Environmental Science and Design Research Institute

Kent State President Todd Diacon Announces Annual Faculty, Staff Award Recipients
They have gone above and beyond to keep Kent State University moving forward during the pandemic, and now they are being honored for their dedication and hard work. Kent State President Todd Diacon recently notified nine faculty members and 14 staff members that they have received special awards for their work and service.

A Global Challenge
Climate change is a complex problem with no easy answers—and everything at stake.

Kent State Expands Solar Installations

Taking Action to Protect the Planet
Environmental student activist Justin Thompson is working to make the world a better place for future generations.

Students Across Disciplines Innovate in the 2022 Biodesign Challenge
Two significant environmental issues our nation faces today include invasive plant species and a lack of sustainable materials. Invasive plant species are detrimental to host environments for multiple reasons. Kent State students are working to turn invasive plant species into a sustainable material that can help protect the environment through the 2022 Biodesign Challenge, a course and national competition to create sustainable solutions to real world problems.

Campus Grind2Energy Systems Are a Key Component in Kent State’s Sustainability Future
The central component of the Grind2Energy systems at Kent State University are larger versions of the in-sink garbage disposals found in many homes. The difference is that at Kent State, these units aren’t disposing of food waste, but processing it with a purpose - as the first part of a highly sustainable innovation that creates energy and high-grade fertilizer.

On Land and At Sea

ESDRI fellow racks up the miles, all in the name of research
If you see Alicia Costello in your area, give her a wave!
Meet the 2021-2022 Biodesign Challenge Team Representing Kent State at the BDC Summit
Five elite KSU students, from diverse backgrounds, are competing at the Biodesign Challenge international summit with their cutting-edge product.

Geography Professor Selected for AGU’s National Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership Academy
Scott Sheridan, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Geography, in the College of Arts and Sciences at Kent State University, was recently selected to become an inaugural American Geophysical Union (AGU) LANDInG (Leadership Academy and Network for Diversity and Inclusion in the Geosciences) Academy Fellow.