Addressing today’s most pressing environmental challenges requires interdisciplinary collaboration, and our faculty are tackling pressing and complex problems from climate change to biodiversity loss. Researchers in biology, environmental science, geography, political science, and across the arts and humanities are pioneering solutions to ensure a sustainable future. Their work is driving innovation in conservation, energy policy, and environmental justice, transforming how we interact with and protect our planet.
Environment
Research stories
Two IU College of Arts and Sciences faculty named 2026 Guggenheim Fellows
David Polly, Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and Chair of the department, and Christoph Irmscher, Distinguished Professor of English and the George F. Getz Jr. and Class of 1942 Profess... Read more about Two IU College of Arts and Sciences faculty named 2026 Guggenheim Fellows
With $1 million NSF grant, IU researcher tracks pesticide exposure across primates, people and farms
From tropical forests to smallholder farms, Indiana University’s Michael Wasserman is tracing how naturally occurring and human-made chemicals move through ecosystems, and how agricultural change... Read more about With $1 million NSF grant, IU researcher tracks pesticide exposure across primates, people and farms
New research aims to better predict and understand cascading land surface hazards
When an extreme weather event occurs, the probability or risk of other events can often increase, leading to what researchers call “cascading” hazards. For example, the danger of landslides or... Read more about New research aims to better predict and understand cascading land surface hazards
Floods don’t just bring water—they move earth
IU Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Professor Doug Edmonds and his team of students are leading cutting-edge research on how floodwaters reshape Indiana’s landscapes. With the help of drones equipp... Read more about Floods don’t just bring water—they move earth
Professor’s African dig uncovers bone tools that offer insights on early human life
Jackson Njau’s fascination with human origins started as a curious teen growing up a few hours from one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. Now a pioneering paleoanthropologist at... Read more about Professor’s African dig uncovers bone tools that offer insights on early human life