ENVIRONMENT
ENVIRONMENT
CIANJ & COMMERCE’ s 2025 Environmental Innovation Awards
By Jamie Grill-Goodman
The Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey( CIANJ) and COMMERCE Magazine present the inaugural Environmental Innovation Awards program. To recognize the good work being done in New Jersey involving environmental innovation and achievement, we asked CIANJ members and COMMERCE readers to nominate a person, institution or company involved in improving our environment. Nominations were accepted in the three following categories:
◾ Environmental Research & Development( R & D)( Research projects involving environmental improvements such as air, water, waste reduction, or remediation)
◾ Implementation of State-of-the-Art Environmental Technologies( Innovative field sampling and monitoring techniques, new soil and groundwater remediation techniques, new air and water quality treatment options, etc.)
◾ Implementation of Sustainable Environmental Best Practices( Innovative practices involving pollution prevention, waste reduction, water use reduction, etc.)
Entries were reviewed and judged by a panel of experts, including CIANJ Chairman of the Board Dax Strohmeyer, President of Triangle Manufacturing; CIANJ Board Member Tracy Straka, Executive Vice President, Creamer Environmental, Inc.; and Anthony Russo, CIANJ President and Publisher of COMMERCE Magazine.
The three winners will be announced on Earth Day, April 22, 2025, at an awards breakfast ceremony at Nanina’ s In The Park, Belleville, NJ. Below are the nominations for the 2025 Environmental Innovation Awards.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT( R & D)
Dr. Peter Jaffé Civil & Environmental Engineering Princeton University
Dr. Jaffé’ s cutting edge work at Princeton University in the use of a Pineland microbe Acidimicrobium A6 via in situ bioremediation( ISB) of PFAS and in using treatment wetlands rocked the environmental / academic world three years ago in 2022 when it was first published. His landmark research paper has spawned numerous other academic researchers to also look at creating passive solutions capable of mineralizing PFAS in watersheds. Dr. Jaffé also hosts an annual PFAS conference / seminar inviting leading academic researchers to Princeton University in New Jersey.
Dr. Amy Tuininga Director PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies Montclair State University
Dr. Tuininga is an exemplary teacher and implementer of real-world environmental strategy that has benefited many industry and public interests. She has consistently demonstrated the leadership that makes New Jersey environmental the envy of the U. S. The TBLS Group partnered with her and her team to assist on a town brownfield renewal project that also involves forever chemicals and a real-world approach on one of the largest cleanup sites in New Jersey. Her expertise and participation in the planning stages of this watershed ecological restoration that is also a major tributary to the Delaware River were invaluable for this state-of-the-art project. This is one reason she has consistently been named as an Environmental Leader in NJ.
Dr. Christopher Stubbs Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Students Fairleigh Dickinson University
The research in our laboratory focuses on the democratizing of high-end research capabilities and creating new affordable technologies to achieve these goals. Recently, we have made significant technological advancements that have allowed for the potential to significantly reduce the complexity, labor-intensiveness, and cost of in-house HDPE plastic recycling. Over the past year, my lab has focused on creating an inhouse solution for HDPE and PLA plastics for Fairleigh Dickinson University. This research resulted in successfully downscaling industrial recycling systems to create a semi-autonomous process that produces stock materials( e. g. extruded bars and rods). These raw materials can then be used in our machine shop classes to fabricate hardware, including bolts, nuts, threaded rods, and full mechanisms. This technology
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Dr. Peter Jaffé, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Princeton University
Dr. Amy Tuininga, Director PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies, Montclair State University
Dr. Christopher Stubbs, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Students, Fairleigh Dickinson University
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