Getting U.S. to net-zero emissions by 2050 will take massive, but affordable, coordination
December 15, 2020 ・ Molly A. SeltzerWith a massive, nationwide effort the United States could reach net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 using existing technology and at costs aligned with historical spending on energy, according to a study led by Princeton researchers. The new “Net-Zero…
Connected virtually, working globally: PEI engaged more than 100 undergraduates in virtual environmental internships for summer 2020
September 9, 2020 ・ Morgan KellyPrinceton senior Ben Alessio had planned to spend his summer internship with the Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI) in the laboratory of Professor Howard Stone conducting experiments related to diffusiophoresis, an important process by which particles are transported through water. But…
Peter Schmidt’s senior thesis imagines a world where nature demands justice
July 9, 2020 ・ Morgan KellyAs rain darkened the red earth atop Bolivia’s largest silver mine, Peter Schmidt watched children only a few years younger than him emerge from the honeycomb of hand-excavated tunnels to dump minecarts of ore before hurrying back inside the mountain’s…
Lauren von Berg, Class of 2020, publishes research from PEI internship studying Antarctic sea ice
June 16, 2020 ・ Morgan KellyIn the images Lauren von Berg created, the ebb and flow of life in one of Earth’s most inhospitable places undulates across the screen. As a Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI) intern at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, von Berg worked…
Naomi Cohen-Shields’ senior thesis explores who benefits as China cleans its air
June 12, 2020 ・ Morgan KellyAfter months of researching and analyzing China’s notorious air pollution for her Princeton senior thesis, Naomi Cohen-Shields stepped off a plane in Beijing in December 2019 to a shockingly clear sky. Her gaze fell across the unencumbered skyline of the…
PEI Class Day 2020 honors students’ excellence and resilience
June 1, 2020 ・ Morgan KellyStudents and parents joined faculty, researchers and staff from the Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI) and the Program in Environmental Studies for a virtual Class Day ceremony celebrating the accomplishments and resilience of the 24 Princeton University seniors who were the…
A burning question: Senior Maria Stahl examined the role of fire in wildlife recovery
May 15, 2020 ・ Morgan Kelly“The sky above the flames was littered not only with ash, but also with huge flutters of butterflies and clouds of grasshoppers escaping the blaze. Every now and then a stray oribi or kudu darted out from the grassland to…
Senior Cole Morokhovich’s unexpected path to studying what hummingbirds could tell us about climate change
May 7, 2020 ・ Morgan KellyPrinceton senior Cole Morokhovich still marvels at the possibility that his academic path may have come down to one five-minute window. Having come to Princeton with a focus on pre-medicine, he had taken most of the required courses and declared…
Princeton ENV students receive Udall Scholarships to study Native American, environmental issues
April 24, 2020 ・ Morgan KellyTwo Princeton University environmental studies students are among only 13 college sophomores nationwide to be named 2020 Udall Scholars by the Udall Foundation. Scholars receive up to $7,000 and are selected based on their leadership, public service, academic excellence, and…
