Julie Jacobson Vann, clinical associate professor at the UNC School of Nursing, has joined the Carolina Sustainability Council. The Council, which has been active since 2020, aims to broaden sustainability research, education, and service work at the University. Faculty members and students from schools and departments across campus serve an integral role in furthering sustainability on campus.
Jacobson Vann received her doctorate in health policy and administration from the UNC School of Public Health (now the Gillings School of Global Public Health) in 1993. The following year, she began teaching public health before landing at the UNC School of Nursing in 1999. Through her research, she is developing and evaluating interventions to ensure more people receive the vaccines they need.
Jacobson Vann makes an intentional effort to integrate environmental health and sustainability into her work. Most recently, she contributed to the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments’ Environmental Health and Nursing open access textbook. In a chapter on practice settings, she describes how occupational health relates to the Triple Bottom Line, a common sustainability framework. Jacobson Vann explains that “eco-innovation and implementation of green practices can protect workers, the public, and the earth.”
“I am honored to join the Carolina Sustainability Council,” said Jacobson Vann. “The Council’s impressive work is aligned with nursing values of “first do no harm” and my passion for promoting the health of populations through protecting the planet and promoting greening of health care. I look forward to engaging and collaborating with the Council, student groups, and the campus to help create a more sustainable academic environment.”
Jacobson Vann replaces Asia Mieczkowska on the Council. Mieczkowska is an original member of the Council and has taken on a new role as the interim chief operations officer at the Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI). She steps into this role as Stanley Ahalt moves to lead Carolina’s new School of Data Science and Society.
The Council also welcomes Ideliya Khismatova as an undergraduate student representative from the College of Arts & Sciences. Khismatova is a senior double majoring in environmental sciences along with statistics and analytics. On campus, she’s an executive member of CompostMates and a co-chair for the Renewable Energy Special Projects Committee (RESPC).
“The Council’s goal of enhancing our sustainability efforts by collaborating with a variety of sustainability-minded people on campus, including students, is something that I believe will facilitate meaningful progress in terms of sustainability for our University,” said Khismatova. “I am looking forward to being an undergraduate student body representative and engaging with the Council to make Carolina greener.”
About the Sustainability Council
The Carolina Sustainability Council advises the chancellor and his cabinet on sustainability strategy within the framework of Carolina Next: Innovations for Public Good. The Council’s members bring a broad range of expertise, experience, and perspectives from across the University. Council meetings are recorded and streamed through the UNC Institute for the Environment Youtube channel, and will be listed as upcoming events on the homepage of sustainable.unc.edu as they are scheduled.