Fairmont State Professor Dr. Erica Harvey and student Eliza Keener attend Climate Crossroads Summit in Washington D.C.

Fairmont State University Abelina Suarez Professor of Chemistry Emerita and Campus Sustainability Consultant Dr. Erica Harvey was a panelist in the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine Climate Crossroads Summit in Washington D.C. on July 16 and 17. Harvey was invited to share her perspective on working with students to engage local communities and improve campus sustainability. Mechanical Engineering major Eliza Keener (Sutton, WV) attended the Summit with Harvey, with encouragement by her internship employer for the summer, Schaeffler, a motion technology company.

"It was an honor to be invited and get the opportunity to share the perspective of a primarily undergraduate regional public institution. The Summit brought together people, stories, and data from across the world,” Harvey said “I was heartened by the strong focus on ensuring that communities thrive and that community members are partners in developing and implementing solutions. Fairmont State is well positioned to play a central role in this work."

Keener is working in the Green Products and Sustainability department at Schaeffler. She was tasked with creating an emission matrix of the production process. An emission matrix is a list of relevant production processes, and the emissions associated with them, used in decision making when decarbonizing products. The list will include process descriptions, utility usage, and consumables.

"Dr. Harvey’s presence on the panel was very impactful," said Keener. "I found it valuable to have outside expertise on climate topics, expanding beyond the usual scope of discussion."

The Summit brought together experts from a broad range of different fields to discuss current and emerging solutions at the scale and scope needed to address climate change. A large-scale solution that was mainly focused on was the decarbonization of the economy, which includes increasing energy efficiency to achieve a low-emission global economy.

Harvey participated in a mainstage panel on Higher Education Transformative Climate Action, which focused on campus decarbonization and on supporting local communities in building climate resilience. The session brought together stakeholders from across the sector to share effective approaches and to describe mechanisms that could help spur additional action across the range of institutions of higher education.

Harvey’s appointment as the 2018-2023 Abelina Suarez Professor allowed her to support collaborative work that guides Fairmont State towards becoming a more sustainable campus. The Estate of Abelina Suarez established this honor. The Abelina Suarez professorship is Fairmont State’s first named professorship and is intended to recognize extended and continued excellence by a member of the University faculty. The professorship is awarded every 5 years.

As Abelina Suarez Professor, Harvey established the Creative Sustainability Council, which allowed Fairmont State to explore new opportunities for sustainability on campus. The Council has continued since its establishment under the leadership of President Ryan Williams (Winfield, WV), an architecture major, and Advisor Dr. Nathan Myers, Professor of English.

Harvey hopes Fairmont State can set a precedent for others within the community.

“Several faculty and staff members have taken advantage of Department of Agriculture REAP (Rural Energy for America Program) grants and loans to help local businesses go solar,” said Harvey. “I hope that our campus can continue to serve as a hub for people to learn about locally viable options and funding opportunities that they may not have previously considered.”

She notes that some organizations within the community have already transitioned to alternative energy sources.

“I’m thrilled to see local initiatives like the Marion County Transit Authority’s incorporation of an electric van, and the Marion County Human Society’s adoption of rooftop solar as a long-term way to free up money for animal care,” Harvey added.

The Summit wasn’t the first time Harvey and Keener have traveled to D.C. to discuss climate change and energy sustainability. Last year, they attended another forum hosted by the White House Office of Science Technology and Policy at the White House.

In addition to Keener and Dr. Harvey, the forum included U.S. Government officials and climate, sustainability, and resilience leaders and educators from colleges and universities nationwide. The series of keynote speakers and panel discussions explored innovative ideas and actions that can advance climate change mitigation efforts on college campuses while benefiting the surrounding communities and beyond.

Keener served as a moderator and recorder for the breakout sessions during last year’s forum. She was the only first-year undergraduate student at the event.

Harvey, like many other educators on campus, constantly looks for opportunities for students to engage with their community and in research opportunities.

“As I shared at the Summit, 90 percent of our students are from West Virginia, with two-thirds from the surrounding seven-county region. This close community connection enables us to explore, test, and report on sustainability initiatives with immediate local impacts,” said Harvey. “Eliza and her fellow students, Abby Adkins (Barboursville, WV), Dylan Kolb (Weirton, WV), Trace Freed (Pine Grove, WV), Trey Jones (Evans, WV), and Jacob Bonner (Weirton, WV) were in my Campus Sustainability class in the spring of 2023. They researched solar energy options that allow us to take advantage of new incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act and move forward this year with an expansion of our campus solar array.”

Fairmont State is a Great Place to Learn, fostering a culture of innovation through abundant hands-on learning and research opportunities. By encouraging students to engage directly with real-world challenges, the University equips them with practical skills and knowledge that extend beyond the classroom. This commitment to experiential learning ensures that graduates are not only well-prepared for their careers but also inspired to drive positive change in their communities and beyond.