Two SNRE students in the Frederick A. and Barbara M. Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise maximized a prime career and scholarly opportunity this month, as they exchanged ideas and met with global policymakers at the United Nation's global climate change convention in Durban, South Africa. Miguel Sossa (M.S./MBA '13) and Daniel Gerding (M.S./MBA '14) represented the Ross School of Business at the conference, which brought together leaders in business, government and non-governmental organizations. Sossa also moderated an official side event Dec. 2 on the topic of professional standards in carbon markets, an idea generated in part during his first visit to the conference last year.
Scientists recently discovered nitrogen that falls from the atmosphere in acid rain can influence large tracts of sugar maples in North America. The atmospheric nitrogen in acid rain can affect forest ecosystems by acidifying soils and causing nutrient imbalances. Sugar maples in northeastern North America are especially vulnerable. Vast maple areas have been affected by this acidification process, which depletes soil calcium in already calcium-poor soils such as those of the Eastern United States.
Research by David Jude, a research scientist at SNRE, is featured in a cable documentary exploring invasive species in the Great Lakes. Jude's work with Gobies is mentioned in the new series "Silent Invaders," created and being aired by Pursuit Channel TV, a cable channel for outdoor enthusiasts.
Research being conducted by SNRE Assistant Professor Beth Diamond in the Heidelberg Cultural Village area of Detroit is featured in a report on the Fox News Channel University Network. Diamond is the lead designer on the project, which is working to implement a vision for arts-based neighborhood redevelopment for Detroit.
The Obama administration has announced that Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for cars and light trucks will be 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. What will this mean for drivers? John DeCicco, a clinical professor of natural resources and environment at SNRE and research professor at the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute, shares his insights in this video podcast.
In an interview with Metro Times, SNRE Associate Professor Raymond De Young talks about 'nature deficit disorder" and other aspects of environmental psychology. "You can think about environmental stewardship as sustaining our relationship with nature. But it also involves social sustainability — maintaining the sustainability of the neighborhood, our relations to our family, our relations to one another," De Young says in the interview with W. Kim Heron.
Three aspiring student entrepreneurs have set their sights on overcoming a major obstacle to electric vehicle (EV) adoption: "range anxiety." Range anxiety refers to the concerns of potential EV buyers about the limited range of these new automobiles and the accessibility of re-charging stations to keep them on the road. University of Michigan students Javier Rivera, Lawrence Han and Ajay Varadharajan believe they can eliminate these concerns by creating an EV network that matches the demand for electric vehicle power with supply.
Improving health outcomes and quality of life for people living with type 2 diabetes are the goals of a project between a new research center at the University of Michigan and university, health and public officials in North Carolina. The Center for Geospatial Medicine, which recently moved from Duke University to U-M's School of Natural Resources and Environment, is a partner in a $6.2 million grant announced today by the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation as part of its national diabetes initiative, Together on Diabetes. The project's other partners are the Duke University Medical Center and the Durham County Health Department. The project will focus on residents of North Carolina's Durham County, home to Duke.
SNRE students donned waders, grabbed saws and toasted marshmallows during the 2011 edition of the SNRE campfire. The annual event brings together current students and alumni at Saginaw Forest, which has hosted the event for decades.
SNRE Professor Andy Hoffman talks about reframing the climate change debate during an interview on WEMU-FM (89.1). The interview was aired during the public radio station's "November First Friday Focus on the Environment" show. The hosts are WEMU's David Fair and Lisa Wozniak, executive director of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters.