SUNY ESF Alumni Association

One of the highlights of this year's Alumni Golf Tournament was recognizing Debbie Caviness as an honorary alumnus of the College! As the former Director of Alumni Relations and with ESF for 29 years, Debbie played an instrumental role in strengthening alumni engagement and fostering lifelong connections to our institution.

Thank you, Debbie, for your incredible service and lasting legacy! 💚

Have you heard? It's a pretty big birthday year on campus. 🎉
ESF's beloved Robin Hood Oak is turning 100 years old!

This campus icon grew from an acorn collected beneath the legendary Major Oak of Sherwood Forest in 1926 and has spent the last century putting down roots, inspiring students, and becoming part of ESF history.

A living link to history, a beloved campus landmark, and now a centenarian. Happy 100th birthday, Robin Hood Oak! 💚🌳

Check out the recent story on the Robin Hood Oak's legacy at esf.edu/news/

Dustin Hill, PhD ’17, earned his MS in Environmental Studies and PhD in Environmental Science from SUNY ESF, driven by a desire to “work with people and the environment and study the connections between the two.” His research focused on environmental health, particularly air pollution exposure and inequities, and he built strong experience in applied research with support from his faculty mentors.

At ESF, Hill served as a teaching assistant for Introduction to GIS and contributed to several applied research projects. A highlight of his time as a student was collaborating with the Environmental Protection Agency on an air pollution prevention tool, which led to presenting at EPA headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Today, Hill is a postdoctoral researcher at Syracuse University, contributing to New York State’s Wastewater Surveillance Network, which monitors diseases like COVID-19, flu, RSV, measles, and polio. He entered the field during the pandemic and has since helped map all 600 sewer systems across New York State, work that has become a valuable public health resource.

Dustin has also received national recognition for his research. As lead author of a recent Science study covered by Syracuse University News, he helped show that analyzing genetic variation in wastewater‑detected viruses can serve as a powerful predictor of community transmission, offering a new tool for public‑health monitoring.

In addition to contributing to this high-impact work, Hill received the 2024 Syracuse University Vice President for Research’s Postdoctoral Award for Excellence in Research. He credits ESF for building his foundation in applied research, GIS, and data analysis, as well as fostering collaborations that continue to shape his career today.

Thank you for sharing your story with us, Dustin! Know a Stand-Out Stumpy, yourself included? Submit a nomination at the link in our bio.