Session IV:
July 16, 2026, 11 am to 1 pm ET
Sustainable Lab Best Practices & Management
Thank you Sponsors!
Star Scot
Sustainability & the Scientific Process: Walking the Walk through Green Labs
Star Scott is the founder and manager of the Sustainable Science and Green Labs program at the University of Georgia. She has a background in conservation-driven research and is a deep believer in the interconnectivity of all living things. Star is dedicated to making th e research enterprise more sustainable and more equitable and is currently focused on resource conservation, landfill diversion, creating equitable systems, environmental and social justice, and sustainable procurement. She serves on the Board of Directors for the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL), is a Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium fellow, a founding member of the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council’s Laboratory Guidance Action Team and a certified human rights consultant. Star is a recipient of the I2SL Phil Wirdzek Emerging Leaders award, as well as the I2SL International Outstanding Green Labs program award winner.
Jack Rumery
Green Labs at Penn State; Building Community & Reducing Environmental Impacts
Jack Rumery is the Sustainable Labs Program Director at Penn State University, where he is also pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership. Penn State offers researchers a unique opportunity to improve the sustainability of their laboratory operations through participation in the program and achievement of My Green Lab Certification. The program also provides hands-on educational opportunities for undergraduate students who serve as Sustainable Lab Consultants, along with professional development opportunities and guidance from a newly established Industry Advisory Board.
Drawing on a background in education, environmental science, and sustainability, Jack and his colleagues have developed Penn State’s Sustainable Labs Program into a nationally recognized initiative that has supported nearly 100 research laboratories and hundreds of individual researchers in improving the environmental performance of their lab operations.
Bani Bhattacharya
Greening Your Research: An Introduction to the NIH Greenlab Program
Dr. Bani Bhattacharya is the Acting Deputy Director, Division of Environmental Protection, Office of Research Facilities, who spearheaded the NIH Green Labs Program since its inception in 2016 until 2024. Over the years, Bani has been able to innovate strategies, collaborate with stakeholders, built partnerships, to increase awareness and participation in the program. She will share lessons learned in developing and implementing the program at NIH.
Ryan Weeks-Rutan
Johns Hopkins Green Labs: Cultivating a Culture of Sustainability in the Lab
Short Bio: comRyan Weeks-Rutan works to make all research labs at Johns Hopkins more sustainable through individual behavioral changes and institution-wide initiatives. Ryan holds a B.A. in Biochemistry and Mathematical Sciences from Colby College and recently defended his PhD thesis in Chemical Biology at Johns Hopkins University. His work with sustainability began during his PhD research when he helped begin the JHU Green Labs program.ing soon