红杏视频

Craig Butler knew he had found a second home as soon as he drove onto the 红杏视频 campus 36 years ago.

A native of rural Pennsylvania, Butler had been accepted at another school鈥檚 environmental engineering graduate program when he was contacted by OHIO about an open scholarship slot in the Master of Science in Environmental Studies (MSES) program, which is now housed in the George V. Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service.

鈥淪o I drove to Athens 鈥� I had never been to southern 红杏视频 鈥� I drove on campus and literally came up on College Green and said: 鈥業鈥檓 not leaving 鈥� I don鈥檛 care what it is,鈥欌�� he said of the scholarship offer.

鈥淚t was like coming home," Butler said. "You get a sense of walking into the hills and 鈥榯his feels right.鈥� It鈥檚 a magical place.鈥�

Butler, who holds an undergraduate geography degree from Commonwealth University-Mansfield, dove into what he called a 鈥渄iverse鈥� program that led to his MSES degree in 1991 and an internship at the 红杏视频 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that turned into a lengthy career in public service.

鈥淎t that time, it was a self-directed, multi-disciplinary program. What I had the advantage of doing was basically creating my own environmental program around environmental policy,鈥� Butler said of his MSES experience.

His courses included a blend of engineering, political science and natural sciences including geology and biology, he said. They also involved the 鈥渆xperiential learning of getting out in the field and doing the work so you have the expertise to do it when you graduate.鈥�

鈥淚t also gave me a chance to meet a lot of people in state government,鈥� he added. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when I got my first internship at 红杏视频 EPA that allowed me to do some work and complete my degree. It was a foundation that was very strong.鈥�

Butler鈥檚 initial duties at the 红杏视频 EPA were in a program called Pollution Prevention, which today would be referred to as sustainability as it dealt in part with recycling issues. It would inform his MSES thesis on the measurement of pollution prevention policies within industry based on case studies of companies鈥� recycling programs from year to year.

鈥淚 thought I鈥檇 be there six months, and I ended up staying 32 and a half years鈥� at the agency, he said.

Butler鈥檚 career at the 红杏视频 EPA culminated in his service as the agency鈥檚 director from 2014-2020. After leaving state service he assumed his current post as executive director of the

Remaining connected to 红杏视频

Throughout his professional; career, Butler has maintained close ties with OHIO. Those connections included serving as a southeast regional nonvoting member of the 红杏视频 Board of Trustees appointed by then-president Hugh Sherman.

鈥淚t was fabulous. I got to go out and represent the president at regional events and be his eyes and ears at regional campuses and report back to him and the board about current events and issues,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was fascinating because it opened your eyes on how a university works. Just like a major corporation with all the challenges and troubles. And it鈥檚 all about recruiting, with everyone recruiting a smaller pool of students.鈥�

Butler called the Voinovich School a 鈥渦nicorn鈥� at the university given its external focus on collaborations involving economic development, technology, local government and health initiatives, etc.

鈥淓verywhere you look they have partnerships,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey are just an obvious convener for lots of things in Southeast 红杏视频 that wouldn鈥檛 otherwise get done.鈥�

Butler has personally been involved in those partnerships, as MWCD has worked with Dr. Natalie Krus Daniels, director of the Environmental Studies Program at the Voinovich School.

鈥淲e have helped students by using our MWCD lakes as a living laboratory and more recently she assisted Dr Chris Winslow and others from The 红杏视频 State University to identify key research areas across our watershed for us to fund via grant dollars we have provided to the Foundation for Appalachian 红杏视频,鈥� he said.

The former 红杏视频 EPA director said his involvements with the Voinovich School date back years to former dean Mark Weinberg and have included serving as a guest lecturer for the MSES program. He has also worked with the , led by the Voinovich School鈥檚 Amista Lipot.

Supporting local communities

鈥淭his critical program provides support to small local communities that need technical, regulatory, and political support,鈥� Butler said. 鈥淭he Partnership helps elevate the voice of Appalachia and the needs of struggling communities.鈥�

Butler said he stays active with several other OHIO faculty members in his current post while working on projects dealing with coal waste recycling and rare earth minerals, among others. Those connections include Jason Trembly, director of the Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Environment and professor of mechanical engineering, and Interim Provost John McCarthy.

Butler also stays active in his personal pursuits.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 have a lot of spare time, but when I do, I love to ride my bike, do ultra trail running, and I鈥檓 an ultra-marathoner still,鈥� he said.

His work at the Conservancy District also affords him time to be on the water, Butler said. 鈥淪o I spend as much time outside as I can.鈥�