As a passionate advocate for sustainability, Ava has set her sights on making an inspiring and lasting impact on the community around her. Ava is a rising senior in Environmental Engineering at the University at Buffalo. She is from Erie, PA and has strived to have a positive environmental impact since a young age. Atthe University, Ava has been working in the UB Sustainability Office as a part of the Student Sustainability Impact Team (SSIT) and now focuses on her role as the Zero Waste Student Assistant. Through her work she provides education and regulatory information about recycling and composting to students and the greater Buffalo area. She works on projects such as UBReUSE, an end of the year dorm material collection innovative to divert usable items from going to the landfill. She is also involved as a project co-lead for Engineers for a Sustainable World, working to teach her peers about wastewater, how to grow algae, and usage opportunities while gaining real lab experience. Additionally, she reaches out to the campus community by connecting with first year students as a Resident Assistant in Campus Living and as a Student Leader and Grader for the freshman engineering principles course EAS 199/202. Ava is interested in academia, as well, and has been involved in research within and outside of the University. At UB, Ava worked with Erie County to perform a waste audit and make implementable recommendations. She also worked as an REU Student at Washington State University studying system dynamics modeling for integrating biochar co-composting. She is pursuing an entrepreneurial path by working on a business venture, DUCCS, to create a biofilter to decrease the stigma around backyard composting by reducing methane and ammonia emissions coming from these piles. Ava enjoys being a part of the Buffalo community and is motivated to volunteer for wonderful organizations in the area, such as The Tool Library and Grassroots Gardens, which allows people to make true connections over their shared interests and the environment. As she continues her academic journey, her root goal is to encourage others to pursue their passions and make a larger impact on the people and planet around them. She is hoping to show Western New Yorkers how to be more integrated with the environment around them. After graduation, she intends to utilize her engineering skills to help solve problems and educate others on environmental solutions while integrating sustainability in every possible aspect.