Keith Muhlestein '92, '98, '12 hired as UTSA Director of Sustainability
Keith Muhlestein
Keith Muhlestein
Share this Story(March 7, 2016) -- As part of a plan to centralize and enhance the university’s various sustainability initiatives, Keith Muhlestein has been appointed as UTSA’s first director of the newly created Office of Sustainability.
In his new position, Muhlestein will work closely with the UTSA Sustainability Council, which President Ricardo Romo established in 2010. Muhlestein also plans to engage faculty, staff and students, as well as community partners, to move UTSA toward a more sustainable campus and align its sustainability initiatives with its Tier One goals. Muhlestein has graduated from UTSA three times: he earned his undergraduate degree in 1992, his master's degree in envrionmental science in 1998 and his Ph.D. in environmental science and engineering in 2012.
The Office of Sustainability was created through efforts by the UTSA Sustainability Council, the Green Fund Committee and the Student Government Association, and is part of Academic Affairs, under the Vice Provost for Resource Management and Instructional Innovation.
“The Sustainability Council saw an incredible need to have an environmental advocate in this position to facilitate the many sustainable practices already in place at UTSA, as well as lead the UTSA community toward more advanced sustainable strategies,” said John Murphy, Dean of the College of Architecture, Construction and Planning and former chair of the Sustainability Council. “The university community must take a leadership role carrying this message beyond the boundaries of our campus and extend the influence of UTSA to the greater Bexar County region. I believe that Dr. Muhlestein will serve us well as we take on this responsibility. The Green Fund Committee is to be lauded in their decision to support the creation of this position.”
UTSA senior Ashley Pollock, chair of the Green Fund Committee, said the committee recognized early on that a sustainability director was needed to lead the university’s initiatives.
“We have had all these groups doing great things in sustainability on campus, but there was no synergy between them,” Pollock said. “Establishing the director position creates a core center where all our sustainability efforts are focused.”
A nationally recognized expert in environmental science and management, Muhlestein earned his Ph.D. in environmental science and engineering from UTSA and is a licensed professional geologist.
During his 25-year career of developing and directing environmental programs, he has worked as the City of San Antonio Geologist, the Brooks Development Authority Science and Natural Resources Director, and as an independent consultant in the U.S. and Mexico. He also currently serves as vice president of the board of directors for the Helotes Economic Development Corporation.
“UTSA has a tremendous amount of positive energy directed toward sustainable living. Faculty are fully engaged and laying out the concepts for receptive and enthusiastic students,” Muhlestein said. “I’m reaching out to every college and department at UTSA to highlight ongoing academic and research successes in the area of sustainability. I am excited to be starting up the new sustainability office to help focus and guide UTSA as it takes a few more well placed steps toward a sustainable future and embraces a 21st century conscience regarding sustainable living.”
Some of the immediate priorities of the Office of Sustainability will include both highlighting and assessing current programs. Long term, both Pollock and SGA president Ileana Gonzalez say they hope to see the office develop new programs to educate and advocate for sustainability at the university.
“It’s our future,” Gonzalez said. “We’ve got to think about our planet, and as a university we should be at the forefront of developing knowledge to help our planet.”
Muhlestein is extremely passionate about sustainability, they said, and is especially adept at getting others interested in it, too. “I’m very excited to watch UTSA grow with this new office and with Keith,” Pollock said.
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