Meghna Tare, The University of Texas at Arlington’s executive director of the Institute for Sustainability and Global Impact, has been appointed Chief Sustainability Officer, or CSO, of the University.

In her new role, Tare will lead the University’s efforts to develop energy-efficiency programs with a focus on recycling and waste reduction, water conservation, education and outreach, transportation, green purchasing, curriculum development, community garden, composting and green teams. She will also be responsible for establishing a regional center to increase collaboration among groups across North Texas, the first of its kind for the region, as well as being the first in the nation to bring higher education, governmental units and municipalities, as well as private corporations together to collaborate on sustainable initiatives to improve communities.

The role was created to emphasize UTA’s commitment to sustainability across all facets of the University’s operations and to increase the institution’s engagement with the corporate and non-profit sectors as related to partnerships, as well as to enhance our engagement with, and impact on, communities in the DFW metroplex.

“As an urban serving institution and the leading public research university in the metroplex, it is important that we place sustainability at the forefront of our operations and enhance the region through knowledge and best practices engaging in partnerships for greater impact,” said UTA President Vistasp Karbhari. “Sustainability will continue to be one of the major challenges we face and is an integral part of the promise we make to responsibly manage our shared resources and enrich quality of life for the society at large, in both direct and indirect ways. Mrs. Tare is a nationally recognized authority and leader, serving on numerous high profile boards and committees, and her leadership positions us to be a national model of excellence,   furthering UTA’s strategic role in making impactful contributions throughout our region.”

“This is an exciting time for UTA as we continue to examine how we can do even more to serve our communities,” said John Hall, UTA vice president for administration and campus operations. “The CSO will be the first among equals for functions like planning sustainability efforts, interacting with environmental partners, tracking and reporting on sustainability initiatives, researching sustainability operations, encouraging a culture of sustainability and developing co-curricular sustainability education and initiatives. Meghna is a leader in UTA’s sustainability efforts and this new role will allow her to lead new sustainability efforts regionally.”

Tare currently is serving a three-year appointment with the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine’s Board on Higher Education and Workforce, Policy and Global Affairs. She also serves on the Transportation Research Board’s Committee on Economic and Social Sustainability for Airports.

Under Tare’s leadership, UTA has implemented several environmentally responsible initiatives across the campus and won a prestigious Excellence in Sustainability Award from the National Association of College and University Business Officers, or NACUBO. The annual NACUBO Awards recognize institutional success in various areas. The Excellence in Sustainability Award is earned by institutions that have demonstrated excellence and innovation in sustainability leadership, including financial, facilities, operational, environmental, community and climate. UTA was one of three universities to earn the award this year.

In her role as executive director of UTA’s Institute for Sustainability and Global Impact, Tare has already spearheaded several sustainability projects related to policy implementation, buildings and development, green procurement, transportation, employee engagement, waste management, GRI reporting and carbon management. She is a TEDx UTA speaker and was featured on TriplePundit’s Women in Corporate Social Responsibility list.

“We will always raise the bar and constantly strive to make steady improvements to our sustainability contributions,” said Tare. “The responsibility of a CSO rides on implementing the vision, values and strategy in a way that communicates that we care. Blending those values with our unique goals and ambitions can be very motivating and effective. For me, leadership at UTA lives at the intersection of that spark and our values.”

The focus of UTA’s Strategic Plan 2020 Bold Solutions | Global Impact is enabling a sustainable megacity through research and collaboration that centers on four themes: health and the human condition, sustainable urban communities, global environmental impact and data-driven discovery. Tare’s work at UTA’s Institute for Sustainability and Global Impact touches each of these themes.

Prior to joining the University, Tare was an environmental manager with the City of Dallas’ Office of Environmental Quality, where she worked on a variety of environmental projects related to climate change, air quality, green buildings, energy efficiency and outreach, community gardens and environmental management systems. She also taught environmental studies classes at California State University at Hayward and the Collin County Community College.

Tare holds an MBA from Presidio Graduate School, a master’s degree in environmental studies from San Jose State University and a master’s degree in chemistry from the University of San Francisco.