CPES News

Engaging communities in Carolina research (UNC Research | Aug. 8, 2023)

The Center for Public Engagement with Science gets North Carolinians involved in UNC-Chapel Hill research — including a unique project with NASA that educates volunteers about lakes in their own communities. Why? That’s the main question Grant Parkins gets from … Read more

For people on private wells, race and income often determine whether water is safe to drink (NC Newsline | Aug. 7, 2023)

Roughly 2.4 million North Carolinians rely on private wells for their drinking water. But unlike public water systems, private wells are not regulated under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Instead of a utility being responsible for ensuring the drinking … Read more

UNC-Chapel Hill study: Low-income, BIPOC households in NC less likely to test, treat private wells (WUNC | Aug. 4, 2023)

Most private wells in the United States are not tested for contaminants. In North Carolina, more households rely on private wells as a main source of drinking water than in any other state in the country. A new study from … Read more

Making the most of summer (UNC.edu | July 31, 2023)

Eight undergraduates from Carolina, NCCU and Oakwood University spent the summer in an intensive part of their year as 21EH Scholars. The program, administered by the Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, had scholars working 35 hours per week for 10 … Read more

New UNC study identifies disparities in testing and treating well water among low-income, BIPOC households in N.C.

North Carolina leads the nation for most households relying on private wells as a primary source of drinking water, with one in four households on private wells. These wells are not regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act, and most … Read more

Creating Climate-Resilient Communities (Endeavors | July 25, 2023)

After several days without rain, Paula noticed the soil around her neighborhood becoming extremely dry and starting to crack. “We will sometimes go days without rain, even weeks, which is extremely abnormal considering my county is somewhat like a rainforest,” … Read more

New Pilot Program Provides Well Users Resources for Clean, Safe, and Adequate Supply of Water (Union County, N.C. | June 28, 2023)

Union County has allocated American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to establish a pilot Private Drinking Water Well Rehabilitation and Repair Program to help solve well water quality and quantity issues experienced by Union County residents who receive drinking water from a … Read more

UNC dual-degree student teams up with Institute researcher to validate communications strategies to combat climate change in North Carolina

A lifelong resident of Apex, NC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill dual-degree student Jessica Reid watched her community experience rapid growth. Construction made way for new roads, homes, businesses, shopping and everything that comes with an influx of … Read more

The potential of mentorship, Graves and Johnson forge powerful bond

Neasha Graves enthusiastically shows a model of a human airway fashioned from a toilet paper roll, rubber bands and pink and red foam craft sheets to Mitierra Johnson. Graves is simulating a healthy airway and contrasting it with the airway … Read more

UNC Institute for the Environment surpasses $12 million goal in historic Campaign for Carolina

The UNC Institute for the Environment (IE) has surpassed its $12 million campaign goal in Carolina’s campus-wide fundraising campaign. The Campaign for Carolina, launched in 2017, raised a record-setting $5 billion before closing Dec. 31, 2022. In addition to public … Read more

Haine recognized by NCSTA for connecting teachers with latest environmental research

Dana Haine, the K-12 science education manager for the UNC Institute for the Environment’s (IE) Center for Public Engagement with Science (CPES) recently was recognized by the North Carolina Science Teachers Association (NCSTA) with a non-school setting distinguished service award … Read more

Institute awarded $2.3 million from National Science Foundation to implement and study program empowering Latino and Indigenous youth to seek solutions to climate impacts

UNC researchers, collaborators in NC and WA receive funding to engage diverse youth in exploring climate impacts and solutions in their communities. The Center for Public Engagement with Science in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Institute for … Read more

Haine named Outstanding Informal Educator by RePowering Schools

In May 2022, Dana Haine, K-12 science education manager for the UNC Institute for the Environment’s Center for Public Engagement with Science, was awarded the 2022 Outstanding Informal Educator Award from RePowering Schools. REpowering Schools is a national non-profit organization … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more