{"id":352,"date":"2023-01-13T12:32:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-13T17:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research-multi-dev.utk.edu\/energy-dev\/?page_id=352"},"modified":"2026-07-16T15:17:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T19:17:08","slug":"sustainable-environment","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/research.utk.edu\/iee\/research-areas\/sustainable-environment\/","title":{"rendered":"Sustainable Environment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Sustainable Environment<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Creating a healthy, resilient future for life on earth<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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We understand that humanity\u2019s actions affect the natural environment, and environmental changes affect humanity\u2019s ability to thrive. UT faculty and students approach sustainable environment research as a responsibility and an opportunity for innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UT researchers are developing solutions to reduce pollution, preserve habitats, and secure the planet\u2019s natural resources. Our work opens new pathways for industries and individuals to improve environmental stewardship and protect the life forms that call this planet home.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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UT’s Approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our research spans species and habitats from coastal wetlands<\/a> to deserts<\/a> to the Appalachian ecoregion<\/a>. Many projects are designed to inform federal conservation strategies<\/a> or enable industries to improve environmental stewardship in their supply chains. For example, faculty members studying disease pathogens that threaten global amphibian biodiversity<\/a> also explore how the global pet trade could proactively<\/a> mitigate pathogen transmission between captive and wild amphibians.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UT One Health Initiative<\/a> serves as an interdisciplinary hub for understanding the connections between all life and the planet. From environmental health and sustainability to emerging health threats driven by changes in climate, UT researchers are working across disciplines to create knowledge and to deliver solutions. UT faculty are part of a five-year federal grant to study links between climate change, harmful algal blooms, and human health<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

UT researchers apply artificial intelligence, machine learning, and multimodal modeling to understand interactions between health and environmental factors and improve environmental outcomes<\/a>. One team studies machine learning models used to monitor air quality<\/a>, while another uses them to study wildfires and their carbon emissions in vulnerable ecosystems.<\/a> A transdisciplinary faculty cluster<\/a> is using AI to advance climate-smart agriculture and forestry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

UT prioritizes research and engagement in sustainable agriculture around the world<\/a> and here at home. UT leads the US Department of Agriculture\u2013funded Grasslands Partnership<\/a> to engage farmers in climate-smart regenerative practices that increase soil carbon storage, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and optimize productivity. UT Extension is engaged in another USDA-funded project, a five-year collaboration<\/a> focused on West Tennessee producers and landowners. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Developing new approaches to conserving species and ecosystems, while also trying to understand the many ways nature benefits people, is an interdisciplinary challenge. It\u2019s about biodiversity and all of its complex interactions. But it\u2019s also about people and how they interact with each other and with the natural world. By leveraging the breadth of expertise on our campus, our partnerships with conservation organizations and natural resource managers, and our location in a biodiversity hotspot, UT is ideally positioned to deliver on these challenges.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Paul Armsworth, Distinguished Service Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Highlights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Team Receives Grant to Remove \u2018Forever Chemicals\u2019 from Water<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A team of faculty, PhD students, and undergraduate students received a research grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency for a two-year project to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from water.
 
Learn about the research team<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Microbial Manners on the High Seas<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Researchers from UT and the University of Maryland found that microbes in the Sargasso Sea divide nutrients throughout their communities over time, supporting coexistence and efficient nutrient use in nutrient-limited environments.

Read about the study.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Researchers Find High Risk to Amphibians from Fungal Pathogen<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Research conducted in the UT Institute of Agriculture highlights the danger native amphibian species could face if invasive fungi are introduced to North America. It demonstrates the need for proactive measures in the global pet trade to avoid spreading pathogens. 

Learn more about this amphibian research.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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UT Chemist Researches Micro- and Nanoplastics to Reduce Future Harm to Health and Environment<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Researchers are studying microplastics and nanoplastics to determine how they form in the environment\u2014and how to reduce or even prevent their formation. Professor Mark Dadmun and his students have provided insight into the formation of these nanoplastics and explore what is triggering the polymer chains to break down into nanoplastic fragments that persist in the environment.

Read more about their efforts.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Facilities & Initiatives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our sustainable environment research is carried out in labs, on farms, and across communities. We apply insights we create here in Tennessee to shape a healthier future around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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