PITTSBURGH — This summer, 10 Penn State students from diverse majors immersed themselves in urban sustainability and high-performance building design thanks in part to the Franco Harris Pittsburgh Center at Penn State. From testing soil for urban farms to developing data tools for emissions reduction, students applied their skills to real-world challenges while supporting community partners across the city.
Since its launch seven years ago, City Semester Pittsburgh — facilitated through the Franco Harris Pittsburgh Center at Penn State — has offered students hands-on experience learning about urban sustainability and contributing to communities in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The semester-long program combines a three-credit course with internships at more than 30 community partner organizations. To date, 78 students from 30 majors have contributed to projects that support clean air, water and green space in neighborhoods shaped by Pittsburgh’s industrial past.
Mark Hinlo, an environmental systems engineering major in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, interned for the Allegheny County Conservation District (ACCD) where he conducted soil lead testing as part of ACCD’s Urban Soils program. The testing is done to determine green space feasibility in Allegheny County communities.
“I helped communicate the results of lead testing to aspiring urban growers and green space stewards who want to move forward with creating safe growing or green space for the community to enjoy,” Hinlo said. “I learned through this experience that successful and sustainable planning starts with developing strong, trusting relationships with community members, built over time and with positive intentions. Being able to create sustainable development through the power of technology and science needs the support of the communities that will implement them.”
Hayly Hoch, community agriculture and soils program manager for ACCD, said Hinlo’s work directly contributed to the organization’s mission to protect healthy soil and water, essential natural resources for every community in Allegheny County.
“Mark’s work on soil lead contamination on urban farms, community greenspaces and in backyard gardens has expanded our communities’ knowledge of and access to resources to address environmental challenges unique to urban areas,” Hoch said.
A data science and economic major from the College of Information Sciences and Technology, Hiba Al-Nabhani worked with the Green Building Alliance as a data and research intern on a project designed to help cut emissions by half before 2030.
“My role focused on data entry and analysis, where I learned how buildings operate through systems like HVAC, insulation and lighting, and what best practices can reduce both costs and emissions,” Al-Nabhani said. “Under my mentor’s guidance, I developed a capital improvement plan guide for small businesses to help them track planned renovations and prioritize those with the greatest impact. This experience shaped my view of sustainability in planning and design by showing me how important well-structured data is to driving real change.”
Madison Mascellino, a landscape architecture major in the College of Arts and Architecture, interned with both Studio for Spatial Practice and Tree Pittsburgh. She supported a community-use project in the Knoxville neighborhood and helped grow resilient trees from seed.
"This experience broadened my understanding of how sustainability can be woven into planning and design, and it reinforced the importance of community involvement and long-term stewardship in creating landscapes that thrive well into the future,” she said.
Matthew Stanko, operations manager for the Heritage Nursery at Tree Pittsburgh, said Mascellino’s work directly supported Tree Pittsburgh’s mission as a community nonprofit to protect and restore the city’s forest through planting, care and advocacy.
“The trees Madison helped grow and care for will be planted throughout the city, where they’ll provide lasting benefits like cleaner air, cooler streets and greener neighborhoods,” Stanko said. “Her impact will be felt for years to come, and we were lucky to have her on our team.”
Also, over the summer, the Franco Harris Pittsburgh Center welcomed nine students from South West College in Northern Ireland who joined Penn State students for the annual High-Performance Building Summer Program.
During the three-week program, students participated in classes, workshops and toured LEED Gold certified Perkins Eastman Pittsburgh studio, Center for Sustainable Landscapes at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Frick Environmental Center, Fallingwater and Kentucky Knob, Tree Pittsburgh and more.
The High-Performance Building Summer Program is designed to prepare students for Passive House Certification and is a joint initiative between the Franco Harris Pittsburgh Center at Penn State, Green Building Alliance, South West College, Northern Ireland and the Penn State-led Global Building Network.
Pittsburgh was selected as the host for the program, which is in its fourth year, because of its classification as a United Nations International Center of Excellence on High-Performance Building.
For more information about City Semester Pittsburgh and the High-Performance Building Summer Camp visit the Franco Harris Pittsburgh Center at Penn State, a service of Penn State Outreach.