The Sustainability Space: Virtual Professional Development Lecture Series
The Sustainability Space is a series of virtual, discussion-based events for students studying sustainability at The Earth Institute, Columbia University. Hosted by faculty and student group leaders, these discussions will explore a variety of critical topics, ranging from energy to equity and more.
The 2/18 session is titled Sustainable Mass Transit. Mass transit networks, with the variety and versatility of infrastructure, facilities and vehicles, and the connectivity with other aspects of city living from an economic, social and engineering standpoint, presents many opportunities for sustainable creativities. Mass transit agencies have in the past decade adopted many sustainability initiatives that in numerous cases have become standard practice. If history is any indication, U.S. Mass Transit agencies will seek further opportunities for more sustainability initiatives.
Mass transit agencies across the U.S. have installed initiatives that have saved energy, money and made a difference from a social aspect. Many high level and superb sustainable initiatives have been adopted by mass transit agencies in the U.S. and around the world, and there have been some standout organizations that have made sustainability a cornerstone of their operations, planning, design, and construction. Large scale engineering projects to small scale strategies, and everything in between, mass transit networks present endless choices for an agency to provide sustainable solutions for the benefit of cities, and of course to be more sustainable itself.
Speaker:
Thomas Abdallah, P.E. LEED AP, ENV SP is the Deputy Vice President and Chief Environmental Engineer for the MTA New York City Transit. He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Rutgers University. Responsible to provide expert environmental engineering services to MTA’s Construction and Development (MTA C&D) agency. He ensures that all design and construction projects meet all environmental requirements, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). He is also a fierce champion of environmental sustainability issues and is responsible for MTA C&D’s certified ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS).
Thomas is a Professor in Columbia’s Sustainability Management (SUMA) program in the School of Professional Studies and is a faculty advisor for the Capstone Workshop in the SUMA program. The Capstone is a pro bono consulting effort that allows graduate students to work on a real sustainability job. The SUMA program capstone workshops are performed for either a non-profit or government agency.
He is the proud author of the book Sustainable Mass Transit: Challenges and Opportunities in Urban Public Transportation (2017 Elsevier).
PLEASE RSVP HERE.
Registrants will receive a link with the recording of the event 24 hours after the end of the event.
For event-related questions, please contact Marivi Perdomo Caba, [email protected].
