Making Headlines
The following articles reflect our commitment to share sustainability-related accomplishments across the university — representing its colleges, departments, institutes, centers and other units — in the areas of research, student engagement, campus stewardship and collaborations with the public and private sectors.
Washington Post, June 2, 2020
The escalating protests across the United States could intensify a political standoff between the White House and Congress over whether to continue emergency economic assistance for millions of Americans. ...
Featured expert(s): Darrick Hamilton
John Glenn College of Public Affairs, Sustainability Institute faculty advisory board
Chemical and Engineering News, May 28, 2020
Two toxic, persistent per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used at a Chemours factory in West Virginia pollute soil and groundwater as far as 48 km downwind of the plant, researchers report (Environ. Sci. Technol. 2020, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b07384). ...
Featured expert(s): Linda Weavers
civil, environmental and geodetic engineering, SI faculty advisory board research co-lead, healthy land, water and air systems
Knowable Magazine, May 28, 2020
The year is 2220. Everyone alive on Earth today is long dead, and the world looks very different. Desperate to study the atmospheres of the past, on a mission to understand how the hostile twenty-third century climate could unravel further, a scientist has travelled to the Antarctic hinterland. Her gloved hand pulls open a door buried in the snow. Behind it lies the top of a staircase, which spirals down into the freezing darkness. Flashlight in hand, she descends three stories to find history. ...
Featured expert(s): Lonnie Thompson
earth sciences, SI affiliated faculty
WOSU All Sides, May 27, 2020
A Central Michigan dam collapse last week re-focused attention on the nation’s aging infrastructure amid worsening weather. Engineers and safety experts warn that changing weather patterns will affect everything from drinking water, power companies, bridges and highways. ...
Featured expert(s): Bryan Mark
geography, SI affiliated faculty
Columbus Dispatch, May 26, 2020
Last week, Columbus set a record for rainfall, resulting in homes getting flooded. Experts say to expect more extreme weather events. It could be more likely that first-responders will need to deal with battles on multiple fronts during a pandemic. ...
Featured expert(s): Aaron Wilson
Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, SI affiliated faculty
Wall Street Journal , May 26, 2020
The sad lack of emergency savings is a well-known and often-lamented condition for a huge number of people. And it’s never been more apparent—or more dangerous—than in our coronavirus-induced economic downturn. ...
Featured expert(s): Grant Donnelly
marketing and logistics, SI core faculty
ideastream, May 18, 2020
Evidence of Increased Vehicle Speeding in Ohio's Major Cities during the Coronavirus Pandemic. ...
Featured expert(s): Harvey Miller
geography, SI faculty advisory board
New York Times, May 14, 2020
Climate change has increased the risk of a huge landslide in an Alaskan fjord that could cause a catastrophic tsunami, scientists said Thursday. ...
Featured expert(s): Chunli Dai
Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center
ABC 6, May 11, 2020
Automotive experts suggest you reacquaint yourself with your car as many Ohioans return to work. And those of you who remained on the roadways during the stay-at-home order, researchers said they know you’ve been leadfootin’ it on the highways. ...
Featured expert(s): Harvey Miller
geography, SI research co-lead, smart and resilient communities
Popular Mechanics, May 11, 2020
Scientists from the Ohio State University say that Earth’s crust will carry evidence of COVID-19 (coronavirus) likely for the rest of Earth’s long timeline. That’s because of both environmental signs of a global pandemic and the way pathogens like viruses and bacteria are effectively “flash frozen” in snow and ice. ...
Featured expert(s): Lonnie Thompson
earth sciences, SI affiliated faculty