Meghna Tare
University of Texas at Arlington
As UTA’s first Chief Sustainability Officer, I work collaboratively to foster partnerships among academic, research, and operational departments at UTA. I lead institutional sustainability efforts in support of the UT Arlington 2020 Strategic Plan to continue to transform UTA from a university with a strong regional presence to a leading national institutional of higher education. I work collaboratively with faculty, staff, the student body and community members to address opportunities to promote sustainability in several areas energy efficiency, resource conservation, waste management, transportation, education, outreach, community engagement, supporting and encouraging student initiatives, and implementing an interdisciplinary and sustainability-focused curriculum. I also collaborate with businesses, government agencies and non-profits in North Texas on various projects and policy implementation for the region. I also serve and represent UTA on several Advisory Boards including the National Academy of Science Board on Higher Education and Workforce Development—Policy and Global Affairs, National Academy of Sciences Transportation Research Board (TRB), Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), and Women Economic Forum. I am the founder for the Institute for Sustainability at Global Impact at UTA, and the Regional Center of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development. In 2003, in response to the UN resolution on the UNDESD, the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) launched the ESD project, including a global multi-stakeholder network of the Regional Centers of Expertise on ESD (RCEs). An RCE is an existing formal, non-formal and informal organization that facilitates learning towards sustainable development in local and regional communities. As of December 2018, the United Nations University worldwide has officially acknowledged 168 RCEs. I am a Tedx Speaker, The Women Economic Forum awarded me the Women of the Decade in Corporate Social Responsibility, andTripe Pundit featured me as the Women in CSR. I graduated with an MBA in Sustainable Management, MS in Environmental Science, and MS in Chemistry.