News

A University of Maryland Grand Challenges Grant funded research project led by Dr. Augustin Vintzileos of the Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center is investigating the relationship between atmospheric conditions and the virulence of COVID-19, with the aim of developing a prototype forecasting system for infectious disease. 

A cross-disciplinary team supported by a University of Maryland Grand Challenges Grant and led by Professor Daniel P. Lathrop seeks to address critical environmental challenges by mapping and mitigating methane emissions, water losses, and heat waste on UMD’s College Park campus and across the state.

Climate change, and how to mitigate and adapt to it, is one of the grandest challenges currently facing our society. Land use will play a critical role in climate mitigation efforts. Many socio-economic models project unprecedented biofuel crop expansion, coupled with carbon capture and sequestration, in order to achieve 2 degrees warming targets. Unlike the first-generation of biofuel crops that displaced food crops and led to increased food prices, new second-generation biofuel crops, such as switchgrass, are able to grow on marginal lands.