Eric Boles, director of the Office for Sustainability, has been recognized with an Early Career Alumni Award by the U of A College of Engineering.

The Early Career Alumni Award is presented to College of Engineering graduates who are achieving distinction in their fields and show significant promise for professional leadership in state, national and international activities. Early career recipients have served in their industries for 15 years or less.

"I am incredibly honored to receive recognition from the College of Engineering," Boles said. "I am aware that many exceptionally talented and successful individuals hail from those departments. In my humble opinion, these are some of the most gifted young professionals in our state."

Boles studied biological engineering at the U of A and received his bachelor's degree in 2010 and his master's degree in 2013.

Since taking over as director of OFS in 2015, Boles has prioritized collaboration with campus departments to quantify and reduce the environmental impact of campus operations.

Over the past decade, the U of A campus has made remarkable progress, achieving a nearly 50% reduction in carbon footprint per campus user. These energy conservation measures have not only reduced costs but also enhanced the university's reputation nationally.

The College of Engineering honored Boles for "his help on numerous senior design projects" with current biological engineering students and "his impactful work in sustainability."

"I have only been in my position for 18 months, but Eric's contributions to the university were quickly brought to my attention," said Terry Howell Jr., head of biological and agricultural engineering. "He is an outstanding representative of what our graduates can do. We are thrilled to recognize the achievements of his career to date."

There are several other initiatives Boles has led that contributed to his nomination, including:

• Bicycle Friendly University - Gold status
• Certified Bee Campus USA
• The Princeton Guide to Green Schools
• 2018 & 2020 Green GOOD DESIGN Award
• U of A Solar Energy Agreements
• Over $10 million in grants and in-kind services for campus natural trails and paved trails
• Over $2 million in grants and in-kind services for campus stream restoration and land restoration

Boles said he is still very close with many of the faculty members and the students he studied with, making this recognition especially rewarding.

"Engineers are a unique group of individuals, yet we share a special bond of camaraderie," Boles said. "Alumni from the University of Arkansas engineering programs have a deep connection and admiration for one another. I'm proud to receive this recognition from them."