U-M SNRE Newsroom

U-M seminar explores new policy options for biofuels, global warming

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:42:21 -0500

The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of most concern surrounding biofuel use are those associated with the production of fuels and their feedstocks. By developing voluntary reporting protocols that focus on production facilities—such as farms, forests and biorefineries—rather than on the fuel itself, policy makers can craft better solutions that ensure environmental integrity while addressing the concerns of affected industries and minimizing costs to consumers.

U-M researchers provide detailed snapshot of race, pollution in America

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:53:18 -0500

African-Americans, particularly in the Midwest, are far more likely to live within a mile of a polluting industrial facility than white Americans, according to a national study by University of Michigan researchers.

Professor Taylor explores history of environmental justice in American cities in new book

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:52:12 -0500

A new book from a University of Michigan professor explores how the centuries-old connections between racism and the environment in American cities.

"The Environment and the People in American Cities, 1600s-1900s: Disorder, Inequality, and Social Change" was written by Dorceta Taylor, a professor at the School of Natural Resources and Environment and director of an institute studying the issue of environmental justice its modern context. Duke University Press plans to release the book this month.

Professor Perfecto co-authors book on conservation, food sovereignty

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:19:45 -0500

Ivette Perfecto, a professor at the University of Michigan's School of Natural Resources and Environment, has co-written a new book that offers a radical departure from traditional theories related to biodiversity and food sovereignty in tropical regions of the world.

SNRE Dean Bierbaum, World Bank chief call for climate action in 'Science'

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:44:01 -0500

The climate future can be shaped for the better only if the global community acts now, together and differently by embracing both science and collective solutions.

SNRE Professor Perfecto named Pack Professor

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:53:44 -0500

Ivette Perfecto, a professor whose research focuses on broad but related topics of biodiversity and food sovereignty, has been named the George Willis Pack Professorship at the University of Michigan's School of Natural Resources and Environment, pending approval by the U-M Board of Regents.

The Pack professorship honor, nominated by her SNRE faculty colleagues, recognizes her scholarly and service contributions over a 20-year period.

SNRE Professor Low contributes to study examining inequality, 'silver spoon' effect in ancient societies

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:47:43 -0500

The so-called "silver spoon" effect—in which wealth is passed down from one generation to another—is well established in some of the world's most ancient economies, according to an international study reported in the Oct. 30 issue of Science.

The study expands economists' conventional focus on material riches, and looks at various kinds of wealth, such as hunting success, food-sharing partners and kinship networks.

U-M plans alumni outreach as Dean Bierbaum addresses China's environmental leaders

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:17:42 -0500

The University of Michigan is reaching out to alumni and friends in Beijing, China, to coincide with a regional lecture on climate change by Rosina M. Bierbaum, dean of the School of Natural Resources and Environment.

SNRE Professor Hoffman appears on WJR's 'Greening of the Great Lakes' program

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:59:34 -0400

Andy Hoffman, the Holcim (US) Professor of Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan, appears tonight on the WJR radio program "Greening of the Great Lakes."

Professor Hoffman discusses climate change and related environmental issues and their relationship to business strategy.

The show airs at 7 p.m. EST; the radio station is at 760 AM. (Listen to the podcast)

SNRE alumna receives Fulbright Fellowship

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:01:35 -0400

A School of Natural Resources and Environment student was one of 28 from the University of Michigan to be selected as a 2009-10 Fulbright Fellow.

Amanda Garratt, who received a dual degree from SNRE and the School of Social Work in 2008, plans to use the Fellowship to travel to Peru. Her topic of study is "Traditional Conservation in the Peruvian Amazon: Toward a Collaborative Approach."

SNRE research institute carries on work with Nobel Prize winner

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:14:26 -0400

Her theories on economic governance and common property earned Elinor Ostrom a share of this year's Nobel Prize for Economic Sciences. But since 2006, a major initiative she founded to grow and share applications of her research has been housed at the School of Natural Resources and Environment

Professor Ostrom, who received an honorary degree from U-M in 2006, started the International Forestry Resources and Institutions (IFRI) research network in the early 1990s. Its focus then, as now, was on collecting and analyzing data at local levels related to forest governance.

SNRE Professor Gladwin gives climate, carbon lectures as visiting scholar at Northwestern

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:53:09 -0400

Thomas N. Gladwin, a professor at the School of Natural Resources and Environment and Ross School of Business, will give a series of lectures next week on carbon and climate policy at the Northwestern Institute for Sustainable Practices (NiSP).

Professor Gladwin is speaking as part of the Visiting Faculty program at the Institute, which is part of Northwestern University. The public lecture dates are:

Professor Agrawal, colleague link land management, ownership and climate change in forests of developing world

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:59:57 -0400

Studying 80 forest "commons" in more than a dozen developing nations, a University of Michigan researcher and his University of Illinois colleague have found links between local ownership and control of those forests and the fight against climate change.

SNRE doctoral student wins prestigious NOAA scholarship

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:58:29 -0400

By LAURA WILLIAMS

SNRE doctoral candidate Catherine Benson is one of seven recipients of a highly competitiveaward from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) for students studying marine biology, coastal research management and maritime archeology.

SNRE research team, led by Professor Allan, begins mapping to forecast future Of Great Lakes

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:13:46 -0400

A University of Michigan-led research team is creating a comprehensive analysis and mapping of threats to the Great Lakes that will guide decision-making in the United States and Canada for years to come.

SNRE Professor Zak awarded Collegiate Professorship

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:48:38 -0400

Professor Don Zak

Don Zak has been named the Burton V. Barnes Collegiate Professor in the School of Natural Resources and Environment, effective Sept. 1, 2009.

Arun Agrawal, SNRE associate dean, gives Fuller Lecture at World Wildlife Fund

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:52:27 -0400

SNRE Associate Dean Arun Agrawal

Will Discuss Carbon Sequestration And Contributions Of Forests To Livelihoods At Kathryn Fuller Science For Nature Seminar

SNRE Professor Scavia testifies to Congress on hypoxia

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:04:29 -0400

U-M Professor Don Scavia, director of the Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute, is testifying before the U.S. Congress Subcommittee on Energy and Environment in Washington, D.C., Thursday. The title and topic of the legislative hearing is "Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia: Formulating an Action Plan."

World Bank releases Development Report 2010, co-authored by SNRE Dean Bierbaum

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:45:00 -0400

Today's enormous development challenges are complicated by the reality of climate change -- the two are inextricably linked and together demand immediate attention. Climate change threatens all countries, but particularly developing ones. Understanding what climate change means for development policy is the central aim of the World Development Report 2010, or WDR 2010.

SNRE Professor Nassauer named secretary to new national academy examining environmental design

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:14:15 -0400

Joan Iverson Nassauer, a professor of Landscape Architecture at the University of Michigan's School of Natural Resources and Environment, has been elected the first secretary of a new national organization of designers. The group, the National Academy of Environmental Design (NAED), is focused on reshaping national research priorities to more fully incorporate sustainable design as a means of responding to pressing global challenges including climate change, species extinction and a wide range of epidemics and toxins affecting human health.

SNRE's Jude discusses 'fundamental, amazing change' in Great Lakes

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:33:28 -0400

The Great Lakes are in the midst of a remarkable ecological transformation, driven largely by the blitzkrieg advance of two closely related species of non-native mussels.

Though the zebra mussel is better known to the public, over the past decade it has largely been displaced in Lake Michigan by the quagga mussel, which can thrive far from shore in deep, mud-bottomed waters.

Michigan Sea Grant supports new Great Lakes research

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:26:28 -0400

Michigan Sea Grant today awarded a total of $409,417 to researchers from three Michigan universities. The research will focus on Michigan's coastal and Great Lakes issues involving wind power and restoring natural river flow in the Clinton River watershed.

The funding will sustain three-year research projects and is contingent upon annual appropriations from Congress. The grant funds are leveraged by an additional $254,457 from non-federal sources, including state and university partners.

The Wilderness Society honors SNRE students for research on California renewable energy

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 07:26:25 -0400

Ten graduate students at the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment are sharing The Wilderness Society's largest annual scholarship award for their research into public lands, renewable energy and California deserts.

SNRE/CILER researcher Johengen honored for year's most notable paper by The Journal of Great Lakes Research

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:29:12 -0400

For the second consecutive year, The Journal of Great Lakes Research has given its annual award for best peer-reviewed paper to a researcher affiliated with the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment.

Thomas Johengen received the 2009 Chandler-Misener Award for a paper titled, "Stimulation of Lake Michigan plankton metabolism by sediment resuspension and river runoff." He co-authored the paper with fellow researchers Bopaiah A. Biddanda and James B Cotner.

SNRE-led research team receives NASA grant to study humans, adaptation and climate change on Mongolian Plateau

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:24:23 -0400

Researchers at the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE), in partnership with collaborators at Eastern Michigan University and the Chinese and Mongolian Academies of Sciences, have received a $900,000 grant from NASA to study human adaptation to climate change on the Mongolian Plateau.

SNRE's Scavia, colleagues predict large 2009 Gulf of Mexico 'dead zone'

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:10:31 -0400

University of Michigan aquatic ecologist Donald Scavia and his colleagues say this year's Gulf of Mexico "dead zone" could be one of the largest on record, continuing a decades-long trend that threatens the health of a half-billion-dollar fishery.

The scientists' latest forecast, released today, calls for a Gulf dead zone of between 7,450 and 8,456 square miles---an area about the size of New Jersey.

Erb Institute launches innovative internship program to support state economy

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:52:17 -0400

A visionary cadre of M.B.A./M.S. students at The Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise have taken summer internship positions at business incubators, government agencies and non-profit organizations across Michigan to help spark the state's transformation toward a healthy, sustainable economy. The internship program, sponsored by the Erb Institute, is designed to create jobs and stimulate economic recovery through clean technology, renewable energy and sustainable business entrepreneurship initiatives in Michigan and elsewhere in the region.