We’re bringing all our knowledge and resources to the table
There are more pressures and demands being placed on our planet’s resources than ever before, and, thus, there is also a greater need to preserve and build capacity for the future. Our faculty are tackling these challenges as they engage in applied and practical research that seeks to help us understand and solve some of our most complex global problems.
To be successful, we must find ways to meet society’s and industry’s ever-expanding need for resources. We must also train the next generation of leaders and policymakers who will carry on this legacy.
We’re taking on the big issues—and we won’t give up
As a society, the environmental challenges we are facing can seem overwhelming. That’s why a sense of optimism is critical and drives our faculty-led research projects. The work that is happening in the college impacts management and policy decisions related to every aspect of the natural environment, from the atmosphere to what’s on the ground to what’s in the soil.
Here are just a few of the critical research areas in which CNRE faculty are working:
- Climate change
- Coastal erosion
- Clean water
- Biofuels and bioplastics
- Biological conservation
- Interaction between humans and natural resources
- Targeted drug delivery methods
- Energy-efficient homes
- Applications of geospatial technology
CNRE has two of the top 10 departments at Virginia Tech in terms of research funding. Research expenditures per tenure-track faculty member across the college are second only to those of the College of Engineering.
Looking for an expert?
If you are looking for a faculty member who is an expert in a particular area of research, visit our online directories. You can search for a faculty expert by department or area of research.
Are you a student who wants to conduct research?
There are many ways to get involved in a research project in the College of Natural Resources and Environment. Consider talking with a faculty member who is working in an area of interest to you, as there may be opportunities to work on faculty-led projects through volunteer or paid positions.
If you want to lead your own research project, you can also seek out a faculty mentor or apply for a research grant through the Conservation Management Institute or other organization.
Faculty research in the news
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Jul 16, 2018
Study forecasts growth rates of loblolly pine trees through first half of 21st century
Researchers used ecological forecasting to predict how changes in temperature, water, and concentrations of carbon in the atmosphere may affect the future growth rates of trees.
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Jul 03, 2018
Study explores connections between land management, water quality, and human response in lake catchments
The study, which examines the ecological effects of humans on lakes and vice versa, offers a new model for those invested in protecting and maintaining lakes.
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Apr 05, 2018
Personal outreach to landowners is vital to conservation program success
Researchers found that conservation programs benefit when landowners accompany conservation biologists who are monitoring habitat management outcomes on their land.
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