Meet members of our UVA community–students, faculty, engineers, facilities staff, and medical professionals–who are making impactful changes toward our ten bold sustainability goals. "Faces of Sustainability" aims to get to know them and inspire you with the stories of these change-makers’ efforts happening right here on Grounds, both large and small! Below meet Yushun, Dr. Ahdoot, and Tytus.
Meet Yushun Ding!
What is your role at UVA?
I have been a Sustainable Labs student employee with the Office for Sustainability since the summer of 2022. As a fourth year undergraduate, I study Economics and Global Sustainability.
What is your hometown?
Shanghai, China, but Charlottesville is now my second home.
What are some things you are doing to support UVA’s 2030 Sustainability Plan?
I support UVA’s goal of being carbon neutral by 2030 and fossil-free by 2050 by supporting Green Labs core initiatives and facilitating sustainability best practices among research labs. Additionally, I create communication plans and social media materials to share knowledge about sustainable solutions in technical workplaces.
Where can we find you on Grounds?
You can find me getting lost in Pinn Hall, either flyering or looking for a murmuring freezer.
What tip do you have for people who want to take action?
My tip is to understand how things are connected. While I believe sustainability is about our willingness to respect different cultural backgrounds and love each other, its outcome makes life easier and happier. Therefore, a thorough understanding of how we are all connected helps you find the closest way to communicate sustainability to your audience, which strengthens your action.
What are some fun facts about you?
I always bring my own utensils, and I enjoy making tiramisu for important dates and my friends’ birthdays because I believe my tiramisu brings luck!
What is your most used emoji?
🤩
What is your proudest accomplishment (personal or professional)?
I have taught a group of K-12 kids English online every Friday for more than three years. The kids enjoy my class very much and have grown a lot in their learning skills!
What’s your favorite place on Earth?
Gobi Desert, which is part of the Silk Road. I finished a 70K hike there and saw the Milky Way!
Meet Dr. Samantha Ahdoot!
What is your role at UVA?
I co-direct the Climate and Health Elective for fourth-year medical students with Dr. Homan Wai. Our two-week, intensive course brings expert speakers from across the country, includes advocacy training in Richmond, and completed its third annual session this February. I also teach out-patient pediatrics to Inova campus medical students at my office in Alexandria.
What is your hometown?
I grew up in New York City, Greenwich Village to be exact. It was a great place to be a kid. I moved to Alexandria, my husband's hometown, in 2003. The small town feel of Old Town, Alexandria, and the freedom to walk and use public transportation, reminds me of Greenwich Village.
What are some things you are doing to support UVA’s 2030 Sustainability Plan?
Sustainability is rising as a core pillar of "Do No Harm" healthcare delivery. I love teaching medical students so they are prepared to be leaders of this transition towards healthcare systems that protect people by protecting the planet.
Where can we find you on Grounds?
Dr. Wai and I will be initiating a "field trip" component to our Climate and Health elective. In 2025, I hope to be with a group of medical students touring the South Tower learning how the greywater reuse system saves 3.1 million gallons of water annually.
What tip do you have for people who want to take action?
The societal transition to a clean energy economy includes each and every one of us. Work in the field that you know can be the most impactful in, and this will be the most gratifying.
What are some fun facts about you?
I enjoy serving as caretaker for my daughter's hamster, McMuffin, while she is in college. He loves kale, apples, and raisins.
What is your proudest accomplishment (personal or professional)?
My proudest professional accomplishment is completion of the American Academy of Pediatrics 2015 Policy Statement and Technical Reports on Climate Change and Children's Health. This was my introduction to the subject matter and took me thousands of hours of research in a medical library cubicle. I am very proud and never want to go through it again.
What’s your favorite place on Earth?
A secret spot alongside a small river in Shenandoah National Park where tiger swallowtail butterflies congregate.
Meet Tytus Suchotinunt!
What is your role at UVA?
I am a fourth year student majoring in Global Environments and Sustainability, with two minors in Chinese Language & Literature and Data Science. I’m a student employee at the Office for Sustainability and am currently on the Equity and Environment team, tackling issues at the intersection of environmental sustainability and social justice.
What is your hometown?
Gainesville, Virginia.
What are some things you are doing to support UVA’s 2030 Sustainability Plan?
The Equity and Environment team and I are currently working on two exciting projects! In recognizing the lack of diversity within the sustainability movement on Grounds, the first project aims to bridge that gap by establishing a dedicated space for diverse student leaders eager to kickstart their career in the environmental movement. The second project aims to address food equity problems on Grounds by hosting educational and eco-friendly meal prep classes with the Teaching Kitchen!
Where can we find you on Grounds?
In the Language Commons, finishing up homework that should’ve already been done.
What tip do you have for people who want to take action?
Severe burnout can happen so easily in the environmental movement. Environmental advocacy is tough work as we’re all literally trying to upend deeply rooted systems! When navigating this, be sure to hold tightly onto your values and keep sight of your purpose; it’s easy to get lost otherwise.
What are some fun facts about you?
I studied abroad in Taipei, Taiwan last fall. That was a life-changing experience!
What is your proudest accomplishment (personal or professional)?
I started learning Mandarin at UVA when I was a first year. As I approach graduation, I can confidently say I am conversationally competent in Mandarin.
Stay tuned for more "Faces of Sustainability" the people and stories behind UVA's ten bold sustainability goals.