2011-2012 Accomplishments

  • Partnered with a student group from the UCSB Writing Program to develop a marketing plan for the relaunch of the assessment program and a new name for LabRATS (Laboratory Resources, Advocates, and Teamwork for Sustainability.)
  • Hosted a demonstration of a motion activated fume hood sash closing system. Attendees included campus stakeholders in Facilities Management, as well as to researchers, lab managers, and building managers from 5 science/engineering departments, and the College of Letters and Sciences.
  • Designed and secured stakeholder approval for a new laboratory recycling program with collaboration with Environmental Health & Safety, Marborg, LabRATS, Custodial Services, and more than 15 lab and building managers.
  • Presented at Labs21 Conference in Oct 2011 (“Eliminating the Vicious Cycle of Uneducated Occupants”)
  • Presented in a special waste webinar, “Special Concerns in Recycling – Lab & Hospital Waste”
  • Presented our Intro to Lab Buildings Lecture and related material to Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Materials, Electrical Engineering, and Writing Program classes.
  • Featured in an article on surplus chemical programs in the Journal of Chemical Health and Safety, Volume 19, Issue 1, January–February 2012, Pages 12–22; “Secrets revealed: Chemical surplus sharing at colleges and universities”.
  • Initiated a partnership with Art Studio and established a list of potential campaigns and projects for the next year.
  • New Green Building Practice Approved.
  • Published paper in collaboration with The Department of Energy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Davis on fume hood sash closure stickers: “Fume Hood Sash Stickers Increases Laboratory Safety and Efficiency at Minimal Cost: Success at two University of California Campuses”
  • References in an Article in the Scientist Magazine July 2011: “How Green Is My Lab?”
  • Motivated a boiler replacement in the Marine BioTech building following a LabRATS assessment of the Waite lab.
  • Provided advice, consultation, and/or best practices to several universities and other groups: Johns Hopkins University, HOK, Iowa State University, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Toronto, Cornell University.
  • In partnership with other campuses, increased growth of activity on the GreenLabsPlanning google group with 126 total members (55 new in the last year), representing universities across the United States.  More than 31 universities are represented and some additional institutions such as the US Army, Practice Greenhealth, the Department of Energy, and several companies.
  • Organized a 1.5-day national lab management workshop in concert with the National Science Foundation and UCSB Materials Research Laboratory, with more than 30 institutions. represented, and created a listserv for further collaboration among colleagues.
  • Presented to the Academic Senate Council on Research and Instructional Resources (CRIR) and secured a promise of their endorsement of LabRATS to Departments and Faculty upon LabRATS relaunch.