On a biannual basis, the Environmental Institute awards grants to UVA faculty in a variety of disciplines that are advancing solutions to tough environmental problems. In this cycle, the Institute is pleased to announce six awards. These projects represent the novel and interdisciplinary approaches required to develop solutions to some of the most pressing environmental and sustainability challenges.
Spark Grants
Spark grants are awarded to provide seed funding for the creation of interdisciplinary teams that will go on to conduct solutions-focused research on specific environmental issues. Learn more about Spark funding here. In this funding cycle, UVA’s Environmental Institute announces the award of the following Spark grants:
Does Urban Green Space Mitigate Emergency Department Cases During Heat Waves?
Bob Davis, Wendy Novicoff, Jaeyoung Ha (Virginia Tech), and Truc-Ly Le-Huynh
This project investigates whether urban green space, such as parks, trees, and gardens, can reduce health risks during extreme heat by focusing on emergency room visits in Richmond, Virginia from 2016 to 2022. Using detailed health records, climate data, and advanced land use analysis, the research examines not just the presence of greenery, but its size, shape, and connectivity to determine which features offer the most protection. The team aims to guide city planners and public health officials in designing greener, more heat-resilient neighborhoods, especially for communities most vulnerable to rising temperatures.
Exploring the Intersection of Land-Sea-Air to guide National Decisions (ISLAND) for Biological Conservation
Rider Foley
The ISLAND project introduces a new model for global biodiversity conservation by focusing on successful, actionable interventions rather than species loss, with case studies across three key bird migratory flyways in the U.S. and New Zealand. It brings together researchers, policymakers, Indigenous leaders, and NGOs through workshops and coalition-building to bridge science and practice across regions and disciplines. The project aims to create an open-access catalog of effective conservation strategies, strengthen collective action theory, and establish a global network for long-term ecological stewardship.
Impacts of Okavango Delta Water Management on Regional Atmospheric Dynamics in Southern Africa
Todd Scanlon and Julianne Quinn
This project examines how upstream water management in Angola could affect rainfall patterns across southern Africa by altering the moisture dynamics of the Okavango Delta. By pairing hydrology and atmospheric science through high-resolution field measurements, the research tests the novel hypothesis that the Delta contributes significantly to regional rainfall as a localized moisture source in the arid Kalahari. The findings will inform transboundary water policy by highlighting how changes to the Delta’s flow may have far-reaching climatic and socio-economic consequences.
SOLAR ECOLOGIES: Modeling a Framework for Community Scale Solar and Land Restoration
Mona El Khafif, Matthew Seibert, Elizabeth Marshall, Gary Koenig, and Larry Band
The Solar Ecologies project explores how community solar infrastructure can be integrated with green infrastructure to transform underutilized urban land, specifically along Charlottesville’s I-29 corridor, into hybrid energy-ecological systems. Using performance-driven modeling, the project demonstrates how solar installations can also support stormwater management, urban cooling, and habitat restoration. Through design research, stakeholder engagement, and a testbed site, the project aims to develop a replicable framework that advances energy equity, resilience, and scalable policy solutions.
CoLab Grants
CoLab grants are awarded to novel interdisciplinary pan-University collaborations focused on climate change research with high potential for societal impact. Learn more about CoLab grants here. In this funding cycle, UVA’s Environmental Institute announces the award of the following CoLab grants:
Real-time Attribution of Extreme Precipitation Events on Subseasonal-to-Seasonal Timescales using AI Climate Agents
Chirag Agarwal, Antonios Mamalakis, and Kevin Grise
This project develops ClimateAgent, an AI-powered tool that will transform how scientists attribute extreme weather events, especially heavy rainfall, weeks to months in advance. By integrating diverse data sources and using causal inference, ClimateAgent can simulate alternative climate scenarios and quantify the influence of climate change on specific events. The tool aims to improve early warning systems, support climate adaptation and policy, and establish a new framework for applying AI to other climate extremes like droughts and hurricanes.
Locating Infrastructure: Energy, Water, and the Societal Footprint of U.S. Data Centers
Joao Ferreira, Lauren Bridges, and Larry Band
This project investigates how the rapid expansion of data centers is impacting energy and water systems, land use, and governance in the U.S., with a comparative focus on Northern Virginia and the Chicago region. By analyzing both direct and indirect water use, especially as AI-driven energy demand rises, the research will consider critical trade-offs between energy efficiency and water stress. The findings could offer systems-level insights and policy guidance for managing the environmental impacts of large-scale data infrastructure.