Greening Sustainability Brochure - North Carolina A&T State ...

Preface
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State
University has a history of providing leadership in
addressing environmental sustainability issues
through interdisciplinary centers, institutes and
academic programs at all degree levels. These
interdisciplinary collaborations have made the
University a major contributor to understanding
sustainability on a global scale.
N.C. A&T has taken advantage of the Higher Education
Sustainability Bill (The Higher Education Opportunity
Act-P.L. 110-315) signed by President George W. Bush in
2008. In March 2011, Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr.
launched a robust recycling program and encouraged
everyone to recycle. The goal of the recycling program
is to improve the quality of life now and in the future.
The university’s sustainability programs are
highlighted by natuculture-biomimicry, constructed
wetlands, aggies recycle, recycling audit, bio-energy
and bio-fuel production, sustainable buildings,
sustainable transportation, trayless dinning, climate
change and hazmat training.
Godfrey A. Uzochukwu, PhD
Professor and Director, Interdisciplinary Waste
Management Institute
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Contents
Preface ....................................................................2
Message from the Chancellor ........................3
UNC-Tomorrow ....................................................4
Green Institutes, Centers and Programs ....5
Natuculture – Biomimicry ................................6
University Farm ....................................................8
Green Paw Aggies ..............................................9
Constructed Wetlands ......................................10
Aggies Recycle ....................................................12
Recycling Audit ....................................................13
Bio-Energy..............................................................14
Bio-Fuels ................................................................15
Sustainable Buildings ........................................16
Sustainable Transportation..............................17
Environmental Recyclable Purchasing........18
Trayless Dining......................................................19
Hazmat Training ..................................................20

Message from the
Chancellor
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is an important intellectual
and cultural center in the Piedmont Triad community, and it contributes significantly
to improving the quality of life for citizens of North Carolina, the nation and beyond.
Institutions of higher learning play an important role in promoting sustainability
practices. At N.C. A&T, our students are trained to plan for a sustainable future through
practices that become a way of life.
At A&T, we have invested in cutting-edge sustainable activities that aim to improve
quality of life as well as protect the environment. We also have focused on creating
environmentally sustainable operations, such as the use of electric cars, energy
conservation, water conservation, recycling (and using recycled products), electronic
purchases, electronic mailing, and complying with North Carolina's sustainable
reporting requirements.
Our university has embraced sustainability as a core value. This report summarizes our
efforts and accomplishments.
Harold L. Martin Sr., PhD
Chancellor
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UNC-Tomorrow
Environmental
Sustainability
“…North Carolina A&T State University (N.C. A&T) is a learnercentered
community that develops and preserves intellectual
capital through interdisciplinary learning, discovery, engagement,
and operational excellence. The University is committed to
fulfilling its fundamental mission through exemplary
undergraduate and graduate instruction, scholarly and creative
research, and effective public service. The UNC-Tomorrow
initiative presents many opportunities for N.C. A&T to achieve
these goals…”
In the UNC-Tomorrow Phase II Response Plan, N.C. A&T identified how to implement the key
priorities in the context of the Commission’s Major Findings and Recommendations. The
context addressing environmental sustainability challenges that North Carolina faces now
and in the future. To effectively respond to the present and future needs of North Carolina,
N.C. A&T is committed to maintaining and increasing high academic standards, the quality
of its degree and research programs, and adding new academic degree programs to ensure
graduation of well-educated students prepared for the competitive global economy.
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UNC-Tomorrow Report

Green Institutes, Centers and Programs
Godfrey A. Uzochukwu, PhD
Professor and Director
Interdisciplinary Waste Management Institute
WMI
CERT
The Interdisciplinary Waste Management Institute (WMI)
The WMI was established in 1994 as an interdisciplinary academic support unit with
research and public service functions. The purpose of the WMI activities is to enhance
awareness of environmental and sustainability issues needed to improve the quality of
life and protect the environment. The institute offers undergraduate and graduate
certificate programs in waste management, organizes national environmental
conferences, advises students who are interested in environmental and waste
management careers, provides scholarships to students and helps coordinate
environmental and waste management instruction, research, outreach, internships,
faculty development, and student development that exists in individual departments.
The effectiveness of the WMI is specifically assessed through: the number of students
receiving WMI certificates, the number of partnerships established, the number of
funded scholarships awarded, and the number of lecture series and invited guest
speakers.
The Center for Energy Research and Technology (CERT)
CERT was established in 1984 and approved by the UNC System as a Center in 2001. It
works with the State Energy Office and its activities include research, outreach and
extension, and education with an emphasis on underrepresented populations. As
buildings are responsible for almost half of the energy use in the State, CERT’s goals
include facilitating the application of energy-related technologies to buildings,
collaborating with the building industry, and developing University-wide relationships
with the public and the private sectors. The effectiveness of CERT is specifically assessed
through the number of students receiving training in energy-related areas.
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NOAA ISETCSC
EES
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Interdisciplinary Scientific Environmental Technology
Cooperative Science Center (ISETCSC)
The mission of ISETCSC is to develop capacity in research in NOAA’s scientific areas
within N.C. A&T and six partner institutions (including NCSU) to be able to train
undergraduate and graduate students in NOAA’s scientific areas and increase public
awareness through K-12 summer camps and teacher workshops. Its overall goal is
technology development for understanding climate and environmental change. The
primary objective of ISETCSC is producing underrepresented doctoral students in
NOAA’s scientific areas. The effectiveness of the ISETCSC is specifically assessed
through: the number of students receiving training in NOAA’s sciences; the number of
graduates in NOAA sciences; career success of graduates; number of collaborations
with NOAA scientists; leveraging of NOAA funding and; relevance of the research to
the needs of NOAA.
Energy and Environmental Studies (EES) PhD Program
The EES PhD faculty research advisers for the students come from the College of Arts
and Sciences, School of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences, College of Engineering,
School of Business & Economics, and School of Technology. The program is training
interdisciplinary leaders in global energy and environmental issues. This is an effort
to increase the number of underrepresented professionals and educators, especially
African Americans, available to work in the energy and environmental fields.
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Natuculture - Biomimicry in Urban Landscapes
Manuel Reyes, PhD
Professor, Bio Engineering Program
Natuculture (pronounced ná-chew-culture), a term originating from North Carolina Agricultural
and Technical State University (N.C. A&T), is any human-made system that mimics nature in human
disturbed landscapes. The term is derived from ‘nature culture.’ Since 2008, multigenerational teams
of students from different disciplines have been designing and implementing natuculture systems on
the campus of N.C. A&T. Students converted a portion of a conventional lawn – which we call a ‘drugaddicted
carpet’ that has very limited utility – into a natuculture system. Now the landscape at this
site near the N.C. A&T football stadium, is a vibrant, biologically diverse, multifunctional and
ecologically complex system. Features of the system include a green roof, a rain garden, a rainwater
harvester, a solar powered bird pond, bird feeders, and at least 50 species of flora. It is visited by an
array of birds, including American gold and red finches, titmice, Carolina chickadees, mourning doves,
hawks, downy wood peckers, and cardinals. Other fauna, insects and arthropods that feed at the site
include bumble bees, spiders, butterflies, squirrels and a ground hog named ‘Arnold.’
In addition, following the example of First Lady Michelle Obama, 32 six-by-three foot raised vegetable
beds, which we call “oasis sofas,” were established. The purpose of the oasis sofas is to demonstrate
and research ways to bring nutritional food into home deserts using very limited space. A home
desert is defined as a household whose diet barely contains nutritious food. The oasis sofa is a
scientifically replicated study that compares conservation agriculture with conventional methods to
produce vegetables in urban areas. Conservation agriculture mimics a forest the ecosystem, and the
practice has been shown to double yield, be eco-friendly, sequester carbon, improve soil and water
quality, arrest erosion, save on fossil fuel and labor, and significantly decrease use of artificial
chemicals by providing natural fertilizers. Graduate and undergraduate students have been
monitoring and will write scientific papers about soil quality, yield, artificial fertilizer use, biomass,
carbon sequestration, profit, and many other variables in the oasis sofa study. This study is also an
excellent tool that exposes students to the benefits of healthy living.
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Natuculture has spread beyond the N.C. A&T
campus. Partnerships have been and are being
developed with five K-12 campuses and also with
a health care facility for the underserved. The
partners are General Greene Elementary School,
Aycock and Neal Middle Schools, Dudley and
Southern High Schools, and CAARE, a non-profit
organization that promotes a holistic and
community approach to health and seeks to
address disparities in health care access. Most of
these campuses are underserved with
predominantly African-African and Hispanic
populations.
Natuculture can be a transition for permaculture. When several natuculture systems stably synergize,
the site is transformed into a permaculture system. ‘Permaculture is the conscious design and
maintenance of agriculturally productive ecosystems which have the diversity, stability, and resilience
of natural ecosystems. It is the harmonious integration of landscape and people — providing their
food, energy, shelter, and other materials and non-material needs in a sustainable way. The
philosophy behind permaculture is one of working with, rather than against nature; and of protracted
and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless action
(http://permaculture.org.au/what-is-permaculture/).
Thanks are extended to the Environmental Protection Agency’s People, Prosperity, and Planet (P3)
student design contest, which triggered this idea and provided funding for students to carry out
designs and compete nationally, and to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Natural
Resources Conservation Service for supporting student scholars who acted on this idea. Additional
support was provided by the USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture 1890 Capacity Building
and Evans-Allen Formula grants, concepts in conservation agriculture were learned from a United
States Agency for International Development SANREM-CRSP project in Southeast Asia, and technical
expertise was provided by NC State University and N.C. A&T Cooperative Extension.
8

9
The
University
Farm
Farm Manager Leon Moses
is inspecting hay that is
stored at the farm. The notill
farm produces its own
hay throughout the regular
cropping season to feed our
animal herds of sheep,
goat, beef and dairy cows
during winter months. The
farm also grows cover
crops on all land that is
used for corn, soybean and
wheat.

Green Paw Aggies – Campus Environmental
Leadership Group
Ashley Wade
Civil/Architectural Engineering Senior
President, Green Paw Aggies
Green Paw Aggies is a new student organization
on campus that helps North Carolina A&T become more
sustainable and reduce the carbon footprint. Green Paw
Aggies was previously under the umbrella of ASABE
(American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers).
One of the main objective of Green Paw Aggies is to serve as
a collection pool for all environmental and sustainable
issues on campus. The primary responsibilities of Green
Paw Aggies include but are not limited to:
• Developing the next generation of “Green” leaders and increasing the base of
students calling for sustainable changes
• Serving as an educational tool for N.C. A&T and surrounding communities for
issues dealing with sustainable changes and green economic development
• Promoting and coordinating eco-friendly and economic sustainability goals and
initiatives for the campus and the surrounding community
• Creating and upholding a collaboration between students, student
organizations, faculty and staff.
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Constructed Wetlands
G.B. Reddy, PhD
Professor, Natural Resources and Environmental Design
Animal production which is
vital for protein demand and
the economy is one of the
regulations. Constructed wetlands have
been used or at least investigated for
treatment of animal waste in the United
major components of United States
States and around the world. Constructed
agriculture. Animal production brings along wetlands are cost- effective, passive, easy to
a baggage of waste production and
operate, efficient in nutrient removal,
environmental problems. These problems flexible in soil specificity, and
are related to odor, pathogens,
environmentally friendly. Even though
concentration of nutrients, and limited land constructed wetlands have been proven in
availability for treatment. Particularly in the nutrient removal, it could be a challenge to
swine industry, large swine production
treat highly concentrated swine wastewater
occurs in confinement and generates large and to understand the function through its
quantities of waste in a limited per-unit
physical, chemical, and biological processes.
area. Traditionally, swine operations in
North Carolina A&T State University
many parts of the world flush the waste
received approximately $20,000 from the
from swine houses into an anaerobic lagoon Army Core of Engineers to construct
and from there the lagoon water is applied wetlands at the swine unit on the
on the land for treatment. In many places, University Farm. Six marsh-pond-marsh
the limited land and continuous
constructed wetland cells (44 m length and
applications of wastewater pose a threat to 11m width) were designed in 1995. Each cell
the surface and ground water quality.
had a 20 m middle pond section and 10 m
marsh section at the influent and effluent
The constructed wetlands can be a pre-
ends. Shallow sections with marshes at the
treatment technology before land
influent and effluent ends and deep section
application to reduce water quality
in the pond had an operating water depth of
pollution and to meet environmental
15 cm and 75 cm, respectively. The marsh
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sections were planted with cattails and
bulrushes in March 1996. Later in 2004, the
two cells were converted into complete
marsh. Several years of research was
conducted in cooperation with the USDA-
ARS station scientists at Florence, SC to
understand the wetland system in removal
efficiency of nutrients and pathogens. With
our experience, we learned that these
wetlands are efficient in removing nitrogen
and partial removal of phosphorus and
pathogens. We understood the bacterial
communities and their functionalities in
nutrient removal. In essence, swine
operators can use constructed wetlands as
pre-treatment before land application to
reduce the excess accumulation of
phosphorus in soil and reduce water
pollution.
Apart from our research activities, these
wetland facilities were used for teaching
undergraduate and graduate students. Also,
these facilities are visited year round by
school children to see the wetland
ecosystem and bird watch.
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Dr. G.B. Reddy

Aggies
Recycle
Reduce Reuse Recycle
PLEASE RECYCLE...
Plastic Bottles
Cans
Jugs
Aerosol Cans
Glass
Dry Paper
Food Cans
Buckets
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Co-Mingled
Recycling
Commingled Recycling
refers to the disposal of
recyclable materials that
can be disposed of into the
same recycling container.
Aluminum, Plastic, Paper
and Glass can go into
these containers in an
environmentally safe
manner.
Crates
Magazines

Recycling Audit
Joseph Fisher, Jennifer McClendon, Lucas Suarez, Quazi
Rahman, Ashley Wade and Genero Perez-de Leon
The purpose of a recycling audit is to determine containers needs, proper and improper use. The audit
involves visual inspection of materials, interviews, data collection, and assessment.
Objectives
• Assess the functionality and efficiency of the recycling bins
• Discern the reasons behind improper usage of the recycling bins
• Promote awareness about recycling bins
• Encourage proper usage of recycling bins
• Find ways to make the idea of recycling more appealing to the student body
On-site activities
1. Entrance Briefing
2. In-depth Interviews
3. Visual inspections
4. Examine records
5. Record site observations
Post audit activities:
1. Detailed Information Analysis
2. Preparation of Draft Audit Report
3. Review of Draft Report
4. Final Audit Report with Corrective Action Plan
Sample Questionnaire
1. Did you know that we have recycling bins on campus?
2. Do you use them often?
3. Why or why not?
4. What goes in the recycling bins on campus?
5. Have you ever put a “non-recyclable” in the recycling bin?
6. If you see someone else putting a “non-recyclable” in the bin, would you correct them?
7. Why or why not?
8. If you could change something about the bins, (i.e the look, location, etc.) what would you change?
9. How can the University make recycling more appealing to the students?
10. What can the students do to encourage more awareness about recycling on campus?
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Bio-energy
Abolghasem Shahbazi, PhD
Professor, Natural Resources and Environmental Design
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Mission
To serve as a resource in energy
education and research in the
state of North Carolina and the
South East region, in the field of
biological and thermochemical
conversion of biomass to bio-fuels
and by-products.
Production of Bio-fuel from Agricultural Wastes
In 2011 we produced 13 billion gallons of ethanol from corn crop. We need to produce 20 billions
gallons more ethanol in the next 10 years from crop residues and woody biomass instead of corn.
We have a well equipped fermentation lab in JSNN and a gasification facility at the A&T farm for
converting crop residues and woody biomass to ethanol.
Production of ethanol from cellulosic biomass such as crop residues is both sustainable and
environmentally friendly. Using such fuels can improve our air quality and enhance our energy
independence.

Bio-fuels
Harith K. Rojanala
Graduate Student
Thermal Degradation Characteristics of Biomass in
the Presence of Air, CO 2 and N 2
The objectives of this research are to investigate the chemistry of biomass gasification and the
reactive gas-particle flow behavior in a fluidized bed gasifier, and to advance biomass gasifier design
and operation.
Gasification has already been proven as a robust technology that can be used to convert a low value
and highly distributed solid biomass such as forest, agricultural and organic processing residues to a
uniform gaseous mixture, by heating the
biomass in a gaseous medium such as
air, steam and oxygen.
The product gas can be further used as
an industrial feedstock for heat and
power generation, H2 generation and
synthesis of liquid fuels. A Thermo
Gravimetric Analyzer (TGA) has been
used as an ideal gasifier in order to better
understand the gasification process. The
TGA measures the changes in weight of a
sample as a function of temperature and time, under controlled
atmosphere.
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Sustainable Design, Operation, Construction and
Maintenance
Buildings account for 40% of the energy and 72% of the electricity used in the United States.
They account for 16% of the total U.S. water consumption, 40% of all material flows and
produce up to 40% of the waste in landfills, depending on the region. In 2007, the North
Carolina General Assembly mandated that new state buildings “shall be designed, constructed and
certified to at least a thirty percent (30%) greater energy efficiency than the standard under ASHRAE
90.1-2004” as specified in the state building code. Legislation also requires that for major renovations, a
twenty percent (20%) greater energy efficiency standard…shall be used. In addition, for new
construction, the water systems shall be designed and constructed to use a minimum of twenty
percent (20%) less potable water than the
indoor water use baseline calculated for
the building after meeting the fixture
performance requirements required by the
2006 North Carolina Plumbing Code.
Outdoor potable water or harvested
groundwater consumption shall be
reduced by a minimum of fifty percent
(50%) over that consumed by conventional
means through water use, efficient
landscape materials and irrigation
strategies, including water reuse and
N.C. A&T State University Residence Hall
recycling.” The legislation further requires
that state buildings shall be commissioned “in order to verify performance of building components
and systems and help ensure that design requirements are met upon completion of construction.” In
order to measure energy use and ensure that actual energy use is consistent with energy modeling
completed during the design of the building, “building level owner’s meters for electricity, natural gas,
fuel oil, and water shall be installed. The public agency shall compare metered data from the first 12
months of building operation with the energy design target(s) and report that performance to the State
Construction Office.”
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(Reprinted from UNC Tomorrow Phase II Report)

Sustainable Transportation
Transporting students, employees and visitors to and
from campus and community destinations currently
require large amounts of land, fuel and infrastructure
all of which continue to rise in price and could be
limited in quantity. By providing more sustainable
transportation networks and access to essential
services, N.C. A&T can reduce congestion and
pollution, improve safety and public health, and
enhance the campus experience. N.C. A&T is actively
involved in efforts to increase the availability and use
of alternative fuels in state vehicles and to develop a
One of N.C. A&T's electric cars
strategic plan for expansion of biofuels as an industry
in North Carolina. Under federal law, seventy-five
percent (75%) of all vehicles purchased by the state must be able to run on alternative fuels. In
2005, the North Carolina General Assembly mandated that the University develop and implement
plans to improve the use of alternative fuels, synthetic lubricants and efficient vehicles and
achieve a twenty percent (20%) reduction or displacement of petroleum products by January 1,
2010. Guilford County is an ozone non-attainment area and is required to reduce its fossil fuel use.
Diesel vehicles which emit NOx gas are major contributors to the generation of atmospheric
ozone. Of course every vehicles using liquid transportation fuel emits GHG. N.C. A&T is compelled
to take corrective steps to reduce its petroleum-based fuel consumption. As it is demonstrated in
the following table N.C. A&T is well on its way to lowering the petroleum use in its the
transportation section. N.C. A&T owns and operates 107 gasoline powered vehicles and 10 diesel
powered vehicles. In addition, N.C. A&T owns four flexible fuel vehicles and four electric cars. Since
2005 N.C. A&T has reduced the petroleum-based fuel use by 22.2 percent. Furthermore, N.C. A&T
has already switched 2/3 of its vehicles from petroleum engine oil to synthetic engine oil.
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(Reprinted from UNC Tomorrow Phase II Report)

Environmental Recyclable Purchasing
(Reprinted from UNC Tomorrow Phase II Report)
• Emailing Purchase Orders
• Eliminated hardcopy purchase orders and email soft copies
• Recycle and buy recycled ink and toner cartridges
• Increasing the amount of recycled paper being used by department.
• Bulk Purchases (copier paper, office envelopes, etc.) to order in bulk to reduce cost, and control
inventory
• Furniture/Window Treatment - To procure environmentally responsible and ergonomically designed
furniture and furnishings including floor coverings and window treatments. To procure
environmentally responsible and ergonomically designed furniture and furnishings including floor
coverings and window treatments.
Executive Order No. 156
(Reprinted from UNC Tomorrow Phase II Report)
Complying with Executive Order No. 156 (Directs all state agencies to develop and incorporate policies
and practices into their daily operations that preserve natural resources, conserve energy, eliminate
waste and emissions, and lessen overall environmental impact).
Sustainability Reporting Requirements
(Reprinted from UNC Tomorrow Phase II Report)
• Monthly energy report of the campus utilities (consumption in dollars)
• Water consumption report for General Administration
• Annual water use report for the State Energy Office.
• Fossil fuel displacement plan report to State Plans
• Recycling and Buy-Recycled report to NC DPPEA
• Semi-annual report to the DENR Air Quality
• Section on SO2 and NOX emissions from natural gas, diesel and No 2 fuel oil sources
• Annual report to the DENR Radiation
• Protection Section Low Level
• Radiation Waste Survey
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Trayless Dining
Williams Cafeteria
In Her Own Words
Arria Cheeley,
Waste Management Institute Scholar
...“Due to the rising concern with the effects that human activity can have on
the environment, many colleges and universities are turning toward tray-less
cafeteria dining. The idea behind this concept is that without trays to fill up
with food, students will waste less food, therefore saving the environment and
reducing food costs. Schools that have implemented tray-less dining have
reduced the cost of water, electricity, and heat, as well as drastically reduced
the amount of food wastes. For supporters of the tray-less dining movement,
they feel that the concept is a win-win solution, both environmentally and
economically. A recent survey of 25 colleges found greater than a 25%
reduction in food waste per person with trayless dining. It also conserves
energy and water for excessive dish and tray washing. It takes 1/3 to 1/2 gallon
of heated water to wash every tray. Lastly, trayless dining reduces the usage of
detergents and drying agents
and their outflow into the
water table...”
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Hazardous Material Training
Hazadous material training is designed to expand the knowledge of hazardous
materials and regulations.
Hazmat Training Session for Waste Management Scholars at N.C. A&T by the Hazmat
Team from the city of Greensboro.
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WMI Photo April 12, 2012

The
following
individuals
contributed
information
for this
publication:
A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S
Dr. Godfrey A. Uzochukwu
Professor and Director, Interdisciplinary Waste Management Institute
Joseph Fisher
Senior, Chemical Engineering
Dr. Manuel Reyes
Professor, Biological Engineering Program
Leon Moses
Manager, University Farm
Lucas Suarez
Junior, Civil Engineering
Dr. G.B. Reddy
Professor, Microbiology and Wetland Ecology
Ashley Wade
Senior, Civil/Architectural Engineering
Carey Baldwin
Director, Physical Plant
Quazi Rahman
Graduate Student, Chemical Engineering
Dr. Abolghasem Shahbazi
Director, Biological Engineering Program
Genero Perez-de Leon
Graduate Student, Civil Engineering
Angela Peterson
Director, Auxiliary Services
Jennifer McClendon
Senior, Chemical Engineering
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