Aurora Sharrard has been promoted to Pitt’s assistant vice chancellor for sustainability

Based on her leadership, collaborative solution-based approach and quantified impact in advancing the University of Pittsburgh’s sustainability initiatives, Aurora Sharrard has been promoted to assistant vice chancellor for sustainability.

Sharrard joined Pitt in 2018 to oversee the University’s green strategy, implementation and partnerships as inaugural director of sustainability. She was promoted to executive director of sustainability in 2022.

“Aurora Sharrard is an outstanding collaborator who is driven to achieve results. Her experience, knowledge and commitment to sustainability are unparalleled,” said David N. DeJong, senior vice chancellor for business and operations. “Sharrard’s appointment to assistant vice chancellor for sustainability is well deserved, as she connects people and ideas across scales, sectors and disciplines that extend far beyond Pitt’s campuses.”

She works tirelessly to embed a culture of sustainability further into and throughout the University by incorporating sustainability into the University’s curriculum and research; providing actionable community resources, including Pitt Green Offices and Labs programs and Green Guides; partnering with operations and research teams; and working with a cross-functional sustainability team.

Through Sharrard’s leadership, Pitt has advanced as a model for others worldwide.

Sharrard’s recent accomplishments include:

• Spearheading implementation of the Pitt Sustainability Plan and its 68 sustainability goals at the intersection of equity, environment and economics, including development of the 2018-22 Progress Report on the Pitt Sustainability Plan to assess and share the University’s collective progress
• Championing the University’s path to carbon neutrality by 2037 through the creation and administration of the Pitt Climate Action Plan
• Initiating and launching the Pitt Sustainability Challenge, identifying scalable solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to benefit the Pitt community
• Quantifying sustainability performance by developing the University’s first public-facing sustainability dashboard, ensuring transparency and accountability across key metrics

Prior to joining Pitt, Sharrard worked at Green Building Alliance (GBA) for 11 years, ultimately serving as its executive director. Her notable accomplishments while leading the nonprofit that’s advancing sustainable innovation in the built environment include co-founding the Pittsburgh 2030 District (of which the University of Pittsburgh was a Founding Property Partner) and leading notable initiatives like the Pittsburgh Climate Initiative (PCI), Higher Education Climate Consortium, Pittsburgh Green Story, Product Innovation Grants and the Database for Analyzing Sustainable and High Performance Buildings.

A nationally recognized green building and sustainability expert, Sharrard has also provided strategic and technical support to regional projects, including the Pitt’s green buildings, Hazelwood Green, the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens’ Living Buildings and more.

Sharrard holds master’s and PhD degrees in civil and environmental engineering with an emphasis in green design from Carnegie Mellon University as well as a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Tulane University. She serves on Boards for Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services and the Will Allen Foundation. She is also a member and past co-chair of Pittsburgh’s Higher Education Climate Consortium, in addition to serving on the advisory council of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.