Linda Abriola to assume role as director of the Tufts Institute of the Environment

Linda Abriola, former dean of the School of Engineering, has been named director of the Tufts Institute of the Environment (TIE), a role that she will assume on Sept. 1.

TIE is an interdisciplinary, university-wide establishment that promotes education and research for building a sustainable future through numerous on- and off-campus projects and initiatives, according to its website.  

Abriola, who serves as one of five University Professors, the highest academic honor position at Tufts, said that her research on environmental concerns — including subsurface contamination and water quality — and her experience as dean have prepared her for her upcoming role.

“I have worked for many years with colleagues and students who come to environmental work from diverse areas, so I understand some of the problems and challenges that we face in trying to foster interdisciplinary research and education,” she wrote to the Daily in an email. “In addition, my twelve years as dean of the School of Engineering have given me an excellent understanding of how the university operates and has enabled me to get to know many of our faculty members." Antje Danielson, the current administrative director of TIE, has led the institute through a planning period over the past year and a half to develop plans for improving the institution in the near future, she explained.

“The overwhelming majority of surveyed faculty, students and university leaders voted to make the enhancement of the Tufts Institute of the Environment a priority of the university, and Professor Abriola has the passion, standing and experience to lead this effort,” Danielson wrote.

Danielson explained that university administrators selected the most ambitious of four strategies presented from TIE leadership for further developing the establishment, which included selecting a prominent faculty director charged with achieving the institute's goals.

“TIE will grow in all dimensions of research, education and outreach," Associate Provost and Professor of Mathematics Boris Hasselblatt wrote to the Daily in an email. "This growth will be sustained by increasing its resources through grants, philanthropy and revenue-generating educational programming, and it will be accompanied by an expansion of the engagement with schools and academic departments.”

Hasselblatt explained that he believes that Abriola's position as one of the world's leading environmental engineers made her a natural choice. According the Hasselblatt, Abriola’s leadership in the School of Engineering demonstrated an outstanding capacity to grow and transform an entity dedicated to research, education and outreach.

“She knows Tufts more intimately than any external hire could,” he wrote.

From Abriola’s perspective, the overall goals of TIE are to raise awareness and understanding of environmental issues across the university, help bring faculty together to educate the next generation of environmental professionals and develop new knowledge, methodologies and technologies and tools that will have a lasting impact on the sustainability of our planet.

“In addition to learning more about the current operations and programs within TIE, I plan to schedule meetings with faculty leaders across the university who have an interest in research and/or educational programs related to environmental sustainability,” Abriola explained. “I hope to cast a wide net [to include those with interests in water, energy, environmental health -- human and animal -- and ecology].”

Abriola noted that in her role, the goal will be to get a more comprehensive view of TIE’s strengths and how the department has to build on these strengths. From there, she hopes to work with administrators and faculty to develop a strategic vision for TIE’s future.

“[This will be helpful] to identify targeted interdisciplinary areas of existing strength that we can further develop by fostering collaborations through the TIE platform,” she noted.

While Abriola plans on talking with various stakeholders about changes for TIE, she does not anticipate changing TIE's relationship with Office of Sustainability.

“Right now, I do not expect that TIE’s relationship with the Office of Sustainability will change, but I have not yet had an opportunity to meet with those folks to discuss this,” she wrote. “TIE will focus on formal education and research, while the Office of Sustainability will continue to focus on the university environment and community awareness.”

Nolan Nicaise, the program administrator at TIE, said the institute staff is thrilled about the appointment of Linda Abriola to the role of faculty director.

“I cannot know how the direction of Linda Abriola will change the way that the Tufts Institute of the Environment interacts with the many schools, departments, institutes and offices at Tufts University, but it is my hope that the Tufts Institute of the Environment builds upon its existing capacity to promote and facilitate cross-school collaborations related to environmental research and teaching,” he told the Daily in an email.

Hasselblatt also emphasized his excitement for Abriola to take charge of TIE.

“I greatly look forward to the privilege of working with her as TIE is being transformed in the coming years,” he explained. “The Tufts community owes a great debt to Dr. Danielson and the TIE co-directors for having the foresight and initiative to bring about this reconsideration of the future of TIE.”