CPES News - UNC Institute for the Environment

Lincoln County slow to respond to extremely high levels of cancer-causing arsenic in residents’ drinking water (NC Policy Watch | Sept. 9, 2022)

Before Abby and Jason Hollis bought their 1,200-square-foot house on Laboratory Road in rural Lincolnton, the inspector required them to test their drinking water well, a routine step when purchasing a home. Good news: Test results from 2007 showed no … Continued

Robeson County high school students gain experience in geology and marine science through IE’s Summer Geoscience Internship Program

This past summer, high school students from Robeson County spent time on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus to participate in the Summer Geoscience Internship program, a five-week program that allows prospective college students to gain experience in the geosciences. “I was … Continued

Institute launches environmental justice graduate research award; Kryston inaugural recipient

In summer of 2020, the UNC Institute for the Environment reconstituted its diversity, equity and inclusion committee known as the Institute for the Environment’s Inclusion and Equity Committee or IEIE. The group facilitated discussions about what the Institute can do … Continued

MEDIA INVITED: Teachers from NC communities impacted by PFAS contamination to convene at UNC to create health-focused science lessons

Media invited Eight high school science teachers from five North Carolina counties will convene at UNC June 20-22 to design lessons about an emerging environmental contaminant, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). First developed in the 1950s, PFAS are found in … Continued

IE partners with the Center for Hybrid Approaches in Solar Energy to engage STEM teachers in learning about chemistry innovations in the energy sector

Fourteen STEM teachers from across North Carolina convened in the Blue Makerspace in Carmichael Residence Hall at UNC-Chapel Hill on April 29 to learn about chemistry innovations in the energy sector from UNC researchers. This workshop was sponsored by IE’s Center … Continued

Kathleen Gray, Ph.D. – Improving Environmental Risk Communication Through Interdisciplinary Collaborations (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences | May 6, 2022)

Kathleen Gray, Ph.D., of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (UNC) has long held a passion for increasing understanding of environmental exposures in communities affected by contamination. After completing her undergraduate degree, she worked with community-based organizations in southern Louisiana … Continued

Educator Spotlight: Megan Rodgers Lane (NC Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs)

Megan Rodgers Lane recently completed her North Carolina Environmental Education Certification. Megan is the public science and internship coordinator for the UNC Institute for the Environment’s (IE) Center forPublic Engagement with Science. “I work on many different projects all with … Continued

Educational tool highlights COVID-19 and arsenic research (Environmental Factor NIEHS | Mar. 2022)

A new online educational resource invites high school students to examine ways that humans are exposed to arsenic and how exposure might influence susceptibility to COVID-19 infection. The tool was developed by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center at … Continued

UNC researchers develop mapping tool to protect populations from environmental chemicals (Gillings School News | Feb. 15, 2022)

NC ENVIROSCAN, a new online interactive mapping tool, helps North Carolina communities increase awareness of key environmental and societal factors that can impact health. Developed through a collaboration between the UNC Superfund Research Program (UNC SRP) and the Institute for … Continued

New grant supports partnership with Durham Public Schools and Museum of Life and Science to develop hands-on STEM activities to engage students in learning about extreme heat

The Center for Public Engagement with Science (CPES) in the UNC Institute for the Environment (IE), in collaboration with the Community Engagement Core (CEC) of UNC’s NIEHS-funded Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility (CEHS), received one of the first Climate … Continued

A Holiday Message + Year-in-Review from the UNC Institute for the Environment

As we close in on the end of 2021, we reflect on the many accomplishments of our faculty, staff and students. We wish you a restful and happy holiday and very best wishes for the New Year. Please click the … Continued

Now accepting applications for Environmental Justice Graduate Research Scholarship

The UNC Institute for the Environment invites talented graduate students to apply for its Environmental Justice Graduate Research Scholarship to conduct research that broadens the understanding of environmental justice issues impacting communities in North Carolina. Expressions of Interest (EOI) for … Continued

We’re Hiring: Postdoctoral Research Associate

The Center for Public Engagement with Science (CPES) in the UNC Institute for the Environment seeks a postdoctoral scholar to begin February 1, 2022. The CPES partners with UNC faculty and community leaders in North Carolina (NC) to translate environmental … Continued

Geoscience interns explore Battle Park Water Lab (Photo Essay)

Over the summer, students in the Summer Geoscience Internship Program spent time exploring labs and sites around UNC and Chapel Hill, NC for their summer internship experience. Students in this program are from Robeson Early College High School in Robeson County, … Continued

With $1.25 million Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, IE launches Iterative Design to Engage All (IDEA) Learners Program

First developed in the 1950s, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are found in a variety of household items. They are used to create water-repellant fabrics, non-stick cookware, and a host of other products that repel grease, oil, and water. While … Continued

Is your well water safe to drink? New resource from UNC-Chapel Hill, partners can help you decide

People who rely on private well water in North Carolina have a better chance of learning whether their well water is safe to drink thanks to an initiative of the UNC School of Law Well Water Pro Bono Project, the … Continued

NC Energy Literacy Fellow, Denise Renfro, featured on Soledad O’Brien’s Matter of Fact (Matter of Fact | Nov. 7, 2021)

NC Energy Literacy Fellow, Denise Renfro, is using renewable energy to engage her students in Fayetteville, NC. Learn more about her efforts that were recently featured on Soledad O’Brien’s Matter of Fact.

Empowering the next generation (The Well | Sept. 27, 2021)

An abnormal heat wave in the Pacific Northwest so hot it melts powerlines. Record-breaking hurricane seasons that bring more severe storms each year. Excessive flooding that forces entire families in Eastern North Carolina to relocate. As climate disasters make headlines … Continued

Bringing classroom learning to life (UNC News | Aug. 6, 2021)

Teachers from eastern North Carolina stepped out of their classrooms and into nature this summer to learn more about geoscience so they can bring that knowledge back to their students. The experience was part of a new UNC Institute for … Continued

YES-Resilience youth science enrichment program wraps up with in-person summer institutes

The UNC Institute for the Environment’s Center for Public Engagement with Science (CPES) concluded its 10-month-long science enrichment program, Youth Engaging in the Science of Resilience in Urban and Rural NC (YES-Resilience) Teen Climate Ambassadors Program in June with two, … Continued

GENERATE: The Game of Energy Choices – Promoting energy literacy while cultivating systems thinking (NCSTA | Jul/Aug 2021)

The electric grid is the system of power generators, power lines, and other equipment that transports electricity from where it is generated to where it is used. As pointed out by author and cultural anthropologist Gretchen Bakke, “[the grid] is the world’s … Continued

IE energy educators contribute to first-of-its-kind renewable energy education summit

The UNC Institute for the Environment’s role in training the next generation of clean energy professionals is garnering national attention once more. Lindsay Dubbs, co-director of the Outer Banks Field Site, who recently was recognized for her energy education work … Continued

MEDIA INVITED: Summer program to engage youth in learning about climate resilience, Whiteville, NC

The Center for Public Engagement with Science (CPES) at the UNC Institute for the Environment, in partnership with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (NCMNS) – Whiteville will host a three-day summer institute June 8-10 for youth enrolled in … Continued

Youth learn about resilience to wildfires, prescribed burns and air quality impacts

On Mar. 20, the UNC Institute for the Environment’s Center for Public Engagement with Science in collaboration with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (NCMNS) conducted a half-day virtual academy on the topic of climate change and forests for … Continued

Celebrate Earth Month at Carolina!

From energy shortages to water scarcity, Carolina is tackling environmental problems with expertise from every discipline. Building on the collaborative spirit of UNC-Chapel Hill, we offer multidisciplinary programs in research, education and service while integrating environmental studies and outreach opportunities … Continued