Suffolk University Alumni Magazine 2008/2009 - (Page 10) the faculty//INNOVATION & EXCELLENCE SHERRI MILES TExT//VARIOUS IMAGES//KINDRA CLINEFF DESIGNING FOR TOmORROW, TODAY fuTurE friENdly furNiTurE. Self-generating hydropower faucets. recycled rubber flooring. No paint polymer siding. Cardboard fiber countertops. These and other innovations were on display at a green/sustainable design trade show hosted by Professor karen Clarke’s Sustainable design for Interiors class last spring. Students discussed product life cycles, chemical composition, and the environmental impacts of materials as they examined carpet recreated from “mining office buildings instead of the earth,” and fabrics made from crushed water bottles broken down to polymers, melted, spun, dyed, and then woven into new textiles. The trade show, “design for the environment,” provided real-world examples of a growing market dedicated to green building. “This is out there now,” says Clarke. “Students want to be green designers, and it’s important because that is what the industry is demanding.” The July/August issue of New England Home notes, “Interior designer karen Clarke co-chairs one of the best-kept secrets in the country: the interior design program at New england School of Art & design at Suffolk University.” But it’s no secret that Clarke has long been Interior Design Professor Karen Clarke (in white) an advocate for sustainability. “She has really taken green issues on, not only on behalf of our students but also the University. It was she who pushed for University-wide recycling, for example,” says Sara Chadwick, director of administrative services at NeSAdSU. Clarke guides students through the industry standard for sustainable building: the Leadership in energy and environmental design (Leed) Green Building rating System, set by the US Green Building Council. her goal is to prepare students to take the Leed exam and become accredited professionals. “Architecture is changing, and we have to be respectful of the environment and incorporate design that takes into account the future now,” she says. “There are requests for sustainability and builders who want to go for Leed certification. Clients need people who specialize in this area.” “In the next 10 years, every project, every product will have some sort of green aspect to it,” says Clarke. “As interior designers, we shape and design buildings for the users. Good design is being responsible socially and environmentally. And since 95% of our time is spent in interior environments, it’s important that our environments are healthy.” < See photos of the trade show on p. 9, and related story online: http://www.suffolk.edu/nesad/green.html DAVID D’ARCANGELO, ’96 READY, SET, vOTE SiNCE bECOmiNg aN assistant professor in 2006, rachael Cobb has already put her stamp on the Government department of Suffolk University by being a catalyst for two innovative programs, the University Poll Workers Project and the Boston Area Colleges election Improvement Project. The University Poll Workers Project, which Cobb established, recruits and trains a diverse array of students to be the next generation of poll workers. It has already yielded positive results, with over 100 Suffolk students working the polls for the City of Boston on election day during the past two years. The program will continue to be a resource for students and the community in the fall 2008 Presidential election. The Boston Area Colleges election Improvement Project is a collaborative effort between the Suffolk and harvard University Government departments and harvard Law School. Through the project, stu- dents work to improve the administration and oversight of the voting and redistricting processes in the City of Boston. “I am passionate about our political processes, and these two programs will enable our students to be even more politically competent by taking action in our democracy,” says Cobb. Cobb was born and reared in Cambridge, where she still lives with her husband and two young children. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Bryn Mawr College and received her Phd from MIT. Now, as a professor on Beacon hill, Cobb is motivated by the eagerness of her students and appreciates Suffolk’s dedication to small class sizes. her passion for public service is contagious. “rachael has a remarkable ability to work with all kinds of people,” says professor and chair of the Government department John Berg. “She is excellent at bringing people together and making things happen.” Assistant Professor of Government Rachael Cobb [10] SUFFOLKARTS+SCIENCES//2008/2009 ALUMNI MAGAzINE http://www.suffolk.edu/nesad/green.html
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