Northeastern Unites Around Sustainability Innovation Week

By Ryan Treible with the Sustainability Hub

From student-driven innovation to a tiny-home entirely built out of repurposed materials, Northeastern University’s inaugural Sustainable Innovation Week brought together students, faculty, alumni, industry and community partners alike for a weeklong celebration of cutting-edge environmental solutions. Held both online and in person across the global network, the event showcased the university’s ability to drive change and create a more sustainable future. 

At the heart of the week was Tuesday’s Sustainability Innovation Expo and Student Innovation Competition. The Expo featured over 35 vendors, including student groups, local organizations, and research labs, all highlighting diverse approaches to sustainability—from cutting-edge technology to community-driven initiatives. Meanwhile, the Competition provided a platform for students to pitch actionable solutions aimed at improving sustainability on campus. 

Tuesday’s keynote panel featuring Amy Luers, Global Director of Sustainability Science at Microsoft, alongside Northeastern experts Moira Zellner, Auroop Ganguly, and Ayan Paul, as well as Galen Nelson of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, explored the intersection of AI and climate change; a conversation that underscored the complex, interdisciplinary nature of advancing environmental solutions.  

The rest of the week also included workshops and panels covering a range of topics, including plastics pollution, nonprofit innovation, building decarbonization, and sustainable deconstruction. 

Among the highlights of the week was The Box Truck Tiny Home, a fully functional house built entirely from upcycled and reused materials, parked at Centennial Commons for visitors to explore. Created by Northeastern Class of ‘99 alumni Alex Eaves and Derek Diedricksen, the mobile home served as both an example of sustainable design and a catalyst for conversation—showcasing what’s possible when we rethink waste. 

“Most people think of reuse as jars and bags, but I wanted to show that it can be way more than that,” Alex said. “It can be the walls, the floors, even the decorations in your house. Everything in this truck has a story, and my goal is to get people thinking, ‘What can I reuse in my life?’” 

But one of the most inspiring parts of the week was the Student Innovation Competition, where student groups pitched over 20 projects focused on practical, real-world sustainability solutions for Northeastern. Among the finalists were Sustainable Labs, the E-Waste Recycling Hub: Smart Drop-Offs for a Sustainable Campus, My Emissions Tracker, and BuddyMind: A Mental Health and Donation Support App.  

The winning project, SustainaBite: Reducing Food Waste in the Northeastern Dining Halls, aimed to tackle one of the most immediate and visible sustainability challenges on campus—food waste. Created by students Oluwaseun Abiola, Lydia Adobea Dampare Addo, Ogechukwu ‘Tammy’ Ibeama, and Levi Ijebor, the proposal focused on concrete ways to measure, track, and ultimately reduce waste produced by dining operations. Specifically, their proposal included initiatives such as greater portion control, “Taste 2 Try” sampling, and a rewards system for students that eat more sustainably. In doing so, their project aligns with broader efforts to make campus life more sustainable and efficient. 

For Orla Molloy, a fourth-year student, the competition reflected how much momentum sustainability efforts have gained over her time on campus: 

“I am a senior now at Northeastern, and it has been so cool to see how the sustainability space has changed over time, in that it’s just so much bigger. We have so many opportunities now to engage with sustainability at Northeastern, and particularly sustainable innovation, just thinking about how we funnel ideas into action, whether that’s research projects or student initiatives in any capacity.” 

Highlighting the direct intersections between sustainability and students’ lives was key to fostering greater engagement. Akancha Singh, Communications Assistant for The Ocean Genome Legacy Center, one of the organizations tabling at the Expo, emphasized how the competition gave students a chance to think about their personal choices and actions. 

“I really liked the student competition because it gives students a time to pause and reflect on how sustainability matters in their own lives.” As Singh noted, “Over 90% of students think that sustainability will be relevant in their future careers, which means people are interested. The hard part is translating that interest to action.” 

Singh also highlighted the importance of forums like Sustainability Innovation Week for sparking new collaborations, “The truth is we just need more of these forums to come together, cross-collaborate, share, and collectively create innovative solutions.” 

With a diverse lineup of projects, informational sessions, and community-driven conversations, Northeastern’s first Sustainability Innovation Week not only showcased creative environmental solutions emerging from Northeastern and its partners but also spurred student-led action. If the success of the event is any indication, students, faculty, and community members are eager to continue making an impact. 

Written by Ryan Treible, March 19th, 2025