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Sustainability Champion Awards

UC Davis Sustainability Champion Awards

Sustainability Champion nominations for the 2023 award season are now CLOSED. However, applications are accepted year round and nominations for 2024 may be submitted.
About the Award

UC Davis Sustainability Champions are environmental leaders on campus—students, staff, and faculty/academic staff—who exemplify why UC Davis continues to lead the way in sustainability efforts. Sustainability Champions are selected from amongst nominees by a diverse review panel and announced annually during the Sustainability Summit near the end of each academic year. 

Rolling nominations are accepted throughout the year and are closed for review shortly prior to the Sustainability Summit each year. 

Eligibility Criteria

Nominator Eligibility  Nominations are invited from all UC Davis students, staff, faculty, or academic staff. Self nominations are not accepted.

Nominee Eligibility  Any UC Davis student, staff, faculty, or academic staff may be nominated to receive a Sustainability Champion Award. Self nominations are not accepted.

Award Types

Three categories of Sustainability Champions are typically awarded each year:  student, faculty and staff 

If the panel finds that none of the nominations in any one or all of the award categories meet the evaluation criteria, the panel reserves the right to decline to grant an award in the category or categories.

Evaluation Criteria

Champions are selected based on their contributions and service to the following goals: 

  • Goal A: To help foster a sustainable campus and integrate environmental sustainability on campus outside of their expected job functions or academic responsibilities.  

  • Goal B: To advocate for environmental stewardship and sustainability as part of a campus culture of sustainability.  

  • Goal C: To learn about and create awareness of environmental justice, climate justice, and diversity, equity, and inclusivity issues on campus. 

Sustainability Champion Awards Review Panel

The Engagement and Outreach subcommittee of the Campus Advisory Committee on Sustainability is the review panel, and includes representatives from across the UC Davis and UC Davis Health campuses and communities.

Submit your nomination!

  • Preview nomination form requirements
  • Nominator Information: Name, Campus Affiliation, Campus Department & Address, UC Davis Email, Phone Number, Affiliation with Nominee, Anonymity Preferences.
    Nominee Information: Proposed Award Category (Academic Staff/Faculty, Staff, Student), Name, Campus Department & Address, UC Davis Email, Phone Number, 3 questions requesting explanations and examples of how the nominator feels the nominee meets each of the evaluation criteria goals, 2 questions regarding clarification on whether the nominee's job duties require sustainability promotion and how they exceed these responsibilities.  
Nominate an outstanding student, staff, or faculty member for a Sustainability Champion Award! 

*Areas that are required

Nominator Information
Nominators must be UC Davis faculty, student, or staff.
First and last name of nominator
For student nominators
Enter your major(s) and any other relevant affiliations
Please describe your affiliation with the Nominee. Limit your response to no more than 50 words.
Do you wish to remain anonymous as the Nominator? 
Please tell us about the Nominee
Select Award Category
First and last name of nominee
For student nominees
For student nominees, please provide their major(s) and any other relevant affiliations
Describe why the Nominee deserves a Sustainability Champion Award.

Please address how the Nominee fulfills each of the goals described below. We encourage you to write complete but succinct answers with examples of their achievements to help us learn more about this individual. The more examples provided for reviewers, the stronger the nomination. 

Please limit each of your responses to the following questions to 250 words maximum.

To help foster a sustainable campus and integrate environmental sustainability on campus outside of the nominee's expected job functions or academic responsibilities.
In this section, the nomination review panel is interested in learning how this individual's actions towards fostering and integrating sustainability across the UC Davis campus is both extraordinary and represents a departure from their expected responsibilities. Please provide specific examples.

Please limit your response to 250 words maximum. 
To advocate for environmental stewardship and sustainability as part of a campus culture of sustainability.
In this section, the nomination review panel is interested in learning how this individual's advocacy for environmental stewardship and sustainability is both extraordinary and represents a departure from their expected responsibilities. Please provide specific examples.
To learn about and create awareness of environmental justice, climate justice, and diversity, equity, and inclusivity issues on campus.
In this section, the nomination review panel is interested in learning how this individual's efforts to broaden awarenss of these issues are both extraordinary and represent a departure from their expected responsibilities. Please provide specific examples.
The intent of this award is to honor those who have contributed extraordinarily to UC Davis sustainability efforts and initiatives. If the nominee currently holds a paid position that has sustainability promotin specified as part of their job duties or academic disciplines, the nomination review panel would like clarification and elaboration on how the nominee's efforts represent an extraordinary contributiong that exceeds the expectations of their position description. 
Please submit your nomination.

If you encountered any questions or issues with this form, please email sustainability@ucdavis.edu.
Award winners will be honored at the annual UC Davis Sustainability Summit.