Texas A&M University Nationally Recognized For Sustainability Research

Texas A&M University has been recognized as a top performer in the 2021 Sustainable Campus Index in the area of Research. A publication from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), the Sustainable Campus Index recognizes top-performing sustainable colleges and universities overall and in 17 impact areas, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS).

Texas A&M achieved top performer status by scoring 100 percent in the Research category, including in the areas of research and scholarship; support for sustainability research; and open access to research.

“With over 3,000 researchers at Texas A&M University studying a broad range of topics related to sustainability, it is gratifying that their leadership in solving global problems is acknowledged and recognized,” said Kelly Wellman, director of A&M’s Office of Sustainability.

Texas A&M was rated in the Gold category by STARS, which included evaluation in areas such as academics, engagement and operations.

“We are very proud of our scientists who conduct research on sustainability,” said Susan Ballabina, vice president for academic and strategic partnership at A&M. “Research in this area is critical in helping us fulfill our land-grant mission and is making a positive impact in our community, our state and beyond. It is exciting to see Texas A&M University receive recognition for this important work.”

Texas A&M’s submission included projects from over half the university’s colleges across 61 academic departments.

AASHE’s Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser said Texas A&M’s efforts reflect a commitment to sustainability on a global scale. “Upon reading the innovative and high-impact initiatives within this report, I’m encouraged that the global sustainability transformation that we desperately need is, in fact, happening,” she said. “Congratulations to Texas A&M University for their incredible sustainability accomplishments.”

Texas A&M’s STARS report is available on the STARS website.

About STARS

The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS was developed by AASHE with broad participation from the higher education community. The credits included in STARS span the breadth of higher education sustainability and are organized into four categories: Academics, Engagement, Operations, and Planning & Administration. All reports are publicly accessible on the STARS website. For more information, visit stars.aashe.org.

About 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.