On April 10, the
Prairie Research Institute honored employees for their outstanding achievements and excellent work. ISTS Shantanu Pai was awared the Early Career Investigator Award.
In nominating assistant sustainability researcher Shantanu Pai for the Early Career Investigator Award, supervisor Deb Jacobson recalled how from the beginning of his time with ISTC in 2013, Pai "exhibited great potential followed by tangible results." State Pollution Prevention Scientist Kishore Rajagopalan agreed, writing that "he was from day one a seasoned veteran" with a "combination of competence and vision." Tasked with conducting waste material audits, Pai quickly mapped out a strategy and differentiated ISTC's offerings.
Since then, Jacobson reported that Pai has taken on more and more responsibility, growing ISTC's Zero Waste Program, which offers services to public and private organizations. "Shantanu has shown his unique skills of collaborating with diverse audiences and securing externally funded, and increasingly complex, projects with organizations such as Northwestern University, Forest Preserve District of Cook County, a privately held international manufacturing company, etc."
He demonstrates his committment to sustainability by volunteering with Chicago business incubator The Plant as a member of their Technical and Research Advisory Committee and serves on the board of the Illinois Recycling Association.
He currently is completing a master's degree in urban planning (with a specialization in environmental planning) at the University of Illinois-Chicago.
