Bozeman Magazine

Montana State University’s Office of Sustainability will host its inaugural Sustainability Summit from April 18 to 19 to discuss the university’s progress and goals in sustainability and carbon neutrality. The event is free and open to the public. Attendees are required to register in advance for event tours. 

MSU developed long-term goals as a part of its Sustainability Framework, which was published in December. The Sustainability Summit will provide an update on progress toward those goals, while showcasing campus-wide research and connecting the Office of Sustainability and the Bozeman community. 

“This event shows the culmination of all MSU’s hard work — especially student research that led to innovations implemented on campus,” said Paige Tolleson, communication manager for MSU Office of Sustainability. 

The event kicks off at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 18, in Norm Asbjornson Hall’s Inspiration Hall with a keynote address from Chad Pregracke, founder of Living Lands and Waters, a large-scale river cleanup organization. Pregracke will share how growing up on the Mississippi River shaped his vision for the organization and environmental stewardship.  

A welcome event with coffee and pastries in front of the MSU Central Heating Plant at the corner of Seventh Avenue and Grant Street will start at 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, April 19, followed by walking tours. One set of tours will go through the utility tunnels under MSU, highlighting new geothermal energy wells, energy districting and photovoltaic installations.  These will be led by Duke Elliot, MSU’s resource conservation specialist; Megan Sterl, MSU engineering and facilities manager; and MSU Office of Sustainability staff. The second set of tours will spotlight various energy-saving efforts and sustainable designs on campus and be led by EJ Hook, director of MSU’s Facility Services. Group sizes are limited, and registration is required to attend these tours. 

The afternoon session on April 19 starts at 12:20 p.m. with faculty and staff presentations in Inspiration Hall to explain MSU’s Sustainability Framework and the STARS rating system used by colleges, including MSU, to track sustainability progress. Students will give short presentations on sustainability research.  

“We hope the Sustainability Summit informs and inspires our community. There is room for every MSU major, from art to engineering, and community members to address sustainability and climate change,” said Kristin Blackler, director of the Office of Sustainability. “Each person has the power to communicate, find solutions and engage in local issues that have a global impact.” 

The Sustainability Summit was supported by donations from MSU alumni Mark and Kathy Juedeman of Helena, and Mike and Maggie Price of Anchorage, Alaska. 

To view the full schedule and register for the event and tours, visit montana.edu/sustainability/summit.