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CONTACT
Gabrielle Abbott
Media@LUC.edu
CHICAGO – March 24, 2025
Loyola University Chicago experts are available to provide insight on a variety of topics as reporters plan their Earth Month coverage for April. Media can contact faculty directly using the information below or contact Loyola’s Communications team at Media@LUC.edu for assistance.
Expertise: Sustainable campus operations, waste reduction, carbon neutrality
Aaron Durnbaugh
Director of Sustainability
adurnbaugh@luc.edu
Expertise: Gardening, farming, food systems, soil health, food sales/distribution
Kevin Erickson
Senior Sustainable Agriculture Manager
kerickson2@luc.edu
Expertise: Evolution, biodiversity, plants, microbes, ecology
Michael Grillo
Assistant Professor, Department of Biology
mgrillo1@luc.edu
Expertise: Freshwater ecology, invasive species
Reuben Keller
Professor, School of Environmental Sustainability
rkeller1@luc.edu
Expertise: Environmental science, eco spirituality, integral ecology, Laudato Si’, herpetology
Mark Mackey, S.J.
Lecturer, School of Environmental Sustainability
mmackey1@luc.edu
Expertise: Solar energy, renewable energy, energy policy, energy justice, electric utilities, economic development, collaborative planning
Gilbert Michaud
Assistant Professor, Environmental Policy, School of Environmental Sustainability
gmichaud@luc.edu
Expertise: Wetland ecology, invasive plants
Assistant Professor, School of Environmental Sustainability
Expertise: Environmental communication, public engagement on climate change, environmental studies, environmental social psychology
Urooj Raja
Assistant Professor, School of Communication
uraja@luc.edu
Expertise: Laws and policies relating to biodiversity conservation and climate change
Kalyani Robbins
Morris I. Leibman Professor of Law, School of Law
krobbins3@luc.edu
Expertise: Laudato Si’, environmental justice, Catholic social thought
Michael Schuck
Professor, School of Environmental Sustainability and Department of Theology
mschuck@luc.edu
Expertise: Community food systems, food justice, environmental justice, urban green spaces, environmental education, youth environmental action
Tania Schusler
Assistant Professor, School of Environmental Sustainability
tschusler@luc.edu
Expertise: Sustainability, green business, climate change and cities
Karen Weigert
Director, Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise and Responsibility, Quinlan School of Business
kweigert@luc.edu
Expertise: Paleontology, mass extinctions, evolution of life in deep time
Megan Whitney
Assistant Professor, Department of Biology
mwhitney@luc.edu
Background:
Loyola University Chicago is currently ranked among the top 25 universities in the United States for its commitment to campus sustainability, ranking #12 in The Princeton Review’s “Guide to Green Colleges: 2025 Edition.” Earning a Green Rating of 99/99, Loyola is the highest-ranked Jesuit institution and the top school in Illinois on the list. Loyola has achieved carbon neutrality on its Chicago-area campuses, becoming the first university in the Chicago area to achieve carbon neutrality.
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About Loyola University Chicago
Founded in 1870, Loyola University Chicago is one of the nation’s largest Jesuit, Catholic universities, recognized for its academic excellence, commitment to community engagement, and leadership in sustainability. A Carnegie R1 research institution, Loyola leverages its status as one of an elite group of universities with the highest level of research activity to advance knowledge that serves communities and creates global impact. With 15 schools, colleges, and institutes—including Business, Law, Medicine, Nursing, and Health Sciences—Loyola operates three primary campuses in the greater Chicago area and one in Rome, Italy, that provide students a transformative, globally connected learning experience. Consistently ranked among the nation’s top universities by U.S. News & World Report, Loyola is a STARS Gold-rated institution that is ranked as one of the country’s most sustainable campuses by The Princeton Review and has earned distinctions from AmeriCorps and the Carnegie Foundation for its longstanding record of service and community engagement. Guided by its Jesuit mission and commitment to caring for the whole person, Loyola educates ethical leaders who think critically, act with purpose, and strive to create a more just and sustainable world.
