Energy, Environment & Sustainability

Cornell is a global leader in sustainability and climate change research, teaching and engagement. Our campuses are living laboratories for developing, testing and implementing solutions that address these most challenging issues.


Obesity: Genes are the loaded gun, 'but environment pulls the trigger'

A symposium on campus Oct. 28 brought scholars and industry experts together to discuss how food systems could be in better synchrony with human health. (Nov. 1, 2011)

NSF supports renewable energy research, Native American outreach project

Supporting graduate students' research in renewable energy while allowing those students to hone their communication skills are the goals of a National Science Foundation graduate fellows program. (Nov. 1, 2011)

Entrepreneurs collaborate, share best practices at NYC sustainability summit

Cornell University Sustainable Design hosted the inaugural 'Interdisciplinary Sustainability Student Summit' Oct. 29 to generate an intercollegiate discussion about sustainability issues. (Nov. 1, 2011)

Students hand out energy-saving treats with tricks on saving money

More than 600 Cornell students hit the streets Oct. 29 to hand out some 12,000 free bags containing a compact fluorescent light bulb and information on inexpensive ways to save money on energy. (Nov. 1, 2011)

Tester receives special achievement award from Geothermal Resources Council

Jeff Tester, Croll Professor of Sustainable Energy Systems at Cornell, received the Special Achievement Award of the Geothermal Resources Council Oct. 26 in San Diego. (Oct. 28, 2011)

USDA funds $2.3M study of organically growing spelt, emmer, einkorn

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has funded a $2.3 million study to enhance the market value of organically grown heritage wheat, emmer, spelt and einkorn. (Oct. 27, 2011)

Researchers create transistors from natural cotton fibers

Juan Hinestroza has helped develop transistors using natural cotton fibers, which could lead to smarter, highly functional clothing and perhaps even cotton-based circuits and computers. (Oct. 26, 2011)

Joint grad program trains wildlife conservation scientists

Cornell and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute have teamed up to offer a new shared doctoral program that will train the next generation of wildlife conservation scientists. (Oct. 26, 2011)

New York schoolchildren use high tunnels to grow veggies

Cornell is helping six New York state schools use high tunnels to grow their school gardens and studying how they benefit the schools' educational programs. (Oct. 26, 2011)