The GW Alliance for a Sustainable Future (ASF) announced this summer that Dr. Margaret Gonglewski will be joining ASF as Director of Academic Programs. In this role, she will focus on enhancing the Sustainability Minor and exploring new academic opportunities for students at GW.
“I’m excited to step into this role and to help strengthen the reach and impact of our academic sustainability programs,” said Gonglewski. “I look forward to building on successes like the Sustainability Minor and exploring new initiatives to prepare students for the future.”
Dr. Margaret Gonglewski is Associate Professor of German and International Affairs in the Columbian College of Arts & Sciences (CCAS), where she directs the German language program. She is co-author of Treffpunkt Deutsch, a widely used introductory German language and culture textbook, and has developed innovative teaching approaches that emphasize interdisciplinarity, particularly at the intersection of international business and sustainability studies. As faculty lead for business language programs in the GW Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER), Gonglewski integrates language study with real-world professional contexts. Her recent work includes the co-authored chapter Cross-disciplinarity at the Core: Teaching Sustainability in a Business German Course (Routledge) and the design of the CCAS Dean’s Seminar Green Germany: Sustainability Meister or Myth?
In 2024, Gonglewski was awarded a seed grant by the ASF Sustainability Research Institute for her research project The Roots and Branches of Sustainability Culture: Extreme Climate Activism. In collaboration with her colleague Nina Kelsey, associate professor of public policy and international affairs, their project explores the influence of extreme climate activism in Germany, examining its cultural significance, its role in advancing the country’s leadership in sustainability and green politics, and offering guidance for policymakers on how to respond effectively. Gonglewski is also slated to discuss her work in climate activism in the first episode of The Greenhouse, a web series from ASF premiering this fall that features GW researchers diving deep into the topics and motivations behind their work.
As the dynamic hub for sustainability at GW, ASF is supporting the next generation of sustainability professionals through innovative academic programs and immersive learning experiences.
“We are facing unprecedented challenges, but GW's commitment to educate our students to be leaders and innovators in sustainability is exciting and unshakeable,” said Frank Sesno, executive director of ASF. “We're seeing growing interest in sustainability classes, the minor, and real-world experiential learning. Margaret’s global perspective, interdisciplinary research, collaborative approach, and classroom experience make her the ideal person for this role.”
ASF works with GW schools and units to grow student interest in sustainability education across disciplines and to develop new graduate degrees, concentrations, and online programs that equip students with the skills and opportunities needed for sustainability-focused careers.