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The UO’s Environment Initiative, after three foundational and pathbreaking years of work, is transitioning to a new, sustainable model. This new endeavor, known as UO Environment, will leverage institutional expertise in education, research, and impact on the major environmental issues facing our world.

Through UO Environment, the College of Arts and Sciences will work with other colleges and schools to carry forward curricular and other work begun under the initiative to grow educational and research opportunities at UO. In addition, the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation is working with faculty leaders to explore the creation of a new center on climate change solutions policy, as well as a number of other areas of research. This web site will serve as a communications hub for news and events across the entire campus.

 

CURRICULUM

The College of Arts and Sciences will continue the transdisciplinary curricular work begun under the initiative in conjunction with other colleges and schools.

POLICY

The exploration of a new center under OVPRI is underway, intended to work with communities on climate solutions, policies, and research.

RESEARCH

Learn about the work UO faculty are conducting that is making an impact in the world.

NEWS & EVENTS

See the noteworthy environment-related updates and events happening on campus and in the community.

Events

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Book talk | ¡Juntes por la justicia climática! Together for Climate Justice!
Join SCR Associate Dr. Catalina De Onís this month when she will lecture on her SCR Small Grant Program funded bilingual children's book “¡Juntes por la justicia climática! Together for Climate Justice!". During her book talk and signing she will describe the role of her student coauthors and the importance of teaching climate justice to new generations.
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BE Passionate with Steph Littlebird
Join the SAB Arts & Culture team as we welcome Steph Littlebird for her free dinner presentation BE Passionate in the EMU Ballroom on November 21st. Doors & Dinner: 5:00pm Presentation: 6pm-7:00pm followed by Q&A 7-7:30pm
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Oregon Wildfire Resilience Hoopathon
Meet community fire organizations and local artisans, shoot free throws, and support wildfire resilience and Indigenous land management! Open to students, faculty, staff, community members, and more.

Faculty Excellence

See the work that University of Oregon faculty are producing to make an impact on the world »

A researcher working with students in virtual reality

Danny Pimentel

Pimentel's work in virtual reality seeks to make a global problem like climate change into something you can experience on a personal level.

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Greg Dotson

Dotson will work towards situating the Environment Initiative in the community of researchers, policy advocates and policymakers who are focused on climate mitigation in the energy sector.

marsha weisiger

Marsha Weisiger

Weisiger will advance several projects focused on environmental history that analyze and interpret the ways humans and nonhuman nature have shaped each other over time.

 

News

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Fall Sustainability Open House to focus on transportation

The Office of Sustainability will welcome the UO community to the Fall Sus

Kenyan Singer modeling Home Flight blanket
Campus celebrates Native American heritage through November
Native American Heritage Month is being celebrated all through November on the UO campus with a series of events, including Native-themed films, speakers, and more.
remnants of a Blue River home after the Holiday Farm Fire
Oregon wildfire recovery summit underway at UO
KLCC-FM | A summit underway this week at the University of Oregon is focused on wildfire recovery across the state. It’s being led by Lane County and the U of O School of Planning, Public Policy and Management.
Development of marine robots to investigate sea ice and monitor climate change
Development of marine robots to investigate sea ice and monitor climate change
World Nation News | A group of engineers and oceanographers from various institutions in the United States, including the University of Oregon, Temple University and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, led by engineer Dr. Xi Yu of West Virginia University, is conducting a national project to develop marine robots that can explore the bottom of the sea ice and collect important data to monitor the effects of climate change.
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A Strong Quake (or Two) Rattled Puget Sound 1,100 Years Ago
AGU's Eos | This research is “really important,” said Diego Melgar, a seismologist at the University of Oregon in Eugene. People have been worrying about the Seattle Fault for decades, he said. The study is “telling us that really big earthquakes have happened in the past and we have every reason to believe that they’ll happen in the future as well.” Knowing about the timing and intensity of the quake(s) could help scientists understand the future hazard.
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Eugene schools, University of Oregon practice earthquake safety during ShakeOut

The Register-Guard | Vicki Strand, UO’s continuity and emergency manager in Safety and Risk Services, said now is the time to prepare in Oregon for a potentially massive Cascadia earthquake and coastal tsunami...Kelly Missett, the ShakeAlert regional coordinator, said it's important to immediately respond to emergency alerts for earthquakes, even if you don't yet feel shaking. 

Credit: Robert Ritchie, Unsplash
Shaking Up Earthquake Science in Cascadia
Despite the hazard, earthquake preparedness in the Pacific Northwest is lagging, said Diego Melgar, a seismologist at the University of Oregon and CRESCENT’s principal investigator.
Illustration by Observer design
Could superpowered plants be the heroes of the climate crisis?
The Guardian: Several patents are now in the works, says Hall, and, in addition to the pilot plantings, a small field trial involving about 600 of the trees is under way at the University of Oregon to confirm the results.
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Washington Oregon Higher Education Sustainability Conference (WOHESC) Call for Proposals
The Washington Oregon Cascadia Higher Education Sustainability Conference (WOHESC) is an opportunity for collective direction and solidarity in higher education for our region. As political, social and environmental issues become more complex, WOHESC convenes and empowers stakeholders who are driving leadership and generating solutions for a more sustainable, just and equitable future.
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Greg Dotson is Down to Earth on Climate Legislation
An expert at keeping the gears of Congress moving forward, Associate Professor Gregory Dotson has returned to the University of Oregon School of Law after working on historic climate legislation on Capitol Hill.