Gund Institute for Environment

a flyer for an upcoming talk entitled Ira Wallace: seed sovereignty and alternatives for land access: everyday acts of resistance

From authoring books to founding an organic farm, Ira Wallace's work has grown support for local plant varieties, and BIPOC participation in seed saving and farming.

FRIDAY: Join us for a conversation with Ira Wallace!
Silver Pavilion 12-2 pm. go.uvm.edu/q70ak

RSVP: forms.office.com/r/D3FSpGZg2f

A flyer for an upcoming Gund Exchange event featuring Pablo Bose. The event is titled displacement and refugees conflict development environment and the challenge of recognition

When people are displaced by conflict or persecution, international laws offer protection. But what about those who leave for reasons like climate change?

FRIDAY: UVM's Pablo Bose discusses human migration driven by causes from natural disasters to development.

🍕12-1, Farrell Hall go.uvm.edu/zupqf

@food-systems-uvm.bsky.social @uvmvermont.bsky.social @taylorhricketts.bsky.social

The Sensory Sandwich | Food Systems Research Institute | The University of Vermont

Environmentally friendly mungs bean are a potential Vermont crop, and UVM researchers are asking community members which ones they like.

It's a way for their work to "resonate with community members that aren't in an academic research setting," says Grad Fellow Alexis Yamashita: go.uvm.edu/41fyo

Events | The University of Vermont The Gund Institute for Environment hosts speakers and other events throughout the spring and fall semesters. We welcome you to join us.

Humans can see less than 1% of visible light. X-ray vision can help reveal the other >99% - like where environmental contaminants end up.

FRIDAY: Gund Affiliate Nico Perdrial discusses using x-ray technology to meet environmental challenges.

🍕12-1, Farrell Hall go.uvm.edu/zupqf

Gund Institute Welcomes 16 New Community Members in Spring 2026 | Gund Institute for Environment | The University of Vermont

As the spring 2026 semester gets underway at @uvmvermont.bsky.social, we're excited to welcome 16 new members to the Gund community!

Joining us from across UVM, they will contribute to our work to solve the world's most pressing environmental challenges.

Meet our newest members: go.uvm.edu/cleq9

Video game reveals people value feeding their neighbors—even at a cost to themselves | Gund Institute for Environment | The University of Vermont

When UVM researchers created a video game that places players as orchard operators, players could either sell apples at low prices or seek bigger profits-making their harvest too expensive for many locals.

With real cash at stake, most chose to feed their virtual neighbors.

More: go.uvm.edu/4ebk1

A pine tree covered in snow

As the University of Vermont takes its winter break, 12/24/25-1/1/25, we’re also taking a break from social media. We will see you in 2026!

Canadian Wildfire Smoke Worsened Pediatric Asthma in U.S. Northeast: UVM Study | Gund Institute for Environment | The University of Vermont

A new study from @uvmvermont.bsky.social finds wildfire smoke in summer 2023 didn’t just make the air hazy in Vt. — it worsened asthma in local kids. This is the 1st paper to document these impacts in the Northeast, where wildfire smoke is becoming more common as the climate warms. go.uvm.edu/sfrex

@taylorhricketts.bsky.social @uvmvermont.bsky.social

Pesticides and habitat loss additively reduce wild bees in crop fields - Nature Ecology & Evolution The authors synthesize bee assemblage data from 681 crop fields across three continents, finding that local pesticide hazards and decreasing adjacent semi-natural habitats both negatively affected wil...

Wild bees keep many crops and other plants growing, but face great conservation challenges. What can aid their survival?

Research on nearly 700 crop fields on 3 continents found pesticide reduction AND habitat restoration are BOTH crucial.

Read it in @natureportfolio.nature.com: go.uvm.edu/fowia

Gund Ph.D. Research Fellowships | The University of Vermont The Gund Institute for Environment supports outstanding Ph.D. applicants interested in conducting interdisciplinary research on major global environmental challenges.

The Gund Institute is seeking outstanding Ph.D. applicants interested in conducting #interdisciplinary research on major global #environmental challenges.

Students receive attractive funding packages, world-class faculty mentors and real-world experience.

Apply by Jan. 6: go.uvm.edu/bchwn

Attention energy and climate change scholars! Has your research engaged academic and non-academic colleagues? Incorporated science, policy and renewable energy?

Open @uvmvermont.bsky.social: Endowed Professorship focused on interdisciplinary research on renewable energy systems: go.uvm.edu/i5thz

A huge shoutout to @vtecostudies.bsky.social for their leadership here. And proud our very own @taylorhricketts.bsky.social was involved.

Nine New-to-Vermont Bee Species Discovered | Gund Institute for Environment | The University of Vermont

🐝 Cool Vermont nature news! 🐝

Scientists have identified nine bee species that have never been recorded in Vermont before. That brings the state’s total to 352 wild bee species — more than anywhere else in northern New England.

More: www.uvm.edu/gund/news/ni...

Events | The University of Vermont The Gund Institute for Environment hosts speakers and other events throughout the spring and fall semesters. We welcome you to join us.

As climate change and other environmental crises mount, what approaches to sustainability can provide effective solutions?

FRIDAY: Dror Etzion of the Grossman School of Business will discuss the management idea of robust action as an approach to sustainability.

🍕12-1, Farrell Hall go.uvm.edu/zupqf

@lisa-mandle.bsky.social @microsoft.com @natcapproject.bsky.social

Scientists Can Help Companies Meet EU Biodiversity Law | Gund Institute for Environment | The University of Vermont

An EU mandate requires companies to report their impact on biodiversity-but how? In a new publication, @taylorhricketts.bsky.social & coauthors urge companies to partner with scientists, who know how to use EO and AI to collect and analyze the data companies need. Read more: go.uvm.edu/0xq7k

Events | The University of Vermont The Gund Institute for Environment hosts speakers and other events throughout the spring and fall semesters. We welcome you to join us.

Some climate change effects are obvious, like mountaintop glaciers turned to boulder fields. But what about human impacts?

FRIDAY: @dartmouthgeography.bsky.social's @jsmankin.bsky.social discusses research seeking equitable ways to prepare for a warming world.

🍕12-1, Farrell Hall go.uvm.edu/zupqf

Events | The University of Vermont The Gund Institute for Environment hosts speakers and other events throughout the spring and fall semesters. We welcome you to join us.

How can people with western science, Indigenous, and experiential perspectives co-create knowledge to inform agroecological work?

FRIDAY: Ernesto Méndez of @agroecology-uvm.bsky.social discusses what helps, and hinders, agroecological knowledge co-creation.

🍕12-1, Farrell Hall go.uvm.edu/zupqf

A Lab-Grown Salmon Taste Test And More Foodie Innovations Cell-cultured salmon is showing up on menus. How does it compare to the real thing? Plus, food innovations from cultivated meat to mung beans.

Feeding an ever-increasing human population on a planet with finite resources will require innovative ways to grow and create food. Grad Fellow Alexis Yamashita and Affiliate Rachel Floreani share the approaches they're creating in this episode of @scifri.bsky.social: go.uvm.edu/jlcmy

Many "green" climate change solutions require constant extraction of material from the Global South. How can countries create their own sovereign pathways in the face of such demands?

Grad Fellow Matías Vaccarezza Sevilla envisions a future for Chile beyond resource extraction: go.uvm.edu/86xpb

Gund PhD Research Fellowships | The University of Vermont The Gund Institute for Environment supports outstanding PhD applicants interested in conducting interdisciplinary research on major global environmental challenges.

Looking for an interdisciplinary PhD experience? One that seeks real-world solutions to global environmental challenges?

Apply now for a Gund PhD Fellowship at @uvmvermont.bsky.social with up to four years of funding.

🚨DETAILS: go.uvm.edu/phds

#uvm

Events | The University of Vermont The Gund Institute for Environment hosts speakers and other events throughout the spring and fall semesters. We welcome you to join us.

The networks that comprise ecosystems and the built environment might not seem comparable, but nature may have lots to teach about sustainable systems.

FRIDAY: Kathryn Hinkelman discusses how studying ecological networks can inspire energy efficiency solutions.

🍕12-1, Farrell Hall go.uvm.edu/zupqf

Gund PhD Research Fellowships | The University of Vermont The Gund Institute for Environment supports outstanding PhD applicants interested in conducting interdisciplinary research on major global environmental challenges.

Looking for an interdisciplinary PhD experience? One that seeks real-world solutions to global environmental challenges?

Apply now for a Gund PhD Fellowship at @uvmvermont.bsky.social with up to four years of funding.

🚨DETAILS: go.uvm.edu/phds

#uvm

Moth Communities Reveal High Stability Despite Ongoing Compositional Shifts Over Five Years Following Hurricane Disturbance We examined the temporal dynamics and ecological stability of tropical forest moth communities using a unique dataset spanning 6 months before and up to 5 years after two extreme hurricanes. While ab...

"How do extreme disturbances reshape tropical insect communities? As climate change drives ever-stronger storms, it's an important ecological question.

Grad fellow @auraalonsorodz.bsky.social & coauthors track moth communities for 5 yrs after back-to-back hurricanes in Puerto Rico: go.uvm.edu/ztrjy

Events | The University of Vermont The Gund Institute for Environment hosts speakers and other events throughout the spring and fall semesters. We welcome you to join us.

Trees cool city streets and improve air quality. These benefits may not yield a tangible connection between humans and the environment-but what will?

FRIDAY: Artist Andrea Conte & researcher Laura Passatore discuss how art can bring people closer to nature.

12-1, FLEMING MUSEUM: go.uvm.edu/k6s1l

FRIDAY! Join @scifri.bsky.social in Burlington for a live stage version of the beloved radio show Science Friday, hosted by Flora Lichtman! This is your chance to peek behind the curtain and be part of a special live recording, featuring Grad Fellows Sarra Talib & Alexis Yamashita!

go.uvm.edu/id9w3

Note: deleted and reposted to correct date!

The climate's changing. What won't change: we need food. What crops can Vermonters grow in a warming world? How can we create a more sustainable food system?

Oct. 17: @scifri.bsky.social's in Burlington to explore food's future, with grad fellows Sarra Talib & Alexis Yamashita! go.uvm.edu/42ob0