Awards
TRU is proud to be a global leader in sustainability for post-secondary institutions, as highlighted in fall 2022 when the university earned a platinum rating for the second time in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) program.
Achieving that honour took a lot of work from faculty and staff. There have also been some outstanding contributions from the student body that help make TRU the leader it is today. For everyone’s efforts, two students and one staff or faculty member receive a TRU Environmental Sustainability Achievement Award each year. In addition, one student receives the Tom Owen Environmental Sustainability Award and one student receives the Herbinlay Happy Planet Award.
The awards not only support those who are active in sustainability, but also encourage others to become active as well. Nominees are individuals who innovate and are original, have a positive influence on a large group of people and have made significant contributions to environmental sustainability.
Sustainability Awards
Environmental Sustainability Achievement Awards
Faculty and staff
The Environmental Sustainability Achievement Award recognizes a TRU Faculty or Staff member's engagement through their teaching, scholarly, and/or service activity and will make a recommendation regarding the award recipient based on the following criteria:
- Significance of the contribution made by the nominee to environmental sustainability;
- The magnitude of the influence of the contribution (quantitative measures of the effects of the contribution should be provided when possible);
- The breadth of the influence of the contribution (the number of people or groups positively affected);
- Innovation and originality.
Past winners
- 2024 - Crystal Huscroft
- 2023 - Shannon Mazereeuw
- 2022 - Natalie Yao
- 2021 - Karl Fultz
- 2020 - Michael Mehta
- 2019 - Haley Feller
- 2018 - Susan Purdy
- 2014 - Dorys Crespin-Mueller
- 2013 - Peter Tsigaris
- 2012 - Alice Stoddard
- 2011 - Bronwen Scott
- 2010 - Penny Powers
Students
The Environmental Sustainability Achievement Award recognizes two TRU Students' engagement in advancing sustainability and will make a recommendation regarding the award recipient based on the following criteria:
- Significance of the contribution made by the nominee to environmental sustainability;
- The magnitude of the influence of the contribution (quantitative measures of the effects of the contribution should be provided when possible);
- The breadth of the influence of the contribution (the number of people or groups positively affected);
- Innovation and originality.
Past winners
- 2024 - Heidi Wismath and Parth Bavishi
- 2023 - Saaransh Bhardwaj and Sofia Rueda
- 2022 - Patricia Siqueira and Behnaz Bahroudi
- 2021 - Alana Rogers and Stacia Panko
- 2020 - Katie Shouldice and Christian Andrews
- 2019 - Dev Shah
Tom Owen Environmental Sustainability Award (Student)
The Tom Owen Environmental Sustainability Award recognizes a TRU undergraduate or graduate student who works in the community, or at the university, to shift the culture towards higher levels of awareness with respect to sustainability issues, and who champions practical sustainability solutions that can make a tangible difference in environmental footprints.
Nominations closes April 8, 2025Past winners
- 2024 - Tatiana Mueller
- 2023 - Jessica Merrikin
- 2022 - Cole Perison
Herbinlay Happy Planet Award (Student)
Awarded annually to a Thompson Rivers University student in any year of study, who displays a keen interest in, and contributes to, environmental sustainability, through research, leadership, and career aspirations.
Nominations closes April 8, 2025Past winners
- 2024 - Dani Lafleur
