Pitt Public Health’s Jody Mich-Basso, BS, MT, has been selected for the inaugural Innovation Award as part of the University of Pittsburgh’s 2026 Sustainability Awards. Nominated by faculty and staff, Mich-Basso is being recognized for her work creating a Resource Center on the ground floor of the Pitt Public Health building.
For over 30 years, Mich-Basso has made significant contributions to laboratory management, first in clinical roles and later in research. As the facilities lab manager for the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, she has built a reputation for her expertise, organizational skills and proactive approach to problem-solving. Her leadership in creating the Resource Center has had a profound impact on sustainability at Pitt, advancing waste diversion efforts and creating a model for reusing and repurposing materials across campus.
The Innovation Award celebrates projects that creatively advance sustainability on campus, and Mich-Basso’s work with the Resource Center exemplifies this, shifting mindsets and systems while fostering long-term sustainability practices. Her initiative continues to expand the campus’s sustainability efforts and will serve as an inspiration for future generations of researchers, faculty and students.
Mich-Basso will be honored at the Student Sustainability Symposium on April 24, where all 2026 Sustainability Award winners will be celebrated for their contributions to a greener, more sustainable campus.
For more information, visit Sustainability at Pitt Public Health.
-Amber Curtaccio