Congratulations to the eight RCEI affiliates receiving a 2025 SEBS/NJAES Excellence Award! Each recipient exemplifies the spirit of excellence, collaboration, and dedication that defines the SEBS/NJAES community. See the full list of awardees here.
Ocean Currents Act Like Underwater Highways, Delivering Food to Antarctic Wildlife
In Antarctica’s frigid waters, tiny shrimp-like creatures called krill are the foundation of the entire ocean food web, feeding everything from penguins to whales. But how do these krill—and the microscopic plants they eat—end up in the right place at the right time? A new study reveals that ocean currents act like invisible highways, concentrating food into specific areas where …
Meltwater Pools on Greenland’s Ice Are Speeding Up Melting More Than Expected
Thousands of small pools and streams of melted water sitting on top of Greenland’s massive ice sheet are absorbing more heat from the sun than scientists previously realized, according to new research. This discovery means the ice sheet could be melting faster than current models predict, which has important implications for rising sea levels. Åsa Rennermalm, RCEI Affiliate and Professor …
Microsoft, NYC Climate Week, and the “Greenwashing” of Polluters
An article from The Banner Newspaper discusses how large corporations like Microsoft use public relations and branding strategies to shape public perceptions of their environmental impact, even as their emissions continue to rise. The piece centers on a lecture delivered by RCEI Affiliate Melissa Aronczyk, a Professor of Media Studies at Rutgers University and co-author of A Strategic Nature: Public …
Rutgers School of Communication and Information Names Mark Aakhus as Interim Dean
RCEI affiliate Mark Aakhus is an internationally renowned expert in the relationship between communication, argumentation and design in digital society Rutgers University-New Brunswick officials have appointed Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Communication Mark Aakhus, RCEI affiliate, as interim dean of the School of Communication and Information (SC&I). Aakhus succeeded Dafna Lemish, who served as interim dean from July 2022 to July 2025. “The staff …
Rising Seas and Sinking Cities Signal a Coastal Crisis in China
A Rutgers study of geological records shows sea level increasing the fastest in 4,000 years, highlighting need for global and local action A team of scientists led by Rutgers researchers has uncovered evidence showing modern sea level rise is happening faster than at any time in the past 4,000 years, with China’s coastal cities especially at risk. Reporting in Nature, …
Climate Solutions That Work for People and the Planet
Many climate change solutions can help nature, water, food systems, and human health at the same time, but only if they are designed and managed in holistic ways. A new study shows that a range of climate actions have positive effects across all these areas, including planting forests to sustainable agricultural practices to changing what we eat. Pamela McElwee, RCEI …
Scientists Meet in Cape Town to Plan Future Climate Intervention Research
Scientists around the world are studying different ways we might respond to climate change, including controversial approaches called solar radiation modification (SRM), which aims to reflect some of the sun’s energy back to space to cool the Earth. To better understand how these approaches might work, researchers need to run complex computer simulations using climate models, and they need to …
CEE Professor Awarded NSF CFIRE Grant to Speed the Use of Cell-Free Systems to Grow the Bioeconomy
As a co-principal investigator on a National Science CFIRE (Advancing Cell-Free Systems Toward Increased Range of Use-Inspired Applications) initiative, RCEI affiliate Yalin Li, an assistant professor in the School of Engineering Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), has received $629,000 from a $7.8 million team grant. The NSF has awarded more than $32 million in grants to four teams that …
Is wave power New Jersey’s next renewable energy source? See which hurdles remain
An article from Asbury Park Press explores whether wave power could become New Jersey’s next renewable energy source, as scientists and policymakers consider options to meet rising electricity demand while reducing dependence on fossil fuels. With about 140 miles of coastline, the state has significant potential to harness ocean energy — but cost, technology, and environmental concerns remain major challenges. …