Green Gown Awards 2016 – Leadership Award – Professor Tim Burt – Finalist

Tim Burt  - Dean for Environmental Sustainability, Durham University

As a professor in the Geography department and Master of Hatfield College, Tim did not have any direct ‘environmental sustainability’ responsibilities. Tim agreed to Chair the first Environment Group (ESAG) in his spare time.  As the agenda grew and more projects developed, he agreed to host the newly formed Environment Team in my College – affording them office space and line-management.

With the recognition of his work reaching his Executive Committee, he was given the additional title of ‘Dean for Environmental Sustainability’. Tim began to chair the Green Travel Plan and Fairtrade Steering Groups and the Carbon Management Team – all of which developed under his guidance and which he undertook in his ‘spare’ time.

Nearly ten years on, under Tim’s leadership, Durham University now has a Green Gown Award-winning Environment Team, a plethora of environmental sustainability activities and campaigns plus senior-level accountability and responsibility for ‘environmental sustainability’ and a ‘Green Dean’ – Tim!

Top 3 learnings

1 I believe it is important to be passionate about the role you have taken on

2 I ensured I surrounded myself with enthusiastic, passionate people who were well placed in the University to take the agenda forward in their respective areas

3 I found that my senior position in the University afforded me the ability to gain access to other senior groups which I was then able to influence.

Videos

• Tim Burt - Dean for Environmental Sustainability, Durham University (click to hide)