Rowan is going green – and The Princeton Review noticed

The Princeton Review this week included Rowan University among the top colleges and universities for environmental responsibility, and with good reason.

Rowan has long been committed to environmentalism, sustainability and fighting climate change. Throughout 2023-24, as the University celebrates its Centennial, it has placed an even greater emphasis on those ideals.

An Oct. 4 lecture as part of the Centennial Lecture Series featured Dr. Doug Tallamy, a University of Delaware wildlife ecologist and N.Y. Times bestselling author, who pressed listeners to be “Nature’s Best Hope” through eco-friendly plantings in their yards. On Oct. 19, alumnus David Tarr, a former lead economist of the World Bank, lectured on “How to Save the Planet.”

Other Rowan green initiatives include:

• the Catalysts for Sustainability project, which is focused on the hiring of new faculty to develop, advance and communicate solutions to existential threats posed by the climate and biodiversity crises;
• programs across campus, including in the School of Earth & Environment, the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering and the Rohrer College Business that emphasize protecting the environment and reversing climate change;
• Scholarly work by numerous faculty, including Dr. Andra Garner in the Department of Environmental Science, whose October article in the journal Nature Scientific Reports on the rapid development of hurricanes was covered all over the world, including in The New York Times and Newsweek;
• The Edelman Fossil Park & Museum, a world-class attraction opening in spring 2024 that will feature dynamic lessons about the planet’s history and future. The museum will be New Jersey’s largest public net-zero carbon emissions building.

The Princeton Review’s annual Guide to Green Colleges included 522 colleges and universities that foster a culture of environmentalism on campus and make green energy solutions part of their mission.