Homepage

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

book image
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.
be flier
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
hooopathon
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.

greg dotson

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

Thick wildfire smoke consumes an Oregon forest.
Senator Jeff Merkley is working on two bills to deal with smoke crisis
KMTR-TV: A center to research wildfire smoke could be at the University of Oregon.
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla directly faces the camera and smiles. An American flag sits in the background over Padilla's right shoulder.
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla Raises Public Health Concerns Regarding Wildfire Smoke and Lack of Clean Air in California Communities
Sierra Sun Times: Cassandra Moseley, vice provost for academic operation and strategy at the University of Oregon, participated in hearing.
scooters, city streets, shared mobility
Micromobility equity goals are common, but follow-through is lacking: study
Smart Cities Dive: Features report by researchers from the University of Oregon and the Greenlining Institute.
Timber workers with the Madera Sugar Pine Company pose for a photo in Madera County, California in 1914.
The Working-Class Loggers Who Saved an Old-Growth Forest
In These Times: Author is Steven C. Beda, assistant professor of history at the University of Oregon. Article is excerpted from Beda's forthcoming book, Strong Winds and Widow Makers: Workers, Nature, and Environmental Conflict in Pacific Northwest Timber Country. 
A sun patio with passive cooling devices is shown. The patio holds a plush couch with several throw pillows, planters with flowers and greenery, and a coffee table adorned with small shrubs.
Selling Homeowners on the Benefits of Passive Cooling
Realtor Magazine: Alexandra Rempel, assistant professor of environmental design at the University of Oregon, provides expert commentary. WWF also cites research. 
A Kiwibot delivery robot trying to cross Michigan Avenue in Detroit.
Delivery robots aren't quite ready to roll
Axios: Nico Larco, a professor of architecture and director of the Urbanism Next Center at the University of Oregon, is quoted.
Alexis Vasquez, who uses they/them pronouns and identifies as Taino, proudly displays the Navajo Nation and Puerto Rico flags as they lead the cyclists to the next stop during the ride.
Organizers call inaugural Native and Indigenous Bike Ride a success
BikePortland: Angela Noah is a planning, public policy and nonprofit management major at the University of Oregon. 
seismic waves are charted by a seismograph
More Sensors Added to ShakeAlert Earthquake Network
Government Technology: The University of Oregon is a partner in the ShakeAlert network. 
This illustration shows how mass plywood panels, a form of mass timber, could be used in an affordable housing complex. The UO and OSU recently received portions of a large federal grant to advance mass timber construction.
UO programs bolstered by $16M in Build Back Better funds
Researchers at the University of Oregon will receive more than $16 million in federal funds as part of a major government grant to the Oregon Mass Timber Coalition from the Build Back Better Regional Challenge.
Two construction workers help build a roof, guiding to the appropriate place a stack of wood that is suspended by a system of cables. Other buildings, trees, and blue sky fill the background.
Oregon coalition gets $41 million in federal funds to advance 'mass timber' for housing
The Oregonian: University of Oregon and Oregon State University will use some of the funds to research the use of mass timber in housing.