Climate and Sustainability

As the climate changes due to human activities, our projects are focused on how society can adapt to live in a manner that has less of an impact on the natural environment.

Kogod Sustainability Speaker Series
November 14, 2023
Parthiban David
The most recent discussion in the Gamechangers in Sustainability speaker series took place last spring, on Earth Day. The Kogod School of Business concluded the Spring 2023 lineup with a panel of innovative women, to discuss how they have worked to create a more sustainable world. The discussion was moderated by AU’s very own Danielle […]
The Climate Story Gaps Project: Locating Untold Climate Intersections in Washington, D.C.
November 14, 2023
Malini Ranganathan, Rosalind Donald
The first project of the inaugural Faculty Research Incubator Program is entitled “The Climate Story Gaps Project: Locating Untold Climate Intersections in Washington, D.C.”. The research team is made up of professors from both the School of Communication and the School of International Service. Dr. Rosalind Donald (School of Communication), Dr. Malini Ranganathan (SIS), Dr. […]
Remote Sensing and Knowledge Co-Production in Northern Haiti
November 14, 2023
Scott Freeman, Michael Alonzo
The second research project from the Faculty Research Incubator Program comes from a collaboration across the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of International Service. Entitled “Remote Sensing and Knowledge Co-Production in Northern Haiti,” this project by Dr. Michael Alonzo (CAS) and Dr. Scott Freeman (SIS) focuses on co-producing knowledge about land and environment […]
CECE Director discusses findings from the March to End Fossil Fuels
October 25, 2023
Dana R. Fisher
During Climate Week 2023 in New York City, CECE Director, Dana R. Fisher, spoke with Environmental Educator & Creator of QueerBrownVegan, Isaias Hernandez about her work around climate activism. The conversation took place at the We Don’t Have Time-coordinated Climate Hub and included the findings from her survey of participants at the March to End Fossil […]
CECE Director talks US Open climate protest with TMZ Live
October 25, 2023
Dana R. Fisher
In the build up to the UN Secretary General’s Climate Ambition Summit in NYC in September, climate activists worked to raise awareness of the climate crisis through numerous non-violent acts of civil disobedience. Particularly memorable actions took place on Thursday, September 7th, when three activists delayed a game at the US Open in NYC with […]
Vox’s Today Explained Podcast with CECE Director, Dana R. Fisher
October 25, 2023
Dana R. Fisher
CECE Director, Dana R. Fisher, spoke with Noelle King from Vox about how the radical flank is growing in the climate movement in the US. The interview appeared on the Today Explained Podcast on September 26th. It was also written up into this piece: How radical should you be when you’re trying to save the […]
Addressing Climate Change Through Our Nation’s Service Corps
October 25, 2023
W. Chris Jayko, Dana R. Fisher, Erika S. Svendsen
Traditional Trades Advancement Program Year 1 As part of its work assessing how federal service corps programs are expanding their efforts to care for the environment and diversify their workforces, CECE is studying the Traditional Trades Advancement Program (TTAP), a youth service project funded by the National Parks Service. This research aims to analyze TTAP through survey data […]
Article: Interactive Stratospheric Aerosol Microphysics-Chemistry Simulations of the 1991 Pinatubo [...]
August 6, 2023
Valentina Aquila
Dr. Valentina Aquila is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Science at AU. As an atmospheric scientist, she studies aerosols, the suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in air, in the atmosphere. She primarily focuses on how stratospheric aerosols from volcanic eruptions, forest fires, and anthropogenic sources can alter Earth’s climate […]
Article: Accounting for Non-Economic Loss: Climate Displacement and the Meaningful Omission of the [...]
July 28, 2023
Robert Albro
Dr. Robert Albro, Research Associate Professor in the American University Center for Latin American and Latino Studies, recently published a new article in the International Journal of Cultural Policy on the necessity of incorporating into loss-and-damage policy the intangible, non-economic loss of cultural heritage incurred as a result of climate displacement. Titled “Accounting for non-economic […]
Article: Pathways for diversifying and enhancing science advocacy
May 19, 2023
Dana R. Fisher
Dr. Dana Fisher is the director of the Center for Environment, Community, and Equity at AU and a professor in the School of International Service. Her research focuses on democracy, activism, and climate politics, recently centering on climate protests and the Civilian Climate Corps. Dr. Fisher has authored over 75 research papers and has written […]
Article: Volcanic Drivers of Stratospheric Sulfur in GFDL ESM4
May 1, 2023
Valentina Aquila
Dr. Valentina Aquila is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Science at AU. As an atmospheric scientist, she studies aerosols, the suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in air, in the atmosphere. She primarily focuses on how stratospheric aerosols from volcanic eruptions, forest fires, and anthropogenic sources can alter Earth’s climate system. She co-authored a […]
Article: A SmallSat Concept to Resolve Diurnal and Vertical Variations of Aerosols, Clouds, and [...]
April 19, 2023
Valentina Aquila
Dr. Valentina Aquila is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Science at AU. As an atmospheric scientist, she studies aerosols, the suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in air, in the atmosphere. She primarily focuses on how stratospheric aerosols from volcanic eruptions, forest fires, and anthropogenic sources can alter Earth’s climate […]