As summer temperatures climb, so does the risk of extreme heat—now recognized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States. In cities such as Camden, where buildings, pavement, and oth... Read more at tinyurl.com/2udk8sym

Focusing on Sustainability Governance, the arrangement of systems, processes, and formal and informal rules used to coordinate actions and make decisions on how to manage resources sustainability considering social, environmental and economic tradeoffs in order... Read more at tinyurl.com/3utjzssn

In a recent announcement Laura Lawson, Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences Executive Dean and NJAES Executive Director was pleased to announce that effective July 1, RCEI affiliate Dr. Cara Cuite has been appointed Associate Director of Comm... Read more at tinyurl.com/4t9jrmmc

A compact offshore research platform has been deployed off the Jersey Shore, revitalizing the historic Long-Term Ecosystem Observatory (LEO) site and advancing a new era of ocean research, education and marine innovation in New Jersey. Anchored about three miles... Read more at tinyurl.com/unj6rjwv

RCEI affiliate Ruo-Qian (Roger) Wang, an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rutgers University School of Engineering (CEE), is the Principal Investigator (PI) for an extensive multidisciplinary report recently publish... Read more at tinyurl.com/52uaka3f

Rutgers University underwater glider RU37 is making its way northward through the Caribbean Sea toward Jamaica after being deployed last week by RU COOL researchers in partnership with the CCMI - Central Caribbean Marine Institute on Little Cayman. The deployme... Read more at tinyurl.com/3suxfwwc

RCEI affiliate John Krasting, a Rutgers-trained climate scientist whose career has spanned broadcast meteorology, climate modeling and sea-level research, has been named the New Jersey state climatologist, succeeding RCEI affiliate David Robinson, who is retiri... Read more at tinyurl.com/4t96kacb

For 35 years, RCEI affiliate David Robinson, the New Jersey state climatologist and a Distinguished Professor of Geography in the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences, has helped New Jersey understand its weather and climate. As he retires from his state climato... Read more at tinyurl.com/4b4yrp3w

Tiny plant-like organisms (phytoplankton) living in the ocean waters around Antarctica are changing the way they handle sunlight — and the reason why reveals just how much climate change is reshaping one of Earth’s most remote ecosystems. A new study published ... Read more at tinyurl.com/4tcekwax

Rising seas are increasing the frequency of coastal flooding in many parts of the world, prompting researchers to better understand the role of human-caused climate change in those regions. Until now, scientists have had limited ability to quantify how much ... Read more at tinyurl.com/mr34a2ap

You’ve probably seen products labeled “biodegradable” or “compostable” at the store and assumed they were better for the planet than regular plastic. But a new study suggests it’s not that simple. Researchers reviewed dozens of studies on bioplastics — plastics... Read more at tinyurl.com/47mnap2f

The Rutgers University Department of 4-H Youth Development and the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve (JCNERR) have launched a multi-year initiative designed to engage New Jersey educators, students, and community partners in climate resilience... Read more at tinyurl.com/yc5h5jc4

He roamed the Earth thousands of years ago, navigating his massive, elephant-like body through North American forests and using his tusks to strip the bark off trees for his dinner. Even in death, he captivated anyone who saw him: New Jerseyans paid 10 cents ... Read more at tinyurl.com/bdf8up85

Congratulations to RCEI affiliate Carmelo Ignaccolo for his upcoming role as a 2026-27 Provost Teaching Fellow in Provost’s Teaching Fellows Program. The program supports pedagogical innovations designed to improve learning outcomes for our students. The Office... Read more at tinyurl.com/hufn7yr3

While soccer fans watch their favorite teams compete at this summer’s World Cup, Rutgers University's plant biologists will be looking under the players’ cleats—eyeing the lush, green natural turfgrass they created. More than half of the games in the soccer ... Read more at tinyurl.com/bdhundxt

What if a walk across campus could be as restorative as it is educational? That question is inspiring a new vision for the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS), where faculty, students, and campus leaders are exploring how the grounds... Read more at tinyurl.com/4m6v9ccp

When people think of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, images of turquoise waters, white-sand beaches, pristine jungles and ancient Mayan cities often come to mind. Yet beyond these iconic landscapes lies a region where tropical forests, agricultural lands and local... Read more at tinyurl.com/3p8h4ssm

“How many times do you have to be told that this year is the hottest year on record for it just to become background noise?” An article from E&E News examines the growing disconnect between worsening climate change impacts and the lack of political attention in... Read more at tinyurl.com/ykkv684j

The world is losing plants, animals, and ecosystems at an alarming rate, with several causes of this biodiversity decline including habitat loss, climate change, and overexploitation. However, reversing these trends will likely require substantial amounts of ... Read more at tinyurl.com/4775tb6b

Rutgers Global Grants provide seed grants to support faculty engaging in collaborative international research, partnerships, and new educational initiatives. According to Vice President for Global Affairs Eric Garfunkel, the grants reflect Rutgers’ commitment to... Read more at tinyurl.com/2p9zfykk

RCEI affiliate Fiorella Prada, assistant professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, was named the 2026 Alpha Zeta Professor of the Year at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS). Prada was first recognized at the ... Read more at tinyurl.com/5habyr3x

For eight Rutgers students, the George Washington University Planet Forward Environmental Storyfest in April was more than a conference. It was an opportunity to show how science storytelling can transform complex research into deeply human stories that connect ... Read more at tinyurl.com/3yhcj5ez

An article from The New York Times examines a major shift in climate science: researchers have decided to retire one of the most widely used and alarming emissions scenarios, known as RCP8.5, and replace it with updated projections. This change has sparked debate... Read more at tinyurl.com/mukjzh8p

When fire tore through Los Angeles County in January 2025, westerly winds blew most of the smoke and ash over the Pacific, keeping the main measure of air quality, total mass of particles smaller than 2.5 microns, at or near normal levels.But a study published ... Read more at tinyurl.com/49rk4knp

To understand how Earth’s climate is changing, we first need to understand how it has changed before. One of the best tools for doing that sits at the bottom of the ocean — tiny, fossilized shells of microscopic, single celled creatures called foraminifera. A ... Read more at tinyurl.com/mvvxcvu4

Congratulations to RCEI affiliate Angela Oberg for receiving the Moves DuMonde Sustainability Award for her transformative and impactful work at Rutgers University! Starting off as an undergraduate premed, philosophy, and biology major, her winding path to ... Read more at tinyurl.com/5x8bm5kp

More than 20 faculty from SEBS and NJAES completed the inaugural “Charting Your Research Pathway” workshop series hosted by the SEBS/NJAES Office of Research this past March. Over six weeks, participants refined their Rutgers research visions, explored new ... Read more at tinyurl.com/34u8mcxp

RCEI affiliate Ximing Guo, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences (DMCS) at Rutgers University, has been honored by the Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin (WRA) with its 2026 Samuel S. Baxter Memorial Award... Read more at tinyurl.com/9hahv9t6

On a patch of Livingston campus once covered in asphalt, Rutgers University—New Brunswick students are planting the beginnings of a forest, one designed not just to grow quickly but to bring people into the work of reforestation. The transformation is part of ... Read more at tinyurl.com/24yx8eww

Noĕmie Denis, a doctoral student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, is a multiple ScarletPitch award winner for her research related to polymer-ceramic composites. Her recognition includes competitions within Rutgers and internationally. For... Read more at tinyurl.com/2k8d3h2a

RCEI affiliate Brooke Maslo, an associate professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources at Rutgers University—New Brunswick, has been named the inaugural holder of the Joanna Burger Endowed Legacy Professorship. Maslo’s appointment is... Read more at tinyurl.com/3vyc293t

Wildfire smoke is no longer confined to distant regions. It is increasingly affecting communities throughout the United States, raising urgent questions about air quality, public health and long-term risk. Researchers at Rutgers are studying how wildfire smoke... Read more at tinyurl.com/3m7tca39

Congratulations! This year’s Faculty Year-End Excellence Awards honored RCEI affiliate Debashish Bhattacharya as one of five tenured faculty members who have received the prestigious Board of Trustees Award for Excellence in Research. This award signifies his ... Read more at tinyurl.com/muysjuxb

An article from Gothamist explains the growing political and policy conflict in New Jersey over new coastal development regulations designed to address climate change and rising sea levels. The rules—known as the REAL (Resilient Environments and Landscapes) ... Read more at tinyurl.com/mn233xrc

Scientists have developed a powerful new statistical approach that can reveal complex patterns in how fish move and adapt to their environments—information that’s been hiding in plain sight within fish ear stones. A study published in the journal Reviews in Fish... Read more at tinyurl.com/mmuy44ts

RCEI intern Edith Zhao, a student in the Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Program, has received the Alpha Zeta Student of the Year Award for her graduating class, Class of 2028! With this award, she is being recognized as a student leader who has... Check out the news at tinyurl.com/yzuz4th9

Two RCEI affiliates, Rutgers University Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences - DMCS Department Chair Oscar Schofield and Professor Kay Bidle, were honored for their work elevating research impact at the 2026 Center for Advancing Research Impact in Society... Read more at tinyurl.com/2zardku3

Today is the day! Support the Rutgers Climate and Energy Institute this #RUGIVINGDAY in our mission for a resilient, equitable, and sustainable climate future! We need you now more than ever. Join us at give.rutgersfoundation.org/rutgers-clim...

A majority of New Jerseyans are concerned at some level about the effects of changing climate conditions and place responsibility for limiting greenhouse gas emissions on various levels of government and businesses, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll... Read more at tinyurl.com/5n8hmwxp

This Friday, #RUGIVINGDAY 2026, we need you more than ever. Your contributions will support graduate students and early career scholars, research programs that develop real-world solutions, and building connections between the arts and sciences. Join us: give.rutgersfoundation.org/rutgers-clim...

Scientists report that a living reef coastal defense system can reduce wave power significantly, suggesting the approach could offer a new way to protect shorelines from storms and rising seas. Their findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy... Read more at tinyurl.com/48tf48yy

The Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science hosted its 35th Annual Turfgrass Symposium on March 19, bringing together faculty, staff, students, researchers and industry leaders for a day of collaboration, innovation and knowledge exchange. Held at Rutgers ... Read more at tinyurl.com/3a8fcpb3

On April 3, Laura Lawson, Executive Dean of the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS), spoke with the students gathered in the classroom at the New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health at Rutgers University for their final... Read more at tinyurl.com/5af45nb8

An article from MSN explains how large volcanic eruptions can temporarily cool the entire planet, highlighting a counterintuitive but well-documented climate process. While volcanoes are typically associated with heat and destruction, the article emphasizes that... Read more at tinyurl.com/2s3kpfm9

Written by RCEI affiliate Pamela McElwee, a professor in the Department of Human Ecology, this article, published in Science, is a call to action for US scientists, organizations, and citizens to not let the gaping hole in climate science left by the Trump ... Read more at tinyurl.com/59x8ckrn

Penguins waddling across Antarctic ice might seem far removed from a classroom in New Jersey, but a new study shows that these charismatic birds can be a powerful hook for teaching young people about climate change — and inspiring them to see themselves as future... Read more at tinyurl.com/yw2m6as5

RCEI affiliate Sue Huang is using speculative and critical design to bring long-dead plant species in New Jersey back to life in the collective human consciousness. Her latest work is a collaborative effort founded in both science and the imagination – one that... Read more at tinyurl.com/4skn8tyx

RCEI affiliate and Distinguished Professor Robert Kopp (Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University) recently appeared on Tidal Flooding Talk, the only weekly show in America dedicated to coastal flooding and resiliency, presented by the New ... Read more at tinyurl.com/448je4jj

At a reception hosted at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. on March 4, Professor and RCEI affiliate Siobain Duffy and her international research team were recognized with the Pioneering UK–US Breakthroughs (PUB) Award, a distinction honoring seven ... Read more at tinyurl.com/mv2ty95d

New research finds that news stories about who is most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change can have very different effects — depending on whether they focus on race or income. Climate change doesn’t harm everyone equally. Flooding, heat waves, and other... Read more at tinyurl.com/pvfk2ud9