Sustainability: Research Themes

The policy, engineering, ecological, economic, business, cultural, and sustainable communities dimensions of four particular thematic areas (air, water, energy, and materials) are all important emphases at Michigan Technological University. We are open to exploring the development of other sustainability themes at Michigan Technological University; thus, we encourage candidates who do not necessarily identify themselves with the air, water, energy, and materials themes are encouraged to apply.

Air: Aspects of atmospheric sustainability, its role as a resource, and its role in environmental change. Foci include regional and hemispheric impacts of changing air pollutant emissions, impacts of particulates on clouds and climate, biospheric changes and feedbacks in response to changing atmospheric composition, development of efficient policy instruments for air pollution and climate change mitigation, and air pollution issues in developing regions.

For more information on this thematic area, click here.

Energy: Aspects of sustainable energy from resources; production, transformation, application, and consumption; life cycle assessment; and societal, economic, and environmental assessment. Energy foci include biomass energy, fuel cells, wind turbines, photovoltaics, energy storage, and sustainable use of fossil fuels through geological carbon sequestration.

For more information on this thematic area, click here.

Materials: Aspects of sustainable use of natural, manufactured, and recycled materials (eliminating the concept of waste by treating everything as a technical nutrient); processing, manufacturing, and construction from nano- to macro-scale; life cycle assessment; and societal, economic, and environmental assessment.

For more information on this thematic area, click here.

Water: Aspects of sustainable freshwater ecosystems; water and wastewater infrastructure; and societal, economic, and environmental assessment. Geographic scope includes the Great Lakes, but also international water management issues.

For more information on this thematic area, click here.