Inaugural CMSSP Conference Showcases Sustainability and Innovation in Construction
Congratulations to the winners of the three-minute thesis competition and to the students and faculty of the CMSSP program for this successful conference.
Friday, November 8th, U-M CEE hosted the Inaugural Construction Management & Sustainability Scholars Program (CMSSP) Conference. This student-led conference featured presentations from industry professionals and leaders in sustainability, along with a complimentary lunch. The conference concluded with a three-minute thesis competition during which attending students could compete for a cash prize.
CMSSP invited a diverse and interdisciplinary group of speakers to present their expertise to the conference attendees. Speakers highlighted the latest advancements and best practices in sustainability within the construction industry and came from backgrounds ranging from industry, government and nonprofits.
The conference’s first speaker was Dr. Missy Stults, the Sustainability and Innovations Director for the City of Ann Arbor. Dr. Stults was followed by John Abraam, principal of construction consulting company Strategic Energy Solutions Inc. Additional speakers also included Jan Culbertson, Leadership Chair at Ann Arbor 2030 District, Karina Forbenger, project manager for JLL’s sustainable buildings team, and Tim Kay, managing director for JLL’s project & development services at Michigan.
The conference came to a close with a three-minute thesis competition. Six students took three minutes to give a presentation on their thesis topic and its significance to the field. This provided an opportunity for students to pitch their ideas to an audience with experience in their field while also providing unique insights and perspectives to the attending panelists. First place in the competition went to Jenna Kutscher with the Sa’nima Collaborative — a BLUElab student-run organization that focuses on identifying and executing sustainable development solutions in rural Guatemala. Second place went to Ayush Sandipbhai with his research on the impact of construction materials on energy consumption.
Congratulations to the winners of the three-minute thesis competition and to the students and faculty of the CMSSP program for this successful conference.
This conference and the CMSSP program were made possible by The Norhtlight Foundation and a generous gift from Dan and Sheryl Tishman.