Inside Iowa State

Jan. 16, 2009

Director of sustainability programs on board Jan. 15

by Diana Pounds

Merry Rankin, a director in the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), became director of sustainability programs at Iowa State Jan. 15.

This is a new position, created as part of the Live Green! initiative, a university-wide effort to turn Iowa State into a model of energy efficiency. The director reports to the president's office.

In her new post, Rankin will guide development of a university-wide plan for sustainable practices and coordinate environmental activities on campus. These include such activities as energy conservation projects, a loan fund for energy-saving improvements in university facilities and recycling efforts.

Rankin led the DNR's Keepers of the Land, a program that harnesses the talents of tens of thousands of volunteers who work on parks, trails, recreation areas and prairies throughout the state.

Rankin also was an environmental specialist in the DNR's energy and waste management bureau (2000-04),a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar assisting in community projects in South Africa (1999-2000) and wildlife and fisheries assistant with ISU Extension (1993-99).

She earned a bachelor's degree in business (1987) and master's degree in wildlife biology (1998), both from Iowa State.

Iowa State's first director of sustainability programs Merry Rankin will coordinate environmental activities on campus and guide development of a plan for sustainable practices.