Through a collaborative culture and multidisciplinary teams, researchers at Carolina are addressing some of the greatest issues of our time by seeking discoveries and innovative solutions.
That commitment includes tackling environmental challenges facing our state and world. Our students, faculty and staff are taking direct steps toward meeting environmental challenges by conducting research, launching programs and leading change to protect habitats and communities across our state.
The U.S. recycles only 8.7% of plastics used. The rest ends up in landfills, incinerators or as environmental pollutants after they outlive their useful lives. Frank Leibfarth and his team study the most-used plastics in society, called polyolefins, to find ways to change their chemistry and make them more valuable.
Christian Chung is a junior double-majoring in biology and public policy within the UNC College of Arts and Sciences. He uses hydrologic and chemical analyses to study how water absorbs PFAS and to evaluate the policy implications PFAS have on public access to safe drinking water and environmental standards.
In the mountains, coastline and cities in North Carolina and even the tropical rain forests of Thailand, undergraduates at the UNC Institute for the Environment's field sites have a semester-long opportunity to explore real-world issues through a combination of coursework, field trips, research projects and internships with local organizations.
Nearly 50% of all households in North Carolina rely on septic systems, over twice the national average. Graduate student Amy Kryston ‘23 (MPH) studied the relationship between on-site sanitation, health and social drivers of health in North Carolina communities.
In 2016, the N.C. General Assembly established the North Carolina Collaboratory to facilitate the dissemination of policy and research expertise of the UNC System and other universities across the state to solve North Carolina’s most pressing challenges through collaboration. Now, teams are researchers are working on water sampling, air sampling, private well risk modeling, PFAS removal testing and more.
For more than 75 years, the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences has served the state and nation by conducting cutting-edge research, training young scientists, providing expertise to governmental agencies and industry, and promoting new knowledge to inform public policy that preserves our coastlines and keeps North Carolinians safe.
One of our most significant research footprints abroad is the Galapagos Science Center on San Cristobal Island. The center is home to Carolina research on terrestrial ecology, marine ecology and oceanography, microbiology and genetics and geospatial technologies, which can all be applied to similar islands around the world.
An interdisciplinary team made its third trip to Nepal to study the effects of climate change on the pristine Gokyo Lakes. The researchers faced daunting challenges, logged some major successes and learned new lessons about adaptability, flexibility and resilience when conducting fieldwork in challenging environments.
Wayana Dolan is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences within the UNC College of Arts and Sciences. Using satellite imagery and field data, she studies how the interactions between lakes and rivers in Arctic deltas impact lake ice cover and carbon dioxide production.
German graduate student Jimmy Dögerl chose Carolina’s Transatlantic Master’s Program to study the American perspective on climate policy and spend a formative year in the American South.
While Tar Heels are making strides on environmental challenges off campus, we're also working at home, becoming a more sustainable university. Our commitment to excellence in sustainability and environmental work is led by Sustainable Carolina. The Carolina Sustainability Council guides this initiative and turns ideas into action by connecting with campus stakeholders.
Many of those efforts are led by Tar Heels with a passion for the environment.
Click on a story below to learn more about how Carolina students, faculty and staff are putting sustainability into action on campus.