Since the inception of The Green Dandelion, we have been fortunate to have many talented writers cross our path. While many of our authors were former U of R student interns that have since graduated, we have also had two consistent staff members of the University Facilities and Services Support Operations team who together ensure that our blog is fed with regular content for your information and reading pleasure. So who is currently writing in the blog? Get to know us!
Our newest addition is ADIL NYAMBASHA (pictured above). Adil is a member of the Class of 2018 double majoring in International Relations and Psychology. His interest in environmental sustainability and environmental law stemmed primarily from his involvement with Greendorm– a student-run enterprise that sought to promote environmentally sustainable practices and the use energy efficient technology on his high school campus in South Africa. Through this and other experiences, Adil was exposed to the exciting field of environmental sustainability and has since made a conscious effort to learn as much as he can about the field here at UR.
Adil hopes that through the Sustainability Research Internship, he will be able to nurture his research and writing skills in preparation for law school and life beyond college. He also hopes to return to his home continent, Africa, to work on structuring comprehensive environmental laws that will help in ensuring the longevity of the continent’s biodiversity.
Adil has further interests in education and has participated in numerous education related programs including the Global Scholars Program and BUILD in a Box, both in South Africa. On campus, Adil is a member of the Pan African Students Association (PASA), plays Club Badminton and works for the Office of Admissions. He is also a brother of Theta Chi Fraternity. Beyond his academic interests, Adil enjoys travelling, water sports, music and aviation.
ALYSSA LEMIRE is a member of the class of 2017 double majoring in Environmental Studies and Public Health. Alyssa has been interested in preserving our world and its inhabitants since learning in Elementary School about climate change and the effects it has on our planet. She hopes that through Facilities Team Green, she can have a positive impact on our campus by promoting ecofriendly behaviors and sustainability efforts.
Originally from Rhode Island, Alyssa loves being outdoors. Among her favorite activities are kayaking and hiking. Here at the University of Rochester she is on the Women’s Rugby Team and the Club Softball team. When she isn’t on the field, you can find her working on health initiatives around campus. Alyssa is part of the Health Promotion Office in UHS, a student co-chair of the New York State Health Association, and a member of the Student Health Advisory Committee. Alyssa is also a sister of Alpha Phi, currently serving as Marketing Chairwomen. In her spare time, she can be found obsessing over teacup pigs or reading an unhealthy amount of fiction novels.
MARIAH GREICO is a University of Rochester class of 2018 member pursuing a degree in Environmental Studies. She spent childhood summers camping and developed a deep love for nature and the world around her. Mariah dove into sustainability efforts on campus by becoming an EcoRep. Through the EcoReps program, she learned about many other sustainability groups and initiatives on campus, including Facilities Team Green, which she looks forward to being an active part of.
Additionally, Mariah is a brother of the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity and a LEAP tutor for elementary schoolers through the Rochester Center for Community Leadership. In her free time, Mariah enjoys listening to music, making desserts to share with friends, going on long walks, and getting fresh local food from the Public Market.
PAT BEAUMONT earned her mechanical engineering degree from rival RIT, yet the University of Rochester is thrilled to have Pat as the Director of Support Operations in the Facilities and Services Department. She began her career as an intern at Carrier Corporation during the oil crisis of the early 1980’s, testing room temperatures to verify that they were not wasting energy by being excessively cooled. Early on in her tenure at the U of R Pat worked as an Energy Engineer on lighting and mechanical (HVAC -heating, ventilation and air conditioning) projects to reduce the University’s energy use.
Pat has a firm belief that being sustainable is the right thing to do, especially since it is so often easy. In her current position, she has been extremely proactive in getting her department to go green. She helped implement a computer policy to automatically turning off computers when not in use; establish paper reduction programs including double sided copying, sharing printers; and install occupancy sensors on indoor lights. The department is also encouraged to shut blinds, use the stairs, attend sustainable meetings, and generally act in a sustainable manner. When she isn’t enforcing sustainable procedures at the University or writing for The Green Dandelion, Pat enjoys spending her time outdoors while skiing and golfing, and does yoga and boot camp when the weather gets bad.
AMY KADRIE became recycling coordinator for the University of Rochester in October of 2008. She earned her degree at the College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, NY, and studied Rainforest and Reef Ecology in Australia. Prior to her position at the University of Rochester, Amy worked for The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources as a Compliance Officer. Her passion for sustainability grew from her childhood love of nature and appreciation for the outdoors and her firm belief that we’re all responsible for our actions, including the way we treat this planet.
As the recycling coordinator and manager of Facilities Team Green, Amy’s main purpose is to reduce the amount of waste disposed of in landfills, increase the amount of material reduced, reused, and recycled, all while encouraging and promoting sustainability at the University of Rochester. She has implemented changes to make regular recycling simpler and easier for the campus community, as well as discovered new ways to recycle more materials and reduce waste in general. Some initiatives include the annual E-Cycle Day and Shred Fest events to responsibly collect personal items of employees and students, the Move-Out Cleanout program to donate unwanted dorm items at the end of the year, coordination with departments to reduce and reuse supplies, and many more.
The result of her hard work is evident in the increase of our annual waste diversion rate (see most recent waste diversion report here). In addition to recycling and waste reduction, Amy works continually to increase education and awareness of sustainability at the University by engaging in student and staff activities and events, coordinating biweekly Go Green! articles, and maintaining the sustainability webpage, blog, and Facebook page. When she is not working to save the planet, Amy enjoys reading, walking and being outdoors, and most of all, being “Mommy” to two amazing daughters.
Learn about all of The Green Dandelion authors here.