UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State College of Arts and Architecture has named its sixth cohort of Sustainability Fellows, which comprises graduate students representing disciplines across the college for the 2026-27 academic year.
The 2026 Sustainability Fellows receive up to $500 for conference registration and associated travel to support the integration of sustainability competencies into their research and pedagogy, and participate in the Sustainability Teaching Roundtable Series, Sustainability Research Get-Together and Sustainability Showcase organized by Mihyun Kang, director for sustainability in the College of Arts and Architecture.
In 2024, the college made a strategic shift to focus on graduate students, which Kang said reflects the commitment to advancing sustainability in education and tailoring the college’s efforts to address graduate students' unique needs and perspectives for interdisciplinary engagement.
The sixth cohort includes graduate students Amir Ghasemi, architecture; Ankita Karmaka, landscape architecture; Mahan Motalebi, architecture; Kris Smith, architecture; Alivia Cross, art education; Shijing Fu, art education; Youngjoo Kim, art education; Ting-Yun "Yuni" Chern, graphic design; Rojina Azadi, graphic design; Evan O’Dell, music.
The cohort will serve as presenters for the Sustainability Research Get-Together, which provides an opportunity for faculty, staff and students to become acquainted with each other, learn about sustainability research from peers, and explore potential interdisciplinary collaboration.
Key sustainability event dates, times and locations for the 2025-26 academic year are as follows:
Sustainability Fellows Orientation, Sept. 2, 10 a.m.-11a.m., Borland Project Space
Sustainability Teaching Roundtable Series, Sept. 16, noon-1:30 p.m., Borland Project Space and Feb. 17, 2027, Noon-1:30 p.m., Borland Project Space
Sustainability Research Get-Together, Nov. 18, noon-2 p.m., Borland Project Space and April 6, 2027, Noon-2 p.m., Borland Project Space
Sustainability Showcase Exhibition, April 1-15, 2027, Reception: April 8, 2027, Time TBD, Borland Project Space
Sustainability Fellows Reflection, May 5, 2027, 10-11 a.m., Borland Project Space.
For more on sustainability efforts in the College of Arts and Architecture, including links to prior presentations, visit the college's sustainability website.