Our staff are committed to making the University of Birmingham a greener organisation. Scroll down to find out more about some of our key sustainability staff.
Professor David Hannah
Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Sustainability)
David M. Hannah is Professor of Hydrology, UNESCO Chair in Water Sciences, and inaugural Director of the Birmingham Institute for Sustainability and Climate Action (BISCA). In his role of Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Sustainability), David is helping to steer the University towards more sustainable working practices.
In addition, he is leveraging Birmingham’s research expertise to apply ideas and skills into action on climate change and broader sustainability matters.
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Zoe Hurley
Head of Sustainabilty
The Head of Sustainability is the professional services lead for Sustainability, whose remit is development and successful implementation of sustainabilty strategy.
A passionate advocate for progressive environmental and social change, Zoe brings experience from a variety of sectors, including as Head of Sustainability at HM Courts & Tribunals Service. She also has full Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) membership, the gold standard for environment and sustainability professionals.
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Professor Julia Myatt
Academic Director of Sustainability Education
As part of the Senior Education Team, Julia coordinates and promotes the central place of subject-specific and interdisciplinary education in sustainability and climate awareness across the University’s teaching and learning strategy. Julia is also part of the Birmingham Institute for Sustainability and Climate Action. A key part of Julia’s role is to develop Birmingham’s portfolio of activities, to enable students, staff and external stakeholders to develop the skills necessary to tackle the complex global challenges we face today.
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Dr Emily Prestwood
Energy Development Manager at Birmingham Energy Institute
Emily leads for BEI on developing regional projects and partnerships to support a fair net-zero transition in Birmingham, and ensure sustainable social and community benefits from our strategic partnership with Tyseley Energy Park. She has delivered many research and innovation projects developing strategies for energy, carbon reduction and air quality management in cities, creating net-zero neighbourhood plans, rehabilitating green and blue spaces, and engaging with civic society, communities and policy makers.
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Jade Willets
Environmental Sustainability & Engagement Manager
Jade's remit covers the day-to-day management of waste, recycling and other soft facilities contracts, KPI monitoring of recycling performance and associated carbon emissions, and leading on the Green Impact Challenge to drive behavioural change. Jade coordinates Campus Services Sustainability Projects and supports the Campus Services sustainable priorities, alongside promoting end of term re-use schemes, such as Junkbusters, and managing the University’s internal reuse platform, Warp-It.
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Edward Shelley
Sustainable Travel Officer
Edward is responsible for enabling and encouraging our staff and students to make sustainable travel choices for their daily commutes and university trips. The bread and butter of the commuting work is surveying our community and delivering the tailored sustainable travel plan, with diverse measures in the field of facilities, staff benefits, communications and engagement, advice and guidance, learning and long-term partnerships. Analysis of booking behaviours lies at the heart of showing how operational leaders can make carbon reductions.
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Jim Sharman
Carbon and Sustainability Manager
Jim supports the drive towards decarbonisation by taking a lead role in carbon and water reduction activities. This includes identifying cost saving opportunities and ensuring a robust approach is taken to sustainability and the carbon footprint of projects. He has 15+ years of experience carrying out a range of energy management and sustainability-based roles, and is a fellow of the Energy Managers association with qualifications in BREEAM and ESOS assessment.
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Cai Lansdown
Apprentice Sustanability and Environmental Officer
Cai Is a Sustainability and Environmental officer within Estates. He is undertaking a degree level apprenticeship and has a lead role on reporting of building data in a range of carbon and water reduction activities and reviewing environmental impact of proposed developments. They also have a lead role in development of behavioural change programs to promote environmental responsibility within the university including Green Impact.
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Professor Jonathan Oldfield
Sustainability Lead, College of Life and Environmental Sciences
Jon chairs the College of Life and Environmental Sciences Sustainability Committee. The team has been working with students and colleagues to push ahead with a range of sustainability initiatives and programmes.
These encompass campus-based activities as well as detailed reports linked to key areas including sustainable travel.
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Professor Chris McCabe
Director of Sustainability, College of Medical and Dental Sciences
Professor Chris McCabe has been the Director of Sustainability for the College of Medical and Dental Sciences (MDS) since 2010. During this time the MDS Sustainability Committee has pioneered numerous initiatives including laboratory plasticware recycling, re-wilding and tree planting, as well as targeting reductions in energy consumption related to ultra low temperature freezers and cell culture hoods.
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Dr Laura Day Ashley
Sustainability Lead, College of Social Sciences
Laura leads the university's sustainability agenda in the College of Social Sciences and chairs the College's Sustainability Committee. She is passionate about understanding how we can apply the concepts of social learning to the development of regenerative education which she describes as "coming together within and across our institutions and communities to develop the capabilities to learn to make differences that will enable us all - people and planet - to flourish".
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Professor Aleksandra Čavoški
Sustainability Lead, College of Arts and Law
Aleksandra is the College of Arts and Law Sustainability Lead. In that capacity she coordinates activities related to sustainability in the College of Arts and Law and chairs the CAL Sustainability Group. Aleksandra works on several research projects, including PrecisionTox (research on improving chemical safety assessment), PARC (uptake of Next-Generation Risk Assessment) and Met4Tech (creating circular economy for technology metals).
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Alison Lundy
Project Support Officer – Sustainability
Alison provides project and diary support to the Head of Sustainability, including acting as secretary for sustainability committees such as Sustainabilty Steering Group.
The role also involves supporting with sustainablity events, and working on ongoing sustainability projects.
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Charlie Crofts
Graduate Management Trainee in Sustainability
Charlie is involved in supporting the implementation of the University's priority sustainability projects with a focus on increasing engagement across the institution. His role also involves co-ordination of the University's People and Planet league table activity.
Charlie sits on the University's Sustainabiliy Steering Group as early career Representative.
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Gaynor Smith
Sustainable Procurement Project Manager
Gaynor's work focuses on reducing scope 3 emissions within the supply chain, including identifying high carbon generating suppliers and commodities, and other sustainability initiatives where Procurement can make a difference.
Gaynor is a procurement professional of several years standing and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply.
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Do you have a question for the University of Birmingham relating to sustainability? Email us at sustainability@contacts.bham.ac.uk, and we will be in touch!