The Office of Sustainability will not be hosting Haunted HEEP this year. If your student group has volunteered in the past and would like to earn service hours, please consider volunteering at Don’t Mess with Mansfield, our community litter clean up, on November 14 from noon to 4pm. Details here.
Author: Mortensen, Betsy
Don’t Mess With Mansfield – Community Cleanup Day November 14, 2026
The Town of Mansfield and UConn are pleased to team up against litter in our town. Join in to meet others in the Mansfield community and do good for our people and planet.
| UConn & Vicinity | Town Wide | |
| Date & Time: | Saturday, November 14
Cleanup Check In Stations will be open Noon to 4pm Optional RSVP HERE. |
Saturday, November 14
At your leisure throughout the day. OR Noon to 4pm to participate with UConn students. |
| Where: | Volunteer to clean up in the core of campus, Hunting Lodge Rd, Separatist Rd, North Eagleville Rd, Moulton Rd, or Eastwood/Westwood Rds.
Litter pickup supplies will be provided at check in stations. |
UConn welcomes all residents to join students in cleaning up North Eagleville Rd. Park in F Lot and check in at the litter clean up station near Wings Over Storrs. Bags, gloves and safety vests will be provided.
On your own? You’re welcome to go anywhere you feel safe collecting roadside litter. Roads that are especially littered include Browns Rd, Chaffeeville Rd, Maple Rd, Pleasant Valley Rd, Mansfield City Rd, Moulton Rd, Stearns Rd, White Oak Rd and Gurleyville Rd. Consider making a commitment to pick up litter on a section of road throughout the year by joining Adopt A Road. |
| What To Do With Full Trash/Recycling Bags: | Bring your litter bag to your Check In station once you are finished. Casella trucks will be making rounds to pick up bags from the stations. | Bags of litter from independent clean ups may be placed out with household trash for those with collection service or taken to the Mansfield Transfer Station for no charge. The Transfer Station is located on Rte 89, one mile from the intersection of Routes 195 and 89 in Mansfield Center at 221 Warrenville Rd. The Transfer Station is open Tuesdays, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, Thursdays, 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm and Saturdays, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.
If you’re joining UConn, bring your bag back to the litter station at Wings Over Storrs. |
Litter is an unsightly blight on our roadways, and hurts the environment. It can be especially dangerous for wildlife. Small animals may crawl into bottles and get stuck, and litter can blow into storm drains and streams and may eventually make its way to the ocean. When litter gets eaten by animals and sea life, they can starve to death or suffocate. Litter also attracts pests. Be part of the solution, not the pollution!
Since starting this program in 2024, we have collected over 4,000 pounds of litter!
Read last year’s story about Don’t Mess with Mansfield in UConn Today.
UConn@COP Fellows Announced for COP31 in Turkey
UConn@COP is a competitive fellowship program that sends students to the international climate-focused United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP). The event brings together students, diplomats, government officials, activists, leaders, and delegates to discuss climate change. Students have the opportunity to engage and attend sessions that discuss ongoing negotiations in the global environmental sphere.
Twelve UConn students were selected to attend COP31 this November in Antalya, Turkey. The Office of Sustainability received approximately 60 applications for the fellowship, all of which were exceptional. The UConn@COP Selection Committee, consisting of faculty, staff, and past UConn COP fellows reviewed each application, and collaboratively decided who would be accepted into this year’s cohort. Betsy Mortensen, Experiential Learning Programs Manager for the Office of Sustainability, and member of the COP Selection Committee shared her thoughts on this year’s applicants, “As always, the selection committee was super impressed by the students who applied, and by the diversity of the majors that were represented. Climate change affects all sectors so we’re glad that we can bring students from diverse fields to COP31.” The COP Fellowship is grateful to have engaged with so many driven students.
Students will attend COP 31 from November 13th to November 21st, 2026. They will bring back the experience of a lifetime and educate their peers about their learnings both while they are at the conference as well as back on campus. One of the fellows, Judith Otunnu ‘27 (CLAS) shared, “I hope to strengthen my understanding of how environmental justice issues manifest on a global scale and learn from diverse perspectives that will inform my work as an environmental scientist after graduation.”
The following students will be attending this year’s conference:
- Samantha Glass, Ph.D. Candidate in Oceanography
- Megan Romansky, M.S. Candidate in Applied and Resource Economics
- Faryal Akbar ’27 (CLAS)
- Brenny Alcantara ’27 (CLAS)
- Amelia Chien ’28 (CAHNR)
- Ryan Engels ’27 (CLAS, SPP)
- Agatha Freitas ’28 (CLAS)
- Paige Gregory ’28 (CLAS)
- Amber Hwang ’27 (CLAS)
- Judith Otunnu ’27 (CLAS)
- Kinga Sigmond ’29 (CLAS)
- Suhitha Sreedhar ’27 (BUS)
Check out our Fellows page to learn more about each student.
Thanks to generous donations, students are able to attend the trip with nearly all expenses paid by the UConn@COP program. Special thank you to the UConn School of Business for supporting the travel costs of Suhitha Sreedhar and Ryan Engels this year.
Meet the fellows and learn about their experience at the conference at the Climate Change Cafe on December 2nd, 2026 at the Student Union, Room 304 from 4-6 PM. Refreshments will be provided.
Hiring: Sustainability Outreach Interns
NOW HIRING
2026 Environmental and Social Sustainability Grantees Announced
This article appears in UConn Today from May 11, 2026.
UConn highlights wellness of people and planet in its strategic plan, and students play a key role in pushing that commitment. Ten new student-lead projects will enhance planetary and social health in the latest round of Environmental and Social Sustainability Grants.
Organized and funded through the UConn Office of Sustainability, the Environmental and Social Sustainability Grants (ESSG) Program funds projects that enhance environmental and social sustainability while engaging students and community members. Each student grantee is supported by a faculty or staff member over the course of the grant period. Applicants shared ideas spanning education, research, authentic community engagement, and campus operations. This is the fifth round of ESSG funding since 2021, which has helped launch the Swap Shop (now Thrift Den), a composting privy at Spring Valley Student Farm, and efforts to combat food insecurity via hydroponic farming.
“The ESSG program is one of several experiential learning programs led by the Office of Sustainability that empower UConn students to translate ideas into meaningful action. As sustainability challenges become increasingly interconnected, these projects give students the opportunity to develop real-world solutions that advance environmental stewardship, community resilience, and social well-being. We are proud to support students who are helping shape a more sustainable future for Connecticut and beyond. The dedication of our faculty and staff mentors continues to be instrumental in turning these ideas into impactful, lasting initiatives,” shares Patrick McKee, Director of the Office of Sustainability.
Ten projects were awarded funds due to their interdisciplinary nature and ability to advance sustainability and equity.
Frosted Elfin Butterfly Habitat Expansion Planning at UConn
UConn hosts a population of the state-threatened Frosted Elfin butterfly. This project will monitor the population, assess habitat across campus, and create a habitat expansion plan to guide future management while engaging students in hands-on biodiversity conservation.
- Student: Charlotte Brennan, MS Candidate in Natural Resources and the Environment
- Faculty Mentor: Dr. Chadwick Rittenhouse, Associate Professor in Residence, Natural Resources and the Environment
Greening the Gap: Heat Equity and Nature Access at UConn Stamford
Stamford’s low-income neighborhoods face dangerous urban heat and green space deprivation, which research links to a 20% increase in psychiatric risk, impaired sleep, higher stress, and increased violence. Yet no map of where these risks concentrate exists. Using GIS mapping, community engagement, and co-designed cooling interventions, Greening the Gap will give residents, planners, and UConn a shared evidence base for environmental justice action.
- Student: Agatha Cardoso Freitas ’28 (CLAS)
- Faculty Mentors: Sohyun Park, Associate Professor in Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, Julia Smachylo, Assistant Professor in Plant Science and Landscape Architecture
Soils Under Treatment: Evaluating the Influence of Fungal Biomass on the Recovery of a Long-Term Contaminated Soil From New England
This project will evaluate the effect of fungal amendments on the mobility of heavy metals, decomposition of recalcitrant organic compounds, and soil health parameters, to determine if using fungi for bioremediation is a feasible strategy for rehabilitating soils from brownfields in Connecticut.
- Student: Paulette Goyes, Ph.D. Candidate in Plant Science
- Faculty Mentor: Mia Maltz, Assistant Professor in Plant Science and Landscape Architecture
Birding Infrastructure and Engagement at the HEEP
The Hillside Environmental Education Park (HEEP) supports a diverse community of birds on the UConn campus. This project will document bird species and habitat use, assess birdwatching infrastructure, and develop recommendations to improve viewing areas and educational resources.
- Student: Alexander Jeziorski ’28 (CAHNR)
- Faculty Mentor: Dr. Chadwick Rittenhouse, Associate Professor in Residence, Natural Resources and the Environment
Mapping the Path to Climate-Smart Farming: A National Biochar Suitability Tool for US Croplands
Biochar is a promising fertilizer that increases farm yields, reduces harmful runoff and sequesters carbon. We’re turning thousands of biochar research studies into a free, interactive map so any US farmer can see exactly which biochar type to apply and how much for their specific farm, soil, and goals.
- Students: Yogesh Kumar, Ph.D. Candidate in Natural Resources and the Environment, Ritu Mohanpuria, Ph.D. Candidate in Natural Resources and the Environment, Qiangyu Li, Ph.D. Candidate in Natural Resources and the Environment
- Faculty and Postdoctoral Mentors: Wei Ren, Associate Professor in Natural Resources and the Environment, Yakai Wang, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Natural Resources and the Environment
A Growing Community
This project will contribute to the success of community farms by informing and inspiring people who wish to foster new or existing community gardens. It will create a website that includes different business plans with examples of different types of community farms, and a documentary that will inspire people to get involved with their local community farms.
- Student: Isabella Lawless ’27 (CAHNR)
- Faculty Mentor: Stacy Maddern, Associate Professor-in-Residence in Geography, Sustainability, Community, and Urban Studies
Upcycling SkillShares
Although there is a renewed interest in thrifting to combat the problem of clothing waste, there are still many clothing items that cannot be accepted for re-wear. This project aims to find uses for those items while encouraging students to upcycle their own clothing through SkillShares, hosted with the I-Zone.
- Student: Phoebe Lu ’29 (CAHNR)
- Staff Mentor: Heather Parker, Undergraduate Academic Advisor in History
Cultivating Community: Intergenerational Service-Learning to Support Sustainable Food Systems in Waterbury, CT
This program will engage older and younger adult students at UConn Waterbury in an experiential learning course about sustainable food systems and community cohesion. The program will develop coursework that integrates undergraduates into urban gardening at the Osher Lifelong Institute (OLLI) Garden while expanding local food access and fostering intergenerational partnership.
- Student: Hannah Peterson, M.S. Candidate in Health Promotion Sciences
- Faculty Mentor: Anna-Michelle McSorley, Assistant Professor in Allied Health Sciences
Simulation Automation Applied to Atmospheric Water Harvesting
Atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) is an energy-intense method of pulling potable water from the air. This project will create a simulation automation tool to investigate an AWH system integrated with a geothermal power plant, to see how it could be done without creating carbon emissions. It will provide insight into the viability of this type of dual resource system while creating a useful tool for similar projects.
- Students: Evan Piotrowski ’27 (COE), Hasan Nikkhah, Ph.D. Candidate in Chemical Engineering
- Faculty Mentor: Burcu Beykal, Assistant Professor in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Scaling Connecticut’s Native Meadow Movement: Policy Research, Coalition Building, and Community Engagement
This student led research and coalition project will support new Connecticut legislation for lawn to meadow tax incentives. The project will combine economic analysis, stakeholder engagement, and documentary filmmaking to demonstrate policy viability while addressing water quality, pollinator habitat, and environmental justice issues.
- Students: William Sweet ’29 (CLAS), Brennan DaMota ’27 (BUS), Alexandre Zemke ’29 (BUS)
- Faculty Mentor: David Wagner, Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Over $50,000 will be awarded in total to support these student projects.
Hannah Peterson, a grantee pursuing a M.S. in Health Promotion Sciences says, “I’m excited to create a new community collaboration at UConn Waterbury, which can support undergraduate students’ service-learning opportunities, and build local capacity to sustain a valued urban-greening resource – the OLLI Garden!” Peterson’s project will connect undergraduate students with Osher Lifelong Institute (OLLI) learners (aged 50 and up) over shared educational experiences at the OLLI Garden in Waterbury. The garden provides nearly 3,000 pounds of food to local food pantries and the new service-learning course will help combat loneliness experienced by young undergraduate students and community seniors. Peterson’s project exemplifies UConn’s dedication to providing services to Connecticut communities.
Agriculture isn’t the only theme covered in the grants program. “This funding will help us set up and maintain a hopefully long-term, closed-loop system to mitigate clothing waste through recycling and education at UConn,” shares Phoebe Lu ’29 (CAHNR) who will be tackling textile waste created by fast fashion. Clothing donated to the Thrift Den, UConn’s free thrift store, is not always fit for wearing – like extensive rips or stains. However, through Lu’s project, the clothing can get new life as an upcycled item (e.g. animal beds), stuffing, or through specialty textile recycling. She plans to host sewing workshops at the I-Zone, connect with community organizations in need of pet beds, and help further reduce clothing waste on campus.
Students will present their project findings and impacts this fall at the Climate Change Cafe poster symposium in December.
For more details on the Environmental and Social Sustainability Small Grants Program, please visit: https://sustainability.uconn.edu/environmental-social-sustainability-small-grants-program/
If you’re inspired by these students and their positive impact, please donate to the Campus Sustainability Fund to support future grantees.
UConn Gives 2026 – Support Sustainability
UConn Gives, the annual 36-hour fundraising event at UConn, will be taking place on April 21 and 22. Every year, the UConn community rallies to support many different causes on campus, including our own Campus Sustainability Fund and the UConn@COP Fund!
The Campus Sustainability Fund (CSF) finances programs and initiatives that support students and advance UConn’s position as a global leader in university sustainability. Contributions to the CSF provide critical funding of transformative learning experiences for students including hands-on professional development through internships and research projects that nurture our natural environments, improve health and wellbeing, and enhance environmental justice in the communities which we serve. The CSF also funds our experiential learning events such as the Haunted HEEP, the UConn-famous annual haunted trail walk at the Hillside Environmental Education Park.
The UConn@COP Fund supports the UConn@COP Fellowship program, helping the OS send a cohort of students each year to the annual United Nations Conference of the Parties. Through UConn@COP, students have participated in panels at international press conferences, networked with global environmental leaders, and heard from and interacted with international delegates and core members of international environmental justice movements. UConn@COP is an incredible, transformative experience for fellows, and it would not be possible without the support of generous donors!
Every donation, big or small, means so much! Thank you to everyone for supporting sustainability achievements and the environmental leaders of tomorrow!
Now Accepting UConn@COP31 Expressions of Interest
Attention UConn Faculty and Staff Members:
The steering committee for the UConn@COP Fellowship Program is pleased to extend a call for expressions of interest by UConn faculty and staff members who are interested in joining the UConn@COP31 contingent as it travels to Antalya, Turkey from November 14-21, 2026 to attend the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP31) climate change conference.
Critically, participation in the formal Fellowship Program and travel with the group require all travel expenses, including flight and hotel fees be self-funded.
Due to space limitations, only two faculty and staff members will be able to stay with the group as part of the official delegation. Nonetheless, anyone already planning to attend the conference is more than welcome to meet with the UConn delegation in Turkey.
Please note, conference passes are scarce and not guaranteed. Priority for passes will be given to students before faculty or staff members. We encourage applicants to seek alternative sources for obtaining an official UN conference badge.
Opportunities to contribute to the program include:
- Leading topic-specific “breakfast club” conversations in the mornings at the conference with the UConn@COP fellows
- Participating in group cultural immersion excursions
- Leading or participating in pre-travel educational meetings
- Participating in the Climate Change Café and Symposium on December 2, 2026 from 4-6pm in the Student Union.
To submit your expression of interest, please email the UConn@COP steering committee at sustainability@uconn.edu by 11:59pm on May 10th. Please be sure to address the following questions in your email:
- What contributions to the UConn@COP Fellowship Program might you offer the students?
- What will you gain professionally by joining the UConn delegation attending COP31?
Please feel free to email the UConn@COP Fellowship Program steering committee with any questions, at: sustainability@uconn.edu
Don’t Mess With Mansfield – Community Cleanup Day April 26, 2026
The Town of Mansfield and UConn are pleased to team up against litter in our town. Join in to meet others in the Mansfield community and do good for our people and planet.
| UConn & Vicinity | Town Wide | |
| Date & Time: | Sunday, April 26
Cleanup Check In Stations will be open Noon to 4pm Optional RSVP HERE. |
Sunday, April 26
At your leisure throughout the day. OR Noon to 4pm to participate with UConn students. |
| Where: | Volunteer to clean up in the core of campus, Hunting Lodge Rd, Separatist Rd, North Eagleville Rd, Moulton Rd, or Eastwood/Westwood Rds.
Litter pickup supplies will be provided at check in stations. |
This year UConn welcomes all residents to join students in cleaning up North Eagleville Rd. Park in F Lot and check in at the litter clean up station near Wings Over Storrs. Bags, gloves and safety vests will be provided.
On your own? You’re welcome to go anywhere you feel safe collecting roadside litter. Roads that are especially littered include Browns Rd, Chaffeeville Rd, Maple Rd, Pleasant Valley Rd, Mansfield City Rd, Moulton Rd, Stearns Rd, White Oak Rd and Gurleyville Rd. Consider making a commitment to pick up litter on a section of road throughout the year by joining Adopt A Road. |
| What To Do With Full Trash/Recycling Bags: | Bring your litter bag to your Check In station once you are finished. Casella trucks will be making rounds to pick up bags from the stations. | Bags of litter from independent clean ups may be placed out with household trash for those with collection service or taken to the Mansfield Transfer Station for no charge. The Transfer Station is located on Rte 89, one mile from the intersection of Routes 195 and 89 in Mansfield Center at 221 Warrenville Rd. The Transfer Station is open Tuesdays, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, Thursdays, 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm and Saturdays, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.
If you’re joining UConn, bring your bag back to the litter station at Wings Over Storrs. |
Litter is an unsightly blight on our roadways, and hurts the environment. It can be especially dangerous for wildlife. Small animals may crawl into bottles and get stuck, and litter can blow into storm drains and streams and may eventually make its way to the ocean. When litter gets eaten by animals and sea life, they can starve to death or suffocate. Litter also attracts pests. Be part of the solution, not the pollution!
Since starting this program in 2024, we have collected over 3,684 pounds of litter!
Read last spring’s story about Don’t Mess with Mansfield in UConn Today.
Apply to UConn@COP – Applications for 2026 are OPEN!
Applications for the UConn@COP Fellowship Program are now OPEN! Attend the United Nations’ global climate negotiations – the Conference of the Parties (COP) in Belém, Brazil from November 14-21, 2026.
COP brings together diplomats, business executives, heads of government, university leaders, environmental activists, NGO’s and other delegates to discuss progress in dealing with climate change. Through this program, UConn students have participated on panels at international press conferences, networked with global NGO’s, environmentally-minded businesses & renewable energy companies, engaged in immersive art exhibitions, attended film screenings put on by the directors themselves, interacted with international delegates & core members of environmental justice movements, and connected with like-minded, passionate students at other colleges & universities in the U.S. and around the world.
The UConn@COP program funds nearly all travel and registration costs thanks to generous donors. Fellows are responsible for $250, but can request a waiver in the event of hardship.
Apply by April 26, 2026 at 11:59pm. No late applications are accepted.
You Complete: COP Application Form
The application asks for student leadership experience, academic information and a short answer to:
In what way(s) do you see yourself contributing to UConn@COP’s efforts to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the program and more generally addressing Environmental Justice. (250 words or less)
You’ll also attach:
- A one-page PDF of your current resume
- A photocopy of your passport (or copy of your passport application confirmation receipt)
- One approximately 700-word essay responding to the following prompts:
-
- Describe what relevant academic, leadership, and personal experiences make you an ideal candidate for the UConn@COP30 Fellowship Program.
- If selected, how will you share your experiences from UConn@COP with the UConn community? (your plans for outreach should be both aspirational and achievable)
- How will the components of the conference and Fellowship program overall benefit your future career?
Your References Complete: In order to be considered for the UConn@COP program, you need two references (one must be from a UConn Faculty Member) to fill out the recommendation form linked below. Please share this link with your references and have them complete it by the application deadline, Wednesday April 26 at 11:59 PM. UConn@COP Reference Form
Selected Fellows are notified by August 1st.
If you have an interest in climate action, apply! Details on the program and application information can be found HERE.
Hiring Sustainability Interns for Fall ’26
If you have an interest in sustainability, want great career experience and excellent mentoring, apply to join our team of ~12 interns this fall.
Submit a letter expressing your interest in the position, your resume and an application via 12Twenty.
Applications are due by 11:59pm on April 26. No late applications will be accepted.
For more details visit: https://sustainability.uconn.edu/experiential-learning/os-internship-opportunities/sustainability-interns/