As world leaders, researchers, advocates, and community organizations gathered across New York City for Climate Week NYC 2026, Brooklyn College demonstrated how higher education can help lead the transition to a more sustainable future through research, community engagement, workforce development, and campus-based innovation.
Throughout Climate Week 2026, Brooklyn College faculty, staff, and students participated in conversations and events that addressed some of the most pressing environmental challenges facing cities and communities, while highlighting the college’s commitment to preparing the next generation of climate leaders.
During the Sustainability Showcase, student ambassador Samuel Medrano De La Cruz (right) upcycling ceramic yogurt cups as planters.
On campus, the Brooklyn College Sustainability Showcase was held September 24 and organized by the Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Sustainability, and the Brooklyn College Sustainability Club. The event brought together campus organizations, community partners, and students to share projects, exchange ideas, and inspire action around sustainability and climate resilience.
Faculty expertise was also featured on local, national, and international stages.
Stalin Haeger-Espinal, Brooklyn College’s Campus Sustainability Coordinator and a driving force behind the college’s sustainability initiatives, joins Brett Branco, Executive Director of the Science and Resiliency Institute at Jamaica Bay and Principal Investigator for FloodNet.
- Associate Professor Brett Branco, the Executive Director for the Science and Resiliency Institute at Jamaica Bay and the principal investigator for FloodNet, hosted an event on September 22, FloodNet Community Session: Building Community Together – Lessons from 2023 to Now, at the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center. The discussion focused on community-centered climate resilience, environmental monitoring, and public engagement. Branco’s work reflects Brooklyn College’s longstanding commitment to helping communities better understand and adapt to environmental change.
Associate Professor of Earth And Environmental Sciences Rebecca Boger (second from left) at the UN Science Summit 2026.
- Meanwhile, Professor Rebecca Boger participated in the UN Science Summit 2026 session Space for Society: Earth Observation, AI, and Science Diplomacy at the historic Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College. The panel explored how Earth observation technologies, environmental sensing, artificial intelligence, and citizen science can help address global environmental challenges. At the conclusion of the event, organizers announced the expansion of Next Generation Global Collaboratory (NGGC)—where Boger serves as vice president and co-founder—with new hubs across India, South America, the Caribbean, and Africa, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in climate research and education. Brooklyn College undergraduate and graduate students also attended the Science Summit, engaging directly with international experts and panelists during Q&A sessions. Their participation reflected the college’s commitment to providing students with opportunities to contribute to global conversations on climate, sustainability, and science diplomacy.
Carrie Sadovnik, Brooklyn College’s director of Environmental Health, Safety, and Sustainability, with alumnus and sustainability leader Tommy Richards, whose advocacy and engagement have helped advance sustainability initiatives across campus.
- Brooklyn College’s sustainability initiatives also reached TV audiences. Carrie Sadovnik, the college’s director of Environmental Health, Safety, and Sustainability, appeared on Sustainability Matters, a CUNY TV program examining sustainability innovation across the university system. The episode, “Living Labs, AI Eco-Tech and Geothermal Futures at CUNY,” highlighted Brooklyn College’s groundbreaking geothermal project and its role as a “living laboratory” where students gain hands-on experience tackling real-world environmental challenges.
Professor Jennifer Cherrier co-hosted the Layers of Resilience: Leveraging Partnerships and Funding event.
- The college’s leadership in sustainability partnerships was further reflected in the work of Professor of Earth And Environmental Sciences
Jennifer Cherrier, who co-hosted Layers of Resilience: Leveraging Partnerships and Funding, at CUNY Central on September 24. Presented in collaboration with the Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay (SRIJB), the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, C40 Cities, CUNY Climate Consortium (C3), and the City of Copenhagen, the event explored strategies for financing and strengthening urban climate resilience efforts. - Professor Michael Menser participated in Microgrids Are Happening! Updates on EnergyNet from Sweden and Possibilities for NY at the CUNY Graduate Center, exploring innovative clean energy systems and their potential applications in New York. Joining him was Brooklyn College sophomore and Tow Fellow Zoe Knight, who is enrolled in Menser’s CUNY Graduate Center course Energy and Democracy. Knight’s participation underscored the important role students play in advancing sustainability initiatives and shaping the future of equitable energy solutions.
- Sustainability advocates from across the Brooklyn College community expanded their learning through Climate Week events, including Green Campuses 2.0: Advancing Decarbonization Across University Campuses, hosted with the Québec Government Office in New York; Newlab’s New Climate Futures gathering; and Prospect Swims, a walking exploration of the Prospect Park Lake watershed.
Together, these efforts reflect Brooklyn College’s growing role as a hub for sustainability education, climate research, and community engagement. As the college continues investing in initiatives such as geothermal energy, environmental sciences, and experiential learning opportunities, Climate Week served as a powerful reminder that Brooklyn College is helping shape a greener, more resilient future for New York City and beyond.
