Michael Iversen is actively engaged in practice, teaching, research, and service, with urban and campus sustainability being the common thread. As an architect, planner, urban ecologist and LEED AP, Michael is a leading consultant in the area of urban and campus ecology. In addition to being a Master in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago, he was awarded a NSF IGERT Fellowship (Landscape, Ecological, and Anthropogenic Processes).
Areas of expertise include;
- urban sustainability
- campus sustainability
- campus as a laboratory
- AASHE STARS® rating system
- USGBC LEED® rating system
- UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting
- sustainability metrics, indicators & assessment
- geospatial analysis & visualization
- coupled natural / human environments
- urbanized ecosystems / urban metabolism / urban ecology
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sustainability education & curriculum
As evidenced by my unique career path, I have been actively engaged in academics (research. teaching) and practice (architecture, planning), with sustainability being the common thread. Over the course of my career, especially with positions at various higher education institutions, I recognized the need to rethink campus operational, research and educational sustainability approaches. As such, in recent years, I’ve shifted my career emphasis from urban sustainability to campus sustainability, viewing the campus as a living laboratory. Due to my diverse experience, I am able to provide a broad range of expertise toward campus sustainability that includes; campus planning and design, facilities operations, greenhouse gas emissions reporting, climate action planning, performance metrics and assessment (such as AASHE STARS®, USGBC LEED® rating systems), energy and material flow analysis, green infrastructure, data and geospatial analysis, and sustainability education.
The distinguishing benefit of this inter- and transdisciplinary career trajectory is that it combines the science-based approach of a research and teaching academic, with that of the real-world, problem solving-based approach of a practicing architect and urban planner. This allows an integrative process based on both real-life experience (facilities operations, data analysis, project management, best practices) coupled with a collaborative and leadership skill set (communication, cooperative teamwork, consensus building) as applied to the university campus, community, and beyond.
Michael Roy Iversen 