The Center for the Environment is an interdisciplinary hub of environmental research that is committed to generating transformative solutions to our deepest societal challenges including: climate change, air pollution, access to clean water, food insecurity, biodiversity loss and infectious diseases.
By the numbers
86
Center scholars
7
Proposals/Grants supported
500+
Activity participants
62
Journal articles published
Jan-April 2024
The Center’s mission
The center serves as a cross-cutting collaboration hub, encouraging partners, faculty and students to advance research projects in areas including biodiversity, environmental justice, planetary health, environmental solutions, and climate change. Here’s a closer look at who we are, what we do, and why it matters for our community, our region and our world.
Featured research & stories
How gentrification impacts urban wildlife populations
Researchers contributed to a national study that identifies how gentrified parts of a city have notably more urban wildlife than ungentrified parts of the same city.
Brown School students engage with St. Louis neighborhoods
Brown School students in the “Community Development Practice” class engaged with community partners and contributed to hands-on projects to improve neighborhoods in south St. Louis.
Class of 2024: Committed to climate solutions
In recent years, Washington University has exponentially expanded its climate and sustainability programs. The reason? Demand. The crisis demands immediate action; the rapidly expanding climate sector demands highly educated leaders; and students demand an education that prepares them to tackle what they say is a top priority.
The WashU ecosystem
Within the WashU ecosystem of environmental research, education, and practice, the Center for the Environment serves as a connector. Much like a biodiversity corridor, we work to create space where our partners within the ecosystem and across distinct disciplines come together to address our world’s biggest environmental challenges.