Adam Charboneau, a lecturer in sustainability studies at Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS), has been named one of the first State University of New York (SUNY) Sustainability Faculty Fellows. The program aims to expand climate education across SUNY’s 64 campuses.
The announcement was made by SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. during New York Climate Week. Eleven faculty members from different SUNY campuses were selected as fellows. They will help colleagues add sustainability topics to existing courses and create new applied learning opportunities.
“With climate change affecting all elements of our society, from extreme weather emergencies to the emerging clean energy field, our students will need to be knowledgeable about sustainability to thrive as citizens and in their careers,” King said. “Today’s students are eager to participate in climate action, and SUNY is taking steps so that New Yorkers are prepared.”
Charboneau teaches courses on sustainability and environmental history and leads the sustainability studies major and minor at Stony Brook. He said the fellowship will help him expand efforts to integrate sustainability into different disciplines and real-world settings.
“For me, it means an opportunity to further grow my ability to communicate sustainability and help grow this program here and elsewhere throughout the SUNY system,” Charboneau said. “You can find ways to teach sustainability in any kind of course curriculum. It is not siloed.”
The fellowship is part of SUNY’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan, which supports New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and Executive Order 22. These policies require state institutions to lead efforts in decarbonization and waste reduction. With ownership of 40 percent of all state buildings, SUNY plays a key role in reaching the state’s climate goals.
Charboneau said he wants classroom learning to be more practical for students. “I am most excited to take what is usually relegated to a classroom and make it hands on,” he said. “Whether it is a composting project on campus or connecting with local communities, the more students engage directly, the more they see they can make change happen.”
SoMAS Dean Paul Shepson commented on Charboneau’s selection: “I am proud that SUNY has chosen Adam Charboneau as a Sustainability Faculty Fellow, and know that he is exceptionally well-prepared to inspire our students and contribute to building a more resilient and sustainable New York,” Shepson said. “SUNY’s and New York State’s continuing leadership in responding to the climate crisis, and associated efforts in educating the leaders of the future, makes me proud to be a New Yorker.”
The fellows will work together on developing shared resources, model curricula, training workshops, joint conferences, and sharing best practices with faculty from various disciplines.
Charboneau hopes this program will show faculty how sustainability connects with their teaching regardless of subject area. “Whatever your discipline is, you are in it because you enjoy it and you see ways you can apply it to your everyday life,” he said. “Sustainability connects to everyday life, too. If we make it the default, the easiest path forward, more people will embrace it.”
He also noted that the fellowship aligns with workforce needs in New York's growing clean energy sector: “What I hear from students more than anything else is they want hands-on experiences, but also the nuts and bolts to enter a profession upon graduation,” Charboneau said. “By being part of this program, I can better understand job market trajectories and help prepare students for careers in a growing field.”
Empire State Development President Hope Knight added: “Equipping students with climate and sustainability skills is critical to building New York’s clean energy economy,” she said. “SUNY’s Sustainability Faculty Fellowship will expand opportunities in classrooms statewide, supporting a diverse workforce that can generate growth and climate resilience in every region.”
Charboneau already involves his students in projects with local partners as well as international organizations such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development through partnerships like the New York Climate Exchange. He also works with Stony Brook's Office of Sustainability on audits, composting initiatives, and applied research.
He believes connecting with other faculty through this fellowship will strengthen these projects: “The payoff is to learn from people in different disciplines and how they approach it,” Charboneau said. “Sustainability requires systems thinking. You need to inventory the problem from multiple angles and work together toward solutions.”
The SUNY Board of Trustees praised the program as an example of higher education stepping up during an important time for environmental issues: “The challenges facing New York State, and our entire global civilization, due to climate change require our passionate dedication to meaningful action, and we applaud the inaugural Sustainability Faculty Fellows for being true leaders in this field,” according to their statement.
“We inherited this house, and it may be broken in places, but it is ours to mend,” Charboneau concluded. “By working together, we can make it stronger and prepare our students to build a sustainable future.”