Through education and innovation, Cal State Fullerton has committed to being among the frontrunners in the effort to ensure a greener, more sustainable future.
This commitment was once again the driving force behind the university’s annual Energy & Sustainability Summit.
Held on Oct. 21 in the Titan Student Union, the third annual summit was presented on a larger scale than in the previous two years.
The event featured panel discussions with industry experts and government officials and showcased the work of CSUF student researchers whose projects demonstrated innovative solutions to climate-related issues.
“I know California is leading the way in creating a more sustainable and cleaner energy future,” said CSUF president Ronald Rochon, who was attending his first Sustainability Summit since becoming president four months ago. “And thanks to our state leaders, I am proud that we as a campus are a part of reaching these particular goals, including becoming carbon neutral by 2045.”
Rochon also pointed out some of the university’s current initiatives designed to bolster energy efficiency, water conversation, waste reduction, sustainable transportation and community outreach.
CSUF has been distinguished as a Gold Star member of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, the president noted.
The university is also a top performer in the water category of the 2024 Sustainable Campus Index, achieving 27% of water reduction through infrastructure and landscaping, the president said.
CSUF provides 100 electric vehicle charging spaces through Southern California Edison’s Charge Ready program, which has helped save 8,300 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions each day.
“As president of the largest CSU, serving nearly 43,000 students, it is important that myself, our faculty and staff have a good understanding of where we are going, where we are growing, and where the demand is for our students so they will know how to best be equipped with the necessary skills to be successful in this changing environment,” Rochon said.
One panel discussion focused on how Orange County’s new Climate Action Plan aligns with the region’s commitment to transition to clean energy and to include disadvantaged communities in that mission.
Panel participant Katrina Foley, Fifth District Supervisor on the Orange County Board of Supervisors, said climate change has caused Orange County to fall victim to an increase in wildfires, landslides, coastal erosion, toxic algae in our waters and a rise in temperatures.
“These are all a result of climate change,” Foley said. “And anyone denying that is just not paying attention.”
Crafting a climate action plan is critical to enable the county to receive federal funding, which can be used to implement greater sustainability measures, the supervisor said.
A second panel discussion focused on the technical support and resources available to local communities looking to invest in energy efficiency and sustainability.
Panelists included Tara Tisopulos, deputy director of environmental sustainability for OC Waste & Recycling and the county’s first-ever sustainability officer.
With 800 county structures in its 34 cities, along with an airport, harbors, vessels and 20 landfills, Orange County is “an incredibly large greenhouse gas emitter,” Tisopulos said.
‘We are a big footprint,” she said. “So, our goal with this Climate Action Plan is to address our municipal footprint and to encourage and incentivize our funding.”
Keynote speaker Zack Valdez, strategic adviser for the manufacturing energy supply chain office for the U.S. Department of Energy, discussed the department’s programs specifically focused on energy cost savings.
“But if we move beyond sort of workforce programs, we have the great infrastructure development that’s going through our great development office,” Valdez said. “It’s really looking at ways … to build more efficient and facilitated transmissions.”
The student projects that were displayed at the summit represented a cross section of academic disciplines including biochemistry, engineering, biological science and art.
Biochemistry student Alexia Rodriguez and chemistry student Jordan Kennedy presented their research on hydrogen fuel cells, finding that green hydrogen can serve as renewable energy for batteries used in portable electronic devices along with transportation vehicles.
A project titled “Pervious Concrete: Constructing Sustainable Urban Ecosystems” made a case for using pervious concrete on certain construction projects.
The porous Rice Krispie-like material reduces the risk of flooding, reduces stormwater runoff and recharges groundwater.
“Project Titan Green: hydrogen-powered drones for sustainable flight and enhanced performance” focused on replacing lithium-ion batteries as a power source for drone operation with hydrogen fuel cells, which would improve flight performance and sustainability.
CSUF is on the Green Colleges list as one of the nation’s environmentally sustainable colleges in the 2025 edition of the Princeton Review’s Green Colleges.
The university made the list for its “exceptional programs, policies and practices related to sustainability and the environment.”