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As ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ deepens its commitment to sustainability and climate action, Vice Chancellor for Sustainability Andrew Mayock brings a uniquely global perspective to campus. In addition to leading CU’s sustainability strategy, Mayock serves on the board of the Jane Goodall Institute, helping to carry forward the legacy of one of the world’s most influential environmental leaders.Ìý

Mayock recently returned from a board trip to Tanzania, where the board visited the Gombe Stream Research Centre, a living laboratory, home to the world’s most studied group of wild chimpanzees, and met withÌýRoots & Shoots students in Kigoma and Arusha.

We spoke with him about what’s next for Goodall’s mission, how her philosophy aligns with ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ’s vision, and what it will take to inspire the next generation of changemakers.

Goodall has inspired generations to care deeply about our planet. What’s next for her legacy? How is the institute evolving to meet today's global sustainability challenges?

Visiting Gombe, the birthplace of Jane’s groundbreaking research, was a profound reminder that her legacy began with careful observation, empathy, and a willingness to challenge convention.ÌýJane was also passionate about empowering young people to become involved in conservation and humanitarian projects.

Today, the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) is aboutÌýmaintaining Jane’s momentum and deepening her work and legacy by combining rigorous science with community-centered conservation. This means not only protecting chimpanzees and other species and their habitats but also empowering the people who live alongside them. JGI’s work in forest restoration, sustainable livelihoods, and youth engagement continues to exemplify the shift from conservation for people and wildlife to conservation with people and wildlife. Further, it is about continuing to expandÌýRoots and Shoots, the youth leadersship program, started over thirty years ago.

Goodall often emphasized hope and individual action as the foundation for change. How can large institutions like CU harness that same sense of agency?

Vice Chancellor for Sustainability Andrew Mayock

Goodall’s message—that every individual makes a difference—translates powerfully into the context of a university like ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ. Large institutions can sometimes feel impersonal or slow to move, yet they are made up of individuals whose daily choices shape culture and impact.

At ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ, we’re working to embed agency into every level of sustainability engagement. That means creating pathways for personal connection—through participatory climate planning, faculty-led research that responds to community needs, and student projects that turn ideas into action. By linking global challenges to local solutions and celebrating visible progress, we nurture the same sense of purpose and hope that Jane has inspired in millions around the world.

The Roots & Shoots movement empowered young people to take action in their communities. What can universities do to cultivate that same spirit of curiosity, compassion and commitment?

Meeting Roots & Shoots students in Tanzania reminded me that curiosity, compassion and community are universal, and essential, for sustainable change. Universities can cultivate this spirit by reimagining education not as a transmission of knowledge but as a co-creation of solutions.

Programs that integrate experiential learning, civic engagement and interdisciplinary collaboration are key. When students see that their actions—whether restoring a local ecosystem, addressing food insecurity or developing new climate technologies—can tangibly improve their community, they experience the same transformative spark that Jane ignited in her young changemakers.Ìý

How can institutions balance the personal call to action with the systemic change required at the scale of higher education or government?

Jane recognized that stories move hearts, and data moves minds. Institutions need both. At ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ, we’re learning that systemic change, whether achieving carbon neutrality or embedding sustainability into the curriculum, relies on connecting the personal to the structural.

By elevating personal narratives of action and aligning them with institutional goals, we humanize the systems we seek to transform. A student’s composting project, a researcher’s breakthrough in renewable energy or a staff member’s innovative waste solution—each story becomes part of a collective movement toward systemic transformation.

The balance lies in recognizing that systemic change starts with individual conviction, and individual conviction is sustained by belonging to something larger than oneself. That’s the essence of Jane’s message, and the opportunity before all of us.