
A university-wide collaboration to address climate change
By harnessing world-class educators and experts working on all aspects of climate change, Colorado State University is making a strategic investment to become a leading educational institution for climate education, research, and engagement in the United States and globally. In 2025, the CSU Climate Initiative will merge with the School of Global Environmental Sustainability, combining our strengths to enhance and unify interdisciplinary climate and sustainability efforts at CSU.
Click here to read our Annual Report.
Invest in Climate Education
The CSU Climate Initiative sincerely thanks our generous donors for making our climate change education credentials and interdisciplinary faculty training programs possible. Your support allows us to harness the world-class expertise on our campus to create meaningful educational opportunities, empowering faculty and students to build a more climate-resilient future.
We’re in a matching campaign with $6,000 raised toward our $25,000 goal! The funds will support our Climate Across the Curriculum Training, which equips CSU faculty with essential skills to teach climate change within any discipline. Explore our program’s success from its inaugural semester. This year, we will offer our training to other universities to replicate the program across the country, and expand our reach to public schools in Colorado.
Recent CCI News
- Source Story – Science, solutions and support shared at youth Climate Leadership Summit
- Source Story – Courtney Schultz named director of School of Global Environmental Sustainability
- Source Story – ‘Green Out’ is not just on game days; it’s a CSU mantra
- Source Story – What’s the biggest climate challenge? The need for interdisciplinary research and education to address climate change
Leadership Team

Courtney Schultz
Director, CSU Climate Initiative
Professor, Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship

Sarah Badding
Education Lead, CSU Climate Initiative
Nancy Richardson Design Center

Veera Mitzner
Director, CSU Spur Climate Hub

Paúl Cisneros
Program Support, CSU Climate Initiative
Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship

Eliisa Carter
Program Support, CSU Climate Initiative
Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship

Peter Backlund
School of Global Environmental Sustainability

Lauren Gifford
Soil Carbon Solutions Center

Pat Keys
Department of Atmospheric Science

Scott Shrake
Institute for Entrepreneurship

Jill Zarestky
School of Education
Climate Initiative Advisory Council
The Climate Initiative Advisory Council is made up of individuals from across Colorado State University who are committed to advancing the university’s work on climate.
- Kim Stackhouse-Lawson/Sara Place, AgNext
- Patrese Atine, AVP for Indigenous and Native American Affairs
- Jan Leach, College of Agricultural Sciences
- Grace Wright, College of Business
- Rodolfo Valdes Vasquez, College of Health and Human Sciences
- Ken Shockley/Mica Glantz, College of Liberal Arts and the Center for Environmental Justice
- Melinda Smith, College of Natural Sciences and Climate Adaptation Partnership
- Colleen Duncan, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
- Russ Schumacher/Becky Bolinger, Colorado Climate Center
- Steven Miller, Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere
- Alysha Tarantino, CSU Online
- Bryan Willson/Lynsey Bosch, Energy Institute
- Kauline Cipriani/ Bridgette Johnson, Office for Inclusive Excellence
- Meg Suter/Dinaida Egan/Kyle Dunbar, Office of the Vice President for Research
- Tracey Goldstein, One Health Institute
- Jane Zelikova/Lauren Gifford, Soil Carbon Solutions Center
- Hussam Mahmoud, Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering
- Rich Conant, Warner College of Natural Resources
Climate Initiative Information and Resources
Find out about Climate Initiative-related events, updates, and resources.
Programs & Offerings
The Climate Change & Society Certificate!

The Online Climate Adaptation and Risk Management Graduate Certificate!

CSU Climate Initiative Resources
Want to receive updates from the CSU Climate Initiative? Sign-up here!
All news and events
Stories/In the News
- Source Story – Science, solutions and support shared at youth Climate Leadership Summit
- Source Story – Courtney Schultz named director of School of Global Environmental Sustainability
- Source Story – ‘Green Out’ is not just on game days; it’s a CSU mantra
- Source Story – What’s the biggest climate challenge? The need for interdisciplinary research and education to address climate change
- The Rocky Mountain Collegian – CSU Climate Initiative aims for climate education across all disciplines
- The Rocky Mountain Collegian – CSU proposes climate solutions, empowers future leaders
- KUSA-DEN (NBC) – 9News at 5pm: CSU Launching New Climate Initiative
- CPR News – Rep. De Gette reflects on her experiences at COP28
- Source Story – New CSU Climate Initiative to develop next generation of leaders
Past events
- Can (Should) We Cool the Planet by Changing the Atmosphere?, 4:15-5:15 pm at Nutrien Room 135, November 19, 2024
- Climate Across the Curriculum Panel at ClimateCon!, 3:30 – 4:30 pm at Lory Student Center Room 312, November 12, 2024
- Climate Change & Ecological Restoration, 4-5:30 pm, April 30, 2024
- Air Quality & Equity, 4-5:30 pm, March 20, 2024
- Climate Justice & Design, 3-5 pm, February 14, 2024
- Methane Reduction Strategies, 3-5 pm, January 24, 2024
- Climate-Democracy Connections, 3-5 pm, November 16, 2023