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ESF Assistant Professor Jean Yang Named SUNY Sustainability Faculty Fellow
SYRACUSE, N.Y. —Sept. 24, 2025 — Assistant Professor Jean Yang at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry has been selected as part of SUNY’s inaugural Sustainability Faculty Fellows. The fellows, representing 11 SUNY campuses, will assist other faculty in incorporating climate and sustainability topics into existing courses and develop new applied learning opportunities.
Joining ESF’s Department of Landscape Architecture in fall 2023, Yang is a landscape designer, urban planner, and educator with a focus on design-driven, equity-focused, and benefits-based landscapes.
“SUNY is proud to be a key partner in Governor Kathy Hochul’s plan to build a resilient and sustainable New York,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. “With climate change affecting all elements of our society, from extreme weather emergencies to the emerging clean energy field, our students will need to be knowledgeable about sustainability to thrive as citizens and in their careers. Today’s students are eager to participate in climate action, and SUNY is taking steps so that New Yorkers are prepared.”
“Congratulations to Jean Yang’s for her selection as a SUNY Sustainability Faculty Fellow. Professor Yang’s research reflects the critical role ESF plays in shaping a resilient and equitable future through design and environmental leadership,” said ESF President Joanie Mahoney. “We are proud to have Professor Yang represent ESF at the table ensuring that sustainability education is rooted in both innovation and impact."
Chancellor King’s announcement of the fellows coincided with SUNY’s Climate Week events.
The Sustainability Faculty Fellows will advance climate literacy and knowledge of sustainability topics throughout the SUNY system by developing pedagogical resources and providing support for faculty as they develop and teach courses across a broad spectrum of disciplines and levels of study from microcredentials through doctoral programs. The Fellows were selected following an open call for nominations.
In April, Yang was selected as one of 10 Civic Education and Engagement and Civil Discourse Fellows within the SUNY system. In this capacity, she works to bolster SUNY’s dedication to civic engagement as a fundamental aspect of higher education, fostering civil discourse among students, faculty, and staff across campus communities.
About SUNY ESF
The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient future through design, policy, and management of the environment and natural resources. Members of the College community share a passion for protecting the health of the planet and a deep commitment to the rigorous application of science to improve the way humans interact with the world. The College offers academic programs ranging from the associate of applied science to the Doctor of Philosophy. ESF students live, study and do research on the main campus in Syracuse, N.Y., and on 25,000 acres of field stations in a variety of ecosystems across the state.