The annual LCA Awards recognize individuals and organizations whose leadership efforts have advanced LCA and have made an impact in environmental sustainability.

Congratulations to our 2024 LCA Award Winners! 2024 ACLCA Awards Press Release

Rita Schenck Lifetime Individual LCA Leadership Award (individual award)
Through the Rita Schenck Lifetime Individual LCA Leadership Award (individual award), we seek to identify a leader whose long-term active engagement in our community has had a significant, impact on the field and profession of LCA and life cycle thinking.  A Lifetime Achievement Award winner is a successful leader in an organization, industry, and in our community. Further, the Lifetime Award allows us to recognize a true pillar who will teach future generations by example. This award recognizes contributions over the entirety of a career, rather than, or in addition to, a single contribution.

Michael Levy Rising Star Award (individual award)
The LCA Rising Star award is intended to recognize an emerging leader in LCA and life cycle thinking who reflects ongoing and exceptional growth in contribution to the profession and increased levels of leadership and responsibility. Successful candidates will have not yet reached a senior-level position, but their track-record should reflect a strong potential for continued growth towards the highest levels of the profession.

LCA Leadership Awards  - Corporate, Government, Education, Student (individual or organization)
ACLCA Leadership Awards recognize the role of perceptive and forward-thinking individuals or organizations that have been instrumental in the advancement and application of LCA and life cycle thinking.

LCA Award recipients for 2024 include:

Rita Schenck Lifetime Individual LCA Leadership Award: Dr. Matthias Finkbeiner

Dr. Matthias Finkbeiner, recipient of the Rita Schenck Lifetime Individual LCA Leadership Award, has profoundly shaped the landscape of Life Cycle Assessment through decades of groundbreaking contributions to both academia and industry. Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Finkbeiner has demonstrated exceptional leadership in advancing sustainability principles and life cycle thinking, while serving as an inspiring mentor to countless professionals in the field. His pioneering work and unwavering dedication have established foundational methodologies and practices that continue to guide the LCA community, creating a lasting legacy that will influence generations of sustainability practitioners to come. The ACLCA proudly recognizes Dr. Finkbeiner's transformative impact on the field with this prestigious honor.

Corporate LCA Leadership Award: Eleazer Resurreccion, Shaw Industries Group

Eleazer Resurreccion has been awarded the ACLCA LCA Leadership Award for Industry in recognition of his pioneering work integrating life cycle assessment into industrial practices. As an environmental and chemical engineer at Shaw, he develops innovative life cycle models that drive environmental performance improvements and decarbonization across the corporate product portfolio, while optimizing Environmental Product Declarations in support of Cradle-to-Cradle® principles. His 15-year career spans groundbreaking contributions to sustainable energy research, including pioneering LCA studies on algae bioenergy and industrial-scale aviation biofuel adoption. Beyond his corporate role, Resurreccion actively advances the field through his service on ACLCA's board and leadership in multiple working groups, including co-chairing the Uncertainty Working Group. His work demonstrates the transformative potential of applying life cycle thinking to complex industrial challenges while fostering innovation in sustainable manufacturing practices.

Government Leadership in LCA Award: Migdalia Rodríguez-Rosado, Federal Highway Administration

Migdalia Rodríguez-Rosado has been awarded the LCA Leadership Award for Government in recognition of her transformative work as the Federal Highway Administration's Sustainable Pavements Program Manager. Through her leadership of the national sustainable pavements program, she has revolutionized the approach to transportation infrastructure sustainability by implementing innovative LCA practices. Her oversight of groundbreaking initiatives, including the LCA Pave Tool, Pavement LCA framework, Climate Challenge, and Low Carbon Transportation Grant Program, has established new benchmarks for sustainable infrastructure development within the federal government. Rodríguez-Rosado's visionary work in the Office of Preconstruction, Construction and Pavements has not only advanced sustainable practices in transportation but has also created lasting frameworks for measuring and improving environmental performance in infrastructure projects nationwide.

Education LCA Leadership Award: Joule Bergerson, University of Calgary's Schulich School of Engineering

Professor Joule Bergerson of the University of Calgary's Schulich School of Engineering has received the ACLCA LCA Leadership Award in Education for her pioneering contributions to energy technology assessment. As Tier 2 Canada Research Chair and member of the Royal Society of Canada College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists, Professor Bergerson leads groundbreaking research that has transformed how we evaluate energy systems through LCA. Her interdisciplinary team has developed innovative assessment methods and public tools that directly impact major policy frameworks, including the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard and the U.S. GREET model. Through collaborative work with scientists, engineers, government officials, and industry leaders, she has advanced crucial techniques for assessing emerging energy technologies, creating an essential bridge between academic research and practical policy implementation. Professor Bergerson's achievements exemplify academic excellence in both advancing LCA methodology and ensuring its real-world application for sustainable energy development.

Student LCA Leadership Award: Duah Philip, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Duah Philip, a Ph.D. student at Missouri University of Science and Technology, has been awarded the ACLCA Student Leadership Award for his innovative application of LCA in sustainable construction and mining. His groundbreaking research explores the environmental implications of blended cement and carbon capture technologies, demonstrating the vital role of life cycle thinking in addressing urgent sustainability challenges. Beyond his academic contributions, Mr. Philip actively shapes the future of LCA through his dedicated service on the ACLCA Student/Early Career Committee, exemplifying the next generation of leadership in sustainability assessment. His work represents the transformative potential of LCA in driving positive environmental change through rigorous research and practical application.

Michael Levy Rising Star Award: Angela Fisher, Aspire Sustainability

Angela Fisher has been awarded the ACLCA Michael Levy Rising Star Award for her exceptional contributions as an emerging leader in Life Cycle Assessment. As Co-Founder and Chief Sustainability Officer of Aspire Sustainability, Fisher builds upon her pioneering work at General Electric, where she co-established GE's Ecoassessment Center of Excellence and implemented innovative product sustainability programs across their manufacturing businesses. A certified LCA Professional and Reviewer with over 20 years of experience, she has conducted numerous LCA and carbon footprinting studies across global industries. Fisher's dedication to advancing the field is demonstrated through her extensive service to ACLCA since 2008, including co-chairing both the Industry and Outreach Committees, and her current roles on the Technical Committee and Certification Council. Her career exemplifies the spirit of ongoing growth and leadership that the Michael Levy Rising Star Award celebrates, combining strategic life cycle thinking with expert competency and unwavering passion for sustainability.