UVA Environmental Institute

The UVA Environmental Institute supports research and training at the intersection of environmental change and human well-being with a focus on:

  • Translating research into action
  • Supporting community-engaged research
  • Forming interdisciplinary teams

The Institute creates solutions for a more resilient and sustainable future.

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UVA Rotunda against a blue sky
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Latest News

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Solutions Lab Puts UVA Students to Work on Real-World Environmental Challenges

The new Solutions Lab brings together UVA undergraduates and business partners to tackle complex sustainability and resilience challenges and turn student ideas into action.
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Can AI Explain the Weather? UVA Researchers Develop New Way to Test AI-Generated Forecasts

A new UVA study introduces a massive dataset and evaluation tool to determine whether AI can accurately translate complex weather forecasts.
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Cheaper Path to Net-Zero Could Come at a Public Health Cost, Study Finds

A UVA-led study finds that the two paths to U.S. carbon neutrality by 2050 do about equally well for the climate but differ by trillions of dollars in cost and by thousands of lives.
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New Practitioner Fellow to Build Playbook on Data Center Impacts

Tamara Kneese joins the Environmental Institute, where she will expand her work evaluating the environmental and social consequences of AI.

Upcoming Events

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Commonwealth AI Institute (CAII) Environment Group Convening

 

Fall 2026 Seed Funding Info Session

 

The Changing Coast: Insights That Shape Policy, Science, and Society

 

Building Energy Resilience in Appalachia: Lessons from the Field

Initiatives

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Climate Collaborative

Large, interdisciplinary research teams addressing climate-related challenges
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Climate Restoration Initiative

Interdisciplinary team focused on negative emissions & carbon removal strategies for Virginia
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Decarbonization Corps

Projects to increase the pace of decarbonization through research projects

Seed Grant Opportunities

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Rapid Response

Funding on an ongoing, rolling basis for time-sensitive research
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Spark Funding

Funding for individual researchers ready to build novel research
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CoLab

Funding teams for 1-2 years on novel interdisciplinary collaborations

Fellowships

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Climate Fellows

Postdoctoral program for researchers focused on climate change & impacts
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Global to Community

Postdoctoral fellows who work as a cohort to bridge global-scale modeling
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Practitioner

Non-academic practitioners who enhance research & teaching in environmental issues

Student Opportunities

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Internships

10-week summer internship program for UVA students
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Externships

Opportunities for UVA students to shadow workplace mentors
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Environmental Futures Fellows

Opportunities for UVA graduate students to conduct summer research
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Coastal Resilience

The Institute works with communities on the coasts to develop solutions to environmental challenges.

Coasts
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Energy + Infrastructure

The Institute supports interdisciplinary teams exploring solutions to housing & infrastructure.

Decarbonization
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Environment + AI

The Institute explores the intersection between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the environment.

Environment + AI
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Extreme Events

The Institute supports the prediction of extreme events and strategies to lower risk and increase resilience.

Extreme Events