The Dr. John Roe Fund for a Just and Sustainable Future honors the late Penn State mathematics professor Dr. John Roe, who was passionate about sustainability and the outdoors and worked tirelessly to incorporate these values into his teaching. There are two award tracks benefitted by the Fund.

The first is the John Roe Sustainability Impact Award, which annually recognizes students who cultivate opportunities to advance the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals while demonstrating personal integrity and an unwavering commitment to fostering justice and strengthening partnerships.

Award winners have been:

2024-2025

• Sylvie Alexander, Environmental Resource Management, University Park. Alexander was recognized as president of the Earth House Living Learning Community (LLC) and directed two major projects in collaboration with the Student Farm, including a rooftop garden and food justice initiatives. She also facilitated a sister garden project with an Algerian artist, and was a member of the Dining Advisory Board and leader of the Food Justice project team.
• James Bell, Biology, Schuylkill. Bell was recognized for his unwavering commitment to sustainability and community engagement including research projects ranging from soil microbes and sustainable antibiotics to community tree planting and pollinator health. Bell played a vital role in shaping campus sustainability programming and was behind the Beekeeping Club’s revival and the expansion of campus gardening initiatives at Schuylkill.
• Ashley Currey, Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship with minors in Economics and Sustainability Leadership, University Park. Currey was recognized for her work as a sustainability engagement intern revitalizing the Tailgate Ambassadors program and creating the Shaker Reuse program; a leader of the zero-waste team within Net Impact, Smeal’s sustainable business club; and as a contributor to the Local Climate Action Program, creating a greenhouse gas inventory for the Centre Region to inform future climate action plans.
• Eliott Foust, Doctoral student in Meteorology and Atmospheric Science, University Park. Foust was recognized for his commitment to climate equity and urban sustainability, including integration of advanced climate modeling with public health and community engagement. His leadership in a major urban climate study has unified efforts across Johns Hopkins, Morgan State, and community organizations in Baltimore, fusing academic excellence with civic responsibility.
• Jacob Seiler, Doctoral student in Architectural Engineering, University Park. Seiler was recognized as a longstanding member and chair of the Student Sustainability Advisory Council (SSAC), dedicated to advancing sustainability at Penn State. With a focus on climate action and student advocacy, he led initiatives that brought energy dashboards to campus, championed a climate action resolution, and called for institutional commitments from University leadership. His film collaborations, including “For the Future,” highlighting student-driven change, earned spots at University-wide showcases and regional film festivals.
• Marisela Sotelo Tornero, Graduate student in Public Policy, University Park. Tornero was recognized as a leading voice in water sustainability and equity, with a deep commitment to improving access to safe water and sanitation in underserved communities across Latin America and the U.S., including award-winning work highlighting the leadership of rural women in water management.

2023-2024

• Phillip Diouf, Biology and Psychological and Social Sciences, Abington
• Olivia DiPrinzio, Energy Engineering and Earth Science and Policy, University Park
• Jenna Seigworth, English, Sustainability Studies, and Sociology, Behrend
• Harman Singh, Graduate student in Geography and Climate Science, University Park
• Pin-Hsuan Tseng, Graduate student in Art Education, University Park

2022-2023

• Isabella Briseno, Environmental Resource Management and Political Science, University Park
• Raymond Friend, Doctoral student in Mathematics, University Park
• Savannah Marshall, Doctoral student in Biomedical Science, Hershey College of Medicine
• Re’naijah Purvis, Biology, Abington
• Nicole Walker, Physical Therapy, Fayette

2021-2022

• Lina Tami Barrera, Graduate student in Rural Sociology and International Agriculture and Development, University Park
• Patricia Birungi, Biology, University Park
• Brisa Luzzi Castro, Global and International Studies, University Park
• Vancie Peacock, Biological Engineering, University Park

2020-2021

• Dallas Barber, International Politics, Brandywine
• Lydia Carey, Community, Environment and Development (CED) and Global and International Studies, University Park
• Kaylin Currier, Environmental Science and Biology, Behrend
• Divya Jain, Chemistry, University Park
• Paulo Soares, Graduate student in Energy and Mineral Engineering, University Park

No awards made in 2019-2020

2018-2019

• Whitney Ashead, Geography and Agricultural Sciences, University Park
• Rim Boujnah, Graduate student in Law, University Park
• Elijah DePaulis, Wildlife Technology, DuBois
• Julio Diarte, Doctoral student in Architecture, University Park
• Yumna Kurdi, Doctoral student in Architectural Engineering, University Park
• Benjamin Lyman, Ecology/Biology with a minor in Geography, University Park
• Celeste Makay, Environmental Science, Behrend
• Anna Nguyễn, Food Science, Brandywine
• Emily Sandall, Doctoral student in Entomology, University Park
• Nick Unis, Finance and Accounting, University Park

The second track, the John Roe Sustainability Curriculum Development Award, is offered each year in collaboration with various Penn State partners and calls for the creation of new or revised courses with a focus on sustainability. Recent collaborations have included the College of Liberal Arts Contemplative Colloquium and the Rock Ethics Institute, calling for five new courses to be developed or revised to emphasize a focus on mindfulness and sustainability. The Dr. John Roe Fund for a Just and Sustainable Future seeks to advance a curriculum that promotes sustainability in practice, including contemplative practices, awareness of the living world, and compassionate, kind, and peaceful action.

Past award winners have been:

2024

• Blake Colaianne (Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center), Molly Countermine (Human Development and Family Studies), and Jennifer Eury (Management and Organization) — developing the “Mindfulness Guidebook for Faculty”
• Joanna Hodges (Nutrition and Dietetics) — developing “Introductory Principles of Nutrition”
• Kevin Hulburt (Journey Success Center) — developing “Happiness Through Mindful Living”

2023

• Brandi Robinson (Energy and Mineral Engineering) — developing “Incorporating Environmental Justice into Climate Action Policy, Planning, and Public Engagement for the Local Climate Action Program”

2022

• Bruce Logan (Environmental Engineering) — developing “Energy Use, Climate Change, and Our Engineered Infrastructure”

The 2024-25 award winners at the recognition ceremony with Liane Roe, John Roe’s widow, who established the Dr. John Roe Fund for a Just and Sustainable Future, and with Dr. Peter Buck, director for education at Penn State Sustainability. (L-R: Jacob Seiler, Gavin Maxson [winner of the 2025 SSAC Tree Award], Liane Roe, Peter Buck, Marisela Sotelo Tornero, Eliott Foust, Ashley Currey, James Bell and Sylvie Alexander.) Credit: Paloma Munoz. All Rights Reserved