About

Welcome to the UNC Institute for the Environment (IE). IE fosters and conducts collaborations with faculty, students and staff across the university to identify and solve the world’s environmental challenges and sustain and improve the environment.

At IE, we develop multidisciplinary collaborations to understand major environmental issues and engage myriad academic disciplines, public and private partners, and an informed and committed community. Through IE’s air and water research centers, our public service and outreach, the field sites and experiential education programs, we provide interdisciplinary forums for faculty, students and community partners to meet pressing environmental challenges.

Carolina has outstanding environmental faculty conducting research and teaching in a broad range of disciplines throughout the university. We also have incredibly talented and motivated undergraduate and graduate students. IE helps provide students with the tools, experience and opportunities to take the study and understanding of the environment to the next level.

I am extremely excited to lead IE and build on its tremendous accomplishments. It is an important time for environment at Carolina and I look forward to helping harness our broad and deep environmental expertise to accomplish great things for North Carolina and beyond.

Michael F. Piehler
Director, UNC Institute for the Environment