A study co-authored in Environmental Research Letters by Paola Crippa (CEEES) and Drew Marcantonio (Keough) highlights the inequality of pollution in the United States. Using the concept of an airshed, the team highlighted concentrations of PM 2.5 that exceeded safety thresholds and mapped how these particulates harm communities beyond where they originated. Read more

Jason Rohr’s (BIOS) research published in Science found that chronic exposure to the insecticide chlorpyrifos at concentrations too low to cause immediate toxicity accelerated fish age growth at the cellular level. These findings raise broader concerns of how widespread the phenomenon may be across species and chemicals. Read more

Daniel Miller (Keough) co-authored a study which reveals major discrepancies among the world’s most widely used forest datasets and creates a flowchart to help non-experts determine which data sets are most appropriate for a specific goal or region. Case studies from Brazil, India, and Kenya show how different digital maps can affect human lives and global policy challenges. Read more

Ming Hu (ARCH), Matthew Sisk (Lucy), and collaborators are using data and analytics to lower energy costs and improve living conditions for those living in older, less efficient homes in South Bend. Using an indoor heat exposure model, they team plans to create an online tool to easily identify housing units suitable for low-cost energy upgrades without entering the homes for data. Read more

Santosh Kumar Gautam (Keough) and partners research how investments in maternal and early-childhood health and nutrition can reduce poverty and help people thrive. The study, published in Children, utilizes nationally representative data from Mozambique and provides evidence-based policy recommendations for prioritizing clean water access, improving sanitation, and tracking child growth to help guide interventions. Read more

A group of engineers led by Harindra Joseph Fernando (CEEES) are working to uncover the microphysical processes and environmental fluid mechanics behind ice fog’s formation as part of Fatima-IF. This multinstitutional research project is being conducted in Utqiagvik, Alaska whose long polar nights and position between land and sea make it an ideal place for ice fog research. Read more

In a study published in Science, co-author Emily Grubert (Keough) suggests that fossil fuel systems are more fragile than current energy models assume. Vulnerabilities can be seen in major sectors like petroleum refineries, natural gas pipelines, and coal generation. Grubert recommends 4 key solutions: high-resolution modeling, coordination across ownership boundaries, public management for public need, and guaranteed liabilities. Read more

New research at UNDERC supervised by Adrian Rocha (BIOS) reveals that trees infected with heart rot disease may release significant amounts of methane. The study found that methane emissions increase as the internal fungal disease progresses and wood decays, suggesting that diseased trees can become methane “hotspots,” and forest carbon models may be overestimating how much methane upland forests absorb. Read more

Research led by Cara Ocobock (ANTH) examines how the human body adapts to extreme cold environments. Through fieldwork with reindeer herders and laboratory experiments, Ocobock studies how cold exposure affects metabolism, energy use, and heat production in the body. These findings help scientists better understand how humans have survived in harsh climates throughout history and how the body responds to cold stress today. Read more

Kyle Bibby (CEEES) and Jason Rohr (BIOS) were named 2025 Highly Cited Researchers by Clarivate/Web of Science. This distinction recognized researchers whose publications are among the top one percent most cited in their fields worldwide over the past decade. Read more

Ming Hu (ARCH) is the winner of the 2026 AIA/ACSA Practice and Leadership Award which honors exemplary models of teaching, scholarship, and outreach that demonstrate leadership. The award emphasizes excellence in preparing students for real world practice and leadership. Read more

Tracy Kijewski-Correa (CEEES) was installed as president-elect of the American Association for Wind Engineering. In this role, Kijewski-Correa aims to expand investment and collaboration in the field. She also plans to assess workforce development needs and help prepare the next generation of wind engineers to address the growing challenges associated with wind hazards and climate change. Read more

Alexander Dowling (CBE) has won the Outstanding Young Researcher Award from the Computing and Systems Technology Division of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. The award recognizes his outstanding contributions to chemical engineering computing and systems technology. Read more

Meet the Postdoctoral Fellows who recently joined ND-ECI:

Advisors: Ming Hu (ARCH) and Matthew Sisk (Lucy) and

Focus: Integrating Machine Learning for Enhanced Urban Environmental Assessments

Advisor: Gabriel Burks (CBE)

Focus: Designing Biomass-Derived Carriers for Agricultural Applications

Advisor: Drew Marcantonio (Keough)

Focus: A Global Synthesis of Socioecological Contexts of Artisanal and Small-scale Mining

Thank you to everyone who joined us for ND-ECI's Beer & Big Ideas: Strategies for a Changing Funding Landscape. Faculty, researchers, and staff gathered in McCourtney Hall to hear insights from Notre Dame Research's Jeff Rhoads and Jill Pentimonti on adapting to shifting funding priorities and identifying new opportunities for impact. The thoughtful discussion and interdisciplinary networking made for an engaging afternoon as our community continues to advance environmental research at Notre Dame. 

ND-ECI was thrilled to have record-breaking participation for our annual Lake Clean Up in honor of World Water Day! Thank you to the many members of our community who came together to remove litter and protect the health of our campus ecosystem. There most unique find this year was a rotary phone! 

This past fall, Ryan Sensenig (BIOS) and Brett Peters (ND-ECI) led the first prescribed burn at ND-LEEF. Prescribed burns foster the growth of native plant species, while reducing invasive species, and maintaining open research areas. Faculty, students, and community members gathered to observe and participate in the burn. ND-LEEF has been restoring prairie since 2012 and fire now complements annual mowing to manage invasive species and support ecological research.

In Spring 2025, the ND-ECI leadership team partnered with Ming Hu's Adaptive Reuse Studio to study and vision a Lab Barn at ND-LEEF as a means to provide on-site lab space and year-round outreach. The Studio's cohort of architecture students engaged in research and design for the potential adaptive reuse of a 1920s “gothic arch” barn located at St. Patrick's County Park. Insights from the process were recently published in Discover Sustainability: "Studio as a climate laboratory for integrating environmental science and adaptive reuse in architectural education." 

This winter, a new Wide Angle Eagle Camera was installed at ND-LEEF, expanding the broader view of the nest and surrounding habitat of the resident bald eagles. This upgrade was made possible through a generous gift from Logistick, Inc. and several donations from individuals during the 2025 Notre Dame Day campaign. Watch the in-nest and wide angle cameras.

ND-LEEF is accepting proposals from graduate students and postdocs for innovative research during the 2026 field season. We welcome proposals for both aquatic and terrestrial research that effectively and creatively use the facilities at ND-LEEF.  Funded projects will receive waived user fees (up to $7000). 

The deadline for proposals is 5:00 PM on Monday, April 13, 2026. Please submit proposals to Brett Peters at bpeters2@nd.edu. 

Congratulations to ND-ECI affiliated faculty, who received new research awards since the beginning of the year totaling ~$445K. Below are some highlights: 

The ND-ECI Community has been very productive with over 65 publications since our last newsletter. Below are some highlights, please click here to view the full list. 

At the Notre Dame Environmental Change Initiative, over 60 faculty across several disciplines are pursuing research solutions for key environmental challenges of our time.

ND-ECI focuses on multidisciplinary research that can translate into solutions to help make the world a better place for humans and the environment upon which people depend.

We call it “Science Serving Society.”

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