Titles

• MSUS, 2015, School of Sustainability

Biography

Van Patterson is a former computer network engineer now studying and researching multiple aspects of sustainability. He is currently working on research pertaining to the historical and future context for sustainability in Phoenix, Arizona, as a suburban, car dependent desert city; developing curriculum materials on urban sustainability solutions and policymaking; and delving into possible solutions to systemic food system crises. He has completed multiple sustainability projects concentrating on the Phoenix metro area where he has lived for more than 15 years as well as several with an international sustainability focus. As an Arizona native growing up in the shadow of the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, his concern for the environment was sparked by land use and resource issues occurring in the Sonoran Desert. Van's ever-widening respect for the complexities of sustainability involve study on the philosophy of science, the intricacies of human decision making, and sociopolitical interactions with technology. Despite immense challenges, Van remains optimistic about the prospects for improving conditions for life on Earth.

Education

• MSUS, Sustainable Solutions, Arizona State University, 2015
• LEED Green Associate, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, 2012
• BS, Business Administration, University of Arizona, 1997

Expertise

• corporate sustainability
• food systems
• low impact development
• emerging technologies
• sharing economy
• sustainability issues for desert cities

External Links

• Website