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.


New A&S dean relishes ‘life in a university’

Peter John Loewen is excited to support faculty, meet students and share the story about the value of a liberal arts education.

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Biohybrid robots controlled by electrical impulses — in mushrooms

Cornell researchers discovered a new way of controlling biohybrid robots that can react to their environment better than their purely synthetic counterparts: harnessing fungal mycelia’s innate electrical signals.

AI modeling delivers more benefits, less risk for water partnerships

Researchers found that cooperative partnerships seeking to spread the cost burden of water infrastructure projects often end up forcing local partners to bear the brunt of supply and financial risks.

Birds, beetles, and woodland research

Scientists build a small "outhouse" to collect fecal samples from woodpeckers. They want to uncover the role that woodpeckers play in the emerald ash borer invasion.

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Campus grasslands grow environmental solutions

Projects across Cornell are exploring how the university's grasslands – from hayfields to campus lawns – can protect birds, encourage biodiversity and sequester carbon to fight climate change. 

Machine learning explains material’s thermal conductivity

Using a combination of machine learning and powerful X-rays, Cornell researchers have solved a mystery behind the unusual behavior seen in a class of materials with potential for thermoelectric energy conversion and other applications.

2030 Project plans climate-themed speaker series

A policy influencer, an entrepreneur, an academic and a journalist will offer their perspectives on how to make a difference in addressing climate change in the Cornell Climate Impact Speaker Series. The first installment is scheduled for Sept. 5.

Zhang named provost’s fellow for public engagement

Max Zhang, the Irving Porter Church Professor in Cornell Engineering’s Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, has been appointed the provost’s fellow for public engagement. 

Summer Research Students Explore Cutting-Edge Science

Through engaging research projects, technical lecture series, and hands-on learning, thirty students from institutions across the United States and Puerto Rico are taking their studies to the next level of research excellence.

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