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Kathryn Ramirez-Aguilar, ��ƷSM����ӰƬ’s Green Labs program manager, was honored with the Phil Wirdzek Leadership Award at the 2024 International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL) conference—the institute’s highest honor.

Theresa Nahreini, director of the Biochemistry Cell Culture Facility, and Kathy Ramirez-Aguilar discuss sustainability and collaborating with the Green Labs program.

”Financial incentives from Utility & Energy Services through Green Labs have helped our cell culture core facility purchase energy-efficient biosafety cabinets. We also utilize other opportunities initiated by Green Labs including recycling No. 2 and No. 4 plastic film wrappers and participating in solvent reuse. Environmental Health & Safety transports uncontaminated ethanol collected from INSTAAR cold traps to us that is then diluted to 70% ethanol, which we use to decontaminate work surfaces within our lab. Both actions reduce waste, and the ethanol re-use also saves our facility money.” –Theresa Nahreini

This award celebrates her commitment to transforming research labs into models of sustainability, from ��ƷSM����ӰƬ to campuses worldwide. Through her leadership, ��ƷSM����ӰƬ’s Green Labs program has become a national benchmark for environmentally responsible lab practices, making it easier for researchers to work sustainably.

"��ƷSM����ӰƬ has long been a leader in sustainable research practices, and this success would not be possible without the expertise and passion from Kathy's team as well as the long-term partnership the Environmental Center has held with the Infrastructure and Resilience staff," says Chris Herr, director of the ��ƷSM����ӰƬ Environmental Center. "Kathy and the Green Labs program have been the inspiration and model for so many programs popping up around the country, and this award further solidifies her incredible contributions to this emerging field."

How Green Labs supports researchers and the environment

Under Ramirez-Aguilar's leadership and in partnership with campus stakeholders, the ��ƷSM����ӰƬ Green Labs program helps research teams identify ways to have a big impact with individual lab changes:

• Cold storage efficacy: Improved freezer practices save labs energy, lower costs and protect research samples.
• Efficient lab practices: Equipment and chemical sharing across labs reduces waste and saves research dollars.
• Call to action challenges: Campaigns like Shut the Sash for fume hoods keep labs safe and energy efficient.

Driving global change

Ramirez-Aguilar's work has not only advanced ��ƷSM����ӰƬ’s labs but also has played a vital role to inspire a global movement:

• The International Freezer Challenge, co-founded by Ramirez-Aguilar, has saved millions of kilowatt-hours of energy worldwide.
• As chair of the I2SL University Alliance Group (UAG), she brings lab sustainability professionals together to share Green Labs best practices and lead efforts to embed sustainability into scientific funding.

Why it matters

Ramirez-Aguilar's work is a reminder that research and sustainability go hand in hand. Thanks to ��ƷSM����ӰƬ’s Green Labs program, campus researchers have increased awareness of the large resource and environmental footprint of laboratory research and are engaged to make choices that protect both their research and the environment. These choices and innovations are often shared outside ��ƷSM����ӰƬ, inspiring and influencing change for sustainability at other research campuses.

Want to learn more?

Visit the ��ƷSM����ӰƬ Green Labs website to find out how you can join this movement for a more sustainable future!