Examples of Faculty Research

Here’s a closer look at some of the research happening within RENEW.

6/10/16

Some consumers buy hybrid cars because of the environmental benefits. Others view it more as an economic decision — improved gas mileage, tax rebates, etc.

Land Conservation

6/10/16

Land conservation agreements are generally written with today’s landscape in mind. But what happens when climate change alters the land?

Pesticides

6/10/16

Pesticides prevent diseases from spreading, protect crops and help control invasive species. But their widespread use causes damage to the environment and human health.

Sustainable Buildings

6/10/16

Mention the word “architecture” and most people think about how a building looks. These researchers are equally interested in how a building “acts.”

Water Quality

6/10/16

Massive algae blooms in Lake Erie and elsewhere threaten fisheries, tourism and drinking water.

Climate Change

6/10/16

Ice sheets in Greenland are surprisingly sensitive to even short periods of temperature change.

Seed Projects

Emerging Ultra-Wide Bandgap Semiconductors for Clean Energy and Water

9/14/16

Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are expected to be integrated into the future electric grid for economic, energy and environmental security.
Offshore wind energy in the Great Lakes

9/14/16

The project brings together a team of engineers, ecologists and policy experts to examine wind farm systems in terms of integrity, performance, ecological impacts and policy issues.
Combining High-Resolution Airmass Trajectory Modeling and Climate Data to Generate Precipitation Predictions that are useful for Policymakers

9/14/16

Accurate projections and accessible information about the impacts of climate change on water resources are critical for planning and adaptation.
Energy efficient seawater desalination and food processing

9/14/16

Reverse osmosis is a water purification method that uses a semipermeable membrane to desalinate seawater into drinkable water. While promising, it’s a relatively expensive technology.
Toward Rational Design of Next-Generation Renewable Energy Materials: Photovoltaics from Materials to Device Model

9/14/16

Materials design and discovery hold a critical place in the 21st century economy, with broad impact that spans the transportation, health, microelectronic and renewable energy industries.
Designing Sustainability: Integrating Consumer Behavior and Product Design to Minimize Electronic Waste

9/14/16

The project will focus on mitigating electronic waste (e-waste) through design engineering and market promotion-based solutions that induce “green” behavior from consumers.
Microbial Pollution in Lake Erie: Using Next-Generation Sequencing to Examine Microbial Community Interactions and their Relationship to Flow Patterns

9/14/16

Lake Erie provides drinking water to the region, habitat for wildlife, and it’s a mecca for fishing and recreation. However, microbial pollution in the lake threatens human and ecosystem health, as well as local economies and future economic development.
The new agriculture: From food farms to solar farms

9/14/16

Across the United States, government agencies and energy developers are looking at agricultural land to develop renewable energy resources, such as wind and solar.
Tracking emerging contaminants in the Great Lakes

9/14/16

Advanced manufacturing will help revitalize Western New York’s economy. But just like 20th century manufacturing, it poses pollution risks, especially to freshwater.

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