and close partnership she has fostered between the Office of Sustainability and the Center for Leadership and Service, highlighted by the Fill It Forward Initiative. Coming soon, she’ll be heading a leadership academy and a long-awaited faculty led sustainability-themed trip.

Brennan, who will be getting her Master’s of Science this month in Information Science through CEHC, was recognized for her vital behind-the-scenes support for the Office of Sustainability’s communication efforts, managing the weekly listserv emails, the Sustainability Bulletin and the office’s calendar and outreach efforts.

Lindsay, a graduating senior majoring in Environmental Science with a concentration in Sustainability Science and Policy, was recognized for her leadership of the student group UAlbany Students for Sustainability and her contribution to energy research and operations on campus.