UTS hosts the annual green hero awards to recognise and celebrate UTS students, staff and alumni making a personal contribution to progress sustainability.
Initiatives undertaken might include work at UTS or in the broader community.
The awards aim to celebrate participation, showcase impressive initiatives and inspire others to get involved. Winners are announced each year on World Environment Day, 5 June.
Winners
The 2020 winners;
- Winner 1st - Dr Jennifer Mathews is a marine biologist in the Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science. She is the founder of ‘Big Blue Conservation’, a not-for-profit marine conservation organisation working with businesses, fishermen, schools, tourists, and government officials to protect coral reefs in Thailand. In 2019, Jen partnered with citizen scientists in Australia on a project to raise awareness of, and tackle the problem of marine microplastic pollution.
- Winner 2nd - Miranda Crossley was the office bearer of the 2019 UTS Student Association’s Enviro Collective, and works tirelessly to engage fellow students on climate change. She helped build the high turnout at the climate strike rallies in 2019, and Miranda co-authored the letter sent to the Vice Chancellor asking for the declaration of a climate emergency, with UTS becoming the first Australian university to sign the declaration!
- Winner 3rd - Dr Charles Cranfield helped establish the Science Faculty Sustainability Committee, since then he has been the driving force running the Committee. He was the catalyst for mobilising a team of staff, lobbying for UTS to sign the United Nations Climate Emergency Declaration. His work on the Sustainability Committee is over and above his formal job responsibilities, and he is an inspiration to colleagues in the Faculty – a scientist who works to convert scientific knowledge into real-world impact.
The judging criteria are:
- Identify - will a wide spectrum of the UTS community identify with and be able to understand the activity.
- Influence - does the activity have the potential to inspire and motivate others.
- Involve - could the activity potentially involve others.
- Impact - is the activity tangible with real sustainability impacts and benefits.
Equal consideration is given to initiatives of any size and scale.
Prizes
- 1st prize - $200 Coles/Myer voucher
- 2nd prize - $100 Coles/Myer voucher
- 3rd prize - $50 Coles/Myer voucher
Judging panel
The judging panel each year is:
- UTS deputy vice chancellor and vice president (resources)
- UTS head of sustainability
- President UTS Students’ Association
The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence is entered into.
For more information see terms and conditions.
Nominations for 2021 will open in April 2021.
More information
For more information email.