PEI works across the Princeton community to encourage inquiry and to support dialogue and activity that focuses on sustainability and solutions for a resource challenged world.

Princeton Sustainability Committee

PEI faculty, staff and students participate, along with other members of the Princeton University community, as representatives on the Princeton Sustainability Committee (PSC). The PSC meets monthly throughout the academic year and provides leadership in the development and implementation of a Sustainability Plan for Princeton.

Sustainability Speakers and Events

PEI’s calendar includes multiple forums, public lectures, speaker series and conferences centering on sustainability themes throughout the year with speakers from academic, industry, government, and the public and private sectors. Events are well attended and provide an important and vibrant focus for community dialogue and insight on a wide range of topics in sustainability. 

• Annually, PEI recognizes and celebrates the contributions of environmental leaders as part of its Taplin Environmental Lecture Series.
• Recent programs have included several event series (Food and Ethics, Environmental Justice, Climate and Ethics, Oil, Energy and the Middle East, and Inside the IPCC 4th Assessment)
• Other  recent PEI speakers have included President of the National Academy of Sciences, Ralph Cicerone, EPA Administrator, Lisa Jackson, NY Times lead Science writer, Andrew Revkin, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Duke Energy, James Rogers.

Many PEI lectures are recorded for archival purposes and are catalogued as video recordings.

Throughout the year, PEI hosts, organizes and sponsors several regular forums on campus for dialogue on emerging topics. Among the most popular forums are the Environmental Affairs Forum, the Matthey Hall Energy Table and the David Bradford Lecture Series.

Student Leadership

PEI works closely with students, faculty and administrators on projects to advance sustainability projects on campus and around the globe. By working with students leaders from campus greening groups including Greening Princeton, Princeton Environmental Action, SURGE, Eco-Reps, and campus-based representatives of Water Watch and Slow Food, PEI has encouraged such legacy projects as Forbes Organic Garden and the Campus Farmers Market.

PEI is committed to developing students as responsible citizens and global leaders with cognition of sustainability principles and primed for environmental leadership. Each year, PEI recognizes students who have demonstrated outstanding academic scholarship and distinguished leadership in environmental concerns by awarding several prestigious prizes and awards.

• The T.A. Barron Prize for Environmental Leadership is awarded annually to a graduating senior who has distinguished himself or herself by showing exceptional dedication to environmental concerns, not only through classes and independent work, but also by leading and encouraging activities among fellow students and in the community at large.
• The Peter W. Stroh ’51 Environmental Senior Thesis Prize is awarded annually to that student who is determined to have written the best thesis on an environmental topic.

Nominations are open to undergraduate candidates from any academic major.

Community Sustainability

PEI coordinates with enterprises in the local Princeton community to advance shared sustainability interests and to collaborate on jointly sponsored events, internships and community education.