In response to the horrific shootings in Atlanta earlier this month, President Eisgruber shared a statement of solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, condemning acts of violence and encouraging others to stand up against racism.
And, in anticipation of Earth month, the Office of Public Affairs is excited to share a study led by Princeton University faculty and researchers that proposes a massive, nationwide effort to get the United States to net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 using existing technology and at costs aligned with historical spending on energy.
The new “Net-Zero America” research outlines five distinct technological pathways for the United States to decarbonize its entire economy. The research is the first study to quantify and map with this degree of specificity the infrastructure that needs to be built and the investment required to run the country without emitting more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than are removed from it each year. It’s also the first to pinpoint how jobs and health will be affected in each state at a highly granular level, sometimes down to the county.
This issue of "@princeton.edu" looks at several new studies led by Princeton University researchers to make predictions about the future of the environment in the United States and around the globe. Read on to learn more about sea-level rise risks and migration, research that tackles water challenges around the globe, and new ‘see-through soil’ that could help farmers deal with future droughts.
RETHINKING THE FUTURE
DESPITE SEA-LEVEL RISE RISKS, MIGRATION TO SOME THREATENED COASTAL AREA MAY INCREASE
New research co-authored by Princeton University scholars shows that migration to the coast could actually accelerate in some places despite sea-level change, contradicting current assumptions. The research published in Environmental Research Letters, uses a more complex behavioral decision-making model to look at Bangladesh, whose coastal zone is at high risk. Learn more.
FROM MATHEMATICAL MODELS TO PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS: RESEARCH TACKLES WATER CHALLENGES AROUND THE GLOBE
Princeton’s vital research across the spectrum of environmental issues is today and will continue to be pivotal to solving some of humanity’s toughest problems. Our impact is built on a long, deep, broad legacy of personal commitment, intellectual leadership, perseverance and innovation. This article is part of a series to present the sweep of Princeton’s environmental excellence over the past half-century. Learn more.
MUNICIPALITY, UNIVERSITY REAFFIRM SHARED PRIORITIES IN EXTENDINGVOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
Reflecting the strong and mutually beneficial relationship between the Municipality of Princeton and Princeton University, the town and the University have agreed to a two-year extension of the voluntary contribution agreement that outlines funding the University provides to support municipal operations. The extension runs through 2022. Learn more
MORE FROM PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
BY THE NUMBERS: UNIVERSITY RAISES FUNDS FOR UNITED WAY
With the help of a robust group of departmental volunteers, the Princeton University campus community raised $116,361 during the 2020-21 United Way Campaign. Proceeds support the United Way of Greater Mercer County’s education, financial stability, food insecurity and health programs. Learn more.
PRINCETON TEAM DISCOVERS NEW ORGANELLE INVOLVED IN CANCER METASTASIS
Some of Princeton’s leading cancer researchers were startled to discover that what they thought was a straightforward investigation into how cancer spreads through the body — metastasis — turned up evidence of liquid-liquid phase separations: the new field of biology research that investigates how liquid blobs of living materials merge into each other, similar to the movements seen in a lava lamp or in liquid mercury. Learn more.
PRINCETON ASTROPHYSICISTS RE-IMAGINE WORLD MAP, DESIGNING A LESS DISTORTED, 'RADICALLY DIFFERENT' WAY TO SEE THE WORLD
For centuries, mapmakers have agonized over how to accurately display our round planet on anything other than a globe. Now, a fundamental re-imagining of how maps can work has resulted in the most accurate flat map ever made. Their new map is two-sided and round, like a phonograph record or vinyl LP. Like many radical developments, it seems obvious in hindsight. Why not have a two-sided map that shows both sides of the globe? It breaks away from the limits of two dimensions without losing any of the logistical convenience — storage and manufacture — of a flat map. Learn more
University Podcasts
THE AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES PODCAST
In the inaugural new episode, take a deep dive into questions about the impact of COVID-19 on communities of color. From cultural responses to lockdown and the need for a government response to creating a more just and inclusive public health system, our hosts break down multiple dimensions of the pandemic and point toward some resources to learn more.
All for earth
Take a look back at previous episodes of the ‘All for Earth’ podcast that delves into the urgency of today’s environmental crises through in-depth interviews with the people racing time to prevent the implosion of the critical and interconnected systems that support life on Earth, including climate, biodiversity, water security, and food production. Guests represent the worlds of science and technology; politics and government; finance and business; health, media, sports and more.