Student award recipients at the Sustainability Awards.
Alumni, faculty, staff, and students were recognized for their sustainability efforts during the annual UNH Sustainability Awards on Thursday, Oct. 30.
Awards included lifetime achievement recognition in each of the non-student categories, as well as selection of a Student Organization of the Year.
The awards were established to recognize UNH alumni, faculty, staff and students for their contributions to sustainability, including research and scholarship, curriculum development and teaching, campus initiatives and external activities and achievements.
Lifetime achievement honors were given out to faculty member Jingfeng Xiao, research professor in the Earth Systems Research Center, and staff member Michael Routhier, geospatial science instructor and researcher with the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space. The same honor in the alumni category went to the trio of Eric Gibbs ’93, senior vice president for global strategy at Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA), Jennifer Jenkins ’98G, chief science officer with Rubicon Carbon, and Jennifer Moore ’92, founder and co-creator at Project Upcycle.
Xiao was recognized for conducting “pioneering and internationally recognized research on the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and human society.” Routhier was honored for a 30-year career at UNH focused on “the sustainable uses of our natural resources, humans living in balance with their environments, and the education of our next generation of researchers, environmental managers, and conservationists with the use of geospatial technologies.”
Gibbs has “spent his career dedicated to sustainable international development and clean energy because he firmly believes there is no progress without addressing the climate crisis.” Jenkins “is a recognized authority in carbon cycling and ecosystem science, and was a co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize as part of the IPCC team along with Vice President Al Gore,” and Moore “is the founder and co-creator of Project Upcycle, an annual sustainable fashion competition in Portsmouth, NH that challenges emerging designers to rethink fashion using thrifted, surplus, and deadstock materials.”
Below is a complete list of the honorees this year.
2025 Sustainability Awards
FACULTY
Lifetime Achievement
Jingfeng Xiao, research professor, Earth Systems Research Center
Campus & Community Engagement
Eleta Exline, scholarly communication librarian and associate professor, UNH Library
Charlie French, Extension professor and program leader, community and economic development, Cooperative Extension, College of Life Science and Agriculture
Health Sciences Simulation Center, College of Health and Human Services
Curriculum, New
Kari Dudley, principal lecturer, department of psychology, College of Liberal Arts
Curriculum, Existing
Betty Woodman, faculty, sustainability dual major, College of Life Sciences and Agriculture
Research, Emerging
Szu-Feng Chen, professor and director of design and theatre technology, theatre and dance department, College of Liberal Arts
Glen Miller, professor, department of chemistry, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research, Established
Meghan Howey, professor, anthropology department and Earth Systems Research Center and director, Center for the Humanities, College of Liberal Arts
Paula Mouser, professor, civil and environmental engineering, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Jeannie Sowers, professor, department of politics and international affairs, College of Liberal Arts
Staff Awards
Lifetime Achievement
Michael Routhier, geospatial science instructor/researcher, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space
Campus Culture and Operations
Career and Professional Success (CaPS) – Alternative Break Challenge (ABC) team
Patty Mathison, basic needs coordinator and case manager
UNH Child Study and Development Center
The SHARPP Center Prevention & Engagement team
Campus Community and Engagement
Center for Impact Finance team
Sarah Stinson, digital collections coordinator, UNH Library
Amy Hollar, UNH Extension state specialist, Nutrition Connections and team, UNH Extension, College of Life Sciences and Agriculture
NH Small Business Development Center
Alumni Awards
Lifetime Achievement
Eric Gibbs ’93, senior vice president for global strategy, Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA)
Jennifer Jenkins ’98 Ph.D., chief science officer, Rubicon Carbon
Jennifer Moore ’92, founder and co-creator, Project Upcycle
Graduates of the Last Decade
Torey Brooks ’18, ’19G, Pembroke
Andy DeMeo ’18, creator and host, Granite Goodness podcast
Allison Leach ’18 Ph.D,, corporate standard associate for the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, World Resources Institute’s Climate Program
Mikey Pasciuto ’21, chief sustainability officer, Scrapp
Rachel Rymaszewski ’20, senior mission-aligned investment research analyst, Prime Buchholz
Cassidy Yates ’20, ’22G climate resiliency and sustainability engineer, Weston & Sampson
Student Awards
Student Organization of the Year
The Butterfly Garden Club:
Teagan McCausland ’28, president, environmental conservation and sustainability
Calla Streeter ’27, treasurer, wildlife and conservation biology
Zachary Holt ’27, secretary, electrical engineering
Campus Culture, Operations, and Engagement
Taylor Barry ’28, community and environmental planning and sustainability dual major
Jo Field, ’26G, Ph.D. student, natural resources and environmental studies
Gracie Solomon ’26, environmental conservation, sustainability dual major
Jordan Wright ’27, community and environmental planning, sustainability dual major
