Rutgers Climate and Energy Institute

05/31/2026

When fire tore through Los Angeles County in January 2025, westerly winds blew most of the smoke and ash over the Pacific, keeping the main measure of air quality, total mass of particles smaller than 2.5 microns, at or near normal levels.

But a study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials found the particles floating while the fires burned differed sharply from ordinary urban pollution and from smoke generated mainly by burning vegetation. The samples contained enriched levels of chemicals in manufactured products: toxic metals, polycyclic aromatic compounds, volatile organic compounds and polyfluoroalkyl substances – also known as PFAS or “forever chemicals” – in the ash.

The findings suggest that mass-based smoke readings can understate the potential hazard of fires that burn through densely built communities. “I do not want the message to be simply scary,” said the lead study author and RCEI affiliate José Guillermo Cedeño Laurent, an assistant professor at Rutgers School of Public Health. “The point is that if we want to understand the risks, we need to know the composition of the particles, not just the amount.”

Read and learn more at https://rcei.rutgers.edu/when-neighborhoods-burn-the-smoke-carries-more-than-soot/

05/30/2026

To understand how Earth’s climate is changing, we first need to understand how it has changed before. One of the best tools for doing that sits at the bottom of the ocean — tiny, fossilized shells of microscopic, single celled creatures called foraminifera. A new study published in the journal Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology takes a closer look at how reliably these shells can tell us about ancient ocean temperatures, specifically in the Indian Ocean.

Elisabeth Sikes, RCEI Affiliate, Professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences - DMCS at Rutgers University, is a co-author on the study alongside lead author Ryan Glaubke, a PhD student in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, and colleagues from the University of Maine and Old Dominion University.

“If we can more precisely portray how the Indian Ocean has warmed and cooled over thousands of years, we can better test and refine the climate models that inform today’s policy decisions.”, said Sikes.

Read and learn more at https://rcei.rutgers.edu/reading-the-oceans-past-to-understand-our-climate-future/

05/19/2026

05/18/2026

Congratulations to RCEI affiliate Angela Oberg for receiving the Moves DuMonde Sustainability Award for her transformative and impactful work at Rutgers University! Starting off as an undergraduate premed, philosophy, and biology major, her winding path to eventually becoming a sustainability professional in higher education included a Master’s in Landscape Architecture and 10 years of working in the environmental planning industry.

After she obtained her Ph.D. and as she eventually moved to her current position as Senior Director of Climate Action & Sustainability at Rutgers, Oberg helped form the university’s climate action plan and now works in the Rutgers Office of Climate Action to make sustainability a household name throughout the community and beyond.

Read and learn more about Oberg’s story and accomplishments at https://rcei.rutgers.edu/angela-oberg-receives-moves-dumonde-sustainability-award/

05/17/2026

More than 20 faculty from Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and NJAES (Rutgers Cooperative Extension) completed the inaugural “Charting Your Research Pathway” workshop series hosted by the SEBS/NJAES Office of Research this past March. Over six weeks, participants refined their Rutgers University research visions, explored new funding opportunities, and received individualized guidance and support from the Office of Research.

A central focus of the workshop was building faculty capacity to engage in Convergence Research—a problem-driven approach that brings together multiple disciplines to collaboratively address complex challenges.

“A Rutgers SEBS and NJAES aim is to produce high quality research that is informed by and responds to community needs. It’s in our mission as a land grant and amplified through the Academic Master Plan. Convergence research is a way for us to bring together the impressive breadth of expertise across all of Rutgers and our partner networks,” said RCEI affiliate Josh Kohut, SEBS Dean of Research and NJAES Director of Research, and co-leader of the workshop series.

Read and learn more at https://rcei.rutgers.edu/faculty-strengthen-cross-departmental-collaboration-at-sebs-njaes-office-of-research-workshop-series/

05/16/2026

RCEI affiliate Ximing Guo, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences - DMCS at Rutgers University, has been honored by the Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin (WRA) with its 2026 Samuel S. Baxter Memorial Award. The award recognizes individuals who best exemplify WRA’s mission through contributions to sound water management.

A renowned shellfish geneticist, Guo has been based at the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory since joining Rutgers as a postdoctoral fellow in 1992. He was formally recognized by WRA on April 23 for his transformative research, which has reshaped global aquaculture and strengthened the resilience of the Delaware Bay, as captured in WRA’s tribute to Guo.

“I want to see oyster resources rebound and oyster farming flourish, strengthening the health of the Delaware Bay and supporting the livelihoods of the coastal communities that depend on it. I hope our research contributes to that goal in a meaningful way,” said Guo.

Read and learn more at https://rcei.rutgers.edu/distinguished-professor-ximing-guo-honored-with-2026-samuel-s-baxter-memorial-award/

05/15/2026

On a patch of Livingston campus once covered in asphalt, Rutgers University—New Brunswick students are planting the beginnings of a forest, one designed not just to grow quickly but to bring people into the work of reforestation.

The transformation is part of the Livingston Abandoned Roadway Environmental Restoration project, which replaces an obsolete roadway dating back to the Camp Kilmer World War II staging ground with a dense planting of native species using the Miyawaki method, a fast-growing approach to reforestation that rebuilds soil and layers vegetation to accelerate natural growth.

But the project is about more than ecology.

“This is as much about people as it is about trees,” said Josh Kover, a graduate student in landscape architecture (Department of Landscape Architecture at Rutgers) who designed the forest as part of his honors thesis and has helped lead the effort. “We’re thinking about how to build a culture of stewardship, how to make environmental work something that feels accessible, communal and lasting.”

Read and learn more at https://rcei.rutgers.edu/at-rutgers-a-forest-takes-root-where-a-road-once-ran/

05/08/2026

Noĕmie Denis, a doctoral student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, is a multiple ScarletPitch award winner for her research related to polymer-ceramic composites. Her recognition includes competitions within Rutgers University and internationally.

For Rutgers students, the annual campus-wide ScarletPitch competition is an opportunity to receive early validation for ideas and concepts, while connecting with mentors, alumni, and industry leaders. Denis' pitch earned her second place from the judges and a coveted special Audience Choice award.

She is grateful for the opportunity to work in her advisor Distinguished Professor and RCEI affiliate Richard Riman's lab where her research has "laid the technical foundation for translating lab-scale materials into scalable, carbon-negative solutions for structural and industrial applications," she explains.

Read and learn more at https://rcei.rutgers.edu/mse-doctoral-student-is-a-scarletpitch-award-winner/

05/05/2026

RCEI affiliate Brooke Maslo, an associate professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources at Rutgers University—New Brunswick, has been named the inaugural holder of the Joanna Burger Endowed Legacy Professorship.

Maslo’s appointment is supported by a gift from Joanna Burger, a Distinguished Professor with appointments in the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences, and Michael Gochfeld, professor emeritus in the EOHSI-Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, to establish the professorship in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.

“I am beyond honored to be selected as the Inaugural Burger Endowed Legacy Professor,” Maslo said. “Dr. Burger was instrumental in shaping my academic career trajectory so many years ago, and through this endeavor, she is continuing to promote both wildlife conservation and women in science. I am truly grateful for her mentorship, as well as Dr. Gochfeld’s generosity in supporting this professorship.”

Read and learn more at https://rcei.rutgers.edu/an-ecologist-is-named-the-inaugural-joanna-burger-endowed-legacy-professor/

05/04/2026

Wildfire smoke is no longer confined to distant regions. It is increasingly affecting communities throughout the United States, raising urgent questions about air quality, public health and long-term risk. Researchers at Rutgers University are studying how wildfire smoke affects the body and how to reduce its impact.

Two experts from the Rutgers School of Public Health, Professor Philip Demokritou and Assistant Professor, RCEI affiliate José Cedeño-Laurent, discuss the health impacts of wildfire smoke.

When asked, "why are wildfires now considered a major public health concern?" Demokritou said, "Wildfire smoke has become one of the most pressing environmental health challenges today. Once seen as a regional issue, wildfire smoke affects millions of people far from the fires themselves. Smoke travels long distances and reaches densely populated areas, disrupting daily life and exposing new populations to harmful air." And Cedeño-Laurent added, "Recent events have made the risks more visible. What was once episodic is now recurring, and in some regions, expected."

Read and learn more at https://rcei.rutgers.edu/why-wildfire-smoke-is-a-rising-health-threat-in-the-u-s/