The NorthStar Initiative for Sustainable Enterprise (NiSE), a strategic initiative of University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment, today announced the appointment of Jennifer Schmitt as its program director. NiSE founder and previous director, Timothy Smith is stepping down after leading the initiative for the past seven years.

“Jennifer has played a key role in the success of NiSE for the past 5 years, taking on key responsibilities of project management and staff supervision, as well as principal investigator duties,” says Smith. “NiSE could not be in a better position for this transition, and Schmitt is the perfect person to grow the initiative.”

While continuing her research pursuits as NiSE’s lead scientist, Schmitt assumes the day-to-day operations of the initiative and directs the strategic direction of its future work. Her current research focuses on tracing environmental impacts through supply chains, circulating waste back into production systems and conservation outcomes in Tanzania.

Schmitt has a Ph.D. in conservation biology and M.S. in applied economics from the University of Minnesota and a B.S. in biology and international relations from Beloit College.

“NiSE will continue to focus on sustainable enterprise development and transitions, and will maintain it strong commitment to engaged scholarship,” says Schmitt. “I look forward to growing our relationships with current NiSE partners, as well as fostering new relationships that facilitate the creation of new knowledge necessary for implementing sustainability in practice.”

Smith will continue to serve as a strategic advisor to NiSE, and is currently working with IonE leadership on the development of strategies to enhance engaged scholarship across the Institute and the University.