phd topics for environmental science

Research Topics & Ideas: Environment

100+ Environmental Science Research Topics & Ideas

Finding and choosing a strong research topic is the critical first step when it comes to crafting a high-quality dissertation, thesis or research project. Here, we’ll explore a variety research ideas and topic thought-starters related to various environmental science disciplines, including ecology, oceanography, hydrology, geology, soil science, environmental chemistry, environmental economics, and environmental ethics.

NB – This is just the start…

The topic ideation and evaluation process has multiple steps . In this post, we’ll kickstart the process by sharing some research topic ideas within the environmental sciences. This is the starting point though. To develop a well-defined research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , along with a well-justified plan of action to fill that gap.

If you’re new to the oftentimes perplexing world of research, or if this is your first time undertaking a formal academic research project, be sure to check out our free dissertation mini-course. Also be sure to also sign up for our free webinar that explores how to develop a high-quality research topic from scratch.

Overview: Environmental Topics

• Ecology /ecological science
• Atmospheric science
• Oceanography
• Soil science
• Environmental chemistry
• Environmental economics
• Environmental ethics
• Examples  of dissertations and theses

Topics & Ideas: Ecological Science

• The impact of land-use change on species diversity and ecosystem functioning in agricultural landscapes
• The role of disturbances such as fire and drought in shaping arid ecosystems
• The impact of climate change on the distribution of migratory marine species
• Investigating the role of mutualistic plant-insect relationships in maintaining ecosystem stability
• The effects of invasive plant species on ecosystem structure and function
• The impact of habitat fragmentation caused by road construction on species diversity and population dynamics in the tropics
• The role of ecosystem services in urban areas and their economic value to a developing nation
• The effectiveness of different grassland restoration techniques in degraded ecosystems
• The impact of land-use change through agriculture and urbanisation on soil microbial communities in a temperate environment
• The role of microbial diversity in ecosystem health and nutrient cycling in an African savannah

Topics & Ideas: Atmospheric Science

• The impact of climate change on atmospheric circulation patterns above tropical rainforests
• The role of atmospheric aerosols in cloud formation and precipitation above cities with high pollution levels
• The impact of agricultural land-use change on global atmospheric composition
• Investigating the role of atmospheric convection in severe weather events in the tropics
• The impact of urbanisation on regional and global atmospheric ozone levels
• The impact of sea surface temperature on atmospheric circulation and tropical cyclones
• The impact of solar flares on the Earth’s atmospheric composition
• The impact of climate change on atmospheric turbulence and air transportation safety
• The impact of stratospheric ozone depletion on atmospheric circulation and climate change
• The role of atmospheric rivers in global water supply and sea-ice formation

Topics & Ideas: Oceanography

• The impact of ocean acidification on kelp forests and biogeochemical cycles
• The role of ocean currents in distributing heat and regulating desert rain
• The impact of carbon monoxide pollution on ocean chemistry and biogeochemical cycles
• Investigating the role of ocean mixing in regulating coastal climates
• The impact of sea level rise on the resource availability of low-income coastal communities
• The impact of ocean warming on the distribution and migration patterns of marine mammals
• The impact of ocean deoxygenation on biogeochemical cycles in the arctic
• The role of ocean-atmosphere interactions in regulating rainfall in arid regions
• The impact of ocean eddies on global ocean circulation and plankton distribution
• The role of ocean-ice interactions in regulating the Earth’s climate and sea level

Tops & Ideas: Hydrology

• The impact of agricultural land-use change on water resources and hydrologic cycles in temperate regions
• The impact of agricultural groundwater availability on irrigation practices in the global south
• The impact of rising sea-surface temperatures on global precipitation patterns and water availability
• Investigating the role of wetlands in regulating water resources for riparian forests
• The impact of tropical ranches on river and stream ecosystems and water quality
• The impact of urbanisation on regional and local hydrologic cycles and water resources for agriculture
• The role of snow cover and mountain hydrology in regulating regional agricultural water resources
• The impact of drought on food security in arid and semi-arid regions
• The role of groundwater recharge in sustaining water resources in arid and semi-arid environments
• The impact of sea level rise on coastal hydrology and the quality of water resources

Topics & Ideas: Geology

• The impact of tectonic activity on the East African rift valley
• The role of mineral deposits in shaping ancient human societies
• The impact of sea-level rise on coastal geomorphology and shoreline evolution
• Investigating the role of erosion in shaping the landscape and impacting desertification
• The impact of mining on soil stability and landslide potential
• The impact of volcanic activity on incoming solar radiation and climate
• The role of geothermal energy in decarbonising the energy mix of megacities
• The impact of Earth’s magnetic field on geological processes and solar wind
• The impact of plate tectonics on the evolution of mammals
• The role of the distribution of mineral resources in shaping human societies and economies, with emphasis on sustainability

Topics & Ideas: Soil Science

• The impact of dam building on soil quality and fertility
• The role of soil organic matter in regulating nutrient cycles in agricultural land
• The impact of climate change on soil erosion and soil organic carbon storage in peatlands
• Investigating the role of above-below-ground interactions in nutrient cycling and soil health
• The impact of deforestation on soil degradation and soil fertility
• The role of soil texture and structure in regulating water and nutrient availability in boreal forests
• The impact of sustainable land management practices on soil health and soil organic matter
• The impact of wetland modification on soil structure and function
• The role of soil-atmosphere exchange and carbon sequestration in regulating regional and global climate
• The impact of salinization on soil health and crop productivity in coastal communities

Topics & Ideas: Environmental Chemistry

• The impact of cobalt mining on water quality and the fate of contaminants in the environment
• The role of atmospheric chemistry in shaping air quality and climate change
• The impact of soil chemistry on nutrient availability and plant growth in wheat monoculture
• Investigating the fate and transport of heavy metal contaminants in the environment
• The impact of climate change on biochemical cycling in tropical rainforests
• The impact of various types of land-use change on biochemical cycling
• The role of soil microbes in mediating contaminant degradation in the environment
• The impact of chemical and oil spills on freshwater and soil chemistry
• The role of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in shaping water and soil chemistry
• The impact of over-irrigation on the cycling and fate of persistent organic pollutants in the environment

Topics & Ideas: Environmental Economics

• The impact of climate change on the economies of developing nations
• The role of market-based mechanisms in promoting sustainable use of forest resources
• The impact of environmental regulations on economic growth and competitiveness
• Investigating the economic benefits and costs of ecosystem services for African countries
• The impact of renewable energy policies on regional and global energy markets
• The role of water markets in promoting sustainable water use in southern Africa
• The impact of land-use change in rural areas on regional and global economies
• The impact of environmental disasters on local and national economies
• The role of green technologies and innovation in shaping the zero-carbon transition and the knock-on effects for local economies
• The impact of environmental and natural resource policies on income distribution and poverty of rural communities

Topics & Ideas: Environmental Ethics

• The ethical foundations of environmentalism and the environmental movement regarding renewable energy
• The role of values and ethics in shaping environmental policy and decision-making in the mining industry
• The impact of cultural and religious beliefs on environmental attitudes and behaviours in first world countries
• Investigating the ethics of biodiversity conservation and the protection of endangered species in palm oil plantations
• The ethical implications of sea-level rise for future generations and vulnerable coastal populations
• The role of ethical considerations in shaping sustainable use of natural forest resources
• The impact of environmental justice on marginalized communities and environmental policies in Asia
• The ethical implications of environmental risks and decision-making under uncertainty
• The role of ethics in shaping the transition to a low-carbon, sustainable future for the construction industry
• The impact of environmental values on consumer behaviour and the marketplace: a case study of the ‘bring your own shopping bag’ policy

Examples: Real Dissertation & Thesis Topics

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a research topic, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses to see how this all comes together.

Below, we’ve included a selection of research projects from various environmental science-related degree programs to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

• The physiology of microorganisms in enhanced biological phosphorous removal (Saunders, 2014)
• The influence of the coastal front on heavy rainfall events along the east coast (Henson, 2019)
• Forage production and diversification for climate-smart tropical and temperate silvopastures (Dibala, 2019)
• Advancing spectral induced polarization for near surface geophysical characterization (Wang, 2021)
• Assessment of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter and Thamnocephalus platyurus as Tools to Monitor Cyanobacterial Bloom Development and Toxicity (Hipsher, 2019)
• Evaluating the Removal of Microcystin Variants with Powdered Activated Carbon (Juang, 2020)
• The effect of hydrological restoration on nutrient concentrations, macroinvertebrate communities, and amphibian populations in Lake Erie coastal wetlands (Berg, 2019)
• Utilizing hydrologic soil grouping to estimate corn nitrogen rate recommendations (Bean, 2019)
• Fungal Function in House Dust and Dust from the International Space Station (Bope, 2021)
• Assessing Vulnerability and the Potential for Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in Sudan’s Blue Nile Basin (Mohamed, 2022)
• A Microbial Water Quality Analysis of the Recreational Zones in the Los Angeles River of Elysian Valley, CA (Nguyen, 2019)
• Dry Season Water Quality Study on Three Recreational Sites in the San Gabriel Mountains (Vallejo, 2019)
• Wastewater Treatment Plan for Unix Packaging Adjustment of the Potential Hydrogen (PH) Evaluation of Enzymatic Activity After the Addition of Cycle Disgestase Enzyme (Miessi, 2020)
• Laying the Genetic Foundation for the Conservation of Longhorn Fairy Shrimp (Kyle, 2021).

Looking at these titles, you can probably pick up that the research topics here are quite specific and narrowly-focused , compared to the generic ones presented earlier. To create a top-notch research topic, you will need to be precise and target a specific context with specific variables of interest . In other words, you’ll need to identify a clear, well-justified research gap.

Need more help?

If you’re still feeling a bit unsure about how to find a research topic for your environmental science dissertation or research project, be sure to check out our private coaching services below, as well as our Research Topic Kickstarter .

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12 Comments

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Researched PhD topics on environmental chemistry involving dust and water

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Thank so much for the research topics. It really helped

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Research topics on environmental geology

Thanks for the research topics….I need a research topic on Geography

hi I need research questions ideas

Implications of climate variability on wildlife conservation on the west coast of Cameroon

I want the research on environmental planning and management

I want a topic on environmental sustainability

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University of California, Santa Barbara

Become a leader in solving environmental problems through interdisciplinary research

Phd in environmental science and management.

Bren’s PhD in Environmental Science and Management is a doctoral program designed to develop the broad knowledge, analytical powers, technical skills, and innovative thinking required to be a leader in your field.

As a Bren doctoral student you have the opportunity to engage in research that crosses disciplines, and to take courses at the Bren School or in other renowned UCSB departments, such as geography, ecology, earth science, economics, political science, and marine biology. Choose from a research track in either Natural Sciences or Engineering, or in Social Sciences.

As a student in the Bren PhD program, you'll benefit from the school’s superb facilities, smaller size, close faculty mentorship, academic excellence, and opportunities to work across disciplines.

The Bren PhD program is mentorship-based; you will work closely with at least one Bren professor in their area of expertise. Your sponsor serves as your student advisor and the chair of your PhD committee. This faculty sponsor is also responsible for providing intellectual support and academic and career advice, as well as assisting you to obtain financial support from Graduate Student Researcher positions, Teaching Assistant positions, fellowships, and other areas of support.

The PhD program is intended to be full-time and courses are offered at the UC Santa Barbara campus. Currently, the Bren School does not offer any online degree options. 

Your future as a leader in solving environmental problems begins with being prepared for admission to the PhD in Environmental Science and Management at the Bren School. The admissions team is here to answer your questions about eligibility, the application process, research, faculty sponsorship, and how to choose your path in a PhD program in environmental science and management.

The Bren PhD program academic requirements are highly individualized for your mentorship-based experience. The PhD in Environmental Science and Management is a research degree awarded upon demonstration of academic excellence and performance of original research. There is no specific unit requirement, though there are required interdisciplinary seminar courses that enrich your experience and help you complete research with integrity. For students also completing an optional PhD emphasis or certificate, additional requirements and coursework may apply.

PhD Emphases & Certificates

Enhance your PhD experience by adding an optional PhD emphasis and/or certificate. Students have several opportunities for: 

Climate Science and Climate Change

Develop a broader understanding of the physical principles governing climate on Earth, climate changes associated with natural variability and anthropogenic forcings, and the impacts of climate change on the environment and society.

Economics and Environmental Science

Acquire a deep and expert knowledge of economics and the complex connections between the environment and economics.

Environment and Society

Receive additional training and mentorship in interdisciplinary studies such as global political economics, social justice, environmental politics, and population ecology.

Information Technology and Society

Explore further themes of the societal implications of information technology, including studies in media, science education and instruction, and data visualization.

Management Practice

Gain an in-depth understanding of entrepreneurial, business, and management practices in global technology-based companies.

PhD Research

The work of Bren PhD students is a balance of research and application to both understand and solve complex environmental problems. In pursuit of their passion in environmental science and management, Bren doctoral students are taking on environmental challenges in a range of topics, including climate change impacts, aquaculture and sustainable fisheries, wildlife conservation, coral reef resilience, fate and transport modeling, life cycle assessment, environmental politics, nanomaterials and micropollution, renewable energy resources, deforestation, and so much more. 

Gain inspiration for your research topic from Bren's current PhD research projects and archive of dissertation titles. 

Career Development

Whether you’re looking to apply your PhD to an academic or non-academic career path, we’re here to connect you to the advising, resources, and contacts you need to learn relevant job search skills and put your expertise to practice via real-world impacts. In addition to individualized, field-specific career guidance from your faculty advisor(s), as a Bren doctoral student, you’ll have access to supplemental career support from our highly celebrated Career Development team as well as the dedicated career and professional development staff at UCSB’s Graduate Student Resource Center . 

Bren PhD alumni have gone on to successful positions as scientists, faculty members, researchers, managers, fellows, technical officers, and more within a variety of settings, including universities, corporations, think tanks, research institutes, consulting firms, and government agencies across the U.S. and globe. 

Alumni Network Access and 24/7 Career Resources

From your first day at Bren, you’ll have access to BrenConnect, Bren’s unique career resources and alumni networking platform, where you can peruse fresh job listings, find and connect with Bren alumni, and access Bren-specific career guidance articles. Want to talk to a Bren grad who works at your dream organization? More than 75% of alumni are BrenConnect users.

Career Programming and 1-on-1 Guidance for Your Unique Career Journey

During your time at Bren, you’ll enjoy open access to the 40+ career workshops, speakers, and events hosted by the Career Development Team for Bren master’s students each year, allowing you to pick what and when to attend based on your needs and graduation timeline. To provide further guidance to doctoral students, the Career Development Team also hosts 1-2 PhD-specific workshops each year and partners with UCSB’s Graduate Student Resource Center (GSRC), which provides a full suite of additional workshops. These sessions cover academic and non-academic career topics, from how to write a teaching statement for faculty applications to how to leverage LinkedIn for a non-academic job search. In addition to individual guidance from your faculty advisor(s), both the Bren and GSRC career staff are available for one-on-one career advising on topics such as applying, interviewing, negotiating, and more.

This is a graduate school experience like no other where you'll have access to faculty mentors, potential employers, internship opportunities, and a professional network of alumni from day one. The Bren grad school experience has been designed to open doors for students to make a difference in the world. Our students often say they make friends and colleagues for life during their time at Bren.

PhD Symposium

PhD students at Bren organize and host an annual PhD Symposium in winter quarter, an event where PhD students give flash talks and present their research via a poster session to the campus community and general public. Students will also find opportunities to volunteer as part of the annual symposium committee.

PhD Retreat

Each year, Bren PhD students, faculty, and staff organize a retreat to welcome new students to the PhD program. The location of the retreat varies year to year and has been held in inspiring locations in nature, such as Yosemite and the California coast.

Are you ready to solve environmental problems?

Request more information, get to know the Bren School, and start planning your application today.

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50 Best Environmental Science Research Topics

May 31, 2023

Environmental science is a varied discipline that encompasses a variety of subjects, including ecology, atmospheric science, and geology among others. Professionals within this field can pursue many occupations from lab technicians and agricultural engineers to park rangers and environmental lawyers. However, what unites these careers is their focus on how the natural world and the human world interact and impact the surrounding environment. There is also one other significant commonality among environmental science careers: virtually all of them either engage in or rely on research on environmental science topics to ensure their work is accurate and up to date.

In this post, we’ll outline some of the best environmental science research topics to help you explore disciplines within environmental science and kickstart your own research. If you are considering majoring in environmental science or perhaps just need help brainstorming for a research paper, this post will give you a broad sense of timely environmental science research topics.

What makes a research topic good?

Before we dive into specific environmental science research topics, let’s first cover the basics: what qualities make for a viable research topic. Research is the process of collecting information to make discoveries and reach new conclusions. We often think of research as something that occurs in academic or scientific settings. However, everyone engages in informal research in everyday life, from reading product reviews to investigating statistics for admitted students at prospective colleges . While we all conduct research in our day-to-day lives, formal academic research is necessary to advance discoveries and scholarly discourses. Therefore, in this setting, good research hinges on a topic in which there are unanswered questions or ongoing debates. In other words, meaningful research focuses on topics where you can say something new.

However, identifying an interesting research topic is only the first step in the research process. Research topics tend to be broad in scope. Strong research is dependent on developing a specific research question, meaning the query your project will seek to answer. While there are no comprehensive guidelines for research questions, most scholars agree that research questions should be:

1) Specific

Research questions need to clearly identify and define the focus of your research. Without sufficient detail, your research will likely be too broad or imprecise in focus to yield meaningful insights. For example, you might initially be interested in addressing this question: How should governments address the effects of climate change? While that is a worthwhile question to investigate, it’s not clear enough to facilitate meaningful research. What level of government is this question referring to? And what specific effects of global warming will this research focus on? You would need to revise this question to provide a clearer focus for your research. A revised version of this question might look like this: How can state government officials in Florida best mitigate the effects of sea-level rise?

 2) Narrow

Our interest in a given topic often starts quite broad. However, it is difficult to produce meaningful, thorough research on a broad topic. For that reason, it is important that research questions be narrow in scope, focusing on a specific issue or subtopic. For example, one of the more timely environmental science topics is renewable energy. A student who is just learning about this topic might wish to write a research paper on the following question: Which form of renewable energy is best? However, that would be a difficult question to answer in one paper given the various ways in which an energy source could be “best.” Instead, this student might narrow their focus, assessing renewable energy sources through a more specific lens: Which form of renewable energy is best for job creation?

 3) Complex

As we previously discussed, good research leads to new discoveries. These lines of inquiry typically require a complicated and open-ended research question. A question that can be answered with just a “yes” or “no” (or a quick Google search) is likely indicative of a topic in which additional research is unnecessary (i.e. there is no ongoing debate) or a topic that is not well defined. For example, the following question would likely be too simple for academic research: What is environmental justice? You can look up a definition of environmental justice online. You would need to ask a more complex question to sustain a meaningful research project. Instead, you might conduct research on the following query: Which environmental issue(s) disproportionately impact impoverished communities in the Pacific Northwest? This question is narrower and more specific, while also requiring more complex thought and analysis to answer.

4) Debatable

Again, strong research provides new answers and information, which means that they must be situated within topics or discourses where there is ongoing debate. If a research question can only lead to one natural conclusion, that may indicate that it has already been sufficiently addressed in prior research or that the question is leading. For example, Are invasive species bad? is not a very debatable question (the answer is in the term “invasive species”!). A paper that focused on this question would essentially define and provide examples of invasive species (i.e. information that is already well documented). Instead, a researcher might investigate the effects of a specific invasive species. For example: How have Burmese pythons impacted ecosystems in the Everglades, and what mitigation strategies are most effective to reduce Burmese python populations?

Therefore, research topics, including environmental science topics, are those about which there are ample questions yet to be definitively answered. Taking time to develop a thoughtful research question will provide the necessary focus and structure to facilitate meaningful research.

10 Great Environmental Science Research Topics (With Explanations!)

Now that we have a basic understanding of what qualities can make or break a research topic, we can return to our focus on environmental science topics. Although “great” research topics are somewhat subjective, we believe the following topics provide excellent foundations for research due to ongoing debates in these areas, as well as the urgency of the challenges they seek to address.

1) Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation

Although climate change is now a well-known concept , there is still much to be learned about how humans can best mitigate and adapt to its effects. Mitigation involves reducing the severity of climate change. However, there are a variety of ways mitigation can occur, from switching to electric vehicles to enforcing carbon taxes on corporations that produce the highest carbon emission levels. Many of these environmental science topics intersect with issues of public policy and economics, making them very nuanced and versatile.

In comparison, climate change adaptation considers how humans can adjust to life in an evolving climate where issues such as food insecurity, floods, droughts, and other severe weather events are more frequent. Research on climate change adaptation is particularly fascinating due to the various levels at which it occurs, from federal down to local governments, to help communities anticipate and adjust to the effects of climate change.

Both climate change mitigation and adaptation represent excellent environmental science research topics as there is still much to be learned to address this issue and its varied effects.

2) Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is another fairly mainstream topic in which there is much to learn and research. Although scientists have identified many forms of sustainable energy, such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric power, questions remain about how to best implement these energy sources. How can politicians, world leaders, and communities advance renewable energy through public policy? What impact will renewable energy have on local and national economies? And how can we minimize the environmental impact of renewable energy technologies? While we have identified alternatives to fossil fuels, questions persist about the best way to utilize these technologies, making renewable energy one of the best environmental science topics to research.

3) Conservation

Conservation is a broad topic within environmental science, focusing on issues such as preserving environments and protecting endangered species. However, conservation efforts are more challenging than ever in the face of a growing world population and climate change. In fact, some scientists theorize that we are currently in the middle of a sixth mass extinction event. While these issues might seem dire, we need scientists to conduct research on conservation efforts for specific species, as well as entire ecosystems, to help combat these challenges and preserve the planet’s biodiversity.

4) Deforestation

The Save the Rainforest movement of the 1980s and 90s introduced many people to the issue of deforestation. Today, the problems associated with deforestation, such as reduced biodiversity and soil erosion, are fairly common knowledge. However, these challenges persist due, in part, to construction and agricultural development projects. While we know the effects of deforestation, it is more difficult to identify and implement feasible solutions. This is particularly true in developing countries where deforestation is often more prevalent due to political, environmental, and economic factors. Environmental science research can help reduce deforestation by identifying strategies to help countries sustainably manage their natural resources.

Environmental Science Topics (Continued)

5) urban ecology.

When we think of “the environment,” our brains often conjure up images of majestic mountain ranges and lush green forests. However, less “natural” environments also warrant study: this is where urban ecology comes in. Urban ecology is the study of how organisms interact with one another and their environment in urban settings. Through urban ecology, researchers can address topics such as how greenspaces in cities can reduce air pollution, or how local governments can adopt more effective waste management practices. As one of the newer environmental science topics, urban ecology represents an exciting research area that can help humans live more sustainably.

6) Environmental Justice

While environmental issues such as climate change impact people on a global scale, not all communities are affected equally. For example, wealthy nations tend to contribute more to greenhouse-gas emissions. However, less developed nations are disproportionately bearing the brunt of climate change . Studies within the field of environmental justice seek to understand how issues such as race, national origin, and income impact the degree to which people experience hardships from environmental issues. Researchers in this field not only document these inequities, but also identify ways in which environmental justice can be achieved. As a result, their work helps communities have access to clean, safe environments in which they can thrive.

7) Water Management

Water is, of course, necessary for life, which is why water management is so important within environmental science research topics. Water management research ensures that water resources are appropriately identified and maintained to meet demand. However, climate change has heightened the need for water management research, due to the occurrence of more severe droughts and wildfires. As a result, water management research is necessary to ensure water is clean and accessible.

8) Pollution and Bioremediation

Another impact of the increase in human population and development is heightened air, water, and soil pollution. Environmental scientists study pollutants to understand how they work and where they originate. Through their research, they can identify solutions to help address pollution, such as bioremediation, which is the use of microorganisms to consume and break down pollutants. Collectively, research on pollution and bioremediation helps us restore environments so they are sufficient for human, animal, and plant life.

9) Disease Ecology

While environmental science topics impact the health of humans, we don’t always think of this discipline as intersecting with medicine. But, believe it or not, they can sometimes overlap! Disease ecology examines how ecological processes and interactions impact disease evolution. For example, malaria is a disease that is highly dependent on ecological variables, such as temperature and precipitation. Both of these factors can help or hinder the breeding of mosquitoes and, therefore, the transmission of malaria. The risk of infectious diseases is likely to increase due to climate change , making disease ecology an important research topic.

10) Ecosystems Ecology

If nothing else, the aforementioned topics and their related debates showcase just how interconnected the world is. None of us live in a vacuum: our environment affects us just as we affect it. That makes ecosystems ecology, which examines how ecosystems operate and interact, an evergreen research topic within environmental science.

40 More Environmental Science Research Topics

Still haven’t stumbled upon the right environmental science research topic? The following ideas may help spark some inspiration:

• The effects of agricultural land use on biodiversity and ecosystems.
• The impact of invasive plant species on ecosystems.
• How wildfires and droughts shape ecosystems.
• The role of fire ecology in addressing wildfire threats.
• The impact of coral bleaching on biodiversity.
• Ways to minimize the environmental impact of clean energies.
• The effects of climate change on ocean currents and migration patterns of marine species.

Environmental Justice and Public Policy

• Opportunities to equalize the benefits of greenspaces for impoverished and marginalized communities.
• The impact of natural disasters on human migration patterns.
• The role of national parks and nature reserves in human health.
• How to address inequalities in the impact of air pollution.
• How to prevent and address the looming climate refugee crisis.
• Environmentally and economically sustainable alternatives to deforestation in less developed countries.
• Effects of environmental policies and regulations on impoverished communities.
• The role of pollutants in endocrine disruption.
• The effects of climate change on the emergence of infectious diseases.

AP Environmental Science Research Topics (Continued)

Soil science.

• Effects of climate change on soil erosion.
• The role of land management in maintaining soil health.
• Agricultural effects of salinization in coastal areas.
• The effects of climate change on agriculture.

Urban Ecology

• How road construction impacts biodiversity and ecosystems.
• The effects of urbanization and city planning on water cycles.
• Impacts of noise pollution on human health.
• The role of city planning in reducing light pollution.

Pollution and Bioremediation

• The role of bioremediation in removing “forever” chemicals from the environment.
• Impacts of air pollution on maternal health.
• How to improve plastic recycling processes.
• Individual measures to reduce consumption and creation of microplastics.
• Environmental impacts of and alternatives to fracking.

Environmental Law and Ethics

• Ethical implications of human intervention in the preservation of endangered species.
• The efficacy and impact of single-use plastic laws.
• Effects of religious and cultural values in environmental beliefs.
• The ethics of climate change policy for future generations.
• Ethical implications of international environmental regulations for less developed countries.
• The impact and efficacy of corporate carbon taxes.
• Ethical and environmental implications of fast fashion.
• The ethics and efficacy of green consumerism.
• Impacts of the hospitality and travel industries on pollution and emissions.
• The ethical implications of greenwashing in marketing.
• Effects of “Right to Repair” laws on pollution.

Final Thoughts: Environmental Science Research Topics

Environmental science is a diverse and very important area of study that impacts all aspects of life on Earth. If you’ve found a topic you’d like to pursue, it’s time to hit the books (or online databases)! Begin reading broadly on your chosen topic so you can define a specific research question. If you’re unsure where to begin, contact a research librarian who can connect you with pertinent resources. As you familiarize yourself with the discourse surrounding your topic, consider what questions spring to mind. Those questions may represent gaps around which you can craft a research question.

Interested in conducting academic research? Check out the following resources for information on research opportunities and programs:

• Research Opportunities for High School Students
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• College Success
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55 Remarkable Environmental Topics for Research Proposal

Explore the collection of great environmental research topics from field experts.

Environmental Research Topics: Features, Importance & Great Ideas

Environmental investigations entail investigating the natural world’s structure and function, the association between humans and the environment, and how people’s values, beliefs, and attitudes affect that association. Environmental research topics thus cover a wide range of subjects, including climate change, biodiversity, pollution, renewable energy, and sustainability.

How to Choose Environmental Topics for Research

Environmental investigations is a very broad field that offers a wide range of areas to investigate. So how can you choose a good one for your paper? First, always pick an issue from the area you are interested in. What is environmental science direction you’d like to develop? Working on your paper will be easier since you’ll be motivated to explore something you care about. From there, sort through your environmental topics for research to determine the following:

• Relevance – does the proposal theme address an environmental issue with significant societal implications, such as pollution or climate change?
• Originality –  does the investigation subject offer a new perspective on existing knowledge?
• Feasibility – are the environmental topics to research realistic and achievable based on the scope and your available resources?
• Scope – how broad is the matter of investigation? It shouldn’t be too broad or too narrow; it should be the right size to provide a comprehensive investigation.

When choosing environmental science research paper topics, avoid those that are too complex or require more resources and time than you can provide. Remember also to consider data availability, literature, funding, time, and ethical issues involved.

Environmental Topics for Research Paper Are Not Created Equal

Environmental science topics are created differently depending on your discipline, purpose, scope, and methodology. Thus, the approach used to formulate them differs as they will serve different purposes. For example, some are explanatory and will try to explain how something happens or works. Others will try to seek more knowledge about a subject(exploratory). Then, you might also encounter a few that compare and contrast two phenomena or situations.

When assessing investigation issues, carefully evaluate your goals and interests before committing to a specific one. Otherwise, you might get stuck. Luckily our research proposal writing services are always here to help you help to get out of even the most challenging situation!

The Most Actual Environmental Science Topics for an Excellent Proposal

Natural and human-made systems that shape our planet and affect its inhabitants are one of the most interesting areas to write a paper about. Check out these environmental topics for research paper to produce an engaging proposal.

1. Consequences of Climate Change Human Societies.

2. Challenges of Renewable Energy Technologies.

3. Recycling Initiatives and Their Implications on Reducing Pollution.

4. Challenges of Sustainable Management of Freshwater Resources.

5. The Impact of Low Air Quality on Human Health.

6. Effectiveness of Conservational Policies in Addressing Environmental Issues.

7. Impacts of Sustainable Transportation in Reducing Urban Ecological Footprint.

8. Effect of Marine Pollution on Marine Ecosystems.

9. Challenges Facing Sustainable Farming Practices.

10. Impacts of Electricity Generation on the Environment.

11. Ecological Hazards of Electronic Waste.

12. Tourism’s Negative Effect on Ecosystems.

Environmental science research topics are often flexible and can be broadened or narrowed down depending on the scope of your study.

Interesting Environmental Justice Topics

Environmental justice involves advocating for fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in implementing environmental laws and policies. Here’re exciting environmental justice topics for a good proposal.

1. Effect of Hazardous Waste Facilities on Minority Communities.

2. The Influence of Air Pollution Exposure on the Health of Marginalized Populations.

3. Effect of Unequal Distribution of Parks and Green Spaces in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods.

4. Relationship Between Indigenous Communities and Conservation Efforts.

5. Influence of Climate Change on Vulnerable Communities.

6. Differential Impacts of Natural Disasters on Marginalized Populations.

7. The Importance of Environmental Education in Empowering Disadvantaged Communities.

8. Barriers to Equitable Access to Healthy and Sustainable Food Options in Marginalized Communities.

9. Geographical Inequalities in Accessing Clean Water.

10. The Intersection Between Food Justice and Ecological Concerns.

11. The Link Between Exposure to Pollutants Hazards and Adverse Health Outcomes in Socially Disadvantaged Groups.

12. Barriers to Equitable Distribution of Resources and Assistance During Post-disaster Recovery in Marginalized Communities.

The above can provide great options for a research proposal about environmental problems and how they affect specific populations.

Insightful Environmental Economics Research Topics

Environmental economics research topics aim to understand the human activities impacting on the natural environment and human welfare. So if you are looking for decent quantitative research ideas , consider the following offered by our experienced investigator.

1. Effectiveness of Economic Incentives in Promoting the Adoption of Renewable Energy Sources.

2. Effect of Pollution Regulations on Automobile Manufacturing Industry Competitiveness.

3. Factors Promoting Economic Growth in Green Industries and Sustainable Sectors.

4. The Economic Influence of Urban Sprawl on Environmental Quality.

5. Economic Implications of Water Scarcity.

6. Economic Incentives for Conserving Biodiversity.

7. Economic Benefits of Investing in Renewable Energy Technologies.

8. The Economic Viability of Strategies to Reduce Plastic Pollution.

9. Effectiveness of Carbon Pricing Mechanisms in Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

10. Economic Consequences of Natural Disasters.

11. Economic Importance of Disaster Preparedness and Resilience.

12. Economic Benefits of Transitioning From a Linear to a Circular Economy Model Focused on Resource Efficiency and Waste Reduction.

13. Role of Green Finance & Sustainable Investments in Supporting Eco-Friendly Projects and Businesses.

14. Efficient Water Pricing Mechanisms to Encourage Conservation.

Captivating Environmental Biology Research Topics

Environmental biology research topics will often try to assess the interaction between living organisms and their natural or human-modified environments. Check out these interesting issues to investigate for your biology research proposal .

1. Ways in Which Climate Change Affects the Distribution and Habitat Suitability of Plants.

2. Relationship Between Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health.

3. Role of Keystone Species in Maintaining Ecosystem Processes.

4. Human Factors Contributing to the Decline of Endangered Species.

5. Ecological Effect of Invasive Species on Local Ecosystems.

6. Factors Contributing to Pollinator Decline.

7. Ecological Consequences for Plant-Pollinator Interactions and Food Security.

8. Ecological Effects of Microplastics in Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems.

9. Shifts in the Timing of Seasonal Events in Animals in Response to Climate Change.

10. Ways in Which Changes in Land Use Impact Biodiversity.

11. Ways in Which Deforestation Impacts Ecological Communities.

12. Effects of Agricultural Pollutants on Ecosystems.

13. Challenges of Ecotoxicological Risk Assessments.

14. Ways in Which Wildlife Populations Adapt to Urban Environments.

15. Effects of Conservation on Human-Wildlife Interactions.

16. The Impact of Rising Carbon Dioxide Levels on Coral Reef Ecosystems.

17. The Influence of Marine Tourism on Marine Biodiversity.

DOWNLOAD Here More Environmental Research Proposal Ideas!

Importance of choosing the right environmental research paper topics.

Choosing the proper investigation issue is crucial for the success and impact of your paper. Topics related to environment issues tend to be complicated and demand a thorough understanding of the natural and social dimensions of the problem. But with the right choice, the writing process is much easier and gives a better chance to produce a quality paper.

Poor environmental research paper topics will waste your time, resources and even cause frustration when investigators struggle to meet the word count. So, choose your subjects of investigation wisely or request expert help if you need extra support.

While the above topics for environmental research papers might prove useful, sometimes picking a subject of investigation and working on a proposal can be daunting. But you shouldn’t worry. We have a large team of experienced writers ready to work on your paper and final paper. You only need to send your instructions, and they’ll embark on the task.

We’re here to help with your proposal. So drop us a line anytime you may need professional assistance!

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We have 354 environmental science PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

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environmental science PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

Environmental noise and cardiometabolic health in uk populations, phd research project.

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

This research project has funding attached. It is only available to UK citizens or those who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. Some projects, which are funded by charities or by the universities themselves may have more stringent restrictions.

Terrestrial Robotic Solutions for High-Resolution Environmental Monitoring

Competition funded phd project (students worldwide).

This project is in competition for funding with other projects. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be successful. Unsuccessful projects may still go ahead as self-funded opportunities. Applications for the project are welcome from all suitably qualified candidates, but potential funding may be restricted to a limited set of nationalities. You should check the project and department details for more information.

PhD Studentship - Charring it up: Properties, potential and application of Biochar within the circular economy

Funded phd project (students worldwide).

This project has funding attached, subject to eligibility criteria. Applications for the project are welcome from all suitably qualified candidates, but its funding may be restricted to a limited set of nationalities. You should check the project and department details for more information.

PhD Fellow in Marine Ecology and Biogeochemistry

Phd studentship - environmental education for empowerment: a response to eco-anxiety among young people in ireland, critical geographies of disaster risk, climate change adaptation and development, self-funded phd students only.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

Geographies of youth, cities and precarious livelihoods

Political and/or feminist geographies of airspace technologies, intelligent earth - ukri ai centre for doctoral training (cdt) in ai for the environment, funded phd programme (uk students only).

Some or all of the PhD opportunities in this programme have funding attached. It is only available to UK citizens or those who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. Some projects, which are funded by charities or by the universities themselves may have more stringent restrictions.

4 Year PhD Programme

4 Year PhD Programmes are extended PhD opportunities that involve more training and preparation. You will usually complete taught courses in your first year (sometimes equivalent to a Masters in your subject) before choosing and proposing your research project. You will then research and submit your thesis in the normal way.

Investigating the impact of beaver on fish communities in Southern England

Investigating environmental redox chemistry of uranium and other key radionuclides using novel electrochemical techniques, building resilience to coastal flooding resulting from climatic changes: the application to decommissioning nda assets., epsrc centre for doctoral training in aerosol science, funded phd programme (european/uk students only).

Some or all of the PhD opportunities in this programme have funding attached. It is available to citizens of a number of European countries (including the UK). In most cases this will include all EU nationals. However full funding may not be available to all applicants and you should read the full programme details for further information.

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training

EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training conduct research and training in priority areas funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. Potential PhD topics are usually defined in advance. Students may receive additional training and development opportunities as part of their programme.

Environmental radiochemistry to support criticality safety of nuclear waste disposal: investigating the co-mobility of actinides and neutron poisons

Microbial induced corrosion and spent nuclear fuel: mechanisms and mitigations, competition funded phd project (uk students only).

This research project is one of a number of projects at this institution. It is in competition for funding with one or more of these projects. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be awarded the funding. The funding is only available to UK citizens or those who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. Some projects, which are funded by charities or by the universities themselves may have more stringent restrictions.

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Overview of the PhD Program

For specific information on the Environmental Science and Engineering PhD program, see the navigation links to the right. 

What follows on this page is an overview of all Ph.D. programs at the School; additional information and guidance can be found on the  Graduate Policies  pages. 

General Ph.D. Requirements

• 10 semester-long graduate courses, including at least 8 disciplinary.   At least 5 of the 10 should be graduate-level SEAS "technical" courses (or FAS graduate-level technical courses taught by SEAS faculty), not including seminar/reading/project courses.  Undergraduate-level courses cannot be used.  For details on course requirements, see the school's overall PhD course requirements  and the individual program pages linked therein.
• Program Plan (i.e., the set of courses to be used towards the degree) approval by the  Committee on Higher Degrees  (CHD).
• Minimum full-time academic residency of two years .
• Serve as a Teaching Fellow (TF) in one semester of the second year.
• Oral Qualifying Examination Preparation in the major field is evaluated in an oral examination by a qualifying committee. The examination has the dual purpose of verifying the adequacy of the student's preparation for undertaking research in a chosen field and of assessing the student's ability to synthesize knowledge already acquired. For details on arranging your Qualifying Exam, see the exam policies and the individual program pages linked therein.
• Committee Meetings : PhD students' research committees meet according to the guidelines in each area's "Committee Meetings" listing.  For details see the "G3+ Committee Meetings" section of the Policies of the CHD  and the individual program pages linked therein.
• Final Oral Examination (Defense) This public examination devoted to the field of the dissertation is conducted by the student's research committee. It includes, but is not restricted to, a defense of the dissertation itself.  For details of arranging your final oral exam see the  Ph.D. Timeline  page.
• Dissertation Upon successful completion of the qualifying examination, a committee chaired by the research supervisor is constituted to oversee the dissertation research. The dissertation must, in the judgment of the research committee, meet the standards of significant and original research.

Optional additions to the Ph.D. program

Harvard PhD students may choose to pursue these additional aspects:

• a Secondary Field (which is similar to a "minor" subject area).  SEAS offers PhD Secondary Field programs in  Data Science and in  Computational Science and Engineering .   GSAS  lists  secondary fields offered by other programs.
• a Master of Science (S.M.) degree conferred  en route to the Ph.D in one of several of SEAS's subject areas.  For details see here .
• a Teaching Certificate awarded by the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning .

SEAS PhD students may apply to participate in the  Health Sciences and Technology graduate program  with Harvard Medical School and MIT.  Please check with the HST program for details on eligibility (e.g., only students in their G1 year may apply) and the application process.

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Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Health .

Program overview.

The PhD program in Environmental Health at Boston University School of Public Health provides students with specialized training and research experience in environmental epidemiology, exposure science, spatial epidemiology/GIS, climate and health, risk assessment, and toxicology, with an emphasis on environmental justice and community-engaged work. The program prepares graduates for careers in advanced research, teaching, policy, and leadership, and has been designed to ensure that students receive the training, research experience, resources, and support necessary to be successful. The average time to degree completion is 4.6 years. 

Our program is one of a small number of academic units nationally that specializes in investigating exposure-related health outcomes in community settings. Faculty are engaged with policy makers, community organizations, and vulnerable populations, working across numerous countries and domestically at the national, state, and local levels. Our dedicated faculty are committed to providing trainees with research opportunities that are consistent with a student’s research interests and that draw from our department’s experience conducting rigorous, innovative, and socially engaged research. We are also committed to providing inclusive educational experiences for students from a range of backgrounds, and are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion both within our department and across the field of environmental health. Please see the website for our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee for more information on our ongoing activities. 

The Department of Environmental Health engages in a wide range of collaborative research. Major areas of interest include the health effects of air pollution and a changing climate, such as through the Center for Climate and Health  at BUSPH; complex mixtures of chemicals, such as chemicals contained in consumer products as well as contaminants of water, food, and soil; non-chemical hazards such as noise, heat, and social stressors; and combinations of chemical and non-chemical exposures that accumulate or interact to harm health. Vulnerable populations such as children, military veterans, and people living in poverty in the U.S. and internationally are of special interest to us.

Students are engaged in research projects with faculty throughout the program. To gain research experience and identify a dissertation topic, students complete research rotations with faculty. All PhD students also serve as teaching assistants at least once during their time in the program and are involved with departmental activities such as seminar planning, journal clubs, and an annual department retreat.

Program Elements

Our PhD students engage in full-time coursework for the first one to two years of the program, a minimum of 32 credits (with prior relevant master’s degree) or 64 credits (without prior relevant master’s degree), depending on level of preparation prior to admission. 

The EH PhD program requires coursework in environmental health, epidemiology and biostatistics. Coursework is organized as six required courses, additional courses in three different training areas, and electives.

Research Rotations

Our research rotation program allows students to become involved in research during their first year and is designed to assist students in the process of identifying a dissertation topic. Specifically, students participate in a research rotation during each of their first three semesters (fall, spring, summer). Students work with their advisor to select research rotations based on their interests, which provides opportunities to work with different faculty members and gain experience on different projects.

Teaching Opportunities

Our program is committed to providing doctoral students with opportunities to develop their teaching skills. Each year, our department offers teaching assistant opportunities associated with several different classes. Students are required to serve as a teaching assistant in at least one class during their time in the program, though most choose to do so more than once.

Seminar, Proseminar, Journal Club, Department Retreat

Our PhD students participate in a doctoral seminar (every week), a doctoral proseminar (monthly), a journal club (monthly) and an annual research retreat, all of which represent key elements of our program.

• The  Gijs van Seventer Environmental Health Seminar  provides trainees the opportunity to engage in an academic seminar addressing substantive topics in environmental health. 
• The Doctoral Proseminar (short for professional seminar) covers topics not typically addressed in traditional coursework but critical to professional development (e.g., grant writing, strategies for preparing a manuscript, strategies for managing data, etc.).
• The Journal Club allows students to gain experience reviewing and critiquing scientific journal articles, stay abreast of the literature in the field, and become more familiar with diverse topics across the field of environmental health.
• The annual EH Department Retreat is held each fall at an off-site location over 1-1½ days. The primary goals of the research retreat are to: enhance the cohesiveness of faculty and students while sharing ideas and developing new opportunities; provide trainees with an additional opportunity to discuss their research; allow trainees to hear about ongoing research projects both within and outside the department; and create an event that facilitates the social and professional transition of new trainees and new faculty members in the program. 

Qualifying Exam

After completing coursework, each trainee submits an application to the Doctoral Committee for approval to take qualifying exams. The application consists of a dissertation proposal in the form of a federal grant proposal and a copy of their unofficial transcript. The qualifying exam includes a written and an oral component.

Dissertation

Each student works closely with their advisor and dissertation committee while conducting their research and preparing their dissertation. The dissertation takes the form of 3 publishable papers, plus an abstract, introduction, and conclusion. Ultimately, students present their dissertation in a public forum that all individuals are welcome to attend.

We ensure that each of our admitted PhD students has all of the following:

• Full financial support, including stipend, tuition and fees, health insurance, a computer, and support for travel to scientific conferences;
• A faculty mentor with the experience and expertise necessary to train the student in their area of interest; and
• Research opportunities that are consistent with the student’s research interests that can serve as the basis for their dissertation.

A T32 training grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (PI: Claus Henn), in combination with traineeships through the BU Graduate Program in Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health (PIs: Levy, Templer, Hutyra), individual training awards, and individual research grants, provide the resources necessary to ensure that our PhD students receive full financial support for the duration of their program.

Review the PhD in Environmental Health Guidebook

Review the EH PhD Program Competencies

Upon completing the PhD in environmental health, students are able to:

• Communicate the basic characteristics of major chemical, physical and biological hazards and the properties that govern the hazards’ behavior in the environment;
• Explain the scientific characteristics (e.g., route of exposure, dose response, mode of action) of major chemical, physical, and biological hazards that result in human health risk;
• Explain and analyze genetic, physiologic, and social factors that affect the susceptibility to adverse health outcomes following exposure to environmental hazards;
• Critically evaluate and interpret the hypothesis, experimental design, methods and results presented in a paper from a technical journal article in an environmental health discipline (toxicology, epidemiology, exposure assessment, environmental policy);
• Identify data gaps and formulate testable hypotheses about critical questions in environmental health;
• Design and implement data collection strategies and rigorous evaluations to test hypotheses using novel or current techniques;
• Analyze and interpret environmental health data;
• Identify appropriate intervention strategies for specific environmental health problems;
• Prepare scientific manuscripts for publication in peer reviewed journals in the field of environmental health; and
• Communicate scientific results at national and/or international conferences in the field of environmental health.

Statement on Holistic Admissions

The admissions committee will be looking, as always, at the entire application in their evaluation including transcript, cumulative GPA, recommendations, personal statements, and research experience. GRE scores are not required and will not be considered by the admissions committee. We encourage applicants to include special circumstances as well as achievements that may not be apparent due to modified grading policies in their personal statements. This policy has been adopted to ensure that applicants are not differentially evaluated by admissions committees due to the varied impact of COVID-19 on individuals and/or due to the specific grading policies of their colleges/universities.

Profiles of Current Students

Recently defended.

Advisor: Wendy J. Heiger-Bernays, PhD

Beth's dissertation research focuses on the health risks associated with combined sewer overflow events and sociodemographic patterns of COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts. She is broadly interested in water resources, health, climate change, and ecosystem services.

Greylin Nielsen

Advisor: Jennifer J. Schlezinger, PhD

Greylin’s interests lie at the intersection of toxicology and policy. She is currently working in the lab to understand how chemical mixtures affect health endpoints in vitro and in vivo, and hopes to translate this information into policy-relevant recommendations.

Matt Raifman

Advisor: Patrick L. Kinney, ScD

Matt focuses o n quantifying the health impacts of active transportation and climate action. His work includes examining mortality implications of potential additional investment in walking and cycling infrastructure; disparities in traffic fatality rates per mile-traveled by race/ethnicity; and mortality and morbidity impacts from eliminating anthropogenic emissions originating from the City of Boston.

Fourth Years and Up

Pilar Botana Martinez

Advisor: M. Patricia Fabian, ScD

Pilar is interested in doing research at the intersection between indoor environmental health and climate change, with an equity lens. She prioritizes research goals that are actionable and benefit overburdened communities. Her current work quantifies indoor heat exposure in urban heat islands, explores the res ilience of buildings to overheating, and identifies barriers to an equitable energy transition in affordable housing. Before joining the program, Pilar worked in the fields of architecture and urban planning for 18 years.

Laura Buckley 

Advisor: Jonathan I. Levy, ScD

Laura is interested in analyzing how climate change mitigation efforts impact public health, with the goal of supporting policies that promote equitable and healthy communities. Specifically, her dissertation seeks to understand how different strategies to reduce transportation emissions in the Northeast impact existing pollution exposure inequities between populations. Laura is also a trainee in the Graduate Program in Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health (BU URBAN).

Stephanie Grady

Advisor: Junenette L. Peters, ScD

Stepha nie’s  research intere sts lie at the intersection of exposure assessment, spatial science, and place-based epidemiology. Her current work investigates the health effects of built environment exposures on aging populations.

Leila Heidari

Advisor: Madeleine L. Scammell, DSc

Leila applies an environmental justice and community engagement lens to her work on heat exposure and vulnerability. Using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches, she works with collaborators in the department and at GreenRoots, a grassroots environmental justice organization, on the Chelsea and East Boston Heat Study (C-HEAT). Her dissertation work includes the development, comparison, and contextualization of Heat Vulnerability Indices for Massachusetts and Boston, the evaluation of the C-HEAT Photovoice project through decision-maker interviews, and a mixed-methods characterization of individual-level experiences with heat. She is a trainee in the Graduate Program in Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health (BU URBAN).

Alina McIntyre

Advisors: Patrick L. Kinney, ScD and Madeleine L. Scammell, DSc

Alina’s research is part of the Chelsea and East Boston Heat Study (C-HEAT), a collaborative project between GreenRoots, Inc. and BUSPH. She is specifically involved in community-engaged heat and air pollution exposure research, drawing on environmental epidemiology, exposure assessment, and qualitative methods. Sean Mueller

Advisor: Kevin James Lane, PhD, MA

Jennifer Oliver

Advisor: Patricia A. Janulewicz Lloyd, DSc

Jennifer investigates the relationship between early life exposures to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and PFAS mixtures, and pulmonary health in children. She is interested in exposure assessment of persistent organic pollutants and the use of epidemiologic methods for evaluating underlying mechanisms of exposure-disease relationships.

Emily Pennoyer

Third Years

Quinn Adams

Advisor: Gregory Wellenius, ScD

Jocelyn Fimbres

Advisor: Jessica H. Leibler, DrPH, MS

Kathryn Rodgers

Second Years

Flannery Black-Ingersoll

Advisor: Amruta Nori-Sarma, PhD

Noelle Henderson

Advisor: Kimberly A. Sullivan, PhD

Emily Leonard

Advisor: Birgit G. Claus Henn, ScD

First Years

Jonathan Lee

Advisor: Jonathan Buonocore, ScD

Margaret Quaid

Advisor: Maria Argos, PhD

Post-Graduate Positions

Our graduates successfully obtain positions as postdoctoral research fellows and faculty members at academic research institutions; as senior scientists at environmental consulting companies, nonprofit organizations, and other private industries; and as senior scientists at regulatory health and other government agencies.

The  BUSPH Career Office  is available for students interested in learning more about career paths, networking and navigating the job search process.

Below is a summary of the institutions and organizations where graduates of our program have obtained positions.

Post-Doctoral Research Fellowships

Harvard School of Public Health, Brown University School of Public Health, Dartmouth Center for Children’s Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research, Michigan University School of Public Health, University of Washington School of Public Health, Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Léa-Roback Research Centre on Health Inequalities, Michigan Public Health Institute, Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University, Yale University Climate & Energy Institute, Channing Laboratory at Brigham & Women’s Hospital

Students & alumni can access the Fellowships section of the SPH Career Library

Positions in Academia

Boston University School of Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Northeastern University, University of California – Irvine, Dickinson College, East Tennessee State University, University of Southern Maine, Clark University, Brandeis University

Government Agencies

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Minnesota Department of Public Health, California Department of Public Health, United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine

Students & alumni can access the Government Agencies section of the SPH Career Library

Environmental Health & Engineering, Abt Associates, Global Health Solutions, The Lifeline Group Students & alumni can access a list of Consulting Firms in the SPH Career Library

PhD in Environmental Health Admissions Requirements

Learn more about the PhD in Environmental Health's full admissions requirements and application deadlines.

For inquiries regarding the PhD program, please contact Dr. Kevin Lane , Interim Director of Doctoral Training for the Department of Environmental Health.

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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Environmental Health

Offered by: Department of Environmental Health and Engineering

Onsite | Full-Time | 5 years

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About the PhD in Environmental Health Program

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree program is a full-time degree program that offers a unique interdisciplinary learning experience where the course of study is individually tailored based on the student’s interest in understanding and finding solutions to pressing problems in environmental health and engineering.

The goal of PhD training in EHE is to prepare graduates to engage in scholarship and professional practice that creates new knowledge, use research to transform practice and improve the health of the environment and the public, and effectively communicate research findings to the public. The program requires didactic coursework followed by an average of four to five years of research towards a doctoral dissertation (also referred to as a thesis on official forms and committees).

Training is offered through a core curriculum that is required of all PhD students in the Department with the addition of track/program-specific requirements and focused courses in specialized areas.

Students are expected to tailor their curricula, working with their advisers to create a comprehensive plan of study and research. PhD thesis must be based on original research, worthy of publication, and approved by the Department and a committee of thesis (dissertation) readers. PhD students must also be engaged in primary data collection as a component of their dissertation research or embedded in other research during their training here.

Our programs are offered in the  Whiting School of Engineering , on the Homewood campus (WSE) and the  Bloomberg School of Public Health  (BSPH) East Baltimore campus. Students in all of our programs have the unique opportunity to take classes on both the Homewood and East Baltimore campuses in order to complete their degree requirements.

Students in the PhD in Environmental Health  program select from one of four tracks:

Track in Exposure Sciences and Environmental Epidemiology (ESEE)

Track in Environmental Sustainability, Resilience, and Health (ESRH)

Track in Health Security (HS)

Track in Toxicology, Physiology, and Molecular Mechanisms (TPMM)

PhD in Environmental Health Program Highlights

Fully funded.

The minimum guaranteed 2025-2026 academic year stipend is $50,000, with a 4% increase the following year. Tuition, fees, and medical benefits are provided.

Multidisciplinary

Opportunities to work across departments in the Schools of Public Health, Engineering, and more

Write and Publish

Help with academic writing and grant proposals embedded into coursework, with opportunities to learn from published faculty and peers

Teaching Training

Teaching assistantships, training, and support for learning to teach, and opportunities for paid TA positions as well

What Can You Do With a Graduate Degree In Environmental Health?

Visit the Graduate Employment Outcomes Dashboard to learn about Bloomberg School graduates' employment status, sector, and salaries.

Sample Careers

• Assistant Professor
• Senior Consultant
• Data Scientist
• Environmental Toxicologist
• Epidemiologist
• Postdoctoral Fellow

Curriculum for the PhD in Environmental Health

Browse an overview of the requirements for this PhD program in the JHU  Academic Catalogue .

Admissions Requirements

For the general admissions requirements see our How to Apply page.

Standardized Test Scores

Standardized test scores are  not required and not reviewed  for this program. If you have taken a standardized test such as the GRE, GMAT, or MCAT and want to submit your scores, please note that they will not be used as a metric during the application review.  Applications will be reviewed holistically based on all required application components.

Vivien Thomas PhD Scholars

The  Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative (VTSI)  is an endowed fellowship program at Johns Hopkins for PhD students in STEM fields. It provides full tuition, stipend, and benefits while also providing targeted mentoring, networking, community, and professional development opportunities. Students who have attended a historically Black college and university (HBCU) or other minority serving institution (MSI) for undergraduate study are eligible to apply. To be considered for the VTSI, you will need to submit a SOPHAS application, VTSI supplementary materials, and all supporting documents (letters, transcripts, and test scores) by December 1, 2024. VTSI applicants are eligible for an application fee waiver , but the fee waiver must be requested by November 15, 2024 and prior to submission of the SOPHAS application.

Faculty Advisers

The following faculty may be willing to advise PhD students. If you identify a faculty member that you want to work with who is not on this list, we encourage you to ask them about their availability.

Peter DeCarlo

Peter studies the chemical composition of gas particles in the air to improve our understanding of climate, air quality, and health impacts of pollutants.

Paul Ferraro

Paul ­ is a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor with joint appointments in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering and the Carey Business School. He is known for his research on behavioral economics and the design and estimation of impacts of environmental programs.

Ciaran Harman

Ciaran, an associate professor of landscape hydrology and Russell Croft Faculty Scholar, studies how the structure of landscapes controls the movement of water from rainfall to streams, and how that structure evolves over time.

Thomas Hartung

Thomas Hartung, MD, PhD, steers the revolution in toxicology to move away from 50+ year-old animal tests to organoid cultures and the use of artificial intelligence.

Scot Miller

Scot Miller combines satellite data and statistics to understand greenhouse gas emissions across the globe.

Roni A. Neff

Roni Neff, PhD '06, ScM, researches ways to cut food waste and address climate change through more resilient, equitable, and healthy food systems.

Carsten Prasse

Carsten's research focuses on the occurrence and fate of organic contaminants in the urban water cycle and their impact on environmental and human health.

Per the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the JHU PhD Union, the minimum guaranteed 2025-2026 academic year stipend is $50,000 for all PhD students with a 4% increase the following year. Tuition, fees, and medical benefits are provided, including health insurance premiums for PhD student’s children and spouses of international students, depending on visa type. The minimum stipend and tuition coverage is guaranteed for at least the first four years of a BSPH PhD program; specific amounts and the number of years supported, as well as work expectations related to that stipend will vary across departments and funding source. Please refer to the  CBA to review specific benefits, compensation, and other terms.

Need-Based Relocation Grants Students who  are admitted to PhD programs at JHU   starting in Fall 2023 or beyond can apply to receive a need-based grant to offset the costs of relocating to be able to attend JHU.   These grants provide funding to a portion of incoming students who, without this money, may otherwise not be able to afford to relocate to JHU for their PhD program. This is not a merit-based grant. Applications will be evaluated solely based on financial need.  View more information about the need-based relocation grants for PhD students .

Questions about the program? We're happy to help. [email protected]

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Earth & Environmental Science (Ph.D.)

The Doctor of Philosophy degree in Earth and Environmental Sciences (NRESS)  is offered through the interdisciplinary Natural Resources and Earth System Science program . This program offers students interested in Earth sciences (e.g. geology, geophysics, hydrology, climate science, or geochemical systems) an opportunity to pursue a Ph.D. degree that is tailored to their interests.  For more infomation, please contact Wendy Rose, Educational Program Coordinator, James Hall room 202, 603- 862-3933 , [email protected] . 

WHY PURSUE A PH.D. IN Earth and Environmental Sciences  UNH?

The Natural Resources and Earth Systems Science (NRESS) Ph.D. in Earth Systems and Environmental Science (ESSEES) is an interdepartmental program that draws on the university's strengths in environmental and earth sciences, life sciences, social sciences, and ethical and policy studies to increase our understanding of environmental and natural resource challenges and solutions at the local, regional and global scale. Areas of study include, but are not limited to, ecosystem science, biogeochemical cycling, geochemical systems, atmospheric science, environmental philosophy, forestry, geologic science, hydrology, marine science, oceanography, social science, environmental policy and ethics, environmental education, and multidisciplinary natural resources management.

Program Highlights

The Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) focuses on problems dealing with the physical, chemical, and/or biological processes that affect earth and environmental systems. Students receiving the Ph.D. degree in EES will typically have a bachelor's and/or master’s degree in biology, ecology, environmental science, geology, hydrology, or microbiology.

Potential Career Areas

• College or university faculty
• Principal Investigator in government agencies
• Research Scientist for nongovernmental environmental organizations
• Policy Advisor for governmental agencies and NGOs

Contact Information

Curriculum & Requirements

Program description.

The graduate program in Natural Resources and Earth Systems Science (NRESS) is an interdepartmental program offering the Ph.D. degree for interdisciplinary work in areas related to the understanding and management of the environment in the broadest context. Areas of study include, but are not limited to, ecosystem science, biogeochemical cycling, geochemical systems, atmospheric science, environmental philosophy, forestry, geologic science, hydrology, marine science, oceanography, social science, environmental policy and ethics, environmental education, and multidisciplinary natural resources management.

Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES)

The NRESS Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) focuses on problems dealing with the physical, chemical, and/or biological processes that affect earth and environmental systems. Students receiving the Ph.D. degree in EES will typically have a bachelor's and/or master’s degree in biology, ecology, environmental science, geology, hydrology, or microbiology.

Requirements for the Program

Degree requirements.

The requirements of the doctoral program are flexible to accommodate the diverse interests and needs of students. All students in the NRESS program must meet the requirements listed below.

Committees and Coursework

The Ph.D. guidance and dissertation committees must consist of at least five members. The chair must be a member of the NRESS faculty . Three of the five members (including the chair) must be NRESS faculty, and committee members must be from more than one academic department. Students are strongly encouraged to include at least one off-campus member. Off-campus committee members must hold a doctoral (or terminal) degree and be approved by the student's adviser, the NRESS Program, and the Graduate School dean. Students should select the guidance committee in a timely manner, within one year for full-time students and two years for part-time students.

Core Area Course Requirements

All students will take one course in each of four core areas while enrolled in the program: natural sciences, ethics/policy/law, methods, and seminar. Students are also required to take NRES 997 Interdisciplinary Research in Natural Resources and Earth and Environmental Sciences , preferably within the first year of enrollment. Any course used to satisfy the natural sciences, ethics/policy/law, and methods core areas must be a classroom course of at least 3 credits. The seminar course must be interactive and must be at least 1 credit. Independent study courses may not be used to satisfy core requirements. Students must complete a Preliminary Coursework Approval Form, which lists the student's planned coursework, within one year for full-time students and two years for part-time students. A Final Course Approval Form, with signatures from the adviser, committee members, and the NRESS program chair is submitted once the coursework is completed.

Students Entering the Program without a Master's Degree

Students entering the program without a master's degree are expected to complete a minimum of 36 credit hours. There is not a specific credit requirement beyond the required four core courses and NRES 997 for students who have completed a M.S. or M.A. degree in a related field. Students enter the NRESS program with diverse backgrounds and preparation in their desired area of study. Therefore, final credit requirements are determined by the guidance committee and may include additional coursework necessary to enhance the student's selected field of study and/or correct any deficiencies in the student's previous program. Students may apply a maximum of 12 credits of independent study and/or seminar courses to their total course requirement.

Transfer Credits

Graduate-level courses taken prior to admission may be transferred into the program and applied to the total only if they were not taken while matriculated in another degree program, as per Graduate School policy. These courses may not be used to meet the core course requirements. Transfer of credits must be approved by the adviser, the guidance committee, and the Graduate School.

Language Proficiency

Language proficiency may be required at the discretion of the student's adviser/committee. If required, a student will need to show proficiency in one foreign language or one computer language.

Examinations

Each student is required to pass three examinations, each of which has both a written and oral component. Additional preliminary examinations may be administered before the three required exams as the committee deems necessary. Performance on such an exam will determine areas where the student needs additional coursework or could result in the student's removal from the program.

Comprehensive exam (sometimes referred to as the qualifying exam) : The student must prepare an extensive written answer to one question from each committee member that covers the basic concepts and factual material deemed essential for the student’s program. Three weeks are allowed for completion of the exam during which time students are expected to work solely on their answers.  Answers are expected to be anywhere from 10 – 20 pages per question with extensive literature citations. Completed written answers are submitted to the adviser who then distributes copies to the other committee members for review.  Approximately 1 – 2 weeks are allowed for the committee to read the answers, after which time the student gives an oral presentation to the committee. Following the presentation, committee members will ask for clarification of the student’s answers, if necessary.  The committee may require a student to repeat part, or all, of the comprehensive exam if the student’s performance is deemed unsatisfactory. This exam should be taken within three years of initiation of graduate study in the program.

Proposal exam: The student must present to the committee a written proposal on the dissertation research topic. Once the proposal is written, the student will complete a public oral presentation of the proposed research, followed by an oral examination by the committee.

Final exam: The student must complete a written Ph.D. dissertation prior to the final exam. Once written, the student is required to complete an oral defense of the dissertation, which will include both a public presentation and oral examination by the committee.

A student may be required to take additional courses following either the comprehensive or proposal exam, or may be removed from the program following failure of any of the required exams. Students are advanced to candidacy after successfully completing the comprehensive exam, proposal exam, and all coursework required by the guidance committee as summarized on the Coursework Approval Form.

Application Requirements & Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

• Fall : May 15 (recommended); August 1 (final; timely processing of applications not guaranteed for late submissions)
• Spring : October 15 (recommended); January 1 (final; timely processing of applications not guaranteed for late submissions)
• Summer : N/A
• Special : N/A

Application fee : $65

Campus : Durham

New England Regional : MA

Accelerated Masters Eligible : No

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form . This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission, or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted , you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

• Electronic Transcripts : Please have your institution send the transcript directly to [email protected] . Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
• Paper Transcripts : Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

A clear, concise statement of the applicant’s relevant past experiences including academics, research, and/or work experience. The statement should also include an expression of interests and an explanation of the student’s goals in pursuing a doctoral degree. Applicants must identify in the application personal statement an NRESS PhD Program Faculty member willing to serve as their graduate advisor.

Statements must be included with your submitted application.

Additional Department Requirements

Applicants must secure a faculty member from the current list of NRESS faculty who will agree to serve as advisor and potentially provide funding for the student’s doctoral studies. Applicants should visit the NRESS program website and review the list of faculty in their area of interest. The applicant should contact potential faculty advisors to discuss their interests to determine if the faculty member(s) would be willing to serve as the student’s advisor before applying to the program.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.

Explore Program Details

Faculty directory.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Applicants to the NRESS Ph.D. Program come from a wide range of undergraduate majors. Individuals are considered based on the quality of their work and its relevance to the particular area of study they wish to pursue.

CHECKLISTS & FORMS

NRESS PROGRAM INFORMATION AND FORMS FOR NRESS STUDENT

ABOUT NRESS STUDENTS

Meet NRESS Students Students currently enrolled in the NRESS Ph.D. program number nearly sixty-five, making NRESS the largest Ph.D. program at UNH. MEET THE NRESS STUDENTS

NRESS Student Network The NRESS Student Network aims to foster community across the highly interdisciplinary NRESS student body.  The Student Network coordinates professional and career development activities, as well as provides student support, guidance, and mentoring. NRESS STUDENT NETWORK

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Phd in environmental sciences, ormanmorton081.jpg.

Students must complete at least 108 graduate credits from the following areas:

• Environmental Sciences Core Courses, 6 Credits
• Methods and Numerical Skills, 9 Credits Minimum
• Area of Concentration, 30 Credits Minimum
• Elective Courses, 26 Credits Maximum
• Thesis, 36 Credits

To encourage the development of interdisciplinary graduate study programs, guidelines for course selection are flexible. In addition to the ES Graduate core courses, students must complete courses that constitute an area of concentration (or track).

Download a program of study template (.docx)

   Learn about the program requirements and how to apply

Environmental Sciences Core Courses

The graduate core consists of three courses, totaling 6 credits. The purpose of the core is to introduce new students to faculty, to give students a sense of programmatic identity, to foster interdisciplinary thinking among students and faculty, to expose students to the breadth of existing environmental science courses, to expose students to a specific area in environmental science, to give students the opportunity for academic exploration, and to teach research skills.

The two courses are:

• Environmental Perspectives and Methods ENSC 515 (3 credits, Fall term)
• Environmental Analysis ENSC 520 (3 credits, Winter term)

Methods and Numerical Skills Courses

Courses in research methods, experimental design, statistical analysis, and modeling ensure students have sufficient skills for environmental research. Nine credits minimum of course work are required for the Ph.D. degree.

• Areas of Concentration (Tracks)

Sets of courses that constitute an area of concentration have been established to give focus to study and research. Eight areas of concentration have been defined. New areas of concentration can be developed by groups of faculty and students. Areas of concentration consist of at least 30 credits for Ph.D. students. See the list of concentrations.

Elective Courses

Elective courses are listed in the student's program of study, and agreed upon by the student and the advising committee. Courses may be selected to provide additional background, to explore new areas, and to add depth to a program.

Ph.D. Thesis or Manuscript Model 

A central purpose of the Ph.D. degree is to teach students the process of environmental research. A minimum of 36 credits are required for original research leading to a Ph.D. thesis, or manuscript model, that complies with standards established by the Graduate School and the Environmental Sciences Graduate Program. Consult the ESGP handbook, the Graduate School website, and your committee for Ph.D. thesis guidelines.

Example guidelines for the manuscript model are found here and may be modified by your committee (2 or 3 papers) as relevant.

Preliminary Exam

Students are required to take a preliminary exam when working towards a doctor degree. Please review the preliminary exam guidelines.

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List of Research Topics in Environmental Engineering

Environmental Engineering is a discipline of engineering that deals with the prevention & control of water, air, and soil pollution. In this article list of Research Topics in Environmental Engineering is listed.

The active research areas in the field of environmental engineering are water and wastewater treatment and disposal; environmental chemistry; environmental microbiology; environmental impact assessment; membrane technology; advanced oxidation process; catalysis; air pollution, prevention, and control; solid and hazardous waste management.

Water and wastewater treatment and reuse

• Performance evaluation of improved biological treatment technologies for the treatment of sewage followed by UV disinfection for reuse
• A study of co-treatment of fecal sludge and sewage in the sewage treatment plant
• Performance evaluation of treatment and reuse of greywater by wetland system
• A comprehensive study on polluted river stretches on the Ganga River in India
• Development of treatment process for water treatment using ceramic membrane filtration to produce potable water
• Performance evaluation of microbial fuel cells for the treatment of industrial wastewaters
• Disinfection of secondary treated sewage using a novel UVC-LED reactor system for reuse
• A study on emerging contaminants in Indian waters and their treatment technologies
• Performance evaluation of improved anaerobic baffle filter reactor in treating domestic wastewater
• A study on the impact of perfluorinated compounds on human health

Advanced oxidation technologies

• A study on secondary treated domestic wastewater using an advanced oxidation process
• Development of novel photocatalytic reactors for treatment of industrial wastewaters
• Treatment of textile wastewater by using zero-valent iron nanoparticles
• Development of photocatalytic reactors for hydrogen production by water splitting technique
• Treatment of industrial wastewater by wet air oxidation processes
• Development of a novel photocatalytic reactor system for degradation of persistent organic pollutants from pharmaceutical wastewater
• Decolourization of textile dye wastewaters using ozone-based technologies
• Degradation of industrial wastewaters using TiO 2 -based nanocomposites
• Development of photocatalytic membrane reactor for the treatment of industrial and domestic wastewaters
• Photocatalytic hydrogen production from sulfide wastewater using nanocomposites
• Development of photocatalytic reactor for removal of endocrine-disrupting compounds from water and wastewaters
• Photocatalytic degradation of SO x and NO x using nanocomposites

Air pollution and control

• A study on endocrine-disrupting compounds in the atmosphere – effects on human and wildlife
• A study on vehicular movements in India – Effect of CO on human and wildlife
• A study on vertical profiling of air pollution in urban and metro cities
• Performance evaluation of alternative fuel technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in industries
• Design, development, and performance evaluation of slotted slack-petal pot chimney over a conventional chimney
• Effect of fine particulate matter and NOx on human and wildlife
• A study on the reuse of air conditioner condensate
• A study on sulfur reduction in coal-based thermal power plants

Soil pollution and remediation

• Degradation of persistent organic pollutants from contaminated soil using photocatalytic processes
• Treatment of textile wastewater contaminated soil by using iron nanoparticles
• Removal of petroleum hydrocarbon compounds from contaminated soil using natural-based products
• Leachability and physical stability of solidified and stabilized sludge from textile effluent
• Assessment of heavy metal toxicity in soil and their remedial measures
• Alkali pre-treatment for bio mechanization of solid waste

Solid and hazardous waste treatment and disposal

• Converting inert wastes into bio-amendments / bio-fertilizers – pilot projects at legacy waste dumping sites in India
• Hydrothermal carbonization of crude oil sludge for recovery of solid fuel
• Encapsulation and solidification of salt-based evaporation residues
• Use of textile and tannery sludge as fine aggregates in concrete mix
• Development of novel methods for the treatment of E-waste
• A study on the treatment of nuclear waste

CO 2 sequestration, separation, and utilization

• CO 2 gas separation from fuel and flue gas using composite membranes
• Recovery of useful products from industrial flue gases
• Development of novel composite membranes for separation of CO 2 from flue gas
• Carbonation of coal fly ash for CO 2 sequestration
• Conversion of CO 2 to useful products by novel methods
• Performance evaluation of biomedical waste facility in India

Bioremediation

• Occurrence, fate, and risk-based remediation of antibiotics in agricultural environments
• Bio-degradation of persistent organic compounds using bacterial species  
• Bioremediation of oily sludge
• Biochar and compost-based bioremediation of crude oil contaminated soil

Top 60 Scopus-indexed Journals in Environmental Engineering

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List of PhD and Postdoc Fellowships in India 2024

Top 100 journal publications in the world 2024, list of laboratories and centers under drdo.

I need help in problem statement in environmental engineering

Kindly mail us. Check contact detail-Team iLovePhD

Greetings and Regards My name is Reza Fadaei, I am 49 years old. I have been in Iran’s Environmental Organization for 22 years as an expert in the natural environment departments, laboratory offices, water and soil pollution control office, and waste management. I am working as the manager of the provincial general administration. PhD student in environmental sciences and engineering, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz branch, Iran. I participated in a waste management training workshop with professors from Japanese universities and the Japanese Ministry of Energy and Environment. I am very interested in the rich and ancient culture of Japan. I would very much like to continue my doctoral studies in Japan and the subject of my doctoral dissertation. to do in your country. I hope you help.

I wanted to choose the topic of my PhD thesis in the field of environmental engineering with topics related to water or wastewater. My bachelor’s and master’s degrees were applied chemistry and the subject of my master’s thesis (the effect of magnetic nanoparticles on the removal of chromium from leather industry wastewater). Please guide me and if you have a chance, help me as a second guide or consultant. I would like to have a free study opportunity in your university if possible. I am also Azeri and I expect you to help me to present a high level thesis thanks again

I want to embark on a thesis on environmental soil remediation and on ground water

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A bright and airy hub for climate at MIT

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Seen from a distance, MIT’s Cecil and Ida Green Building (Building 54) — designed by renowned architect and MIT alumnus I.M. Pei ’40 — is one of the most iconic buildings on the Cambridge, Massachusetts, skyline. Home to the MIT Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS), the 21-story concrete structure soars over campus, topped with its distinctive spherical radar dome. Close up, however, it was a different story.

A sunless, two-story, open-air plaza beneath the tower previously served as a nondescript gateway to the department’s offices, labs, and classrooms above. “It was cold and windy — probably the windiest place on campus,” EAPS department head Robert van der Hilst, the Schlumberger Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, told a packed auditorium inside the building in March. “You would pass through the elevators and disappear into the corridors, never to be seen again until the end of the day.”

Van der Hilst was speaking at a dedication event to celebrate the opening of the renovated and expanded space, 60 years after the Green Building’s original dedication in 1964. In a dramatic transformation, the perpetually-shaded expanse beneath the tower has been filled with an airy, glassed-in structure that is as inviting as the previous space was forbidding.

Designed to meet LEED-platinum certification, the newly-constructed Tina and Hamid Moghadam Building (Building 55) seems to float next to the Brutalist tower, its glass façade both opening up the interior and reflecting the sunlight and green space outside. The 300-seat auditorium within the original tower has been similarly transformed, bringing light and space to the newly dubbed Dixie Lee Bryant (1891) Lecture Hall, named after the first person to earn a geology degree at MIT.

Catalyzing collaboration

The project is about more than updating an overlooked space. “The building we’re here to celebrate today does something else,” MIT President Sally Kornbluth said at the dedication.

“In its lightness, in its transparency, it calls attention not to itself, but to the people gathered inside it. In its warmth, its openness, it makes room for culture and community. And it welcomes in those who don’t yet belong … as we take on the immense challenges of climate together,” she continued, referencing the recent launch of The Climate Project at MIT — a whole-of-MIT initiative to innovate bold solutions to climate change. In MIT’s famously decentralized structure, the Moghadam Building provides a new physical hub for students, scientists, and engineers interested in climate and the environment to congregate and share ideas.

From the start, fostering this kind of multidisciplinary collaboration was part of Van der Hilst’s vision. In addition to serving as the flagship location for EAPS, Building 54 has long been the administrative home of the MIT-WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science and Engineering — a graduate program in partnership with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. With the addition of Building 55, EAPS has now been joined by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative (ESI) — a campus-wide program fostering education, outreach, and innovation in earth system science, urban infrastructure, and sustainability — and will welcome closer collaboration with Terrascope — a first-year learning community which invites its students to take on real-world environmental challenges.

A shared vision comes to life

The building project dovetailed with the long-overdue refurbishment of the Green Building. After a multi-year fundraising campaign where Van der Hilst spearheaded the department’s efforts, the project received a major boost from lead donors Tina and Hamid Moghadam ’77, SM ’78, allowing the department to break ground in November 2021.

In Moghadam, chair and CEO of Prologis, which owns 1.2 billion square feet of warehouses and other logistics infrastructure worldwide, EAPS found a fellow champion for climate and environmental innovation. By putting solar panels on the roofs of Prologis buildings, the company is now the  second largest on-site producer of solar energy in the United States. “I don’t think there needs to be a trade-off between good sound economics and return on investment and solving climate change problems,” Moghadam said at the dedication. “The solutions that really work are the ones that actually make sense in a market economy.”

Architectural firm AW-ARCH designed the Moghadam Building with a light touch, emphasizing spaciousness in contrast to the heavy concrete buildings that surround it. “The kind of delicacy and fragility of the thing is in some ways a depiction of what happens here,” said architect and co-founding partner Alex Anmahian at the dedication reception, giving a nod to the study of the delicate balance of the earth system itself. The sense is further illustrated by the responsiveness of the façade to the surrounding environment, which, depending on the time of day and quality of light, makes the glass alternately reflective and transparent.

Inside, the 11,900-square foot pavilion is highly flexible and serves as a showcase for the science that happens in the labs and offices above. Central to the space is a 16-foot by 9-foot video wall featuring vivid footage of field work, lab research, data visualizations, and natural phenomena — visible even to passers-by outside. The video wall is counterposed to an unpretentious set of stair-step bleachers leading to the second floor that could play host to anything from a scientific lecture to a community pizza-and-movie night.

Van der Hilst has referred to his vision for the atrium as a “campus living room,” and the furniture throughout is intentionally chosen to allow for impromptu rearrangements, providing a valuable public space on campus for students to work and socialize.

The second level is similarly adaptable, featuring three classrooms with state-of-the-art teaching technologies that can be transformed from a single large space for a hackathon to intimate rooms for discussion.

“The space is really meant for a yet unforeseen experience,” Anmahian says. “The reason it is so open is to allow for any possibility.”

The inviting, dynamic design of the pavilion has also become an instant point of pride for the building’s inhabitants. At the dedication, School of Science dean Nergis Mavalvala quipped that anyone walking into the space “gains two inches in height.”

Van der Hilst quoted a colleague with a similar observation: “Now, when I come into this space, I feel respected by it.”

The perfect complement

Another significant feature of the project is the List Visual Arts Center  Percent-for-Art Program installation by conceptual artist Julian Charrière, entitled “Everything Was Forever Until It Was No More.”

Consisting of three interrelated works, the commission includes:  “Not All Who Wander Are Lost ,” three glacial erratic boulders which sit atop their own core samples in the surrounding green space; “ We Are All Astronauts ,” a trio of glass pillars containing vintage globes with distinctions between nations, land, and sea removed; and “ Pure Waste ,” a synthetic diamond embedded in the foundation, created from carbon captured from the air and the breath of researchers who work in the building.

Known for themes that explore the transformation of the natural world over time and humanity’s complex relationship with our environment, Charrière was a perfect fit to complement the new Building 55 — offering a thought-provoking perspective on our current environmental challenges while underscoring the value of the research that happens within its walls.

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GLOBE Alumna and Youth for Habitat Program Lead Named Scientist of the Month in Alaska

As a 16-year old high school graduate, Maggie House decided to leave the military base in Germany where she lived with her family and go to college close to nature in Fairbanks, Alaska. She had lived in many countries and US states and knew she was ready. At the University of Alaska Fairbanks Troth Yeddha’ campus in Fall 2022, Maggie enrolled in a 300-level Watershed Management course, which required all students to implement a Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) project and poster. Maggie’s project focused on using the GLOBE Observer App to monitor the erosion of nearby Cripple Creek, which had a history of mining and made Fairbanks famous for its gold. She and a classmate wrote a funded mini-grant proposal to study how ice was related to erosion. While not on the frozen creek, Maggie worked as a student employee with the NASA Science Activation Program's Arctic and Earth STEM Integrating GLOBE and NASA (SIGNs) team at the International Arctic Research Center, during which she trained teachers and mentored students at Alaska’s first-ever Student Research Symposium in 2022. Maggie also wrote an article about the symposium, published on the University of Alaska Fairbanks News page: https://www.uaf.edu/news/alaskan-youth-present-research-earth-day-symposium.php

When the ice melted and the symposium ended, Maggie wanted to study the freshwater habitats of the Creek using GLOBE hydrosphere protocols, so she wrote another proposal. Maggie got a full scholarship and grant funding through Biomedical Learning and Student Training (BLaST), supported by the National Institutes of Health. Her work earned recognition in the US Fish and Wildlife Service story, “Natural Flows Return to Cripple Creek” and honors as the December 2023/January 2024 BLaST Scientist of the Month . The story does not stop there. In May, 2024, Maggie House graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and received the first-ever GLOBE internship at the Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation District, where Maggie House leads the summer Youth for Habitat program for middle school students. Today, you can find Maggie in Cripple Creek near Fairbanks, Alaska, teaching students to learn science by doing science.

“I have a firm belief that the health of our environment is intertwined with the health of humans. I am interested in making science-related issues more understandable, for everyone to be a part of their local community. In my future, I see myself continuing to work towards strengthening the relationship between humans and nature and promoting the conservation of our dependence on one another.” - Maggie House

Arctic and Earth SIGNs created the conditions for Maggie as an undergraduate student to collect OpenSource GLOBE data that contributed to local solutions, to be awarded funding to pursue actionable research, and to be a leader for educators and future learners. Maggie's data on ice conditions informed the engineering redesign of the Cripple Creek stream restoration project. Her success in using GLOBE protocols and culturally responsive research methods modeled by Arctic and Earth SIGNs gave her the confidence to write a research proposal and be awarded a full undergraduate research scholarship. Maggie was the first person in the world to monitor aquatic invertebrates in Cripple Creek just three weeks after flow was restored to the creek after 85 years. In Arctic and Earth SIGNs, environmental stewardship is a culminating part of the Learning Framework. Now, Maggie leads the stewardship of salmon habitat in Cripple Creek and mentors middle school youth to pursue STEM fields as a GLOBE trainer and mentor. Maggie's story matters because one person, with a Science Activation support network and a focus on real-world environmental issues, can make a difference.

Arctic & Earth SIGNs is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AC52A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn

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• Grades 5 - 8 for Educators
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• Opportunities For Students to Get Involved
• Science Activation

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Amos Nur, rock physics pioneer, has died

A fixture at Stanford for more than four decades, Nur was pivotal in establishing rock physics as a critical part of modern geophysics, bridged the intersection of earthquakes and archaeology, and mentored dozens of graduate students on approaching science with creativity. 

Amos M. Nur, the Wayne Loel Professor of Earth Sciences, Emeritus, at Stanford University and broadly acknowledged as one of the world’s foremost experts in geology and geophysics, died of a heart attack at his home on the Stanford campus on June 10, 2024. He was 86.

Nur founded and was a longtime director of the Stanford Rock Physics and Borehole Geophysics Project. He excelled in seismic monitoring and computational digital geophysics. He used this knowledge to understand and predict earthquakes and to explore rock formations for petroleum and geothermal steam. He also pioneered the science of “seismic velocity measurements” to monitor the evolving states of oil and gas reserves as fluid was pumped out.

“It’s very difficult in my opinion to envision the process from reading about it,” Nur once said. “But by using movies in Earth sciences, we would not only be far more educational, but it would give us insight into geological processes.”

“Amos was an ‘ideas’ person. He loved coming up with new ideas and he inspired those around him to do the same. Every time I shared an idea with him, his eyes – actually, all of him – lit up and he would nod encouragingly, waiting to hear more,” remembered Professor Rosemary Knight, whom Nur advised during her doctoral work at Stanford in the early 1980s and who later joined him on the faculty. “I have never forgotten his way of letting me know that ideas matter – that my ideas matter. It was working with Amos that inspired me to choose life as a faculty member, and to foster in my own research group an environment that encourages and celebrates student creativity and self-confidence.”

“Volcano” of ideas

Nur described his full-circle evolution – from an early interest studying rocks in general to exploring the broader laws of geophysics and back again – to fundamental geology. “There were two facets about geology that, at the time, began to make me feel uneasy. It felt inconclusive and I wasn’t able to prove anything. I heard the term ‘geophysics’ and it sounded right. It was only much later that I began to appreciate geology. Geophysics is a tool that helps us to find partial answers about the Earth, but the big questions really come from geology,” Nur explained.

“Amos had an uncanny ability to work at the intersection of disciplines. I arrived at Stanford in 1982 as Professor of Petroleum Engineering. We were soon discussing integrating my fluid flow modeling with his geophysical monitoring to advance predictions about the behavior of petroleum reservoirs,” said friend and colleague Khalid Aziz, Otto N. Miller Professor, Emeritus. “Amos was instrumental in the creation of what is now the Stanford Center for Earth Resources Forecasting (SCERF), attracting new colleagues and funding sources. SCERF would not have been possible without him.”

He would later apply his myriad skills to study the relationship between earthquakes and archaeology. He published over 250 peer-reviewed papers and authored three books. His best known tome was 2008’s Apocalypse: Earthquakes, Archaeology, and the Wrath of God , which posited that biblical accounts, mythology, and the archaeological record held clues that ancient civilizations were destroyed by earthquakes, not by wars.

Amos Nur working in India. (Image credit: Stanford Archives)

“You need only look at Amos’ CV and the way it changed over time to realize that this was a person constantly on the lookout for the next fascinating topic to work on,” Knight said.

“When I retired, I discovered that I had so many projects or ideas that I thought I would start. And I realized how many of them I’m not going to do because there’s not much time left,” he would say of his new interests in retirement.

In addition to his fundamental research, Nur was also an influential teacher revered by his students. Nur proudly listed by name the many advisees he had mentored to their graduate degrees and their current places of employment in academia, government, and industry throughout the world. From 2000-2005, Nur was also director of the Bing Overseas Studies Program that provides transformational educational experiences in stimulating settings throughout the world.

“Amos was a volcano of ideas,” said his widow, Francina Lozada-Nur, a professor emerita at the University of California, San Francisco. “He was extremely creative. I think he passed that on to his students. He was very inspirational.”

Oft-honored academic

Amos Michael Nur was born February 9, 1938, in Haifa, in what is now Israel. He was raised on a farm, which he credited with piquing his early interest in geology. Nur earned his Bachelor of Science in geology at Hebrew University, Israel, in 1962. His PhD in geophysics at MIT came in 1969. He joined the Stanford faculty a year later, serving until his retirement in 2008.

He was chair of the Stanford Geophysics Department twice, from 1986 to 1991 and from 1997 to 2000. In 1974, Nur earned the American Geophysical Union’s Macelwane Medal, recognizing significant early career contributions to Earth and space science. In 2011, he won the Ewing Medal from the Society of Exploration Geophysics. Nur was also an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of the American Geophysical Union, the Geological Society of America, and the California Academy of Sciences.

Nur was conferred an honorary doctorate at his hometown’s University of Haifa in 2013. In its dedication, the school singled out Nur for “his groundbreaking research in Earth sciences, his academic excellence and constant determination to shape new knowledge that advances humanity to reach new frontiers.”

Nur is survived by his wife, Dr. Francina Lozada-Nur of Stanford, California; son, Boaz Nur of Barcelona, Spain; and three grandchildren, Sofia, Sebastian, and Olivia Nur, all of Barcelona.

There will be a celebration of the life of Amos Nur on February 9, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. on the Stanford campus. Details will be available on the Geophysics Department website. The family requests gifts in memory of Amos Nur be made to the Stanford Department of Music or Stanford Live General Gifts.

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