Stuckeman School professor recognized for sustainability efforts

UNIVERSTY PARK, Pa. — Mihyun Kang, director for sustainability in the College of Arts and Architecture and research professor in the Stuckeman School, has been named a 2021 Campus Sustainability Champion by the Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium (PERC) in recognition of her work to advance sustainability at Penn State. The PERC Campus Sustainability Champion title is awarded annually to students, faculty, administrators and staff of Pennsylvania colleges and universities who have made meaningful contributions benefiting social, economic and/or environmental sustainability on their campus, in their community or in society at large. As the first administrator to lead sustainability efforts within the College of Arts and Architecture, Kang organized a group of faculty, staff and students from around the college to form the Sustainability Council, which will develop action steps that advance the college’s priorities and the University’s sustainability vision and mission. She also organized the virtual Sustainability Research Symposium in October 2020 to highlight, connect and amplify the college's sustainability research to foster collaboration with the Penn State Sustainability research community and beyond. Additionally, she developed the Sustainability Research Team Grant program to recognize and vitalize faculty members' teams for interdisciplinary sustainability research. Kang, along with Peter Buck, PERC president-elect and academic program manager at the Sustainability Institute, developed a Sustainability Teaching Roundtable Series with seven events held throughout the 2020-21 academic year to address a wide range of topics concerning sustainability, curricular planning and engagement across the college. The pair also developed the college’s Sustainability Faculty Teaching Fellows program, to enhance integrating sustainability competencies into courses and curriculum. “Mihyun Kang has invigorated the culture for sustainability in Penn State’s College of Arts and Architecture and has brought faculty, graduate students and staff together to explore the marvels of their imaginations,” said Buck. “Whether in design, theatre, art history, architecture or opera, she has created so many opportunities for Penn State teachers and researchers to dive deeply into their creativity in teaching and research.” Mark Sentesy, assistant professor of philosophy in the College of the Liberal Arts, joins Kang as PERC Campus Champions from Penn State. Learn more about the Campus Champion honor and this year’s honorees on the PERC website. For more Stuckeman School news, follow us on Twitter @StuckemanNews.