AUSTIN ERIKSSON is the Director of Energy and Sustainability at California State University Northridge (CSUN), a role he has held since January 2017. In this capacity, he has proven instrumental in developing and managing the university university’s sustainability efforts and effectively prioritizes and advocates for institutional change. His responsibilities extend to the managing and oversight of campus utilities and utility programs, implementation of projects around energy conservations, GHG reduction, water conservation, advanced analytics including Fault Detection and Diagnostics, waste reduction and zero waste practices, electrification, EV charger infrastructure, etc. Austin leads efforts in AASHE STARS and serves as the primary contact for university energy and sustainability resources. Before assuming the role of Director, Austin served as the Sustainability Program Manager at CSUN from September 2014 to January 2017. During this time, he managed sustainability working groups, spearheaded marketing and communication efforts for sustainability programs, and played a key role in researching and implementing innovative projects to reduce resource consumption. With a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science & Resource Management, complemented by a minor in Business from California State University Channel Islands in 2013, Austin's journey in sustainability leadership began as a Sustainability and Utility Analyst at CSU Channel Islands. His analytical skills were pivotal in coordinating the campus Sustainability Committee, analyzing utility bills, and contributing to lighting inventories and upgrade projects.
ASPEN COTY became CSUN’s Sustainability and Zero Waste Coordinator in October of 2022. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Science and Resource Management from CSU Channel Islands and a Master of Arts in Geography from CSUN. She began her sustainability career as a student assistant for Facilities Services Sustainability at CSU Channel Islands where she grew passionate about higher education sustainability efforts. After spending five years doing research on the California Channel Islands with CSU Channel Islands, she came back “home” to pursue Zero Waste at CSUN. As an alumnus of the CSU, it was important for her to continue helping CSUN achieve its Zero Waste goals and promote a culture of sustainability on campus. In her time at CSUN she has worked on finalizing zero waste bin standardization across campus, played a large role in creating the Road Map to Sustainability Plan 2023-2033, and helped campus achieve its Tree Campus recognition for the 9th year in a row. By building relationships across departments, her goal is to bring the campus community together to reduce waste so that everyone can have a part in CSUN Sustainability.
RACHEL SINGLETON joined the CSUN team in May of 2023 as the new Energy and Sustainability Analyst. She graduated from CSU Sacramento with her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and continued to receive a M.S. with a concentration in Manufacturing and Material Science (with a focus on plastic waste). While in school, Rachel started working for the Sacramento State Sustainability team where she gained her passion for intertwining her engineering background with sustainability. She then transitioned into her current role at CSUN where she aims to reduce energy consumption and promote sustainability throughout campus. Rachel's work at CSUN includes the upgrade of parking lot lighting to energy-efficient LED fixtures, the replacement of refrigerators in the science building with Energy Star-rated appliances, and the collection of Energy Use Index data for various campus buildings. Her overarching goal is to guide CSUN towards achieving a net-zero carbon footprint by leading energy-focused initiatives, fostering awareness within the campus community, and collaborating with her dedicated team.
