USC OORI Awards Seven Faculty-led Proposals under the President’s Sustainability Initiative Award
A USC faculty member speaks about engineering and sustainability.

By implementing impactful sustainability initiatives across USC’s campuses, these awardees have not only enhanced our research strengths but also paved the way for a more sustainable future.

A Ticking Toxic Time Bomb
Microbes under a microscope.

New study sheds light on how a coastal, microscopic creature may become deadlier in our changing climate.

Study finds extreme temperature swings hit minority, low-income communities hardest
Side by side photos of a busy city street and a suburban street lined with trees.

New USC Dornsife research reveals that the nation’s marginalized groups face greater health risks from daily temperature variations than wealthier white populations.

Ph.D. Student Tackles the Environmental Impact of Spacecraft Re-Entry
JOSÉ P. FERREIRA PRESENTS AT THE EUROPEAN INTERPARLIAMENTARY SPACE CONFERENCE IN VIENNA. PHOTO: PARLAMENTSDIREKTION / ANNA RAUCHENBERGER

José P. Ferreira, a doctoral candidate in astronautical engineering, has received the prestigious Space for Sustainability Award from the European Space Agency (ESA).

Airborne Technology Developed at USC Brings New Hope to Map Shallow Aquifers in Earth’s Most Arid Deserts
Aerial view of a desert.

Airborne sounding radars can perform comprehensive mapping within a few hours compared to existing in-situ methods that would take a few years.

Nina Weithorn ’24 is the 2024 Graduate National Olmsted Scholar Honor Recipient
Headshot of Nina Weithorn, Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) 2024 National Olmsted Scholar recipient.
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The financial award will fund Nina Weithorn’s project on the Allensworth Agricultural Experiment Station, which deals with food justice, soil remediation, and cultural resilience. 

Former US presidential advisor and alumnus returns to campus to spark clean tech innovation
USC Dornsife alumnus David Livingston speaks at the Climate Forward conference. Photo by Nick Neumann/USC Dornsife Wrigley Institute.

With extensive experience that includes service in the U.S. Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, David Livingston ’10 gives students a new take on environmentalism in his role as USC Dornsife’s inaugural innovation and sustainability practitioner in residence.

Environmental Studies majors nurture vibrant gardens and bright minds
Environmental studies majors Munachiso “Muna” Obiefule and Jack Chen interning with the Garden School Foundation. Photo by Nick Neumann/USC Wrigley Institute.

Undergraduate students intern with the Garden School Foundation to provide nature-based education to elementary schoolers.

Ocean-inspired tech could speed up carbon capture from ships
Aerial photo of a cargo ship on the ocean.

New technology from USC and Caltech could significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the global shipping industry.

Wrigley Institute celebrates Earth Month 2024
Environmental geopolitics expert David Livingston (L) and former Daily Show correspondent Samantha Bee (center) spoke with moderator and Wrigley Institute Director Joe Árvai (R) about climate communications. (Nick Neumann/USC Wrigley Institute)

This April, we collaborated with USC Dornsife College, USC Office of Sustainability, USC Center for the Political Future, the Environmental Student Assembly, and more.