Northern Michigan University Assistant Professor Jelili Adebiyi from Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, along with two student researchers, recently shared their work with peers from across the region at the Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability Conference in Illinois.
Adebiyi led Environmental Science major Isabelle Beck and Sustainable Business and Enterprise Creation major Erin O'Keefe in presenting their project, which examines how nudging strategies and waste audits can influence campus behavior and reduce waste. Their hour-long presentation and panel discussion highlighted results from a multi-semester effort to understand NMU's waste streams and identify opportunities to strengthen the university's sustainability practices.
The project aims to establish a detailed baseline of the types and volumes of waste generated at NMU, determine which materials can be recycled or composted, identify sources of contamination, and pinpoint areas where landfill-bound waste can be reduced. This semester, the team began piloting the use of artificial intelligence to analyze waste data and compare the results with traditional, student-led audits. The goal is to evaluate where AI and human findings align, where they differ, and how the technology might support more efficient and accurate audits in the future.
Adebiyi's group is also collaborating with students in Lucy Miller's public relations course, who are developing educational campaigns based on audit findings. Their work will help encourage proper recycling and sorting behaviors among NMU students, faculty and staff.
The project receives support from the following NMU entities: Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences: SISU Center for Innovation; Sustainability Hub for Innovation and Environment; and Jes Thompson, assistant vice president for Sustainability. It has become a model of how faculty, students and campus partners can collaborate to improve environmental outcomes.
Adebiyi later joined an EEGS delegation at the fall meeting of the West Lakes Division of the American Association of Geographers, hosted at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. He moderated a research session and presented a paper on the relationship between sustainability knowledge, personal values, and food waste behaviors in the United States.
Five students from Adebiyi's research group also presented at the meeting. Senior Miki Rogers shared results from her Rural Leadership Fellowship project, highlighting the challenges faced by sustainable farmers in the Upper Peninsula and the place-adapted agroecological practices they use. Her work will also be featured in an upcoming documentary.
Quinn Hilla presented findings from recent waste audits conducted at NMU. Lola Rigano and Lily Riehl discussed mapping research that identifies Marquette County properties at greatest risk for wildfire. Emma Teske contributed with a poster that expanded on their findings.
Faculty members Dr. Weronika Kusek and Dr. Susy Ziegler attended to promote NMU's new Master of Science in Sustainability program. Students who participated in the conference said the experience helped them make professional connections and gain exposure to new areas of geographic research.
Environmental Studies and Sustainability major Avery Case presented a poster on NMU's progress toward carbon neutrality through her SHINE internship. They said many attendees were inspired by what the university has accomplished. Cali Godlewski, another student participant, said the presentations and conversations she engaged in helped shape her career goals and introduced her to researchers working in fields she hopes to pursue.
The EEGS delegation returned from the meeting with new ideas, expanded networks, and a reinforced sense of NMU's growing role in advancing sustainability research and education in the region.