University of Oregon extends sustainability efforts with $1 million grant

EUGENE, Ore. -- (Nov. 19, 2007) -- Sustainability is the ultimate interdisciplinary subject, touching all aspects of life and one's environment. Thanks to a new $1 million grant from the T&J Meyer Family Foundation, the University of Oregon will be able to extend research, catalyze resources and accelerate sustainable activities within the university and the community.

The grant will be used to fund critically needed projects, encourage seed funding of innovative ideas and support interdisciplinary approaches to improving the economy, environment and society. Lane Community College will partner in this program as a key member of the distinguished faculty and staff steering committee created to lead this project. Jim Hutchison, UO chemistry professor and associate vice president of research and strategic initiatives will be the first chairman.

"Sustainability is an institutional priority at the University of Oregon and an area where we have significant opportunities to expand and become a national model for others to follow," said UO President Dave Frohnmayer. "The T&J Meyer Family Foundation grant provides an important platform that connects disciplines and elevates sustainability efforts in process and yet to be realized."

Each member of the steering committee has a strong interest in promoting sustainability-related projects and partnerships, said Patricia McDowell, professor of geography and a member of the steering committee.

"The grant from the Meyer Family Foundation is an exciting opportunity for our faculty and institution. It's an extraordinary opportunity to build multi-disciplinary networks critical to address complex problems of global significance," McDowell said.

The grant meshes perfectly with the UO's longstanding work on sustainability issues.

"The T&J Meyer Family Foundation carefully considered where it could make the greatest impact in sustainability and chose the University of Oregon for its commitment, passion and determination to make a difference," said Tim Meyer, director. “The idea of 'sustainability' is one of the big ideas of our generation. Leaving the earth better than when we found it must be one of the great goals of society. The university should be an ideal place to lead our spcoety's thinking about this issue.”

The cornerstone of the program will be a competitive proposal process where a faculty committee will identify projects with the greatest potential to become national models and encourage interdisciplinary study. The first request for proposals is currently underway. Three to eight proposals will be funded in the first year of the five-year program.

The T&J Meyer Family Foundation has already committed funds to support UO's Environmental Leadership Program’s (ELP) partnership with the Manu Learning Center (MLC) in the Manu Biosphere Reserve, Peru. This initiative, launched this fall, brings together the jungle-based research capacity of the MLC and the curriculum development skills of ELP to create new and exciting conservation education programs for fifth-grade classes in six Eugene-area schools.

About the Meyer Family
In addition to foundation work, the Meyer family has sustainable projects, research and education centers in Oregon, Argentina and London. Recently, its Salem, Ore., project was awarded the National Home Builder Association’s Land Development of the Year award for leadership in developing Pringle Creek Community, a sustainable, mixed use community, which features Oregon’s first LEED certified platinum level home.

Members of the Meyer family have been attending the UO for many years. James Meyer, a 1981 graduate of the School of Architecture and Allied Arts and principal of Opsis Architecture works with architecture faculty to facilitate exciting “studios” to enrich students’ design experiences. Kieley Santana and husband Ken Maleug graduated with bachelor of arts degrees in 1989. Amanda Santana and Tommy Skipper, recently married, were outstanding members of the 2007 Track and Field Team.

About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is a world-class teaching and research institution and Oregon's flagship public university. The UO is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization made up of 62 of the leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada. Membership in the AAU is by invitation only. The University of Oregon is one of only two AAU members in the Pacific Northwest.

Contact: Julie Brown, 541-346-3185, julbrown@uoregon.edu

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