University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability

06/04/2026

How do you fund a carbon-neutral future?

That was the question four SEAS master's students set out to answer as part of a capstone project supporting Michigan's goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

Partnering with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy's Office of Climate and Energy, the team explored how shifting federal funding priorities could impact implementation of the Michigan Healthy Climate Plan and identified innovative financing strategies to help bridge potential funding gaps.

Their recommendations offer practical pathways for advancing the state’s climate goals and provide a roadmap for investing in a more sustainable, resilient future: https://myumi.ch/E7w8e

06/03/2026

As drought becomes more intense and frequent across the American West, its impacts are being felt far beyond water supplies and agriculture.

A new SEAS-led study found that severe drought conditions reduced habitat for mule deer, black bears and cougars across Nevada and Utah. Drawing on 12 years of GPS collar data, researchers discovered that habitat loss affected species throughout the food web.

The findings underscore a growing challenge for conservation: as climate change reshapes ecosystems, managing wildlife species in isolation may no longer be enough. Researchers say there is a need for more integrated approaches that consider the interconnected impacts of drought across entire ecosystems: https://myumi.ch/xjQQj

05/28/2026

Last year, the SEAS community came together to honor the life and legacy of Professor Emeritus Bunyan Bryant with the dedication of the Bunyan Bryant Memorial Room in the Dana Building. Earlier this year, artist Cuong Nguyen helped complete the space with a portrait of Bryant, capturing the spirit of a visionary leader remembered for his humility, humanity, and commitment to environmental justice.

🎨 Watch the portrait come to life and visit it in Room 1028 of the Dana Building.

Portrait by Cuong Nguyen (IG: ).

05/27/2026

Earlier this semester, Tseten Sherpa (MS ‘27), a SEAS student studying Geospatial Data Science (GDS), and his team took first place at a university hackathon focused on using AI to help cities tackle extreme heat.

As temperatures rise, heat maps can pinpoint urban heat islands, areas where vulnerable populations face heightened risk. But capturing this data often requires expensive thermal cameras, limiting access for many cities.

For the hackathon, Sherpa’s team built an AI model that generates thermal images from standard RGB photos, the kind captured by most drones. Using training images, the team went on to accurately map more than 200 images. Their work showcases how AI could make heat mapping far more accessible for resource-constrained cities, supporting smarter, data-driven planning as extreme heat intensifies.

05/27/2026

As part of the Next-Gen Scholars Program, Marianna Coelho Uchoa (MS ’26) and Jenna James (MS/MLA ’27) have been working on a special project, a blog called Next-Gen Now.

The blog, launched in January 2026, features students' experiences, creating a space where new and current students can get advice, learn more about capstone projects, and find support and resources. They collaborated with other SEAS students to write five blog posts covering topics ranging from tips to capstone experiences to scholarships.

You can read the blogs now, and stay tuned for more coming in the fall: https://myumi.ch/zNE4V

05/22/2026

🌱 What started as a SEAS doctoral research project is now helping farmers across the Great Lakes region improve soil health and reduce fertilizer run-off.

Since launching five years ago, the Great Lakes Cover Crops Project has partnered with more than 225 farmers across six states, turning nearly 600 fields into living laboratories. By studying cover crops like cereal rye, crimson clover, and hairy vetch, researchers and growers are working together to make agriculture more resilient while protecting waterways.

What began as a doctoral project at the University of Michigan is now spreading like red clover across the Great Lakes region to help farmers improve their soil and prevent fertilizer from washing into waterways.

05/20/2026

SEAS Commencement was a celebration in more ways than one. With nearly 800 attendees, we diverted 94.4% of event waste through composting and recycling, with support from U-M’s Office of Campus Sustainability and Innovation. 🌿

Out of 54 total pounds of waste:
🌱 42 lbs composted
🔄 9 lbs recycled
🗑️ Only 3 lbs landfilled

05/18/2026

Before joining SEAS, Abhishek Gupta (MS/MBA ’25) built a successful career as a data scientist, using analytics to solve complex problems and drive decision-making. But growing up in the Indian Himalayas, where he witnessed the growing impacts of climate change firsthand, inspired him to redirect those technical skills toward advancing climate and energy solutions.

Drawn to SEAS for its interdisciplinary approach, Abhishek pursued a dual degree with SEAS and the Erb Institute, specializing in Sustainable Systems and Environmental Policy and Planning. His time at Michigan allowed him to combine his data and analytics expertise with a deeper understanding of energy systems, climate policy, and sustainability strategy.

A defining highlight of Abhishek’s graduate experience was his work as a research assistant under Professor Parth Vaishnav. There, he worked on an Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E)-sponsored project building a cost model for a new energy-efficient cooling solution for data centers. Alongside rigorous academic and professional experiences, SEAS also expanded his perspective by encouraging him to explore sustainability challenges across disciplines.

Following graduation, Abhishek now works at Antora Energy, where he helps advance long-duration thermal energy storage solutions that support industrial decarbonization and a cleaner electric grid. His work reflects the very mission that brought him to SEAS: applying technical expertise to real-world climate solutions. Congrats, ! 🎓

Read the full profile: https://myumi.ch/DW1Ex

05/15/2026

Adriana Nieto (MS ’26), who specialized in Sustainability and Development (SusDev) and Geospatial Data Sciences, says she was drawn to SEAS because of its interdisciplinary capstone projects and the competencies that students gained from experience. She came to SEAS with the goal of complementing her scientific and technical knowledge of climate change and its impacts with the diverse and incredibly critical lived experiences of communities across the country and the globe.

At SEAS, she served as the SusDev track leader and a Next-Gen Scholars peer mentor, attended the 2026 Centering Justice Conference in Los Angeles, and collaborated with the Tishman Center for Social Justice and the Environment. “SEAS introduced me to some of the most incredible and hardworking people I know, many of whom I now consider my closest friends,” she says. “I cannot believe how fast two years went by, and I am very grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had to grow personally and professionally.”

After graduation, she plans to move back home to Long Island to pursue a full-time job in New York. Congrats, ! 🎓

Read the full profile: https://myumi.ch/e7QbV

05/14/2026

Growing up in Michigan and spending much of his time outdoors, Holden Hughes (BA' 26) always knew he wanted to build a future centered on environmental work. He was drawn to the Program in the Environment's flexible, “choose-your-own-adventure” structure, which allowed him to combine his passion for sustainability with broader studies in communities, policy, and social systems.

During his time at U-M, Holden fully embraced PitE’s diverse coursework and hands-on learning opportunities. Courses like Intro to Political Ecology helped shape his worldview, while community-focused classes such as Campus as a Sustainability Lab connected his academic work directly to real-world sustainability challenges in Ann Arbor.

A defining part of Holden’s undergraduate experience was the opportunity to pair classroom learning with practical projects that strengthened his commitment to creating meaningful change for both people and the environment.

Following graduation, Holden plans to pursue nonprofit and community-based work, with the possibility of returning to SEAS to pursue his master’s degree in the future. Congrats, ! 🎓

Read the full profile: https://myumi.ch/kVwer