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 all 64 SUNY 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 integrate sustainability topics into 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,” said King. “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 directs the sustainability studies major and minor at Stony Brook. He said the fellowship will help him advance efforts to bring sustainability into more disciplines and real-world applications at Stony Brook and other SUNY institutions.
“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 state policies requiring public institutions to lead in decarbonization and waste reduction efforts. As owner of 40 percent of state buildings, SUNY plays a significant role in helping New York reach its climate goals.
Charboneau plans to focus on making classroom learning 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.”
Paul Shepson, dean of SoMAS, 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.”
Fellows will work together on shared resources such as model curricula, training workshops, conferences, and best practices for faculty across many disciplines.
Charboneau hopes faculty system-wide will see how sustainability relates broadly: “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 noted that aligning coursework with workforce needs is important for preparing students for jobs in clean energy fields: “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.”
Hope Knight, president & CEO of Empire State Development 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 leads projects linking students with partners locally—such as audits or composting initiatives—and internationally through collaborations like those with the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development via case studies on urban climate transitions.
He believes working with colleagues from other campuses strengthens these efforts: “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 this initiative as higher education taking leadership amid environmental challenges: “The challenges facing New York State, and our entire global civilization due to climate change require our passionate dedication to meaningful action; we applaud the inaugural Sustainability Faculty Fellows for being true leaders in this field,” read 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.”
