Kathy Lambert '90 will become the College's sustainability manager, who helps to generate and implement plans to improve Dartmouth's sustainability efforts, in August 2008. The College has not had a full-time sustainability coordinator since the departure of former sustainability director Jim Merkel last August.
Lambert will work to incorporate sustainability into the College's operations and educational efforts.
"Her role is really to be the principle person within the administration to help to really understand what the opportunities are and to help define the potential priorities and communicate those to the provost and to other members of the administration," Mary Gorman, associate provost and executive officer, said.
Lambert will also help coordinate the many groups on campus that work to make Dartmouth more environmentally sustainable. This will be particularly beneficial to student-led environmental groups, according to Ruth Hupart '08, who said that Lambert will be the "go-to" person for sustainability issues.
During her first term as sustainability manager, Lambert will survey the College's current sustainability efforts to determine what actions Dartmouth is currently taking and what new policies should be implemented, Lambert said. The survey will include interviews with students, administrators, staff and faculty.
Lambert also hopes to complete a sustainability action plan outline during her first term at Dartmouth, she said. Lambert also said she intends to set targets for the College's greenhouse gas emissions. These efforts could increase energy efficiency, and Lambert may also look into the possibility of using cleaner heating fuels at the College.
Lambert would also like to increase internal awareness about the College's current sustainability efforts, she said. For example, the College could hold events to educate the community about the four new buildings that recently received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certifications for their high water and energy efficiency, she noted.
"I think the biggest change will be everyone will realize what Dartmouth's already doing in terms of sustainability," Hupart said.
To achieve her goals, Lambert said she plans to work with many different constituencies, including faculty, staff, administrators and students.
"I really like the energy that the student groups at Dartmouth bring to the issues," Lambert said. "I also am attracted to the deep intellectual capital in the academic departments at Dartmouth and what they could bring."
Lambert received a bachelors degree in sociology with an environmental studies certificate from Dartmouth and a masters in forest science in hydrology and watershed management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental studies. She has served as a consultant and executive director of the Hubbard Brooks Research Foundation in Hanover and founded the Vermont-based environmental consulting firm Ecologic, which focuses on public policy. Lambert has also earned a Switzer Environmental Fellowship and a United States Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Merit Award.
