Former University of Hawaiʻi staff member Aurora Winslade will be honored with the Rising Star of Energy Efficiency: Student award by the Alliance to Save Energy (Alliance) this fall at the nation’s capital for her accomplishments while working as the Transformational Program Manager at Hawaiʻi Energy and for previous work helping to develop energy efficiency goals and plans at UH and the University of California Santa Cruz. She will be one of six award recipients during the Alliance’s 23rd Annual Evening with the Stars of Energy Efficiency Awards Dinner on September 17, 2015 in Washington, D.C.
Winslade’s notable accomplishments include:
- Launching the first statewide Community-Based Social Marketing campaign at Hawaiʻi Energy to improve energy efficiency in apartments and condominiums on the islands of Hawaiʻi, Lānaʻi, Oʻahu.
- Co-founding the University of Hawaiʻi System’s Sustainability Strategy that led to the establishment of specific energy efficiency goals, targets and a policy for the university that commits to carbon neutrality.
- Authoring the 2014 Energy Solutions Report for UH that laid out specific goals for improving energy efficiency related to financing, coordination, policy, communication, implementation and management to generate a Strategic Energy Plan.
- Hosting and contributing to numerous strategic events that helped align the UH community around energy efficiency such as the Annual Hawaiʻi Sustainability in Higher Education Summit from 2012 to 2015.
- Orchestrating a meeting with UH leaders, UH Foundation board members and the Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission to develop energy efficiency financing.
- Initiating discussions for what now is the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu’s new bachelor of applied science concentration in facilities management that will be offered this fall 2015.
- Founding the University of California Santa Cruz’s Sustainability Office and co-founding multiple student programs while an undergraduate at UCSC.
“We’d like to congratulate Aurora who truly is making a difference in the energy efficiency world,” said Ray Starling, Hawaiʻi Energy Program director. “She’s worked tirelessly during her many years in academia and we are fortunate to have her on our team to educate and empower others to save energy.”
“Aurora has played an important role in developing the university’s systemwide sustainability strategy, and helped us to identify energy efficiency as a cornerstone of our approach,” said University of Hawaiʻi System President David Lassner. “She continues to be a strong ally in achieving our energy efficiency goals; we are both grateful for her work and pleased to see her recognized for her contributions.”
More on Winslade
Winslade has been dedicated to improving sustainability for more than a decade. Winslade was previously the director of sustainability at UH West Oʻahu and sustainability coordinator at UH Mānoa. In addition to working at Hawaiʻi Energy, she is also a full-time MBA student at the Duke University Fuqua School of Business enrolled in the Cross Continent Program, a program for working professionals that includes residencies in five countries and a diverse student body from around the world, and is expected to graduate in May 2016.
—A Hawaiʻi Energy news release
