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.


CALS receives national award for its bioenergy initiatives

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell will receive a Grand Challenge award June 19 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for its bioenergy vision paper. (June 6, 2008)

Cornell faculty to confer on troubled waters in Greece

Cornell faculty members Gail Holst-Warhaft and Tammo Steenhuis will meet with government leaders, activists and academics in Greece this summer to discuss the water-scarcity problem in the Mediterranean. (May 27, 2008)

Hinestroza receives federal grants to create fabrics to render toxic chemicals harmless

Cornell fiber scientist Juan Hinestroza is working with the U.S. government to create fabrics made of functional nanofibers that would decompose toxic industrial chemicals into harmless byproducts. (May 22, 2008)

CU students across disciplines help design Hawaii's first eco-friendly community

CU Green, a project team designing a sustainable community in Hawaii, includes engineering, architecture and business students. (May 22, 2008)

FreeGreen, founded by alumni, wins Johnson School's Business Idea Competition

FreeGreen was founded by a group of Cornell alumni who met as student-team leaders for the 2005 Solar Decathlon Team. (May 22, 2008)

Fuel cells: distant dream, but burning with promise

The Cornell Fuel Cell Institute brings together an interdisciplinary team from eight faculty research groups to make fuel cells practical as an everyday source of clean energy. (May 14, 2008)

Why new U.S. biofuel legislation is on track to waste billions of tax dollars, while subsidizing oil consumption

Harry de Gorter and David Just, both Cornell professors of applied economics and management, argue that U.S. energy legislation meant to encourage ethanol production actually subsidizes oil consumption. (May 9, 2008)

As the Big Red goes green, climate conference builds bridges across campus

A Cornell mini-conference on climate change was designed to build bridges across disciplines and departments, so faculty and staff could learn what others are doing and collaborate.

Alum teaches course on renewable fuel sources

The School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering introduced a new course this year on renewable fuels, taught by Samir Somaiya, executive director of the Godavari Sugar Mills Ltd. in India. (May 7, 2008)