Our Research
Faculty and students in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment conduct interdisciplinary research that addresses critical environmental and sustainability challenges at local, regional, and global scales. As part of an R1 research university, students have opportunities to collaborate directly with faculty on projects related to conservation, climate adaptation, ecosystem resilience, environmental policy, sustainability, and natural resource systems.
Research Strengths
Applied Forest Ecology
Applied forest ecology research in the department focuses on forest resilience, ecosystem health, climate adaptation, and sustainable forest management. Faculty and students study how forests respond to disturbance, pests, drought, land use change, and urbanization while developing science-based approaches that support healthy and resilient forest ecosystems.
Ecosystem Toxicology
Researchers in ecosystem toxicology investigate how contaminants and chemical stressors move through aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and affect environmental and human health. Faculty examine the ecological impacts of pollutants in freshwater and coastal systems, with research focused on ecosystem processes, environmental exposure pathways, and the interactions between contaminants and wildlife.
Remote Sensing and GIS
Our faculty use remote sensing, GIS, drones, satellite imagery, and geospatial analytics to study environmental change at regional and global scales. Researchers examine topics including land use change, forest dynamics, climate impacts, ecosystem health, and sustainability using advanced spatial technologies and long-term environmental datasets.
