SDSU’s 3rd Annual Sustainability Summit

The San Diego State University Sustainability Summit is back for its third year, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, in Montezuma Hall at Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union.

The summit allows students, faculty, and staff to actively contribute to advancing SDSU’s sustainability initiatives. Attendees can participate in one or more engaging sessions and discussions aimed at driving positive environmental change. Featured speaker is Nalleli Cobo, who led a grassroots campaign to permanently shut down a toxic oil drilling site in her community.

Hosted by the President’s Sustainability Advisory Committee in collaboration with Associated Students and the Office of Energy & Sustainability, the summit is a platform for strengthening the university’s commitment to sustainability, bringing together experts from a range of fields, and providing the SDSU community with the resources, knowledge, and insights necessary to make more sustainable choices in everyday life. Attendees can learn from professionals, connect with fellow sustainability-minded individuals, and help SDSU continue on its path as a sustainable campus.

Here is a schedule:

8:15 - 9:00 a.m.
Check-in/Student Sustainability Project Posters/Transportation Plan Activity

Visit the check-in table to get raffle tickets. Free organic continental breakfast provided. View S3 sustainability research posters and comment on the SDSU Transportation Demand Management Plan's proposed measures.

9:00 - 9:30 a.m.
Introduction and Awards

Emcees Jessica Whiteside and Shefali Sharma will kick off the event. Four SDSU Sustainability Champions will be honored by President Adela de la Torre and Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Diversity Chris Manning for their sustainability efforts. Awards will be presented to faculty, staff, student and alumni members selected by the President's Sustainability Advisory Summit Subcommittee. 

9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
President Sustainability Advisory Committee Projects

Presenters from the President's Sustainability Advisory Committee discuss key campus initiatives and goals. The committee helps to make sustainability part of ongoing education, research, operations, and outreach programs at SDSU. Hear more about SDSU’s updated Climate Action Plan, sustainable purchasing practices, and strategies for fostering a culture of sustainability across the university. 

10:45 - 11:45 a.m.
Advances in Sustainability: Research and Curricular

Interdisciplinary approaches to embedding sustainability into university curricula. Faculty and student researchers will present projects and course designs that address pressing environmental challenges through diverse academic lenses from STEM to humanities. Attendees will learn how research and teaching can intersect to inspire climate literacy and community engagement across all fields of study. 

11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Lunch

Free box lunches will be provided for those registered. 

1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
State and Regional Sustainability

Experts from California High-Speed Rail, the City of San Diego, and SANDAG discuss how regional infrastructure and planning can drive climate action. Speakers will explore sustainable transportation initiatives, land use strategies, and long-term regional planning efforts that align with California’s climate goals. Learn how these agencies collaborate to build a resilient future for the San Diego region. 

2:15 - 3:15 p.m.
Student Leadership in Sustainability

The powerful role students play in advancing sustainability on campus and beyond. Through hands-on projects, creative solutions, and campus-wide engagement, students are driving change and building a more sustainable future. Learn how student leadership and innovation continue to shape SDSU’s sustainability culture.  

3:15 - 4:10 p.m.
Closing speaker: Nalleli Cobo

At age 19, Nalleli Cobo led a grassroots campaign to shut down a toxic oil drilling site in her community — an oil site that caused serious health issues for her and others. Her organizing against urban oil extraction has yielded major policy movement within the Los Angeles City Council and Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, which voted unanimously on bans of new oil exploration and phasing out existing sites. Cobo’s story and leadership also inspired the enactment of Senate Bill 1137, signed in 2022, which created a 3,200-foot buffer zone between oil and gas operations and community spaces in California. Nalleli won the 2022 Goldman Environmental Prize, was named on the 2022 Time 100 Next list, California Energy Commission Hall of Fame, Activist of the Year, and Agente de Cambio.