Effects of West Coast wildfires go beyond evacuations and air quality
USC experts explain why the worst wildfires in California’s history are just a preview of climate change’s eventual impact on our everyday lives.
Undergrad turns to both science and policy to take on climate change
Before she even became a Trojan, Isabella O’Brien turned discarded oyster, clam and mussel shells into a means to deacidify ocean and lake waters.
Predicting drought in the American West just got much more difficult
A new, USC-led study of more than 1,000 years of North American droughts and global conditions found that forecasting a lack of precipitation is rarely straightforward.
Climate change could make toxic algal blooms even more deadly
Research funded by USC Sea Grant has found that these increasingly toxic blooms can poison marine mammals and contaminate seafood.
Two new studies explore how pollution affects the brain
USC researchers are investigating the impact of fine particle pollution on child brain growth and in older women who aren’t eating enough fish.
USC launches new sustainability research initiative
The initiative’s first three projects will focus on major environmental concerns in Southern California: water management, air pollution and testing for nutrients in soil.
Living near natural gas flaring poses health risks for pregnant women and babies
USC researchers found that exposure to flaring was associated with 50% higher odds of preterm birth.
Childhood obesity linked to smoking, air pollution and other environmental factors
A first-of-its-kind USC study found that factors like secondhand smoke and a lack of exercise were associated with a higher BMI during childhood.
To be more sustainable, this USC student starts with the shirt on her back
Jasmine Sears plans to use her degree in environmental studies to help the fashion industry do more to protect the planet.
USC goes virtual for Earth Day with lineup of online sustainability activities
What is the planet telling us with climate change? How is USC striving for a greener future? Get answers during the university’s online Earth Day celebration.
Environmental science major sows seeds of advocacy among Trojans
Soon-to-be-graduating USC senior Claire Mauss has transformed the Environmental Student Assembly into an organization that advocates for sustainable change on campus.
USC researchers are creating the cheaper, cleaner fuels of the future
Trojan scientists are raiding deep fryers, developing alternative crops and turning to kelp in their quest to create renewable biofuels.
Composting is the next sustainability step for USC residential living
Collection bins are being installed at numerous residential colleges, with the goal of making composting easy for students.
Through solar power and zero waste, Galen Center shoots for sustainability
The USC athletics arena looks to leap forward with 1,500 solar modules on the roof, more than 3,000 LED light bulbs and a commitment to waste diversion starting with a “green game” on Saturday.
By asking players to revitalize a dying Earth, this video game aims to raise environmental awareness
A USC Dornsife environmental studies professor and two USC student game designers believe that their game Plasticity could inspire people to take sustainable action.
Polluted river sparks first-gen student’s dreams of environmental change
Juan Pablo de los Rios grew up on both the Mexican and American sides of the Rio Grande, which became a dumping ground for toxic waste. As a chemistry grad student at USC Dornsife, he hopes to one day clean that river and others like it.
USC 2019 | Research that makes a difference in health, the environment and more
✌ Year in review: USC scientists are serious about changing the world. Take a look at some of this year’s discoveries that are already positively affecting people’s lives.
How Trash Turns into Treasure in Labs at USC
Waste salvaged from dumpsters, airplane graveyards and more finds a sustainable second life thanks to some creative ideas.
Marine sergeant turned scuba diver is doing what he loves
USC undergrad Nicholas Foster started diving for fun while serving in Hawaii with the Armed Forces. Now, he hopes protecting the ocean will go from a passion to his life’s work.
Antibiotic-resistant genes are well removed by purification used to recycle wastewater but final quality is influenced by environmental factors
A team led by USC Viterbi’s Adam Smith has found that purified water returned to Southern California aquifers for storage and reuse blends with antibiotic-resistant bacteria already found in the aquifer.
In an interconnected world, can environmentalists really ‘act locally’?
The desire to “think globally, act locally” is a complicated one in today’s world. A professor of geography at USC Dornsife explains how to best combat modern environmental problems.
Discovery of ancient trees buried underwater adds new twist to the carbon cycle
Geology researchers at USC Dornsife have found evidence that rivers can carry fresh wood from far inland to deep in the ocean.
What Will Our World Look Like in 2050?
USC researchers say confronting reality and taking local action may help humanity cope — and even spur economies and innovation.
Hydrogen Fuel is Getting Buzz, But Here’s Why It Hasn’t Gone Mainstream
Is hydrogen the answer to our energy needs? An aerospace and mechanical engineer explains how to bring this fuel down to Earth.