Research Overview
The Department of Natural Resources and the Environment engages in multi- and inter-disciplinary research that spans the fundamental and applied sciences. Our faculty are organized around research clusters - water resources and wetlands, forestry and forested ecosystems, fisheries and wildlife conservation, and remote sensing of the environment. We commonly integrate field, lab, and modeling approaches to test empirical research hypotheses, develop future scenarios, and evaluate management outcomes. Our scholars are driven by the desire to bring scientific information to the decision-making process for pressing environmental issues. We also integrate extension programs with research, evaluating the practice and outcomes of academic environmental engagement.
Grounded in our shared core value of the importance of training and mentoring future scientists, our graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, and undergraduate students are key partners in research projects. The majority of the Natural Resources graduate program is research grant-funded, creating valuable opportunities for concurrent research and career development for our graduate students.
Researchers in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment inform and provide key leadership in the strategic initiatives set forth by the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources:
- Ensuring a vibrant and sustainable agricultural industry and food supply
- Enhancing health and well-being locally, nationally, and globally
- Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion through anti-racist approaches
- Advancing adaptation and resilience in a changing climate
- Fostering sustainable landscapes across urban-rural interfaces
