Meet November's featured coordinator: Dr. John Nomellini, Undergraduate Lab Program Manager, Microbiology and Immunology, UBC
Dr. John Nomellini's decision to join the Sustainability Coordinators program was driven by his work in the Life Sciences Centre at UBC, the largest building on campus, where he observed significant waste potential.
“The building needs people to spot problems, find solutions, and help it run more efficiently,” he explains. This realization motivated him to contribute to making the building more sustainable and efficient.
Sustainability holds a profound personal significance for Dr. Nomellini. “Science and people in general generate a lot of waste looking for answers,” he notes. With six children of his own, he is motivated by a deep desire to ensure they inherit a healthier planet.
As a Sustainability Coordinator, Dr. Nomellini has initiated several impactful projects. He established programs for recycling dry ice and amber glass, implemented a freezer gel pack re-utilization program, and introduced metal recycling.
“I also started a program to wash lab coats in our building and stopped using an outside source,” he explains. This move not only cut down on campus traffic but also enhanced efficiency.
Dr. Nomellini credits the Sustainability Coordinator program with significantly aiding his initiatives. “The program has been extremely helpful to start the amber glass and gel pack programs,” he says.
This support has been crucial in launching and maintaining these sustainability efforts and his hope to “be a positive example of people who care about sustainability on campus and in life.”