image of Joe Cleary

Joe Cleary

Joe Cleary is the recipient of the Environmental Stewardship Award. He will be honored at the Founders Day celebration on February 18.

Cleary, an instructional assistant professor in the Department of Technology, has lead consecutive teams of students to win awards in the Department of Energy’s Race to Zero Competition. The competition is based on a real-world scenario where a builder needs to update or develop a high-performance home product line. Illinois State’s teams have designed winning net-zero energy homes and multi-family complexes, and their plans have been incorporated for use by Habitat for Humanity.

In his nomination for the award, it was noted that “participation in this competition demonstrates the University’s commitment to providing environmental solutions, while providing students with real-world problem-solving and teamwork skills.”