environmental health research topics for college students

Research Topics & Ideas: Environment

100+ Environmental Science Research Topics & Ideas

Research topics and ideas within the environmental sciences

Finding and choosing a strong research topic is the critical first step when it comes to crafting a high-quality dissertation, thesis or research project. Here, we’ll explore a variety research ideas and topic thought-starters related to various environmental science disciplines, including ecology, oceanography, hydrology, geology, soil science, environmental chemistry, environmental economics, and environmental ethics.

NB – This is just the start…

The topic ideation and evaluation process has multiple steps . In this post, we’ll kickstart the process by sharing some research topic ideas within the environmental sciences. This is the starting point though. To develop a well-defined research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , along with a well-justified plan of action to fill that gap.

If you’re new to the oftentimes perplexing world of research, or if this is your first time undertaking a formal academic research project, be sure to check out our free dissertation mini-course. Also be sure to also sign up for our free webinar that explores how to develop a high-quality research topic from scratch.

Overview: Environmental Topics

Ecology /ecological science
Atmospheric science
Oceanography
Soil science
Environmental chemistry
Environmental economics
Environmental ethics
Examples of dissertations and theses

Topics & Ideas: Ecological Science

The impact of land-use change on species diversity and ecosystem functioning in agricultural landscapes
The role of disturbances such as fire and drought in shaping arid ecosystems
The impact of climate change on the distribution of migratory marine species
Investigating the role of mutualistic plant-insect relationships in maintaining ecosystem stability
The effects of invasive plant species on ecosystem structure and function
The impact of habitat fragmentation caused by road construction on species diversity and population dynamics in the tropics
The role of ecosystem services in urban areas and their economic value to a developing nation
The effectiveness of different grassland restoration techniques in degraded ecosystems
The impact of land-use change through agriculture and urbanisation on soil microbial communities in a temperate environment
The role of microbial diversity in ecosystem health and nutrient cycling in an African savannah

Topics & Ideas: Atmospheric Science

The impact of climate change on atmospheric circulation patterns above tropical rainforests
The role of atmospheric aerosols in cloud formation and precipitation above cities with high pollution levels
The impact of agricultural land-use change on global atmospheric composition
Investigating the role of atmospheric convection in severe weather events in the tropics
The impact of urbanisation on regional and global atmospheric ozone levels
The impact of sea surface temperature on atmospheric circulation and tropical cyclones
The impact of solar flares on the Earth’s atmospheric composition
The impact of climate change on atmospheric turbulence and air transportation safety
The impact of stratospheric ozone depletion on atmospheric circulation and climate change
The role of atmospheric rivers in global water supply and sea-ice formation

Topics & Ideas: Oceanography

The impact of ocean acidification on kelp forests and biogeochemical cycles
The role of ocean currents in distributing heat and regulating desert rain
The impact of carbon monoxide pollution on ocean chemistry and biogeochemical cycles
Investigating the role of ocean mixing in regulating coastal climates
The impact of sea level rise on the resource availability of low-income coastal communities
The impact of ocean warming on the distribution and migration patterns of marine mammals
The impact of ocean deoxygenation on biogeochemical cycles in the arctic
The role of ocean-atmosphere interactions in regulating rainfall in arid regions
The impact of ocean eddies on global ocean circulation and plankton distribution
The role of ocean-ice interactions in regulating the Earth’s climate and sea level

Tops & Ideas: Hydrology

The impact of agricultural land-use change on water resources and hydrologic cycles in temperate regions
The impact of agricultural groundwater availability on irrigation practices in the global south
The impact of rising sea-surface temperatures on global precipitation patterns and water availability
Investigating the role of wetlands in regulating water resources for riparian forests
The impact of tropical ranches on river and stream ecosystems and water quality
The impact of urbanisation on regional and local hydrologic cycles and water resources for agriculture
The role of snow cover and mountain hydrology in regulating regional agricultural water resources
The impact of drought on food security in arid and semi-arid regions
The role of groundwater recharge in sustaining water resources in arid and semi-arid environments
The impact of sea level rise on coastal hydrology and the quality of water resources

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Topics & Ideas: Geology

The impact of tectonic activity on the East African rift valley
The role of mineral deposits in shaping ancient human societies
The impact of sea-level rise on coastal geomorphology and shoreline evolution
Investigating the role of erosion in shaping the landscape and impacting desertification
The impact of mining on soil stability and landslide potential
The impact of volcanic activity on incoming solar radiation and climate
The role of geothermal energy in decarbonising the energy mix of megacities
The impact of Earth’s magnetic field on geological processes and solar wind
The impact of plate tectonics on the evolution of mammals
The role of the distribution of mineral resources in shaping human societies and economies, with emphasis on sustainability

Topics & Ideas: Soil Science

The impact of dam building on soil quality and fertility
The role of soil organic matter in regulating nutrient cycles in agricultural land
The impact of climate change on soil erosion and soil organic carbon storage in peatlands
Investigating the role of above-below-ground interactions in nutrient cycling and soil health
The impact of deforestation on soil degradation and soil fertility
The role of soil texture and structure in regulating water and nutrient availability in boreal forests
The impact of sustainable land management practices on soil health and soil organic matter
The impact of wetland modification on soil structure and function
The role of soil-atmosphere exchange and carbon sequestration in regulating regional and global climate
The impact of salinization on soil health and crop productivity in coastal communities

Topics & Ideas: Environmental Chemistry

The impact of cobalt mining on water quality and the fate of contaminants in the environment
The role of atmospheric chemistry in shaping air quality and climate change
The impact of soil chemistry on nutrient availability and plant growth in wheat monoculture
Investigating the fate and transport of heavy metal contaminants in the environment
The impact of climate change on biochemical cycling in tropical rainforests
The impact of various types of land-use change on biochemical cycling
The role of soil microbes in mediating contaminant degradation in the environment
The impact of chemical and oil spills on freshwater and soil chemistry
The role of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in shaping water and soil chemistry
The impact of over-irrigation on the cycling and fate of persistent organic pollutants in the environment

Topics & Ideas: Environmental Economics

The impact of climate change on the economies of developing nations
The role of market-based mechanisms in promoting sustainable use of forest resources
The impact of environmental regulations on economic growth and competitiveness
Investigating the economic benefits and costs of ecosystem services for African countries
The impact of renewable energy policies on regional and global energy markets
The role of water markets in promoting sustainable water use in southern Africa
The impact of land-use change in rural areas on regional and global economies
The impact of environmental disasters on local and national economies
The role of green technologies and innovation in shaping the zero-carbon transition and the knock-on effects for local economies
The impact of environmental and natural resource policies on income distribution and poverty of rural communities

Topics & Ideas: Environmental Ethics

The ethical foundations of environmentalism and the environmental movement regarding renewable energy
The role of values and ethics in shaping environmental policy and decision-making in the mining industry
The impact of cultural and religious beliefs on environmental attitudes and behaviours in first world countries
Investigating the ethics of biodiversity conservation and the protection of endangered species in palm oil plantations
The ethical implications of sea-level rise for future generations and vulnerable coastal populations
The role of ethical considerations in shaping sustainable use of natural forest resources
The impact of environmental justice on marginalized communities and environmental policies in Asia
The ethical implications of environmental risks and decision-making under uncertainty
The role of ethics in shaping the transition to a low-carbon, sustainable future for the construction industry
The impact of environmental values on consumer behaviour and the marketplace: a case study of the ‘bring your own shopping bag’ policy

Examples: Real Dissertation & Thesis Topics

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a research topic, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses to see how this all comes together.

Below, we’ve included a selection of research projects from various environmental science-related degree programs to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

The physiology of microorganisms in enhanced biological phosphorous removal (Saunders, 2014)
The influence of the coastal front on heavy rainfall events along the east coast (Henson, 2019)
Forage production and diversification for climate-smart tropical and temperate silvopastures (Dibala, 2019)
Advancing spectral induced polarization for near surface geophysical characterization (Wang, 2021)
Assessment of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter and Thamnocephalus platyurus as Tools to Monitor Cyanobacterial Bloom Development and Toxicity (Hipsher, 2019)
Evaluating the Removal of Microcystin Variants with Powdered Activated Carbon (Juang, 2020)
The effect of hydrological restoration on nutrient concentrations, macroinvertebrate communities, and amphibian populations in Lake Erie coastal wetlands (Berg, 2019)
Utilizing hydrologic soil grouping to estimate corn nitrogen rate recommendations (Bean, 2019)
Fungal Function in House Dust and Dust from the International Space Station (Bope, 2021)
Assessing Vulnerability and the Potential for Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in Sudan’s Blue Nile Basin (Mohamed, 2022)
A Microbial Water Quality Analysis of the Recreational Zones in the Los Angeles River of Elysian Valley, CA (Nguyen, 2019)
Dry Season Water Quality Study on Three Recreational Sites in the San Gabriel Mountains (Vallejo, 2019)
Wastewater Treatment Plan for Unix Packaging Adjustment of the Potential Hydrogen (PH) Evaluation of Enzymatic Activity After the Addition of Cycle Disgestase Enzyme (Miessi, 2020)
Laying the Genetic Foundation for the Conservation of Longhorn Fairy Shrimp (Kyle, 2021).

Looking at these titles, you can probably pick up that the research topics here are quite specific and narrowly-focused , compared to the generic ones presented earlier. To create a top-notch research topic, you will need to be precise and target a specific context with specific variables of interest . In other words, you’ll need to identify a clear, well-justified research gap.

Need more help?

If you’re still feeling a bit unsure about how to find a research topic for your environmental science dissertation or research project, be sure to check out our private coaching services below, as well as our Research Topic Kickstarter .

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50 Best Environmental Science Research Topics

May 31, 2023

Environmental science is a varied discipline that encompasses a variety of subjects, including ecology, atmospheric science, and geology among others. Professionals within this field can pursue many occupations from lab technicians and agricultural engineers to park rangers and environmental lawyers. However, what unites these careers is their focus on how the natural world and the human world interact and impact the surrounding environment. There is also one other significant commonality among environmental science careers: virtually all of them either engage in or rely on research on environmental science topics to ensure their work is accurate and up to date.

In this post, we’ll outline some of the best environmental science research topics to help you explore disciplines within environmental science and kickstart your own research. If you are considering majoring in environmental science or perhaps just need help brainstorming for a research paper, this post will give you a broad sense of timely environmental science research topics.

What makes a research topic good?

Before we dive into specific environmental science research topics, let’s first cover the basics: what qualities make for a viable research topic. Research is the process of collecting information to make discoveries and reach new conclusions. We often think of research as something that occurs in academic or scientific settings. However, everyone engages in informal research in everyday life, from reading product reviews to investigating statistics for admitted students at prospective colleges . While we all conduct research in our day-to-day lives, formal academic research is necessary to advance discoveries and scholarly discourses. Therefore, in this setting, good research hinges on a topic in which there are unanswered questions or ongoing debates. In other words, meaningful research focuses on topics where you can say something new.

However, identifying an interesting research topic is only the first step in the research process. Research topics tend to be broad in scope. Strong research is dependent on developing a specific research question, meaning the query your project will seek to answer. While there are no comprehensive guidelines for research questions, most scholars agree that research questions should be:

1) Specific

Research questions need to clearly identify and define the focus of your research. Without sufficient detail, your research will likely be too broad or imprecise in focus to yield meaningful insights. For example, you might initially be interested in addressing this question: How should governments address the effects of climate change? While that is a worthwhile question to investigate, it’s not clear enough to facilitate meaningful research. What level of government is this question referring to? And what specific effects of global warming will this research focus on? You would need to revise this question to provide a clearer focus for your research. A revised version of this question might look like this: How can state government officials in Florida best mitigate the effects of sea-level rise?

Our interest in a given topic often starts quite broad. However, it is difficult to produce meaningful, thorough research on a broad topic. For that reason, it is important that research questions be narrow in scope, focusing on a specific issue or subtopic. For example, one of the more timely environmental science topics is renewable energy. A student who is just learning about this topic might wish to write a research paper on the following question: Which form of renewable energy is best? However, that would be a difficult question to answer in one paper given the various ways in which an energy source could be “best.” Instead, this student might narrow their focus, assessing renewable energy sources through a more specific lens: Which form of renewable energy is best for job creation?

3) Complex

As we previously discussed, good research leads to new discoveries. These lines of inquiry typically require a complicated and open-ended research question. A question that can be answered with just a “yes” or “no” (or a quick Google search) is likely indicative of a topic in which additional research is unnecessary (i.e. there is no ongoing debate) or a topic that is not well defined. For example, the following question would likely be too simple for academic research: What is environmental justice? You can look up a definition of environmental justice online. You would need to ask a more complex question to sustain a meaningful research project. Instead, you might conduct research on the following query: Which environmental issue(s) disproportionately impact impoverished communities in the Pacific Northwest? This question is narrower and more specific, while also requiring more complex thought and analysis to answer.

4) Debatable

Again, strong research provides new answers and information, which means that they must be situated within topics or discourses where there is ongoing debate. If a research question can only lead to one natural conclusion, that may indicate that it has already been sufficiently addressed in prior research or that the question is leading. For example, Are invasive species bad? is not a very debatable question (the answer is in the term “invasive species”!). A paper that focused on this question would essentially define and provide examples of invasive species (i.e. information that is already well documented). Instead, a researcher might investigate the effects of a specific invasive species. For example: How have Burmese pythons impacted ecosystems in the Everglades, and what mitigation strategies are most effective to reduce Burmese python populations?

Therefore, research topics, including environmental science topics, are those about which there are ample questions yet to be definitively answered. Taking time to develop a thoughtful research question will provide the necessary focus and structure to facilitate meaningful research.

10 Great Environmental Science Research Topics (With Explanations!)

Now that we have a basic understanding of what qualities can make or break a research topic, we can return to our focus on environmental science topics. Although “great” research topics are somewhat subjective, we believe the following topics provide excellent foundations for research due to ongoing debates in these areas, as well as the urgency of the challenges they seek to address.

1) Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation

Although climate change is now a well-known concept , there is still much to be learned about how humans can best mitigate and adapt to its effects. Mitigation involves reducing the severity of climate change. However, there are a variety of ways mitigation can occur, from switching to electric vehicles to enforcing carbon taxes on corporations that produce the highest carbon emission levels. Many of these environmental science topics intersect with issues of public policy and economics, making them very nuanced and versatile.

In comparison, climate change adaptation considers how humans can adjust to life in an evolving climate where issues such as food insecurity, floods, droughts, and other severe weather events are more frequent. Research on climate change adaptation is particularly fascinating due to the various levels at which it occurs, from federal down to local governments, to help communities anticipate and adjust to the effects of climate change.

Both climate change mitigation and adaptation represent excellent environmental science research topics as there is still much to be learned to address this issue and its varied effects.

2) Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is another fairly mainstream topic in which there is much to learn and research. Although scientists have identified many forms of sustainable energy, such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric power, questions remain about how to best implement these energy sources. How can politicians, world leaders, and communities advance renewable energy through public policy? What impact will renewable energy have on local and national economies? And how can we minimize the environmental impact of renewable energy technologies? While we have identified alternatives to fossil fuels, questions persist about the best way to utilize these technologies, making renewable energy one of the best environmental science topics to research.

3) Conservation

Conservation is a broad topic within environmental science, focusing on issues such as preserving environments and protecting endangered species. However, conservation efforts are more challenging than ever in the face of a growing world population and climate change. In fact, some scientists theorize that we are currently in the middle of a sixth mass extinction event. While these issues might seem dire, we need scientists to conduct research on conservation efforts for specific species, as well as entire ecosystems, to help combat these challenges and preserve the planet’s biodiversity.

4) Deforestation

The Save the Rainforest movement of the 1980s and 90s introduced many people to the issue of deforestation. Today, the problems associated with deforestation, such as reduced biodiversity and soil erosion, are fairly common knowledge. However, these challenges persist due, in part, to construction and agricultural development projects. While we know the effects of deforestation, it is more difficult to identify and implement feasible solutions. This is particularly true in developing countries where deforestation is often more prevalent due to political, environmental, and economic factors. Environmental science research can help reduce deforestation by identifying strategies to help countries sustainably manage their natural resources.

Environmental Science Topics (Continued)

5) urban ecology.

When we think of “the environment,” our brains often conjure up images of majestic mountain ranges and lush green forests. However, less “natural” environments also warrant study: this is where urban ecology comes in. Urban ecology is the study of how organisms interact with one another and their environment in urban settings. Through urban ecology, researchers can address topics such as how greenspaces in cities can reduce air pollution, or how local governments can adopt more effective waste management practices. As one of the newer environmental science topics, urban ecology represents an exciting research area that can help humans live more sustainably.

6) Environmental Justice

While environmental issues such as climate change impact people on a global scale, not all communities are affected equally. For example, wealthy nations tend to contribute more to greenhouse-gas emissions. However, less developed nations are disproportionately bearing the brunt of climate change . Studies within the field of environmental justice seek to understand how issues such as race, national origin, and income impact the degree to which people experience hardships from environmental issues. Researchers in this field not only document these inequities, but also identify ways in which environmental justice can be achieved. As a result, their work helps communities have access to clean, safe environments in which they can thrive.

7) Water Management

Water is, of course, necessary for life, which is why water management is so important within environmental science research topics. Water management research ensures that water resources are appropriately identified and maintained to meet demand. However, climate change has heightened the need for water management research, due to the occurrence of more severe droughts and wildfires. As a result, water management research is necessary to ensure water is clean and accessible.

8) Pollution and Bioremediation

Another impact of the increase in human population and development is heightened air, water, and soil pollution. Environmental scientists study pollutants to understand how they work and where they originate. Through their research, they can identify solutions to help address pollution, such as bioremediation, which is the use of microorganisms to consume and break down pollutants. Collectively, research on pollution and bioremediation helps us restore environments so they are sufficient for human, animal, and plant life.

9) Disease Ecology

While environmental science topics impact the health of humans, we don’t always think of this discipline as intersecting with medicine. But, believe it or not, they can sometimes overlap! Disease ecology examines how ecological processes and interactions impact disease evolution. For example, malaria is a disease that is highly dependent on ecological variables, such as temperature and precipitation. Both of these factors can help or hinder the breeding of mosquitoes and, therefore, the transmission of malaria. The risk of infectious diseases is likely to increase due to climate change , making disease ecology an important research topic.

10) Ecosystems Ecology

If nothing else, the aforementioned topics and their related debates showcase just how interconnected the world is. None of us live in a vacuum: our environment affects us just as we affect it. That makes ecosystems ecology, which examines how ecosystems operate and interact, an evergreen research topic within environmental science.

40 More Environmental Science Research Topics

Still haven’t stumbled upon the right environmental science research topic? The following ideas may help spark some inspiration:

The effects of agricultural land use on biodiversity and ecosystems.
The impact of invasive plant species on ecosystems.
How wildfires and droughts shape ecosystems.
The role of fire ecology in addressing wildfire threats.
The impact of coral bleaching on biodiversity.
Ways to minimize the environmental impact of clean energies.
The effects of climate change on ocean currents and migration patterns of marine species.

Environmental Justice and Public Policy

Opportunities to equalize the benefits of greenspaces for impoverished and marginalized communities.
The impact of natural disasters on human migration patterns.
The role of national parks and nature reserves in human health.
How to address inequalities in the impact of air pollution.
How to prevent and address the looming climate refugee crisis.
Environmentally and economically sustainable alternatives to deforestation in less developed countries.
Effects of environmental policies and regulations on impoverished communities.
The role of pollutants in endocrine disruption.
The effects of climate change on the emergence of infectious diseases.

AP Environmental Science Research Topics (Continued)

Soil science.

Effects of climate change on soil erosion.
The role of land management in maintaining soil health.
Agricultural effects of salinization in coastal areas.
The effects of climate change on agriculture.

Urban Ecology

How road construction impacts biodiversity and ecosystems.
The effects of urbanization and city planning on water cycles.
Impacts of noise pollution on human health.
The role of city planning in reducing light pollution.

Pollution and Bioremediation

The role of bioremediation in removing “forever” chemicals from the environment.
Impacts of air pollution on maternal health.
How to improve plastic recycling processes.
Individual measures to reduce consumption and creation of microplastics.
Environmental impacts of and alternatives to fracking.

Environmental Law and Ethics

Ethical implications of human intervention in the preservation of endangered species.
The efficacy and impact of single-use plastic laws.
Effects of religious and cultural values in environmental beliefs.
The ethics of climate change policy for future generations.
Ethical implications of international environmental regulations for less developed countries.
The impact and efficacy of corporate carbon taxes.
Ethical and environmental implications of fast fashion.
The ethics and efficacy of green consumerism.
Impacts of the hospitality and travel industries on pollution and emissions.
The ethical implications of greenwashing in marketing.
Effects of “Right to Repair” laws on pollution.

Final Thoughts: Environmental Science Research Topics

Environmental science is a diverse and very important area of study that impacts all aspects of life on Earth. If you’ve found a topic you’d like to pursue, it’s time to hit the books (or online databases)! Begin reading broadly on your chosen topic so you can define a specific research question. If you’re unsure where to begin, contact a research librarian who can connect you with pertinent resources. As you familiarize yourself with the discourse surrounding your topic, consider what questions spring to mind. Those questions may represent gaps around which you can craft a research question.

Interested in conducting academic research? Check out the following resources for information on research opportunities and programs:

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Emily Smith

Emily earned a BA in English and Communication Studies from UNC Chapel Hill and an MA in English from Wake Forest University. While at UNC and Wake Forest, she served as a tutor and graduate assistant in each school’s writing center, where she worked with undergraduate and graduate students from all academic backgrounds. She also worked as an editorial intern for the Wake Forest University Press as well as a visiting lecturer in the Department of English at WFU, and currently works as a writing center director in western North Carolina.

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Understanding The Concept Of Environmental Science

Table of Contents

Environmental science is a multidimensional field that examines relationships between human beings and the environment. It delves into understanding, protecting, and sustaining our planet’s health. Here’s a quick glance.

What is Environmental Science?

Interdisciplinary Study: Environmental science combines elements of biology, chemistry, physics, geology, and social sciences to understand environmental issues comprehensively.
Study of Systems: It focuses on ecosystems, examining how various components interact and influence each other within the environment.

Key Components

Biodiversity: Understanding and conserving the variety of life forms on Earth.
Climate Change: Examining the impacts of human activities on the Earth’s climate system.
Pollution: Investigating the sources, effects, and mitigation strategies for air, water, and soil pollution.
Resource Management: Exploring sustainable practices for using and conserving natural resources.

Importance of Environmental Science

Critical Problem-Solving: Addresses pressing issues like habitat loss, water scarcity, and global warming.
Policy Formation: Provides scientific data to guide environmental policies and regulations.
Community Engagement: Educates and involves communities in environmental conservation efforts.

Careers in Environmental Science

Environmental Scientist: Conducts research to identify and solve environmental problems.
Conservation Biologist: Focuses on protecting and managing natural resources.
Environmental Engineer: Designs systems to address environmental challenges.

Future Challenges

Sustainable Development: It includes Balancing economic growth via environmental conservation.
Climate Resilience: Adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
Global Cooperation: Addressing environmental issues requires international collaboration.

Environmental science plays a pivotal role in shaping policies, technologies, and behaviors that contribute to a sustainable future. Understanding its significance empowers us to take proactive steps in preserving our planet for generations to come.

Updated 2024: Top 150 Environmental Science Research Topics

Now we are presenting an extensive collection of current and relevant subjects shaping the field. Covering climate change, biodiversity conservation, pollution, renewable energy, and much more, this curated list reflects the latest trends and pressing issues in environmental science. Dive into these topics to explore cutting edge research opportunities and contribute to the solutions that our planet urgently needs.

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80 sustainability research topics for students to explore green campus issues

You’re planning your thesis, paper or capstone? You want to do a student research project with impact. We have outlined a range of sustainability research topics for you. The list specifically focuses on how to green your campus . Take action to make your university more sustainable!

Our list of sustainability research topics helps students investigate green campus issues.

Sustainability research topics: Education

Some sustainability research topics on education for sustainable development :

What are the strengths and weaknesses of different definitions of sustainability education? Which definition could your university adopt?
To what extent is sustainability education already implemented in the curriculum of your university?
What are the strengths and limitations of advancing sustainability education within your curriculum?
Where does your university stand with regards to sustainability education compared to other institutions of higher education?
What is the demand among students for more, different or better sustainability education?
How can existing sustainability projects on campus be used for educational purposes, e.g. visit solar cells on rooftops as part of engineering classes?

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What definition of sustainability research should your university embrace?
To what extent is sustainability research already practised at your university?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the institution’s sustainability research portfolio compared to other institutions of higher education?
What are the drivers of and barriers to sustainability research at your university?
How could sustainability research help students to study sustainability issues on campus and inform practical change projects?
What are the opportunities and costs associated with promoting sustainability research? What could a plan of action look like to strategically advance it?

Some sustainability research topics on community engagement and awareness:

What are the perceptions of and attitudes towards sustainability by students and staff?
What are ways to promote sustainable lifestyles among students?
To what extent are students and staff aware of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ?
How aware are students and staff about the institution’s sustainability ambitions?
What are the benefits and disadvantages of approaches to communicate the university’s sustainability efforts better?
What are the challenges to involve students and staff in the university’s sustainability efforts?
Which ways to increase the engagement of the campus community exist, for example by organising sustainability events ?

For inspiration, read our post on 10 projects to engage students on the SDGs .

Explore sustainability topics for research papers on different issues related to greening campus operations:

What are the opportunities and costs of improving the building insulations to save energy?
What lighting systems exist on the market that are more energy efficient?
What would a business case look like to install a new lighting system?
Where are the main consumers of energy on campus?
What innovative energy technologies are developed at the institution itself? To what extent could those be directly installed and tested in buildings?
What lux values are sufficient for work and study places so that places are appropriately lit without wasting too much electricity?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of different sustainable building standards?
Which building standards would be most appropriate to inform the institution’s sustainable building policy?
What are the costs and benefits associated with different types of green roofs?
On which buildings could green roofs be installed?
To what extent are catering and food products certified as organic or fair trade food?
How much and why do students attach importance to organic and fair trade products sold in the cafeteria?
How can students and employees be made more aware of the multiple benefits – e.g. health, environment, economics – of sustainable (organic, fair trade, local) food ?
How much are students willing to pay for more organic or fair trade products?
What types and amounts of waste are produced by whom and where at the institution?
How did waste streams develop over the last years?
What are innovative practices in reducing waste going to landfill or incineration? How could those be applied?
What are the costs and benefits associated with waste recycling ?
What options exist to switch from paper-based to more digital forms of working and studying to reduce paper consumption?
What are the environmental, economic, and social benefits and disadvantages of different options to advance more digital working and studying?

More sustainability research topics on campus operations:

Biodiversity

What species live at different campus locations?
To what extent do students, faculty and staff value this biodiversity?
What are ways to enhance biodiversity on campus?

Greenhouse-gase (GHG)

What are the pros and cons of different GHG accounting standards?
Which standard should the institution use to develop a GHG emissions inventory ?
Where are GHG emissions released at the institution?
How big is the institution’s GHG footprint?

Procurement

What does sustainable procurement mean in the context of a university?
How is procurement currently organised? To what extent are sustainability criteria already applied in tenders?
To what extent could the university implement sustainability criteria that go beyond the legal minimum to advance the environmental, economic and social benefits of tenders?
What are the largest consumers of water?
What is the direct and indirect water-footprint of the institution?
What are opportunities and costs to reduce water usage?

Transportation and mobility

How do students and staff currently travel to the university and as part of their study or work?
What is the environmental impact of these travel behaviours? How could the impact be reduced?
What best practices exist among companies and other institutions of higher education to reduce staff travel or incentivize different travel behaviours?

Behaviour change

What is the potential to reduce resource consumption through behaviour change?
What are the best practices of behaviour change interventions at institutions of higher education?
To what extent could these projects be also applied at your university?

Sustainability research topics on governance, strategy and reporting

Sustainability research topics on governance issues:

What does sustainability mean for institutions of higher education?
How does a comprehensive concept of a sustainable institution of higher education look like?
How could the university’s long-term sustainability vision look like? How could this vision be realized through a roadmap?
What are innovative ways to develop sustainability strategies for a university through a bottom-up approach?
What ethical imperatives would demand that institutions of higher education care for their impact on the planet, people and profit?
What are the responsibilities of institutions of higher education to contribute to global challenges, such as poverty, gender inequality, and climate change?

Monitoring and reporting

What data is important to monitor the institution’s environmental impact? How can this data be collected and analysed?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of different sustainability reporting standards?
Which sustainability reporting standards should the university adhere to?
What are efficient ways to organize sustainability reporting within the organization?
What is the best way to communicate results among students, staff and outside actors?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of different methodologies (e.g. payback or Net Present Value) to calculate the financial costs and benefits of sustainability investments?
Which methodology should the institution apply?
To what extent could sustainability projects be financed through a revolving loan fund?
What are the possibilities to involve outside organizations through energy contracting?
What subsidies are available at the European, national and city level to develop a green campus?
How could the university use these financing options to advance its energy transition?
What are approaches to integrate negative externalities into the accounting schemes of the university?
What would be the opportunities, benefits and risks associated with establishing an energy company that’s owned by the university?
What are the best practices to finance energy efficiency and renewable energy projects at public institutions around the world?
How can incentive schemes be changed so that energy end-users directly benefit from reductions in energy usage?

We hope this list inspired you to find a sustainability topic for research papers.

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351 Environmental Science Research Topics & Ideas

18 January 2024

last updated

Environmental science research topics depend on a vast range of issues pivotal to understanding and safeguarding the natural world. Some themes may dive deep into studies of climate change, assessing its impact on ecosystems and suggesting mitigation strategies. Various topics also explore biodiversity, looking at species conservation and threats to habitats globally. Pollution is another focal area, investigating the sources, effects, and solutions to air, water, and soil contamination. Moreover, sustainable practices focus on renewable energy, green urban planning, and sustainable agriculture. This interdisciplinary field even scrutinizes human behavior, illustrating the complex interplay between socioeconomic factors and environmental health. Thus, environmental science research topics cover exploration, data interpretation, and creative problem-solving, all with the ultimate goal of developing ecologically responsible and sustainable methods for the proper coexistence of people and the natural world.

Hot Environmental Research Topics

Understanding Climate Change and Food Security Nexus
Unveiling Mysteries of Deep Ocean Biodiversity
Exploring Strategies for Sustainable Agriculture
Harnessing Green Energy: Opportunities and Challenges
Rethinking Urban Design for Climate Resilience
Insights Into Ecological Consequences of Deforestation
Green Building Practices: A Comparative Study
Endangered Species and Conservation Efforts: A Comprehensive Review
Examining the Potential of Vertical Farming in Urban Areas
Strategies for Plastic Waste Management: A Global Perspective
Microplastics in Marine Ecosystems: An Unseen Threat
Decoding Links Between Soil Health and Agricultural Productivity
Effective Water Management Strategies in Arid Regions
Emerging Contaminants in Freshwater Bodies: Trends and Solutions
E-Waste Recycling: Technological Advancements and Challenges
Carbon Sequestration in Forest Ecosystems: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Human Behavioral Change for Environmental Sustainability
Analyzing the Effects of Air Pollution on Human Health
Biodiversity Hotspots and Their Conservation Significance
Assessing Geoengineering Techniques for Climate Change Mitigation

Environmental Science Research Topics & Ideas

Easy Environmental Research Topics

Exploration of Solar Energy Advantages
Rainwater Harvesting: A Simple Guide
Why Recycling Matters: A Closer Look
Green Spaces in Urban Planning
Wildlife Conservation in Local Communities
Understanding the Threat of Endangered Species
Eco-Friendly Farming: The Basics
Pollution in Cities: An Overview
Renewable Energy: Current Trends
Conservation of Water: Simple Methods
Sustainable Living: Small Changes, Big Effects
Climate Change: Easy-to-Understand Facts
Rising Sea Levels: Exploring Causes
Greenhouse Gases: A Beginner’s Study
Composting at Home: An Introduction
Biodiversity in Backyards: A Survey
Plastic Waste: The Global Picture
Community Gardens: Environmental and Social Benefits
Forest Fires and Climate Change: A Link

Interesting Environmental Topics

Decoding Coral Reef Bleaching Phenomena
Intricacies of Permaculture Design Principles
Fascinating World of Biofuels: A Deeper Dive
Cryptic Life of Microorganisms in Soil Health Maintenance
Innovative Techniques in Water Purification and Conservation
Ecology of Urban Bees: A Novel Approach
Mysterious Decline of Honeybee Populations
Analysis of Climate Change Predictive Models
Rise of Veganism: Environmental Implications
Bizarre Effects of Light Pollution on Wildlife
Ecosystem Services Provided by Wetlands
Unfolding the Hidden Costs of Fast Fashion
Overpopulation and Strain on Environmental Resources
Wonders of Agroforestry: An Interdisciplinary Investigation
Unraveling the Puzzle of Eutrophication
Curious Case of Invasive Species: Winners or Losers?
Dissecting the Intricacies of Carbon Footprints
A Magnet for Pollution: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Invisible Enemy: Silent Threat of Indoor Air Pollution
Glacial Retreat: A Story of Changing Climates

Environmental Research Topics for High School

Influence of Climate Change on Local Weather Patterns
Renewable Energy Sources: An Overview
Understanding the Process of Composting
Examining the Threat of Endangered Species Locally
Exploring the Concept of Carbon Footprint
Deforestation and Its Consequences: A Closer Look
Greenhouse Effect Simplified: Causes and Consequences
Waste Management: Importance of Recycling and Reusing
Biodiversity in Your Backyard: An Introduction
Diving Into the World of Organic Farming
Air Quality Index and Its Significance
Examining Coral Reefs: Importance and Threats
Water Conservation Techniques for Sustainable Use
Unpacking the Plastic Problem: From Production to Pollution
Agriculture and Its Environmental Effects: An Overview
Urban Heat Islands: Causes and Mitigation Strategies
Natural Disasters: Causes and Preparation Techniques
Exploring the Connection Between Diet and Environment
Invasive Species’ Impact on Native Ecosystems
Sustainability in Action: Everyday Practices for a Greener Future

Environmental Research Topics for College Students

Unraveling the Mystery of Coral Bleaching
Environmental Justice: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Sustainable Transport: A Comparative Study
Diving Into Deep Sea Mining: Pros and Cons
Solar Power Efficiency: Opportunities and Challenges
Biodegradable Plastics: A Solution or a Mirage?
Hydroelectric Power: Evaluating Environmental Trade-offs
Permaculture Principles and Its Real-World Applications
Ecotourism: An Assessment of Environmental and Social Effects
Air Pollution and Public Health: An Interdisciplinary Study
Ecological Footprint: Calculation and Interpretation
Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in Agriculture
Industrial Agriculture vs. Organic Farming: A Comparative Analysis
Urban Planning for Climate Resilience: A Detailed Review
Conservation Strategies for Endangered Species
Wetlands: Ecological Importance and Conservation Measures
Ocean Acidification: Causes and Effects on Marine Life
Green Architecture: Innovations and Challenges
Sustainable Waste Management: Technological Innovations and Best Practices

Environmental Research Topics for University

Interconnections Between Forest Fires and Climate Change
Assessing Sustainability in Supply Chain Management
Urban Sprawl and Environmental Degradation: A Case Study
GMO Crops: An Environmental and Social Analysis
Geospatial Techniques in Environmental Conservation
Water Quality in Developing Countries: Comprehensive Study
Marine Pollution: Sources, Consequences, and Mitigation Strategies
Environmental Ethics: Perspectives and Applications
Soil Erosion: Causes, Effects, and Control Measures
Geoengineering Techniques for Climate Change Mitigation
Sustainable Urban Development: New Avenues and Challenges
Nanotechnology in Environmental Remediation: A Critical Review
Climate Policy and International Relations: A Complex Nexus
Sustainable Fashion: Practices, Challenges, and Future Directions
Technological Innovations in Renewable Energy: A Trend Analysis
Green Spaces and Mental Health: An Interdisciplinary Review
Trends in Sustainable Aquaculture Practices
Wildlife Trafficking and Environmental Security: A Global Perspective
Analyzing the Health Effects of Air Pollution
Disposal and Management of Hazardous Waste: Current Techniques and Challenges

Topics in Environmental Science Research

Challenges of Sustainable Resource Management
Environmental Epigenetics: A New Frontier
Plant-Based Diets and Sustainability: A Deeper Insight
Unfolding Mysteries of Climate Migration Patterns
Urban Ecology: Interactions of Humans and Nature
Biochar as a Soil Amendment: An Analysis
Threats to Arctic Ecosystems: A Detailed Review
Influence of Mining Activities on Local Environments
Deciphering the Ozone Layer Depletion Puzzle
Flood Risk Management in Changing Climates
Regenerative Agriculture: Practices and Prospects
Methane Emissions From Livestock Farming: A Critical Review
Ecohydrology: Interactions Between Water and Ecosystems
Ecological Restoration of Degraded Landscapes
Exploring the World of Conservation Genetics
Plastic Pollution in Terrestrial Environments: An Emerging Issue
Bioinformatics in Biodiversity Conservation: A Novel Approach
Sustainable Tourism Practices: A Global Overview
Life Cycle Analysis of Consumer Products
Urban Farming Innovations: A Potential Solution for Food Security

Research Topics for Environmental Issues

Deciphering the Global Nitrogen Cycle: Anthropogenic Effects
Climate-Smart Agriculture: Innovation and Adoption Challenges
Environmental Governance: Comparative Analysis of Global Frameworks
Quantifying Biodiversity: Advanced Metrics and Methodologies
Radiative Forcing From Atmospheric Aerosols: A Detailed Study
Advancing Sustainable Urban Development: A Systems Perspective
Environmental Risks of Nanomaterials: A Comprehensive Review
Plant-Microbe Interactions in Phytoremediation: Molecular Mechanisms
Ecological Modelling for Ecosystem Service Valuation
Assessing Future Trajectories of Sea Level Rise
Climate Change Adaptation: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Policy Interventions
Agricultural Practices and Soil Carbon Sequestration: An In-Depth Study
Socioeconomic Determinants of Environmental Behavior: A Cross-Cultural Analysis
Sustainable Water Management in Arid Regions: Novel Approaches
Challenges in Implementing a Circular Economy: A Case Study
Holocene Climate Variability: Paleoenvironmental Reconstructions
Green Chemistry: Emerging Techniques and Environmental Implications
Bioenergy Production: Environmental Trade-Offs and Opportunities
Ecosystem Resilience in the Face of Anthropogenic Disturbances

Environmental Safety and Health Topics for Research

Health Implications of Air Quality: A Comprehensive Study
Assessing Occupational Hazards in the Mining Industry
Water Quality and Public Health: An Interdisciplinary Study
Developing Safety Protocols in the Chemical Industry
Exploring the Nexus Between Climate Change and Vector-Borne Diseases
Managing Safety and Health in the Construction Industry
Radioactive Pollution: Risks and Mitigation Strategies
Effects of Noise Pollution on Human Health
Biosecurity Measures in Agriculture: Policies and Implementation
Assessing Risks of Genetically Modified Organisms to Human Health
Exposure to Heavy Metals: Health Risks and Regulatory Standards
Quantifying Health Impacts of Industrial Pollutants
Food Safety in a Changing Climate: Challenges and Solutions
Indoor Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases: A Detailed Study
Developing Protocols for Hazardous Waste Management
Assessing the Health Effects of Microplastics Exposure
Understanding Health Risks of Pesticide Exposure in Agriculture
Psychosocial Factors and Safety Culture in the Oil and Gas Industry
Health Impact Assessment of Nuclear Energy Facilities

Environmental Engineering Topics for Research

Innovative Techniques in Wastewater Treatment
Biofuel Production: Process Optimization and Scale-Up Challenges
Advancements in Water Desalination Technologies
Novel Materials for Photovoltaic Cells
Harnessing Energy From Tidal and Wave Power: Engineering Challenges
Biodegradable Materials for Sustainable Packaging Solutions
Remediation Techniques for Contaminated Soil
Carbon Capture and Storage: Technological Developments
Improving Efficiency of Wind Turbines: A Technical Review
Sustainable Construction Materials: A Life Cycle Analysis
Geotechnical Considerations for Offshore Wind Farms
Green Synthesis of Nanomaterials for Environmental Applications
Advanced Oxidation Processes for Water Treatment
Modeling and Optimization of Landfill Gas Recovery
Acid Mine Drainage: Mitigation Strategies and Techniques
Environmental Biotechnology: Harnessing Microbes for Pollution Control
Heat Transfer in Energy Efficient Buildings: An Analysis
Natural Fiber Reinforced Composites for Construction Applications
Sustainable Approaches to Pavement Design and Materials
Developing Energy Efficient Processes in Chemical Industries

Research Topics for Environmental Biology

Unraveling Symbiotic Relationships in Coral Reefs
Genetic Diversity and Conservation: An Interdisciplinary Approach
Decoding the Functioning of Biofilms in Environmental Systems
Plant-Soil Interactions in Changing Climate Scenarios
Molecular Mechanisms of Microbial Bioremediation
Eco-Immunology: Exploring Disease Dynamics in Wildlife Populations
Plant Adaptation Strategies to Abiotic Stress Factors
Marine Microbial Ecology: Unseen Life in the Oceans
Metagenomics Approaches in Soil Microbial Ecology
Understanding Invasive Species: Genetic and Ecological Perspectives
Examining Trophic Interactions Under Climate Change
Phylogenetic Analysis of Endangered Species for Conservation Strategies
Genomics of Extremophiles: Survival in Harsh Environments
Investigating Effects of Plastic Pollutants on Aquatic Life
Landscape Genetics: Applications in Conservation Biology
Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Plant Responses to Heavy Metal Stress
Disease Dynamics in Pollinator Populations
Functional Traits in Community Ecology: A Novel Approach
Metabolic Engineering for Biofuel Production

Environmental Law Topics for Research

Environmental Justice in Land Use Planning: A Legal Perspective
Assessing Regulatory Frameworks for Carbon Markets
International Law and Marine Plastic Pollution: A Comprehensive Analysis
Enforcement Challenges in Wildlife Trafficking Laws
Analysis of Climate Change Litigation: Global Trends
Understanding the Legal Aspects of Transboundary Water Conflicts
Legal Frameworks for the Conservation of Migratory Species
Analysis of Environmental Impact Assessment Laws Across Countries
Regulating Genetically Modified Organisms: A Comparative Legal Study
Corporate Environmental Responsibility: Legal and Ethical Dimensions
Evaluating Legal Mechanisms for Marine Protected Areas
Exploring Legal Implications of Geoengineering Techniques
Regulatory Challenges in the Transition to Renewable Energy
Forest Rights and Conservation: A Legal Analysis
Legal Frameworks for the Protection of Indigenous Environmental Knowledge
Laws Regulating Hazardous Waste Management: A Comparative Study
Legal Implications of Ecological Restoration Projects
Regulation of Pesticides: Balancing Health and Environmental Concerns
Legal Instruments for Regulating Noise Pollution: An Overview
Analysis of International Agreements on Biodiversity Conservation

Environmental Research Topics About Economics

Economic Valuation of Ecosystem Services: A Critical Review
Economic Analysis of Climate Change Mitigation Strategies
Socioeconomic Drivers of Deforestation: A Comprehensive Study
Green Growth: Challenges and Opportunities for Developing Countries
Assessing the Economic Viability of Renewable Energy Sources
Economic Incentives for Biodiversity Conservation: An Overview
Incorporating Environmental Costs in Product Pricing: A Case Study
Investigating the Economics of Carbon Capture and Storage
Market-Based Instruments for Pollution Control: A Detailed Analysis
Economic Impacts of Natural Disasters: A Global Perspective
Analysis of Cap-and-Trade Systems for Carbon Emissions
Investigating the Effectiveness of Environmental Taxes
Economic Analysis of Sustainable Agriculture Practices
Assessing the Economic Feasibility of Biofuel Production
Economic Implications of Water Scarcity: A Cross-Country Analysis
Transition to a Circular Economy: Economic and Policy Considerations
Economics of Sustainable Urban Development: A Detailed Study
Cost-Benefit Analysis of Green Building Techniques
Economic Impacts of Coastal Erosion and Sea Level Rise

Environmental History Research Topics

Perception of Climate Change: A Historical Analysis
Amazon Rainforest’s Environmental History Unraveled
Consequences of the Agricultural Revolution on Environment: A Detailed Study
United States Environmental Movements: An Historical Exploration
Influence of the Industrial Revolution on Modern Environmental Challenges
Green Spaces in Urban Planning: A History of Urban Parks
Global Patterns and Causes of Deforestation: A Historical Overview
Insights From Paleoclimatology: Climate Variability in Historical Context
Arctic Exploration and Its Environmental History
The Emergence of Environmental Law: A Historical Understanding
From Fossil Fuels to Renewables: A History of Energy Transition
River Management and Conservation: Historical Perspectives
Lessons for Climate Change Adaptation From The Dust Bowl History
Causes and Consequences of Marine Pollution: A Historical Analysis
Natural Resource Exploitation in Colonial Periods: A Historical Overview
Forest Management Practices: Historical Insights
Endangered Species Conservation: Understanding the Historical Context
Environmental Implications of Pesticide Use: A Historical Analysis
Nuclear Age: Unraveling Its Environmental History

Controversial Environmental Research Topics

Genetically Modified Crops: Environmental Savior or Biohazard?
Nuclear Energy: A Sustainable Solution or Environmental Risk?
Hydraulic Fracturing and Its Environmental Consequences
Climate Change Denial: Analyzing the Motives and Consequences
Geoengineering Solutions for Climate Change: Promise or Peril?
Anthropocene: Valid Geological Epoch or Human Egotism?
Intensive Animal Farming: Environmental Concerns and Ethical Dilemmas
De-extinction and Its Potential Ecological Consequences
Plastic Waste Management: Incineration vs. Recycling
Neonicotinoids and Bee Decline: Assessing the Controversy
Economic Growth vs. Environmental Protection: Reconciling the Dichotomy
Landfilling vs. Zero Waste Approach: A Comparative Study
Ocean Fertilization as a Carbon Sequestration Strategy
E-Waste Management: Export or Domestic Recycling?
Noise Pollution: Overlooked Environmental Hazard or Nuisance Issue?
Fast Fashion Industry and Its Environmental Footprint
Artificial Intelligence in Environmental Management: Boon or Bane?
Palm Oil Production and Biodiversity Loss: A Complex Connection
Desalination Plants: Solution for Water Scarcity or Ecological Threat?

Persuasive Environmental Research Topics

Promoting Green Energy Transition: Evaluating Success Stories
Waste Segregation at Source: An Essential Step Toward Effective Waste Management
Adoption of Organic Farming for Sustainable Agriculture
Nature-Based Solutions: An Underutilized Tool in Climate Change Mitigation
Changing Consumer Behavior for Sustainable Fashion
Shifting to Public Transportation: A Key to Urban Sustainability
Coral Reef Protection: Strategies and Success Stories
Green Building: A Must for Sustainable Urban Development
Incorporation of Environmental Education Into School Curriculum
The Shift From Fast to Slow Fashion: Need of the Hour
Afforestation as a Natural Climate Solution: Examining Its Potential
Promoting Circular Economy: A Way Forward for Waste Reduction
Divestment From Fossil Fuels: An Imperative Climate Action
Supporting Indigenous Knowledge for Biodiversity Conservation
Plant-Based Diet: A Strategy for Reducing Carbon Footprint
Urban Green Spaces: Essential for Human Wellbeing and Biodiversity
Adoption of Electric Vehicles: A Key to Reduce Carbon Emissions
Reducing Single-Use Plastics: A Critical Move Toward Sustainability
Transitioning to Sustainable Fishing Practices: A Global Priority
Decentralized Renewable Energy Systems: A Solution for Energy Access and Climate Mitigation

Argumentative Environmental Research Topics

Dams and Hydroelectric Power: Net Gain or Loss for the Environment?
Wind Energy: Assessing Arguments Around Bird Mortality
Population Control: Necessary Environmental Strategy or Human Rights Violation?
International Trade and Its Environmental Consequences
Arguments Around Carbon Trading and Its Efficacy
Trophy Hunting: Conservation Strategy or Ecological Disaster?
Marine Protected Areas: Effective Conservation or Displacement of Fishing Pressure?
Arguments For and Against Climate Change Geoengineering
Food Waste: Ethical, Environmental, and Economic Implications
GMOs and Biodiversity: Assessing Potential Risks
Arguments Surrounding Water Fluoridation: An Environmental Perspective
Ecotourism: Sustainable Practice or Threat to Wild Areas?
Carbon Capture and Storage: Viable Solution or Costly Distraction?
Deep Sea Mining: Economic Opportunity or Ecological Risk?
Aquaculture: Solution to Overfishing or New Environmental Problem?
Arguments For and Against Biofuels as a Green Energy Source
Fusion Energy: Future of Clean Energy or Pipe Dream?
Debate Around the Environmental Effects of Cryptocurrency Mining
Environmental Implications of Space Travel and Exploration

Research Topics for Environmental Debates

Pros and Cons of Solar Geoengineering as a Climate Solution
Arguments Surrounding the Use of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes
Land Rights vs. Conservation: Examining the Debate
Debate Around Large-Scale Reforestation and Natural Forest Regrowth
Investigating the Controversy Over Invasive Species Control
Environmental Justice in Waste Management: A Heated Debate
Nuclear Power in the Age of Renewable Energy: An Ongoing Debate
Controversy and Debate Surrounding Carbon Taxes
Debating the Effects of Air Travel on Climate Change
Green New Deal: Revolution or Unrealistic Ambition?
The Controversy Around Synthetic Meat: Environmental Savior or Unproven Experiment?
Analyzing the Debate Surrounding E-Waste Export Policies
Understanding the Ongoing GMO Labeling Debate
Debates Around Solar Energy and Land Use
Animal Rights vs. Conservation: Unpacking the Conflict
Exploring the Controversial Intersection of Environmentalism and Immigration
Debate Over Ocean Acidification and Its Effects on Marine Life
Investigating the Debate on the Environmental Impact of Veganism
Analyzing the Controversy Over Urban Vertical Farming
Debate Surrounding Environmental Cost of Electric vs. Gasoline Cars

To Learn More, Read Relevant Articles

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Center for the Environment

Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Spend your summer conducting research that works to address societal and environmental challenges. Learn from project mentors as well as each other in an interdisciplinary cohort of undergraduate researchers.

Summer 2024 application closed

Program Details

The Center for the Environment is excited to pilot an undergraduate summer research program this upcoming summer 2024. This 10-week program offers an incredible opportunity for students to engage in hands-on environmental research alongside faculty and graduate student mentors. We aim to create an accessible environmental research program for all undergrads, regardless of prior experience.

Over the course of ten weeks, students will have the chance to work closely with a dedicated faculty mentor as part of their environmental research team. The Center is committed to nurturing students’ passion for environmental research in all fields of study.

As a part of the program, the Center will provide comprehensive support:

Professional Development: Benefit from weekly professional development opportunities, including lunch and learn sessions, career panels, and discussions centered around our four research themes.
Social Cohort Building: Connect with fellow researchers through social events and collaborative projects, building lasting friendships within the environmental science community.
Housing and Travel Support: The Center will support housing accommodations and travel support to ensure a smooth and enriching experience. All students who participate in campus housing will live in the same building so that the cohort can connect and get to know each other.

At the culmination of the program, undergraduate researchers will showcase their research findings at a symposium, providing a platform to share their discoveries. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to present their work at the WashU Undergraduate Research Symposium and the Annual Center for the Environment Symposium, expanding their exposure to the academic community.

To be eligible for this program, students must be a rising sophomore, junior, or senior continuing undergraduate studies in Fall 2024. For our 2024 pilot summer, applicants must be a WashU student unless a specific agreement has been with your university.

Benefits of the program include:

$6,000 stipend for your research work
Support for travel to and from St. Louis
Cohort housing to ensure a comfortable and immersive experience

To apply for the program, please complete the online application form by clicking on the APPLY button below. Please note the application will open on December 1 st . As part of the application, students will be asked to rank their preferences for faculty topics and mentors.

Application Timeline

December 1, 2023: Applications Open
February 19, 2024: Applications Due
March 11, 2024: Notification of Selection
May 27, 2024 – August 5, 2024: Program in Session

The application requires the following materials: a personal statement, your resume, and an unofficial transcript. Please be aware that specific labs may have additional requirements, so be sure to check the topic descriptions for any such requirements and include them in your application as needed.

Research Topics and Faculty Mentors

Listed below are the research topics available for Summer 2024. In the application you will rank the topics that you are interested in.

Agarwal/CFD Lab: Energy Efficiency and Emissions Study of Sustainable Aviation Fuels for Green Aviation

Bose Lab: Microbes and the Environment

Giammar and Aquatic Chemistry Lab: Chemical Reactions in Aquatic Systems

Jacobs & Multimodal Vision Research Lab: Computer Vision for Ecology

Jun Lab: Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)

Konecky and Climate and Paleoclimate Lab: Tropical monsoons during the Last Glacial Maximum

Liu Lab: Food Globalization in the Bronze Age

Mallott Lab: Exposure to Pollutants and Pathogens and Impact on Health

Naseh Lab: Climate Change and Forced Migration

Parker Lab: Chemical and Biological Contaminants in Environmental Systems

Wang Lab: Climate Events and Human Health

Xu Atmospheric Chemistry Lab: Wildfires

We look forward to reading your applications, and hope you will join us this summer for our inaugural undergraduate summer research program, and gain invaluable, hands-on research experience.

This summer’s research program application is closed. Applicants will be notified by March 10 as to whether or not they have been selected.

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Delta Omega

Research in Environmental Health Sciences

The Environmental Health Sciences faculty, staff, and students conduct important research in many areas of occupational and environmental health. Expertise of each faculty member is shown with his/her biography.

Examples of research opportunities include:

Respiratory Health

Faculty at MEZCOPH study occupational & environmental aspects of respiratory health. Approaches include human physiologic studies, occupational pulmonary epidemiology, assessment of exposures, respiratory protection methods, effects of biodiesel and beryllium exposure, and epidemiologic studies of air pollution effects on children’s lung development.

Environment Exposure Science and Risk Assessment Center

The Environment Exposure Science And Risk Assessment Center provides expertise to industry, the community, researchers and collaborates with colleagues across campus in the areas of human exposure science and risk assessment of chemical, biological and physical hazards to workers and communities.

Quantitative Exposure Risk Modeling

Exposure control policy-whether at the level of an individual community or on a national scale-depends on understanding the magnitude of risks. Faculty and students combine empirical exposure measurements and mathematical approaches to quantitatively estimate risk and inform policy decisions.

Mining Safety and Health

The University Of Arizona is a leading center for mining related research. Several EHS faculty members collaborate closely with the Western Mining Health and Safety Training Center .

Occupational Health and Toxicology

The research teams address a broad array of occupational health issues to protect workers from illness and injury and to promote healthy activities.

Environmental Microbiology

The University of Arizona is one of the top institutions for research in environmental microbiology. EHS faculty members are involved in developing methods for measuring microbes in the environment and assessing how multiple factors may affect their presence and the spread of infectious disease.

Global Health and Border Issues

EHS faculty examine environmental health issues around the world and issues specific to our unique location along the US Mexico border, where the developing world intersects with the developed world. Topics that our faculty are involved in are related to infectious disease, children's health and water issues.

Public Health Interventions

One of the goals of environmental health is to reduce the burden of occupational/environmental diseases. EHS faculty are involved in projects aimed at reducing exposures by developing and evaluating interventions in workplaces and at the community level.

Public safety

Public safety employees include firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, law enforcement officers, correctional officers, and other public health service officers. The Public Safety Institute facilitates translation of research into improvements in the health of public safety employees as well as the safety of the general public.

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Climate Change

There’ll always be an environment, but it’s looking more and more likely that it won’t be like our current one in the future. With this in mind, here are the top ten environmental project topics for college students on climate change:

Is global warming a natural phenomenon?
The politicization of global warming.
How do eddy covariance towers work?
Planetary tilt – does it affect global warming?
The differences between climate change and the greenhouse effect.
Why is carbon dioxide a greenhouse gas?
How do changes to weather patterns affect the Earth’s climate?
The concept of polar amplification.
The barriers to climate change responses.
The “heat island” effect.

Renewable Energy

Our advances through the industrial revolution and the use of fossil fuels are now coming back to bite us. Here are ten environmental topics for project on renewable energy:

The pros and cons of hydropower.
Solar energy and pollution.
Solar energy to help the economy.
Geothermal energy: an unlikely major energy source?
The problems caused by renewable energies.
Understanding geothermal energy.
Are hydrogen fuel cells a viable alternative?
The advantages and disadvantages of solar power.
Transporting geothermal energy: a study.
The challenges of large-scale biomass energy use.

Urban Ecology

Urban ecology is an important consideration for environmental science projects for college students who are eager to pay for essay to receive high grades for assignments. When we study the environment, we tend to think of green spaces and rural lands, but urban ecology is important too. As such, here are ten environmental science project ideas on this topic:

How do unequal urban planning and greenspace distribution affect temperatures in a city?
How does urbanization affect surrounding rural areas?
How is the local climate affected by buildings and pavements?
What is the urban heat island effect?
How are water sources affected by urbanization?
How has human development affected our green spaces?
How is social identity linked to urbanization?
What impact does transport have on rural locations?
How can the natural environment be integrated into urban planning and design projects?
What is water harvesting?

Land and Water Use

When humans use natural resources, they also disrupt natural ecosystems. This is an important area of study as we try to claw back and save some of the world’s resources from being entirely depleted. Here are ten interesting environment related topics for project on this subject:

How have overfishing and non-sustainable fishing methods affected our oceans?
How does using water for irrigation affect natural ecosystems?
The impacts of different societies’ ecological footprints in terms of waste production and resource demands.
How can we mitigate deforestation?
An analysis of The Green Revolution.
The impact of salt application to streams.
How does using an ANN (artificial neural network) for rainfall-runoff affect ecosystems?
How do land-use changes impact urban runoff?
Relationships between water quality, land use and land use change.
Land use effects on lake water quality.

Pollution is one of the planet and humanity’s worst enemies. Agriculture, transportation, and industry can cause horrific environmental catastrophes. Check out the possible environment science project topics on pollution:

The impact of pollution on health care.
The effects of environmental pollution and water pollution on marine life.
The effects of air pollution on the food chain.
How environmental pollution affects Arctic.
The health hazards associated with waste accumulation and water pollution.
How do human activities change the world’s oceans?
Conservation and how it helps to reduce air pollution.
The difficulty of establishing direct links between health problems, air pollution, and air quality.
Environmental policy regarding air pollution and acid rain.
The effect of acid rain in urban and natural areas.

Environmental Science Topics for College Students

Environmental studies at college is all about studying in-depth biological, chemical, and physical processes on Earth. Environmental sciences also incorporates social, cultural, and political processes that have an impact. When studying Environmental Science at college level, a project need to seek out ways to present complex relationships in a simple way. Here are some ideal environmental science projects for college students:

Genetically Modified (GM) foods and their impact on the environment.
The global impact of radiation and nuclear accidents.
The role of the UNEP in environmental conservation.
The impact of freak weather incidents.
Micro-plastics in drinking water – why and how have they got there?
The Nagasaki and Hiroshima bombings – what have we learned about nuclear bombs and the effects on the ecosystem?
The impact of Coronavirus and maintaining the ecosystem.
The role of the media in conservation campaigns.
Tourism and the impact of human activities on a local and global level.
How has the US departure from the Paris Climate Agreement changed things?

Energy Resources and Consumption

Lots of environmental studies project topics goes into looking at energy resources and consumption, which makes this a great project topic. There is already a lot of information out there, which makes this easy to research.

What is the relationship between energy efficiency and energy conservation?
What are the economic, social, and environmental costs of solar energy?
Was coal pivotal in industrialization?
The impact of fracking on the environment.
Compare and contrast the processes of extracting oil and mining coal.
How is ethanol produced as a biofuel?
Nuclear energy is a viable clean energy. Discuss.
The environmental effects of a nuclear conflict explored.
What is plant biomass?
The challenges of converting to large-scale biomass energy.

You can't write a list environment project topics about environmental science, without mentioning population, environmental health, and the changes we've seen over the years. A lot of environment research focuses on population and its effects. Here are some ideas:

Population growth and its effects on GDP.
Factors that control population growth and the effect of density.
An exploration of population momentum.
The importance of studying population ecology.
The effect of human migration on populations.
The effects of overpopulation.
The effects of global warming on the global population.
Is sustainable development possible in a growing population?
What would happen if the demand for natural resources became greater than the supply?
How serious is the world population explosion?

Noise and Light Pollution

Though lots of people don’t consider light and noise as pollutants, the reality is that they are. Noise levels and light levels can affect organisms. Here are some interesting topics for science projects on noise and light pollution:

How is local wildlife affected by airport noise?
What happens if orcas aren’t able to use echolocation due to freight noise?
Migrating birds and the confusion from bright lights.
The effect of bright lights in resorts and sea turtles emerging from nests.
How bright city lights affect nocturnal animals.
The disruption of nocturnal activity in frogs and toads due to artificial light glare.
Artificial lights and the effects on migratory birds.
Light pollution and the effects on plants.
Changes in animal behavior due to noise pollution.
Noise pollution and the effects on mating frogs.

Conservation Biology

With as many as 2,000 species becoming extinct each year, we’re experiencing a serious problem. Conservation biology is a huge topic of interest when you need to " write my essay " and want to succeed with this task. Here are some ideas for exploration:

How has human behavior ramped up endangered species extinction rates?
How do humans threaten endangered species?
What will the effects of a loss in biodiversity be for humans?
If honeybees become extinct, what other changes would we see?
Why is the decline in pollinating insects so dangerous?
What happens if we lose endangered species?
What is the Holocene extinction event?
The collapse of the world’s coral reef ecosystems.
The threat of acidification in our oceans.
How can environmental policy help threats to biodiversity?

It's clear to say that there is a huge variety in topics in environmental science. For anyone looking for an environmental science project topic, we hope this extensive list has helped narrow down your ideas. Whether you're looking for environmental research topics for college students or high school, there is something for everyone here.

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266 Popular Environmental Science Topics For Successful Thesis

As an environmental science student, you may need to tackle various issues across environmental health and economics. You will need environmental topics to address various issues about your environment.

There is a body of research topics on environmental issues which could make your research paper exceptional when you write on any environmental topics of your choice.

If you’d like to wow your professor and you need topics you can tailor to a form of originality, you should consider the following research topics in environmental science.

Environmental Economics Dissertation Topics

Environmental economics could be scary to you because of its vastness but all you need is a collection of topics about environment to choose from. You can consider these environment research topics for your upcoming dissertation:

A critical review of man-made environmental disasters in the previous decade
A critical study of the US environmental policy
An overview of the economic review on waste disposal programs embarked upon by a country in Latin America
Analysis of water conservation innovation and its feasibility in the US
A study of previous ecology economics and its practice in a western European country
A study of the economic justification on the resources facilitating urban development in the UK
Discuss the concept of water management and policy in the UK
Examine the impact of climate change on public resources and institutions
Examine the policies regarding climate change and how it affects the economy of the US
How does globalization worsen environmental abuse in post-COVID-19 Europe?
Consider the economic terms and conditions behind biodiversity
Evaluate the cost on two independent organizations in promoting environmental literacy through social programs
How the UK determine the economic policy on environmental issues for Europe
The role of natural resources and emerging economies in stabilizing environmental issues
The consequences of illegal mining on the economy and the environmental crisis that follows
The challenges of the social-economic system of Canadians since newer policies on environmental issues were implemented
The intervention of the government and its role in forest management
How the policies against illegal poaching can be more effective in Africa?
A forensic analysis of the frankness of the environmental ministry in achieving healthier and safer environments
The role of economy and finances in improving environmental conditions
A study on what it takes to finance and monitor the trends of climate changes
The study of the growth of emissions and how it affects individual or corporate productivity
How clean and conventional energy sources could impede traditional means of wealth creation
Environmental sustainability: how it compliments economic growth
Examine the context of risk management and natural disasters with regard to an event in America
Evaluate the possibility of adopting EU’s Renewable Energy Guidelines in the US
What is the role of adaptation, geoengineering, and economics in a world plagued by climate change?
Is the UN sustainable growth feasible in (a country in Africa)
An examination of the processes involved in regulating energy
An evaluation of the resources in the process of waste management

Environmental Law Research Topics

You may also need environment research topics in relation to law for your dissertation. As you already know, environmental law research topics will relate to the regulatory bodies of natural resources in the international and national sphere. You can consider environment project topics for your dissertation:

The limitations of governmental bodies in policing illegal poaching in Africa
Examine the significance of public complaints in issues of environmental concerns
Evaluate an environmental law paper and its role in advocating environmental change in China
Examine the role of different legal frameworks to tackle environmental pollution in the UK
An examination of sustainable policy in Harvard University and the reaction of students to it
A study of energy economics and dynamics and how it relates to legal institutions
With reference to a UN statement, examine the efficacy of law in Sudanese environmental policies
Examine the possible disaster the absence of a legal institution could cause a state of environmental decay
How the value of renewable energy and gas emissions in selected companies has mitigated against lawsuits about the violation of environmental health policies
A study of the means environmental law can help with sustainable living
What are environmental laws existent in the UK and how do other countries adopt these laws?
How to reduce carbon emission and how the UK did it with its laws?
A study into the awareness systems regarding climate change orientation in legal institutions
Examine the British policies on bush burning
Assess how environmental laws can be an impediment to economic growth
Explain the environmental laws in the UK post BREXIT
An assessment on the result of waste management policies in the US
Compare and compare the situations existent in the UK and the US regarding the environmental crisis
A study of the effect of politics in limiting the efforts of environmental laws
How two countries (of your choice) have set about protecting their wildlife
Evaluate how environmental laws in the UK have helped kept the people safe as well as the wildlife animals
Criticize the international environmental laws
Attempt an analysis of the inevitable content of environmental law in the US
Write an overview of the provisions for natural forestation and wildlife and the way they contribute to the preservation of the environment
Constructively criticize any environmental law from any nation of your choice
The role of investigation in the creation of environmental laws
Evaluate the events of Environmental crimes in recent years and how it is seen to underestimate the efforts directed at environmental protection
Examine the issues of greenhouse and global warming and why it is an international threat
Consider the policy of carbon reduction for companies in the US and how feasible the plans are
Examine how Environmental laws interweave with energy laws

Environmental Research Paper Topics

You may attempt to write one of the research topics on environment issues for your research paper. With different issues to discuss, the diversity of the planet has offered many ways to study it. Thus, you can consider the following Environment research topics for your research paper:

Examine the growing threat of climate change and how the world can respond better to it
Evaluate what is meant by urban ecology
Attempt an analysis of the concept of renewable energy and how it solves the problem of Sustainable energy
Examine the context of the conservation of the Antarctic and why it is significant
Critical diagnose of why there are different kinds of clouds and how they form
Examine the consequences of climate change on humans
Interrogate what is meant by acid rains and how it is connected to Industries
Analyze if one of the causes of JoAnn diseases is the proximity of Industrial plants to water resources
Fossil field to hydrogen: how the world can Sustainably cater for itself
Soil contamination: the role of waste and pesticides
Analyze the role of humans in the rise and threat of global warming
The inevitability of water sources to the environment: a critical analysis of the importance of the Nile
Examine the connection between acid rains and industrialization
Examine the role of deforestation in global warming
What are the possibilities of controlling and containing global warming for the human race?
What the future of the ecosystem looks like: how environmental laws can help save natural habitats
Critically review what is meant by green energy
Is global warming and natural event or a manmade catastrophe?
Examine how tectonic movements play a significant role in the ecosystem
Are oceans safe to take deep-sea mining?
With the eyes of environmentalists, who are the endangered species?
Examine the importance of National parks
Evaluate the organization of Greenpeace and its position on preserving global ecology
Evaluate the different responses to global warming in European countries
Evaluate the different reactions to global warming in Asia
Examine the different reactions of governments to global warming in Africa
Identify the input of China in the ecosystem
Examine the possibility of reducing the spread of desserts
Evaluate the chances of sustainable consumption
Consider the subject of water management and how there is enough water for everyone
There is politics in international Environmental laws: discuss
Consider the trends of the ecosystem in the past 20 years
Choose a forest fire outbreak event and analyze its causes
Who is to blame when animals are endangered?
The role of independent organizations in the balance of the ecosystem
What are the conditions considered inevitable for the promotion of sustainable environments
Attempt to review five literature on the complications regarding environmental preservation
Examine how natural habitats survive extreme conditions
Everything struggles to survive: comment
Forest fires: offer a critical review of how the ecosystem adapts and copes with series of natural disasters
Offer possible discoveries on how to manage the greenhouse effect
Smart Homes: the limitations of the invention that offers energy sustainability
A review of the past and how it contributes to the present ecological situations
Assess the context of risk management and his it relates to environmental health
Assess the significance of lakes and ponds in the discussion of water bodies
Offer an analysis on how to cope with the trends in ecosystems
The role of the First World Countries in maintaining environmental laws
The role of the Third World Countries in engaging in practical solutions to global warming
Explain how humans can harness the greenhouse effect for their good
Consider the effect of climate change on the national productivity

Environmental Research Topics for College Students

You may choose to explore research topics in environmental science as a college student in any institution. Here are some easy and straightforward questions for you to improve your insight into the discussion of your choice:

Examine how acid rain forms and the reasons why them
What do you think about composting?
Bacteria: how it finds itself in human food
An overview of genetic disease and how it has an influence on humans
Compare and contrast the photosynthesis of three sample plants
How do sewages work for a quality living?
Examine the process of the spread of viruses
Evaluate how climate change worsen the environmental crisis
Explain the extinction of honey bees and what it will mean for the world
Examine weed diversity in a community of your choice
Discuss how agricultural production and affected by climate change
Reviewing of literature on fishing water and its toxic levels
Discuss the increase in thermal ecology, sea creatures, and what it means for the environment
Examine the consequences of careless waste disposal on the Environment
Child mortality: the role of air pollution
Prevention of environmental pollution and the role of college students
How to develop Sustainable water supply channels
Nuclear power: benefits and uses
The fostering of Sustainable communities: examine its possibilities
How does environmental management function in the hospitality industry
How science is explored in addressing climate change
Examine the revival of oceans and what it means to the people
What are the benefits of nuclear power to the immediate environment?
Are nuclear powers a constant threat to international peace and security?
What role can greenhouses play in achieving environmental sustainability?
Water scarcity: the implications of science
Environmental health and the adverse challenge of economic development
Examine the Importance of Environmental sustainability in the world
Human health and climate change: how will human health improve after curbing the effect of climate change?
Tips to reduce the exposure of pesticides to the soil
What is the connection between pesticides and the loss of the sense of smell?
The health risk of tobacco exposure for humans
Air pollution and the role of road traffic
What is the connection of air pollution to cancer?
What is the connection of water pollution to Environmental risks?
What are the examples of Environmental pollution and how can we Improve living circumstances
How climate change has mitigated against growth
The role of wildfire on human health
Evaluate the threat of climate change
Do you think industries should pay tax for their output of carbon emissions?
Genetically modified organisms: should they be banned by the government?
Discuss the concept of organic farming
Examine the exports of animals and their moral incorrectness
Elucidate the negative impacts of zoos
Elucidate the means to fridge carbon footprint of everyone
Sustainable energy: is nuclear energy better than fossil fuels?
How to better the chances of survival during climate changes
Consider the benefits of tourism to the environment
Examine the concepts of conventional farming and organic farming
Examine the power of the individual in achieving sustainable environmental policies and practices

Environmental Policy Research Topics

You may love to consider Environment project topics that deal with policymaking. As an aspect that touches policies and laws that regard water and air quality, even the plans for endangered species, you can consider the following topics for your research:

What is the perfect blueprint for Sustainable Environmental Policies
Argue the need for different policies for various countries
Argue the need for singular policies for all countries of the world for Sustainable living
Examines the models that secure Environmental preservation of its endangered species
The role of institutions in supporting climate change and advocacy did it
An assessment of public response to climate change and how it has Enhanced strategies of development
What the public understands by climate change: a case study of a European and African country
A study of how government make policies regarding climate change and environmental crisis
Examine what biodiversity means
Elucidate the indicators of social and economic development and how they relate to environmental sustainability
Offer a critic of how two Asian Countries have reacted to climate issues
Express regard for multidisciplinary approaches to environmental policies and what they could be
How can individuals motivate environmental policy changes for the government?
Examine the role of public institutions in advocating environmental health
Interrogate the difference between the policies regarding air pollution and water pollution
Explore the circumstances that could achieve sustainable structures to the environmental crisis in India

Environmental Engineering Topics for Research

Research topics on Environmental issues are limitless, and you may want to explore a topic relating to environmental engineering. Rather than comb through the internet for a topic, you can choose any of the following and rephrase them to your purpose:

Evaluate the trajectory of the carbon index in an energy-consuming company
Design an outer-face for an energy-consuming company and what its energy use would look like
A study of the carbon footprint in a sugar Production company
Identify the process of waste removal in European automotive Industries
Car mobility: discuss the advantages and challenges
Bioenergy: examine the concept and what it means for an environmentalist
Choose a sewage plantation in Europe and study the elements of construction
Comment on the Nord Dam construction of Germany as an Environment engineer
Offer a comparative analysis on the recycling of plants and eco-friendly wastewater systems
Evaluate the processes of determining the quality of water
Review the use of energy in a machine factory of your choice in the US
Quantity plastic waste and the abounding issues in Europe
Discuss the processes involved in the recycling of water
The cement Industry and its hazard to the environment
Attempt a physicochemical study of the features of water in waste management
Analyze your approach to a greenbelt design
Examine the reuse of building waste and its environmental benefits
Marine environment: attempt a criticism of oil spill and its effects
Justify the creation of green buildings
Smart Homes: the next big thing or another threat to Environmental technologies
Evaluate how to treat waste in the public
Offer an analysis on how to reduce costs on offshore drilling
Attempt an overview of e-construction and what it means for the world
Assess the environmental sustainability in a country of your choice in Europe
Assess the environmental sustainability in a country of your choice in Asia
Review the Environmental sustainability level of the USA
Study the sustainability level of a country in Africa
Examine the distinctive physical properties in soil under different environments
Offer an overview of air pollution in Mysore City
Study the environmental challenge posed by automobile industries
Design a system that vehicle with a limited carbon footprint
Design an industrial machine with a limited carbon footprint
Rationalize the possibility of zero carbon footprint in the world
Rationalize the chances of actual sustainable energies
Explore the differences in the role of environmental engineers and environmentalists
Study the Sustainable development changes of Bidar District
Examine how Nigeria reacts to climate changes and the systems in place
Evaluate the physics of acid rain measurement
Waste and water recycling: what is the place of risk management?
Evaluate the provision of tools in achieving sustainable environmental practices

Environmental Hot Topics

There are esteemed educational topics that require the bird’s eye insight into Environmental Sciences. These topics are connected to individuals and the survival of the planet which is how the wood is shaped. Some of these topics are:

Biodiversity
Water pollution and contaminants
Foodborne disease and consequences
Air pollution in urban and rural areas
Tropical rainforests and their recent losses to fires
Deforestation due to climate changes
The role of biological pollutants in environmental crisis
The methods of carbon footprint reductions
The dangers of overconsumption on the planet
The significance of dams
Human and governmental responses on ecosystem destruction
The concept of renewable energy and efficiency
Marine ecosystem
Food safety and dangers
Genetic Engineering and its dangers to food safety and nutrition
The advocacy of intensive farming
The advocacy of organic farming
The benefits and consequences of the adoption of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in farming
The concept of land degradation
The Examination of deforestation
The natural vegetation and the understanding of land usage
The impact of mining on wildlife and natural forests
The evolution of nanotechnology
An overview of natural disasters and what consistent disasters mean for the world
The religious context of natural disasters and the panic
International issue around nuclear weapons and ownership
The risks of nuclear energy
The challenges of radioactive waves
The challenge of overpopulation and limited resources
The attitude of resource depletion
The study of soil erosion
A critical review of soil contamination through waste, pesticide, organic pollutants, and heavy metals
An Overview of soil contamination processes
The conversation around native wildlife
The process of embracing green practices
The possibility of a stable economy in an environmentally conscious world
The prospect of biodiversity and resource control
The study of toxins in waste
The Assessment of disruptors in the food chain
Waste management and the policies concerning sustainability
Challenges of credits
Water recycling
Minimization of waste
The deduction of energy from waste
Trends of the ecosystem
The theory of the endangered species
The risks in environmental sustainability
The growth of the ecological economy
The need for ecological Sustainable practices
Development of feasible environmental policies

Is Writing About Environmental Science Taking Too Much Time?

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You already have environmental law research topics, environmental economics dissertation topics, environmental policy research topics, and environmental engineering topics for research.

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Educating Young People about Environmental Health for Informed Social Action

Alla keselman.

Division of Specialized Information Services, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. vog.hin.mln.liam@anamlesek

Daniel M. Levin

Department of Teaching, Learning, Policy, and Leadership, College of Education, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA. ude.dmu@2niveld

Judy F. Kramer

ICF International contractors to Division of Specialized Information Services, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. vog.hin.mln.liam@ujremark

Karen Matzkin

ICF International contractors to Division of Specialized Information Services, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. vog.hin.liam@knikztam

Gale Dutcher

Division of Specialized Information Services, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. vog.hin.mln.liam@grehctud

Whereas environmental health education is rapidly becoming a global priority, it still receives little attention in schools. This paper describes a U.S. National Library of Medicine program, aiming to support environmental health education in grades 6-12 in U.S. schools. The program has four components: (1) developing reliable online resources that provide quality environmental health information; (2) creating lesson plans that integrate our resources into the classroom and extracurricular activities; (3) engaging teachers by inviting collaborations and promoting our resources and activities; and (4) conducting educational research that provides a foundation for the other components. The paper describes specific educational resources and activities and grounds them in learning theories from the fields of cognitive psychology and science education.

Importance and Challenges of Environmental Health Education

We are living at a time when human impact on the environment and the resulting impact of the environment on human health are rapidly growing global concerns. The top international priorities include slowing the rate of human-induced climate change, protecting water and air quality, reducing the health impact of disasters, and minimizing human exposure to toxic chemicals. There is also growing concern that current efforts aiming to curb climate change are insufficient. In these circumstances, it is essential that science education produces citizens capable of intelligent engagement with environmental health concerns. As educators in a democratic society, we believe that the public’s understanding of science can result in social action and more effective policy. However, is the public well equipped for participating in the environmental health discourse? A Pew Global Attitudes Survey (2009) found that “majorities [of the population, based on survey samples] in 23 of 25 countries agree that protecting the environment should be given priority, even at the cost of slower economic growth and job losses.” These beliefs, however, are not always consistent. In 11 of the 25 nations that participated in the survey, majorities disagree that “people should pay higher prices to deal with climate change.” When it comes to global warming, majorities in only 15 of the 25 countries see this issue as “very serious.” Countries where the latter (“very serious”) view is not held by the majority include such major global players as the U.S., Russia, and China. This is particularly concerning considering the relatively large contribution these players make to global carbon emissions.

The classroom seems like a natural place to teach about the environment and human health. Unfortunately, environmental health receives little attention in schools. In the U.S., it is virtually absent from the health and science curriculum. To explore this issue, we conducted discussion groups with elementary (up to grade 5) and middle (grades 6-8) school science and health teachers in four US states. Whereas many teachers viewed environmental health as an important topic, they pointed to several barriers that prevented them from teaching it. These barriers included limited classroom time, pressure to teach to district-imposed guidelines, and the teachers’ perception that they lacked appropriate background knowledge in environmental health. Barriers, of course, are likely to differ by country. Nevertheless, it is our impression, from informal conversations with science educators outside the U.S., that environmental health is globally perceived as important, but introducing it into the classroom usually requires a non-trivial effort.

Ways to Bring Environmental Health Education into the Schools

Authors of this paper represent two interest groups outside the schools: federal developers of information resources ( AK, KM and JFK ) in the Division of Specialized Information Services of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health and science education researchers ( AK and DML ). The Division of Specialized Information Services develops thematic health information resources for health professionals and consumers, focusing on toxicology and environmental health. We also develop resources for special population groups, including school teachers and students, and conduct a variety of educational programs and activities. It often happens that outsiders like ourselves advocate educational change in school systems. Our approach has four related components, intended to strengthen one another and the overall success of our mission. They are: (1) developing reliable online resources that provide quality environmental health information; (2) creating lesson plans that integrate our resources into the classroom and extracurricular activities; (3) engaging teachers by inviting collaborations and promoting our resources and activities; and (4) conducting educational research that provides a foundation for the other components.

Our discussion groups with teachers suggest that in order to fit in the classroom, resources need to connect to the existing curriculum. To meet this goal, we scan textbooks and curricular guidelines and invite teachers to evaluate our Websites. We also engage teachers as collaborators in making architectural decisions about our Websites. Finally, we meet with school administrators and promote our resources at conferences and events attended by teachers, where we demonstrate how our environmental health materials can be used in the biology, chemistry and environmental science classroom.

Even when we design resources that are endorsed by teachers and connect to existing classroom topics, the challenge of limited classroom time remains. To address this, we advocate for creative implementation of environmental health topics into extracurricular activities. One potential place is afterschool clubs. Many U.S. school districts sponsor such clubs, and many schools have a science club or an environmental club (these rarely include a focus on human health). These clubs are led by our natural collaborators - teachers who are enthusiastic about the environment and concerned about the human impact on it. Clubs also give teachers much more freedom to select topics, materials and activities than does the regular classroom. Part of this paper describes our effort in collaborating with teachers on developing environmental health afterschool club curricula.

K-12 Environmental Health Resources from the U.S. National Library of Medicine

In this section, we describe some of our online environmental health resources for students and above. We start with resources for younger students (grades K-5) followed by middle school and high school resources (grades 6-12). Lastly, we describe our general environmental health and toxicology resources that can be adapted for advanced classroom studies in chemistry and environmental health.

ToxMystery ( Figure 1 ) is an interactive Web game designed to help teach children ages 6 -10 about hazardous substances commonly found in the home. Children search rooms throughout the house to locate the hazardous substances. Once a substance is identified, children learn about the health effects caused by its use or misuse.

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ToxMystery ( http://toxmystery.nlm.nih.gov/ )

Targeted age group: grades K-5

The Environmental Health Student Portal ( Figure 2 ) is our newest resource for students and teachers. Unlike our resources for the general health consumers, the portal was developed specifically for school use, following in-depth needs assessment among teachers. The sections of the portal are designed to reflect existing topics in the U.S. middle schools (grades 6-8).

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Environmental Health Student Portal ( http://kidsenvirohealth.nlm.nih.gov/ )

Targeted age group: grades 6-8

The sections in the portal include Air Pollution, Chemicals, Climate Change , and Water Pollution . The Chemicals section describes hazardous substances in the everyday environment, focusing on the chemicals and compounds that are often covered in the middle school science curriculum (e.g., mercury, lead, arsenic, plastics, pesticides). Climate Change addresses causes of greenhouse gases and describes the effect of climate change on the weather and on human health. The Water Pollution section provides basic information about the water cycle, specific chemical and pollutants that enter the cycle, water treatment, disasters caused by water (floods, hurricanes), and water-borne diseases. The Air Pollution section is currently under construction. To support a variety of classroom needs, the site links to articles, games, activities, and videos.

Tox Town ( Figure 3 ) is a Website that provides information about environmental health concerns in everyday environments to students in grade 9 and above. This Website is designed to inform about the following:

Everyday locations where one might find toxic chemicals;
Non-technical descriptions of chemicals;
Links to selected, authoritative chemical information on the Internet;
How the environment can impact human health; and
Internet resources on environmental health topics.

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Tox Town ( http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/ )

Targeted age group: grades 9-12, college students, educators and general public interested in environmental health

To highlight the connection between chemical, the environment, and health, Tox Town is organized into five interactive graphic neighborhoods, City, Farm, Town, U.S.-Mexican Border and Port. Each neighborhood has a number of locations where hazardous chemicals can be found. Examples of locations include Factory, Food Services, Landfill, River and School. Tox Town also contains sections on over 40 chemicals (focusing on their environmental health impact), updated links on disaster topics (including those related to recent events, such as oil spills), and teachers’ pages with activities and resources for the classroom. An analogous version of Tox Town exists in Spanish. Teachers can assign Tox Town to their students knowing that all links have been vetted for accuracy and reliability.

Tox Town has been used in both middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12) as a resource for homework and school projects. Students have used Tox Town to learn more about specific chemicals assigned by their teachers. Middle school science teachers have also used Tox Town in Spanish immersion classes since there is both an English version and a Spanish translation of most pages. An after-school club for middle school students uses Tox Town as a tool to teach students about potentially toxic chemicals in their environment. Tox Town is also a featured resource in the lesson plans sequences, described in the next section.

The Household Products Database ( Figure 4 ) provides information about potential health effects, safety and handling of over 10,000 brands of household products. The database is primarily for researchers and consumers, interested in answering questions about chemicals contained in specific products and brands and acute and chronic health effects of those chemicals. In the classroom, this database may provide valuable basis for linking abstract chemistry concepts to the daily context of things that can be found under the kitchen sink or on the shelves in the bathroom.

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Household Products Database ( http://hpd.nlm.nih.gov/ )

Targeted age group: grades 6-12, researchers, general public

Other Resources

Our other resources for professionals and the general public may be adapted for advanced classroom studies in chemistry and environmental health. These include, among others:

Chemical Carcinogenesis Research Information System, CCRIS ( http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?CCRIS ) contains chemical records with carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, tumor promotion, and tumor inhibition test results.
ChemIDplus Lite ( http://chem.sis.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/chemidlite.jsp ) and ChemIDplus Advanced ( http://chem.sis.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/ ) provides information about chemicals, including 3-D structural diagrams, and includes links to many environmental health and toxicology resources.
GENE-TOX ( http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?GENETOX.htm ) contains peer-reviewed genetic toxicology test data for over 3,000 chemicals.
Haz-Map ( http://hazmap.nlm.nih.gov/ ) is a database of information on the health effects of exposure to chemical and biological substances at work and home.
Hazardous Substance Database, HSDB ( http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?HSDB ) is a comprehensive, peer-reviewed toxicology database for about 5,000 chemicals.
International Toxicity Estimates for Risk, ITER ( http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?iter ) provides a comparison of international risk assessment information for chemicals in a side-by-side format and explains differences in risk values derived by different organizations.

For a complete list of professional and consumer health resources from the Division of Specialized Information Services, U.S. National Library of Medicine, visit our Website: http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/ ).

Evidence-based Approach to Teaching Environmental Health: Lessons from Psychology and Science Education Research

Our Websites are tools that can aid in the instructional process, but do not constitute instruction in and of themselves. Successful introduction of environmental health education depends on a number of components, including the quality of instructional activities that incorporate the tools. In this section, we describe characteristics of successful instructional approaches, identified in cognitive psychology and science education research. By “successful,” we mean approaches that result in lasting learning, applicable to the world outside the classroom.

First of all, successful approaches provide deep understanding of the underlying concepts, rather than the ability to recite isolated facts. Research in many areas of science education demonstrates that certain depth of conceptual understanding is a prerequisite for effective problem solving and decision-making. Patel, Kaufman, and Arocha (1999) provide a review in the health domain. For example, in the domain of HIV, Keselman, Kaufman and Patel (2004) demonstrated that mere factual knowledge that HIV is sexually transmitted and incurable does not prevent adolescents from accepting myths that contradict these facts, whereas understanding cellular-level mechanisms of HIV biology does. For environmental health education, this suggests that simply telling students that global climate change is caused by human carbon emission may not equip them with the robust conceptual understanding necessary to critically evaluate the social discourse around global warming. Understanding how greenhouse gases affect the earth’s temperature and impact weather patterns, and how this in turn affects the environment, economy and human health is likely to produce a better foundation for informed decision-making.

Second of all, if the goal of science education is to equip the students with critical reasoning and information evaluation skills, it is worthwhile to focus on these skills directly, rather than assume that greater knowledge alone will lead to better reasoning. When it comes to skills instruction, science instruction has traditionally focused on the skills involved in carrying out laboratory activities (e.g., measurement). However, lay adults’ engagement with environmental health issues is less likely to be “hands-on” than it is to involve reasoning and participation in social discourse. Social action requires skills that are referred to as “informal reasoning” ( Perkins, 1985 ), which include locating and evaluating information produced by others and formulating, sharing and defending informed opinions. This type of reasoning is a form of internalized argument, which becomes externalized in social interactions. In the recent years, many science education researchers have come to view argumentation as a core scientific practice, which should be included as an important goal of science education ( Kuhn, 2010 ; NRC, 2007 ). Intervention studies suggest that supporting the development of argumentation skills via sustained practice or direct instruction results in transfer to novel situations ( Kuhn, 2010 ; Larson, Britt & Kurby, 2009 ; Schworm & Renkl, 2007 ). For example, Zohar and Nemet (2002) showed that explicit instruction in argumentation about socio-scientific implications of genetics improved students’ understanding of the advanced genetics concepts and quality of argumentation. Theories of how people learn inform environmental health education programs, and our understanding of the centrality of argumentation in learning and applying knowledge of socio-scientific issues informs our work with teachers.

An Example of Our Collaborative Curriculum Development Projects with Teachers

In an attempt to support environmental health education in the schools, we attempt to develop and promote lesson plans that (1) incorporate educational research theories described in the previous section and (2) engage teachers as collaborators in these activities. Collaborating with teachers is relatively new to most of us. As part of this experience, we are learning to recognize and reconcile differences between the priorities of educational researchers and practicing teachers. Researchers’ objectives are driven by learning theories. Teachers, on the other hand, value theories, but prioritize practical issues and constraints. Despite the challenge in finding the common language, joining forces is beneficial for both sides. To facilitate future collaborations, we are conducting research into the nature of communication in collaborative teacher-researcher curriculum development projects.

Below is the description of two pilot projects, in which activities are centered around the Tox Town Website.

Collaborative Development of Afterschool Environmental Health Club Curriculum for the Middle School (Grades 6-8)

The objective of this project was to develop a middle school afterschool club curriculum to promote socio-scientific argumentation about environmental health using Tox Town. The project team involved two developers and a science education researcher from the National Library, a science education researcher from American University and a team of teachers from a public middle school, including two science teachers, a social studies teacher, and a language arts teacher.

We (NLM and university participants) developed the initial project specifications. We expected the curriculum to include many argumentation activities that support the development of critical thinking skills, essential to the application of scientific knowledge in daily life. The initial specifications involved explicit emphasis on helping students to:

Appreciate the importance of argumentation;
Gain respect for evidence;
Learn to collect, organize and evaluate secondary sources;
Learn to make a convincing argument, anticipating and rebutting the opposition; and
Apply argumentation in a socially relevant way.

The club was to include 4-6 thematic units, each covering a new environmental health issue. We wanted the students to develop in-depth understanding of the topics, but did not have strong preferences for any particular topics, and preferred to emphasize the development of argumentation skills.

The teachers were enthusiastic about introducing students to environmental health topics. Like us, they perceived the science of environmental health as highly relevant to global societal concerns and daily life. The teachers also found a lot of value in collaborating with colleagues across the school disciplines and connecting scientific knowledge to social activism. However, we also found differences in teachers’ and researchers’ perspectives and priorities. Attempting to integrate both perspectives in the project became a major force in shaping the resulting curriculum.

Although the researchers placed the highest value on supporting students’ argumentation skills, teachers’ priorities were frequently guided by a shared sense of what was appropriate to do in a club. To the teachers, the greatest challenge was engaging the students’ interest, covering a broad range of environmental health topics within a limited amount of time, and providing adequate level of support and structure to allow smooth progress. Teachers felt that to maintain students’ engagement, the club required a laboratory component within each unit. This shifted the focus of the club from evaluating and integrating information to conducting hands-on activities. Whereas teachers valued argumentation, they viewed it as a pinnacle activity, which required significant content knowledge and information skills, rather than a vehicle for the development of scientific reasoning. As researchers, we suggested incorporating sustained argumentation into each thematic unit of the club. Teachers chose to focus the early units of prerequisite skills on information seeking and evaluation, concluding the club with the major debate unit.

The project is currently in progress. The first of the four units of the club curriculum has been fully developed, and is about to be implemented. This unit is significantly different from our initial design specifications. Students use Tox Town to research potentially hazardous chemicals that can be found in tap water, test the quality of water in the school water fountains, and prepare posters and presentations, informing the school community about the results of their testing. Although there is less emphasis on the evidence evaluation and anticipation of the opposition than originally intended, the unit provides a thoughtful, unique integration of background information seeking and hands-on laboratory activities. We hope that our subsequent analysis of team interactions provides us with insights for optimizing shared meaning construction across teacher-researcher communities, thus informing future collaborative efforts.

Mock Legislative Hearing for High School (Grades 9-12) Environmental Science Classroom

As our afterschool club curriculum evolved away from the argumentation skills focus, we decided to implement an argumentation-based Tox Town unit as a separate project. Two high school teachers from Washington, DC, expressed interest in this project, focusing on debating environmental health issues as part of their environmental science curriculum. Similarly to the first unit of the afterschool club, the theme is water quality. The objective is to conduct a mock legislative hearing, deciding how the quality of the schools’ drinking water ought to be regulated. Some student participants assume membership in six special interest groups, including an association of bottled water vendors, a radical group opposed to widespread commercialization and packaging, the American Medical Association, and more. Other students develop the format of the hearing that gives each group an equal opportunity to voice their proposal and to respond to the others’ concerns. Students are asked to provide information that would enable the committee to decide on the following issues:

Should the committee suggest the legislature pass a law to require schools to sell bottled water?
How often should the committee recommend that drinking water be tested? Who should test it?
What kind of labeling should be required of bottled water sold in school?
Should the legislature regulate or subsidize bottled water sold in schools?

The lessons’ sequence (still in the development stage) addresses several of the U.S. National Science Education Standards ( NRC, 1996 ), particularly Science as Inquiry and Science in Personal and Social Perspectives .

Whereas environmental health issues are at the forefront of global societal concerns, school environmental health education is lagging behind. Bringing environmental health education into schools requires a combination of top-level institutional change and grassroots creativity. This paper described a specific initiative, aiming to increase US students’ knowledge of environmental health issues and informed citizenship skills. The effort is conducted through developing environmental health resources for teachers and students, building activities and lesson plans that integrate these resources, leading school outreach and collaborating with teachers, and conducting research into issues that surround socio-scientific thinking and curriculum development. We hope that such an approach contributes to educating a generation of citizens capable of engaging in informed social activism and working towards effective solutions to pressing environmental health problems.

An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 4 th International Consortium for Interdisciplinary Education about Health and the Environment, Cologne, Germany, December 2010.

Contributor Information

Alla Keselman, Division of Specialized Information Services, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. vog.hin.mln.liam@anamlesek .

Daniel M. Levin, Department of Teaching, Learning, Policy, and Leadership, College of Education, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA. ude.dmu@2niveld .

Judy F. Kramer, ICF International contractors to Division of Specialized Information Services, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. vog.hin.mln.liam@ujremark .

Karen Matzkin, ICF International contractors to Division of Specialized Information Services, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. vog.hin.liam@knikztam .

Gale Dutcher, Division of Specialized Information Services, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. vog.hin.mln.liam@grehctud .

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150+ Public Health Research Topics & Ideas For Students

Public health research aims to understand and improve the health of communities and people. Some crucial areas of research in public health today include looking at social factors that affect health, developing helpful health programs, improving access to healthcare, and reducing health differences.

In this blog, we will discuss public health research topics. Public health research uses scientific ways to identify things that influence health, disease, and injury in groups of people. Researchers collect and analyze information to find trends and patterns in health outcomes.

This information is then used to develop programs, policies, and interventions to improve population health. With many continuing and new health challenges, public health research is essential for informing effective strategies to protect and promote the health of all people. Let’s dive in to explore public health research topics.

Why Public Health Research Matters?

Table of Contents

Public health research is important because:

It finds health problems affecting groups of people. This helps public health workers know where help is most needed.
It guides leaders on where to put resources. Findings show where funding should go to improve health the most.
It checks if public health programs and policies work. Research helps improve these efforts over time.
It leads to new health discoveries. Research teaches us more about keeping people healthy.
It encourages healthy choices. When people know what affects their health, they can make better choices.
Research improves quality of life and seeks to help people live longer, healthier lives.
Research builds healthier communities and provides information to help make communities healthier for all.

In short, public health research gives important information to guide work that protects and improves everyone’s health. It’s a key tool for promoting community well-being.

Key Areas in Public Health Research

Here are some key areas in public health research:

Epidemiology

Studies patterns of disease, health risks, and health behaviors in populations. Identifies risk factors that impact community health.

Health Disparities

Health Disparities examine differences in health outcomes, access to care, and quality of life across populations. It seeks to understand and reduce inequities.

Social Determinants of Health

It examines how social, economic, and environmental factors shape health and well-being. Focuses on improving conditions for healthy living.

Health Promotion

Health Promotion develops and evaluates programs and policies to encourage healthy lifestyles, behaviors, and choices. It also promotes wellness and disease prevention.

Environmental Health

Explores links between environmental exposures and health. Identifies and mitigates ecological hazards and risks.

Health Systems and Policy

Health Systems and Policy analyze health system structures, functions, and reforms to optimize quality, access, costs, and outcomes. It also evaluates health policies.

Community Health Assessments

Collects and analyzes data on population health status, needs, resources, and priorities to guide public health planning.

Program Evaluation

Assesses effectiveness and impact of public health programs and interventions. It also helps refine approaches.

Public Health Preparedness

Examines capacities to prevent, respond to, and recover from health emergencies and disasters and strengthens public health systems.

Health Communication

Develop strategies to provide health information and influence health behaviors and social norms. Tailors are messaging for diverse audiences.

150+ Public Health Research Topics

Here is a list of 150+ public health research topics categorized into 15 groups.

Infectious Diseases: Public Health Research Topics

Emerging infectious diseases: Challenges and responses
Antimicrobial resistance: A global threat
Vaccination strategies for preventing infectious diseases
Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in different regions
Impact of COVID-19 on mental health
Vector-borne diseases: Surveillance and control
Tuberculosis control and prevention
Malaria elimination strategies
Influenza outbreak preparedness
Waterborne diseases: Prevention and control

Chronic Diseases: Public Health Research Topics

Diabetes prevention and management
Cardiovascular disease risk factors and interventions
Cancer screening programs: Effectiveness and challenges
Obesity prevention in children and adults
Chronic respiratory diseases: Trends and interventions
Mental health and chronic illness
Substance abuse and its impact on chronic diseases
Aging and the risk of chronic conditions
Environmental factors in chronic disease development
Genetic predisposition to chronic diseases

Environmental Health Research Topics

Air pollution and respiratory health
Water quality and its impact on public health
Climate change and health disparities
Occupational health and safety
Urban planning for healthier cities
Food safety and its implications for public health
Environmental justice and health outcomes
Pesticide exposure and health risks
Noise pollution and its effects on well-being
Built environment and public health
Electronic waste and its health implications

Health Policy and Management: Public Health Research Topics

Healthcare disparities in underserved populations
Health insurance coverage and access to care
Health system strengthening in developing countries
Telemedicine: Opportunities and challenges
Ethics in Health policy decision-making
Healthcare workforce shortages: Causes and solutions
Cost-effectiveness of public health interventions
Public-private partnerships in healthcare
Quality improvement in healthcare delivery
Health information technology and patient outcomes
Global health governance and policy

Maternal and Child Health: Public Health Research Topics

Maternal mortality reduction strategies
Early childhood development and its long-term impact
Breastfeeding promotion and support
Adolescent reproductive health education
Neonatal care and preterm birth prevention
Childhood immunization programs
Child malnutrition: Causes and interventions
Parental influences on child health behaviors
Teen pregnancy prevention programs
Access to prenatal care in low-income communities

Health Behavior and Education: Public Health Research Topics

Health promotion through social media
School-based health education programs
Tobacco control and smoking cessation interventions
Physical activity promotion in communities
Nutrition education and behavior change
Substance abuse prevention campaigns
Sexual health education in schools
Stress management and mental health promotion
Community engagement in health initiatives
Health Literacy and its effect on Individuals’ health outcomes

Global Health Research Topics

Eradication of infectious diseases in developing countries
Humanitarian interventions in conflict zones
Water and sanitation programs in underserved regions
Access to essential medicines in low-income countries
Reproductive health in the global context
International collaborations in health research
Refugee health and well-being
Cultural competence in global health practice
Impact of globalization on health outcomes
Health diplomacy and international relations

Epidemiology and Biostatistics: Public Health Research Topics

Surveillance systems for disease tracking
Statistical methods in epidemiological research
Spatial analysis in public health studies
Meta-analysis in health research
Longitudinal studies in epidemiology
Big data analytics in public health
Genetic epidemiology: Advancements and challenges
Screening methods for disease detection
Causal inference in observational studies
Bayesian statistics in health research

Health Equity and Social Determinants: Public Health Research Topics

Social determinants of health disparities
LGBTQ+ inclusive healthcare policies
Racial and ethnic health inequities
Income inequality and health outcomes
Access to healthcare in marginalized communities
Intersectionality and health disparities
Gender-based health disparities
Educational attainment and health outcomes
Housing and its impact on health
Cultural competence in healthcare delivery
LGBTQ+ health disparities and inclusivity

Mental Health Research Topics

Stigma reduction in mental health disorders
Suicide prevention strategies
Mental health in the workplace
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) interventions
Access to mental health services in rural regions
Child and adolescent mental health programs
Substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders
Technology-based mental health interventions
Cultural perspectives on mental health
Resilience and mental well-being

Health Technology and Innovation: Public Health Research Topics

Wearable technology in health monitoring
Artificial intelligence in disease diagnosis
Mobile health (mHealth) applications
Telehealth and remote patient monitoring
The role of citizen science in health innovation
Health informatics and electronic health records
3D printing in healthcare
Precision medicine and personalized healthcare
Virtual reality in health education and therapy
Robotics in healthcare delivery
Ethical considerations in health technology

Community Health Research Topics

Community-based participatory research
Community health assessments and planning
Grassroots health advocacy
Community health worker programs
Social support networks and health outcomes
Faith-based health initiatives
Community resilience in health emergencies
Cultural competence in community health programs
Community gardens and their impact on nutrition
Social marketing for health behavior change

Occupational Health Research Topics

Workplace stress and mental health
Occupational exposure to hazardous substances
Ergonomics in the prevention of work-related injuries
Occupational health and well-being programs
Worksite health promotion initiatives
Shift work and its impact on health
Occupational health surveillance
Prevention of workplace violence
Occupational health in the gig economy
Role of unions in promoting occupational health

Disaster Preparedness and Response: Public Health Research Topics

Public health planning for natural disasters
Emergency response coordination and communication
Mental health support in disaster-affected communities
Infectious disease control in emergency shelters
Disaster risk reduction strategies
Humanitarian aid in post-disaster scenarios
Community resilience in disaster-prone areas
Lessons learned from past pandemics for future preparedness
Public health implications of climate-related disasters
Technology in disaster response and recovery

Health Economics: Public Health Research Topics

Cost-effectiveness of preventive healthcare measures
The economic effect of chronic diseases on healthcare systems
Healthcare financing models and access to care
Value-based healthcare delivery
Pharmaceutical pricing and access
Economic evaluation of public health interventions
Health disparities and economic inequality
Impact of health policies on economic productivity
Global economic implications of health crises
Social determinants of economic well-being

Feel free to choose any of these topics for your research or adapt them based on your specific interests and requirements.

Challenges and Opportunities in Public Health Research

Here are some critical challenges and opportunities in public health research:

The complexity of public health problems – Issues like obesity, cancer, or health inequities have multiple interrelated causes, requiring sophisticated research approaches.
Data limitations – Public health data may be inconsistent, incomplete, or lack granularity to address specific research questions. There are gaps in data collection.
Community involvement – Public health research should engage intended populations, but this takes time and trust-building. Historically marginalized groups may be skeptical.
Policymaker investment – Research needs policymaker buy-in, but political timelines and priorities may not align. Demonstrating the value of research investment can be difficult.
Funding constraints – Public health research competes for limited funding, especially long-term support needed for community interventions or infrastructure.
Interdisciplinary coordination – Addressing public health issues requires collaboration across fields like medicine, social sciences, urban planning, etc. This can be complex to coordinate.

Opportunities

New technologies – Emerging data analysis methods, geospatial mapping, online engagement tools, and more can enable innovative, rigorous research.
Community partnerships – Strong relationships with local organizations allow the co-design of research that best meets community priorities and knowledge.
Cross-sectoral collaboration – Partnering with groups in other sectors like education, transportation, and environment brings new perspectives.
Translation into policy and practice – Timely research translation maximizes opportunities to apply findings for impactful policy and program improvement.
Capacity building – Investing in researcher training, community involvement, research literacy, and public data access expands quality research efforts.
Health equity focus – Center health equity goals in research to effectively address the needs of marginalized groups.
Communication of findings – Using diverse media to communicate findings to various audiences effectively advances research uptake.

Final Remarks

In this blog, we have discussed the public health research topics. Public health research is fundamental to helping keep communities healthy. Researchers study many different health topics and problems. They examine diseases, health programs, healthcare access, and group differences.

The research gives information to make health policies, create health programs, and help people live longer. There are challenges like limited funding and complex problems. But new technologies and working with local groups can help do good research.

The findings are used to improve health for everyone. More public health research is needed to address new health problems and help build a healthier world. I hope you enjoyed this post and chose the right public health research topic.

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CLICK HERE to View (14) Downloadable Research Topics PDF

Air Quality Monitoring and Assessment: Investigate the impact of industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, and natural sources on air quality in urban and rural areas.
Water Pollution and Remediation: Study the contamination of water bodies by pollutants, evaluate the effectiveness of existing remediation methods, and propose innovative solutions.
Soil Quality and Contamination: Explore the presence of heavy metals, pesticides, and other contaminants in soil, assess their effects on ecosystems and human health, and suggest sustainable soil management practices.
Climate Change and Health Impacts: Investigate the connections between climate change and health, focusing on the effects of temperature fluctuations, extreme weather events, and changing disease patterns.
Environmental Epidemiology: Conduct epidemiological studies to analyze the relationships between environmental exposures and the prevalence of specific health outcomes in populations.
Occupational Health and Safety: Assess workplace environments to identify potential hazards, evaluate the effectiveness of safety measures, and propose strategies for minimizing occupational health risks.
Waste Management and Public Health: Examine the health implications of improper waste disposal practices and evaluate waste management systems to enhance public health outcomes.
Environmental Justice and Health Disparities: Investigate the unequal distribution of environmental hazards and assess the resulting health disparities among different socio-economic and ethnic groups.
Environmental Education and Behavior Change: Develop and evaluate interventions to promote environmentally friendly behaviors and assess their impact on public health.
Green Spaces and Mental Health: Explore the relationship between access to green spaces, such as parks and forests, and mental well-being, examining the potential therapeutic benefits.
Vector-Borne Diseases and Environmental Factors: Investigate the influence of environmental conditions on the prevalence and distribution of vector-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever.
Food Safety and Security: Analyze the impact of environmental factors on food safety, assess the risks associated with foodborne illnesses, and propose measures to ensure food security.
Chemical Exposures and Endocrine Disruption: Study the effects of chemical exposures on endocrine systems, addressing concerns related to hormone disruption and reproductive health.
Noise Pollution and Health: Investigate the health effects of noise pollution from various sources, such as traffic and industrial activities, and propose strategies for noise reduction.
Radiation Exposure and Health Risks: Assess the health risks associated with different forms of radiation exposure, including ionizing and non-ionizing radiation.
Built Environment and Health: Examine the impact of urban planning, architecture, and transportation systems on public health, focusing on factors like walkability and accessibility.
Biodiversity Conservation and Human Health: Explore the connections between biodiversity loss and human health, considering the potential impact on disease transmission and ecosystem services.
Environmental Governance and Policy Analysis: Evaluate the effectiveness of environmental policies and governance structures in addressing public health concerns.
Community-Based Participatory Research: Engage communities in research processes to address local environmental health concerns and empower residents to take proactive measures.
Renewable Energy and Health: Investigate the health implications of different forms of renewable energy, comparing their environmental impact and potential health benefits.
Airborne Allergens and Respiratory Health: Examine the relationship between airborne allergens, such as pollen and mold spores, and respiratory health conditions like asthma.
Microplastics in the Environment: Study the presence and potential health impacts of microplastics in air, water, and soil, exploring mitigation strategies.
Environmental Monitoring Technologies: Develop and evaluate innovative technologies for real-time environmental monitoring to enhance data accuracy and timeliness.
Green Building Design and Indoor Air Quality: Investigate the impact of green building design on indoor air quality and occupant health, promoting sustainable architecture.
Environmental Impact Assessment: Conduct comprehensive assessments of proposed projects to determine potential environmental and health impacts, providing recommendations for mitigation.
E-waste Management and Health Risks: Examine the health risks associated with the improper disposal and recycling of electronic waste, proposing sustainable e-waste management practices.
One Health Approach: Explore the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, emphasizing collaborative strategies to address global health challenges.
Urban Heat Island Effect: Investigate the impact of urbanization on localized temperature increases, assessing associated health risks and proposing urban planning strategies.
Environmental Microbiology: Study the role of microorganisms in environmental health, including their impact on water quality, soil fertility, and disease transmission.
Environmental Communication and Risk Perception: Analyze the effectiveness of communication strategies in conveying environmental health risks to the public and influencing risk perception.
Sustainable Agriculture and Health: Assess the health impacts of agricultural practices, including pesticide use and monoculture, and propose sustainable farming methods.
Environmental Sensing and Citizen Science: Engage citizens in environmental monitoring through sensor technologies, fostering community participation in data collection and analysis.
Bioremediation of Contaminated Sites: Explore the use of biological processes to remediate contaminated sites, evaluating the effectiveness and environmental impact of bioremediation techniques.
Environmental Psychology: Investigate the psychological aspects of human-environment interactions, exploring how the environment influences behavior and mental well-being.
Green Chemistry and Sustainable Practices: Assess the environmental and health impacts of chemical processes, promoting the development and adoption of green and sustainable chemistry.
Environmental Health Literacy: Evaluate the level of environmental health literacy in different populations and develop strategies to enhance understanding and awareness.
Alternative Transportation and Air Quality: Study the impact of alternative transportation modes, such as electric vehicles and bicycles, on air quality and public health.
Urban Agriculture and Food Security: Assess the benefits and challenges of urban agriculture in promoting food security and improving nutritional outcomes in urban settings.
Environmental Monitoring in Disaster Response: Develop and implement environmental monitoring systems for timely response to natural and man-made disasters, minimizing health risks.
Cultural and Indigenous Perspectives in Environmental Health: Incorporate cultural and indigenous knowledge into environmental health research, recognizing diverse perspectives and promoting culturally sensitive approaches to address environmental challenges.

Environmental Health Science Final Year Project Topics & Materials for Students & Researchers

CLICK HERE to View (14) Downloadable Project Topics PDF

Air Quality:

The impact of urbanization on air quality.
Assessing indoor air pollution in residential areas.
The role of vegetation in mitigating air pollution.
Investigating the health effects of particulate matter in the air.
Examining the relationship between air quality and respiratory diseases.
The influence of traffic emissions on air quality.

Water Quality: 7. Assessing the impact of industrial discharges on water quality.

Investigating the presence of emerging contaminants in water sources.
The effects of agricultural runoff on water quality.
Evaluating the efficiency of water treatment processes.
Studying the link between water quality and gastrointestinal diseases.
Monitoring microbial contamination in drinking water.

Soil Pollution: 13. Analyzing the impact of heavy metal contamination on soil health.

Investigating the use of bio-remediation for soil pollution control.
Assessing the effects of pesticide use on soil quality.
The role of land use changes in soil pollution.
Studying the persistence of pollutants in soil ecosystems.
Evaluating the impact of industrial waste disposal on soil.

Climate Change and Health: 19. Assessing the health implications of climate change.

The role of extreme weather events in public health.
Investigating vector-borne diseases and climate change.
Examining the impact of rising temperatures on mental health.
Studying the effects of climate change on food security and nutrition.
Assessing the vulnerability of communities to climate-related health risks.

Environmental Epidemiology: 25. Investigating the association between environmental exposures and cancer.

Assessing the health effects of long-term exposure to noise pollution.
Studying the relationship between environmental factors and infectious diseases.
The impact of green spaces on mental health.
Examining the effects of electronic waste on reproductive health.
Investigating the health consequences of electronic cigarette use.

Occupational Health: 31. Assessing the health risks of exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace.

The impact of shift work on employee health.
Investigating the role of ergonomics in preventing workplace injuries.
Examining the health effects of noise exposure in occupational settings.
The influence of occupational stress on mental health.
Studying the health implications of nanotechnology in the workplace.

Environmental Policy and Regulation: 37. Evaluating the effectiveness of environmental regulations in reducing pollution.

Analyzing the impact of environmental policies on public health.
Investigating the role of public awareness in environmental conservation.
Assessing the implementation of waste management policies.
Studying the socio-economic factors influencing environmental policy compliance.
Examining the role of international agreements in addressing global environmental health issues.

Food Safety: 43. Assessing the presence of contaminants in food products.

Investigating the health risks associated with genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
The impact of food processing methods on nutritional quality.
Examining the safety of food packaging materials.
Studying the link between foodborne pathogens and public health.
Evaluating the effectiveness of food safety education programs.

Waste Management: 49. Analyzing the environmental and health impacts of electronic waste disposal.

Investigating the effectiveness of recycling programs in reducing waste.
Assessing the health risks of improper hazardous waste disposal.
The role of waste-to-energy technologies in waste management.
Examining the impact of plastic pollution on aquatic ecosystems.
Studying the health consequences of open dumping sites.

Environmental Justice: 55. Assessing the distribution of environmental hazards and health disparities.

Investigating the role of community engagement in environmental justice.
Examining the impact of environmental racism on public health.
Studying the effectiveness of legal frameworks in addressing environmental injustice.
Analyzing the socio-economic factors influencing exposure to environmental hazards.
Assessing the role of advocacy and activism in promoting environmental justice.

Children’s Environmental Health: 61. Investigating the impact of environmental exposures on child development.

Assessing the health effects of lead exposure in children.
The role of schools in promoting environmental health for children.
Examining the link between childhood asthma and environmental factors.
Studying the impact of environmental education on children’s health.
Assessing the safety of children’s products in relation to environmental health.

Renewable Energy and Health: 67. Investigating the health benefits and risks of renewable energy sources.

Assessing the impact of solar power installations on local ecosystems.
The health implications of living near wind turbine installations.
Examining the role of renewable energy in reducing air pollution-related health issues.
Studying the environmental and health impacts of hydropower projects.
Assessing the sustainability and health effects of bioenergy sources.

Environmental Health and Urban Planning: 73. Analyzing the impact of urban sprawl on environmental health.

Investigating the role of green urban spaces in promoting health.
Assessing the health effects of noise pollution in urban areas.
Examining the impact of transportation planning on air quality.
Studying the link between urban design and physical activity.
Evaluating the effectiveness of sustainable urban development in improving health.

Chemical Exposure and Health: 79. Investigating the health effects of exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

Assessing the risks of household chemical use on human health.
Examining the impact of pharmaceuticals in the environment on public health.
Studying the health consequences of exposure to persistent organic pollutants.
Analyzing the link between chemical exposures and reproductive health.
Assessing the effectiveness of regulations in reducing chemical exposures.

Biotechnology and Environmental Health: 85. Investigating the environmental and health impacts of genetically modified organisms.

Assessing the safety of biotechnology applications in agriculture.
Examining the use of bioremediation in cleaning up contaminated sites.
Studying the potential health risks of nanotechnology in consumer products.
Analyzing the role of biotechnology in addressing environmental challenges.
Assessing the ethical implications of biotechnological advancements in environmental health.

Natural Disasters and Health: 91. Investigating the health effects of wildfires and air quality deterioration.

Assessing the impact of flooding on waterborne diseases.
Examining the mental health consequences of natural disasters.
Studying the role of community resilience in mitigating health impacts of disasters.
Analyzing the health risks associated with exposure to volcanic ash.
Assessing the public health response to hurricanes and tropical storms.

One Health Approach: 97. Investigating the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.

Assessing the health implications of wildlife conservation and biodiversity.
Examining the role of zoonotic diseases in the One Health framework.
Studying the impact of antibiotic use in agriculture on human health.
Analyzing the link between ecosystem health and human well-being.
Assessing the effectiveness of One Health strategies in disease prevention.

Environmental Monitoring Technologies: 103. Investigating the use of remote sensing in monitoring environmental health.

Assessing the role of sensor technologies in real-time air quality monitoring.
Examining the application of satellite imagery in tracking water pollution.
Studying the use of drones in environmental health research.
Analyzing the effectiveness of wearable devices in personal exposure monitoring.
Assessing the integration of data analytics in environmental monitoring.

Health Risk Assessment: 109. Investigating the health risks associated with exposure to electromagnetic fields.

Assessing the cumulative health effects of multiple environmental exposures.
Examining the risk assessment of chemical mixtures in the environment.
Studying the health risks of exposure to radon in residential areas.
Analyzing the role of modeling in predicting health risks from environmental contaminants.
Assessing the uncertainties in health risk assessment methodologies.

Environmental Education and Communication: 115. Investigating the impact of environmental education programs on behavior change.

Assessing the role of social media in environmental health communication.
Examining the effectiveness of risk communication in environmental emergencies.
Studying the influence of cultural factors on environmental awareness.
Analyzing the role of community-based environmental education initiatives.
Assessing the effectiveness of eco-labeling in promoting sustainable consumer choices.

Green Technology and Health: 121. Investigating the health benefits of green building practices.

Assessing the environmental and health impacts of electric vehicles.
Examining the role of green technologies in reducing industrial pollution.
Studying the health effects of smart city technologies.
Analyzing the sustainability and health implications of green energy storage.
Assessing the environmental and health benefits of sustainable agriculture practices.

Microplastics and Health: 127. Investigating the presence of microplastics in water, air, and soil.

Assessing the health risks of microplastic ingestion in humans.
Examining the impact of microplastics on marine and freshwater ecosystems.
Studying the role of wastewater treatment plants in microplastic pollution.
Analyzing the potential transfer of microplastics through the food chain.
Assessing the effectiveness of policies in mitigating microplastic pollution.

Environmental Health in Developing Countries: 133. Investigating the impact of inadequate sanitation on public health.

Assessing the health effects of indoor air pollution from cooking practices.
Examining the role of waterborne diseases in developing countries.
Studying the impact of deforestation on environmental and human health.
Analyzing the challenges and opportunities for environmental health in low-income communities.
Assessing the effectiveness of interventions in improving environmental health in developing countries.

Green Infrastructure and Health: 139. Investigating the health benefits of urban green spaces and parks.

Assessing the role of green roofs in mitigating urban heat islands.
Examining the impact of green corridors on biodiversity and human well-being.
Studying the health effects of sustainable stormwater management practices.
Analyzing the relationship between green infrastructure and mental health.
Assessing the effectiveness of urban forestry in improving air quality.

Environmental Health in the Arctic: 145. Investigating the impact of climate change on indigenous communities in the Arctic.

Assessing the health risks associated with the melting of Arctic ice.
Examining the effects of persistent organic pollutants in Arctic ecosystems.
Studying the link between changes in the Arctic environment and human health.
Analyzing the role of traditional knowledge in addressing environmental health challenges in the Arctic.
Assessing the effectiveness of international cooperation in protecting the health of Arctic communities.

Green Chemistry and Environmental Health: 151. Investigating the environmental and health impacts of chemical alternatives.

Assessing the role of green chemistry in reducing chemical hazards in consumer products.
Examining the sustainability of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes.
Studying the toxicity and persistence of emerging chemicals in the environment.
Analyzing the potential of bio-based and renewable chemicals in reducing environmental harm.
Assessing the adoption of green chemistry principles in industrial practices.

Environmental Health and Aging: 157. Investigating the impact of environmental factors on the health of elderly populations.

Assessing the role of green spaces in promoting the well-being of older adults.
Examining the effects of air pollution on aging-related health conditions.
Studying the link between environmental exposures and neurodegenerative diseases in the elderly.
Analyzing the influence of built environments on the mobility and health of older adults.
Assessing the effectiveness of environmental interventions in improving the quality of life for seniors.

Environmental Health Literacy: 163. Investigating the level of environmental health literacy in different populations.

Assessing the impact of educational interventions on improving environmental health knowledge.
Examining the role of health communication in enhancing environmental literacy.
Studying the relationship between environmental health literacy and sustainable behavior.
Analyzing the effectiveness of online platforms in disseminating environmental health information.
Assessing the cultural and linguistic factors influencing environmental health literacy.

Environmental Health and Chronic Diseases: 169. Investigating the role of environmental factors in the development of chronic diseases.

Assessing the link between environmental exposures and cardiovascular diseases.
Examining the impact of air pollution on the incidence of diabetes.
Studying the association between environmental contaminants and autoimmune diseases.
Analyzing the role of environmental stressors in chronic respiratory conditions.
Assessing the cumulative impact of environmental exposures on overall health and chronic diseases.

Environmental Health and Disabilities: 175. Investigating the relationship between environmental exposures and developmental disabilities.

Assessing the role of environmental factors in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders.
Examining the impact of prenatal exposure to environmental contaminants on child health.
Studying the link between environmental hazards and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Analyzing the influence of environmental factors on mobility and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
Assessing the effectiveness of inclusive environmental health policies for individuals with disabilities.

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Understanding Embodiment: A Critical Connection for Improving Human and Environmental Health Under Laudato Si' in the Anthropocene

No Proper Link Provided

Posted: April 24, 2024

By: Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture

In this presentation, ICTC Faculty Fellow Dr. Jennifer Fricas of the College of Nursing will share findings from an initial literature review of the concept of embodiment, contextualize these with data from research into well-being in Ecuador and discuss implications for the education of health professionals.

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Public Health Buckeyes: Angela Falconi

BSPH student combines passions for health care, policy

Angela Falconi poses with Cunz Hall in the background

Falconi has been involved in CPH research and is an active member of Ohio State's Pilipino Student Association.

Meet Angela Falconi, a fourth-year student specializing in environmental public health who aspires to advocate for others through public health policy.

What inspired you to pursue a public health education?

Growing up, I was surrounded by both medicine and public policy because of my parents. Since I was six, my father, a politician and elected official, had me act as his unofficial campaign staff—knocking on doors with him to speak to voters, sitting in on city council meetings and accompanying him to various events. My mother, a pediatric physician, inspired me to pursue a career in medicine by showing me the impact that she’s made on her patients and always encouraging me to learn more about the health care field. When choosing my major, it felt natural to me to combine policy and health into public health.

What public health topics are you passionate about?

“Your zip code determines your health.”

This is one of the most important phrases I have learned in my public health courses, and as a volunteer at Helping Hands Health and Wellness Center, a free clinic which provides health care services for the uninsured and underinsured. I see the realities of this phrase in the patients who I work with.

As an aspiring elected official, I want to create health care reform which helps individuals the health care system has failed to provide with affordable service.

You spent last summer in Washington, D.C. interning in the U.S. Senate. What was that experience like?

I worked (there) through the IMPACT program, created by the US-Asia Institute in coordination with the Embassy for the Philippines for Filipino students interested in public policy. Working and living in D.C. was one of the best experiences I have had in my undergraduate career because I was able to learn about and research health care policy on the national stage, which is exactly what I hope to do in my future career.

What have you enjoyed most about being involved in research as a student?

I am a research assistant for the Consumer Access Project which utilizes a secret shopper survey of Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance marketplace plan networks to study these barriers and inequities, including disparities related to race. I have loved getting to work with Wendy Xu as she has helped me learn more about the research process as well as how everyday Americans experience the health care system.

What kind of extracurricular activities are you involved in?

The Pilipino Student Association (PSA) has been my home away from home since the start of my time at Ohio State. It has not only allowed me to learn more about my Filipino culture, but I met my best friend through this organization. I have been involved in PSA in numerous roles: culture night coordinator, vice-president internal, president and now dance leader.

As dance leader, I lead PSA’s tinikling team. Tinikling is a dance which involves two people beating, sliding, and tapping two bamboo poles on the ground while two people dance above the sticks, trying not to get caught in between them. Our latest performance from PSA’s culture show “Barrio” was in October. I choreographed, taught and performed the modern part of this dance!

What are your goals for the future?

I hope to not only assist individual patients as a physician, but I also hope to help others on the national scale by being an advocate as an elected official. I hope to apply the experiences and lessons that I have learned from my time at Ohio State into my future career in the field of health policy.

Public Health Buckeyes: Amelia Soergel

Summernickol Stewart brings ‘nurturing side’ to doula work

*****

About The Ohio State University College of Public Health

The Ohio State University College of Public Health is a leader in educating students, creating new knowledge through research, and improving the livelihoods and well-being of people in Ohio and beyond. The College's divisions include biostatistics, environmental health sciences, epidemiology, health behavior and health promotion, and health services management and policy. It is ranked 29 th among all colleges and programs of public health in the nation, and first in Ohio, by U.S. News and World Report. Its specialty programs are also considered among the best in the country. The MHA program is ranked 8 th , the biostatistics specialty is ranked 22 nd , the epidemiology specialty is ranked 25 th and the health policy and management specialty is ranked 17 th .

Members of the CPH community pose with a playhouse they built on April 17, 2024.

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The development and evolution of the research topic on the mental health of college students: A bibliometric review based on CiteSpace and VOSviewer

Affiliations.

1 School of Marxism, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China.
2 School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beihang University, Beijing, China.
3 College of Foreign Languages, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China.
4 School of Management, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China.
5 Department of Education Information Technology, Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
PMID: 38638989
PMCID: PMC11024628
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29477

Background: With the advances in society and in response to changing times, college students have had to face multiple challenges. These challenges frequently affect the mental health of college students, leading to significant consequences for their social lives, personal well-being, and academic achievements, thereby attracting extensive societal attention. Therefore, examining the current status of research topics related to the mental health of college students can assist academia in dissecting the influencing factors and seeking solutions at their source or through early intervention. This can contribute to a better understanding of and effectively address this challenge.

Method: CiteSpace and VOSviewer were used to conduct a bibliometric analysis of 1609 journal articles indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) database over the past two decades (2000-2022), which helped identify the current state of research and hot topics in the field based on development trends. Furthermore, this study analyzes and discusses the core authors, high-productivity countries and organizations, key journals, and keyword clustering in this field. This study clarifies the current research landscape, analyzes evolving trends based on developmental trajectories, and identifies forefront research hotspots. This study provides scholars with reference research directions and ideas for conducting subsequent studies.

Results: Since the beginning of the 21st century, research on college students' mental health has increased, especially in the past three years, and due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and online distance learning, the number of publications has increased rapidly. With the increase in attention and publication volume, the countries and organizations contributing papers as well as core journals have all started to take shape. Cluster and evolution analyses found that several stable research topics have been formed in this research field, and many new and diverse topics are continuously emerging with time.

Conclusion: and prospect: The findings prove that the field of college students' mental health has begun to take shape, gradually shifting from conceptual research to the implementation of specific interventions. However, whether specific interventions are effective and how effective they are require further investigation.

Keywords: Bibliometrics; CiteSpace; Higher education; Mental health; VOSviewer.

Decker College showcases innovative research during University Research Days event

College holds inaugural, decker-specific programming.

Decker College faculty and students presented their work during Binghamton University's college-wide Research Days events in April and at Decker-specific events held the same week. Here, faculty from the Division of Speech and Language Pathology, from left, Marisa Mooney, Tina Caswell, Cassandra Natali and Kara Nunn at a Research Days event.

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Binghamton University Research Days is an annual, week-long series of events that present research from across the University. Faculty and students from Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences participated in the University’s celebration April 15–19, and, for the first time, Decker College held additional programs during the week to highlight the work of its researchers.

Decker College Research Opening Presentation, April 16

Decker College’s Research Week events kicked off at noon April 16 in Room 101 of the Health Sciences Building with a keynote presentation by Dawna Duff, associate professor of speech and language pathology, who presented “Why do research?”

Faculty/Student Poster Presentations, April 16–19

From noon to 2 p.m. April 16–19, faculty and student research were the focus at poster presentations and discussions in Room 102 of the Health Sciences Building. The events included lunch.

Posters presented at this event and the Decker faculty, students and former students involved in each project follow (collaborators outside Binghamton University are not listed):

A Collaborative Social Emotional Group for Students with Special Needs — Cassandra Natali and Nicole Amodeo
A Concept Analysis of Resilience Using Roy’s Adaptation Model — Nicholas Terela
A Physics-Informed Machine Learning Approach to Athletic Footwear Fit Estimation — Jaquelinne Alfaro-Rosales, Abigail Terrill and Prachi Udeshi
A Symbiotic Relationship between Generations: Our Experience at Senior Centers in Broome County — Nicholas Parathyras and Emily Ramsay
Benefits from Attending a Community-Based Tai Chi Class in Broome County — Jaret Beyer and Sophia Howard
Cooking Up Results: Outcomes of a Novel Language Program for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities — Margaret Smith, Madison Richards, Samantha Reiff, Alessandra Antonacci, Cody Dew and Kara Nunn
Developing a User Module for Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Online Accessibility — Noah Pulakos, Sara Isabel Bautista, Anthony Albanese and Vipul Lugade
Development and Validation of the Pediatric Wellbeing Picture Scale — Julia DeMartino, Madison Kozlowski, Youyu Zhang, Bridget Wickiser, Judith Quaranta and Rosa Darling
Effects of mTBI History on Sway in Professional Hockey Players — Jack O’Neill and Eric Johnson
Falls among Older Adults in Broome County: Cognitive Function and Balance Confident among Fallers and Non-Fallers — Bryce Deering, Winston Lee, MaKenna Thisse, Vipul Lugade, Suzanne O’Brien and Patima Silsupadol
Feeling Content: A Parsesciencing Proposal — Christopher J. Norman
How to Successfully Navigate the Labor Force as a Person Who Stutters: Clinical Perspectives — Hailey Robson, Nancy Barskiy and Cody Dew
Increasing Depression Screening in Adults Aged 65 and Older in the Community — Krystal Plummer
Increasing Screening Using the Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale among Triage Nurses in the Psychiatric ED — Clara Ayozie-Richardson, Judith Quaranta, Susan Glodstein and Lavon Williams
Investigating the Role of Implicit Bias in Vocational Stereotyping toward People Who Stutter — Julia Connor, Cody Dew and Rodney Gabel
Language and Literacy Leading to Positive Solutions for Family — Tracy Lyman, Marisa Mooney, Tina Caswell and Kara Nunn
Occupational Experiences of Medication Management among Adults Living with Multiple Chronic Conditions — Amy Lorino
Outcomes of an Adapted Cooking Program with Adults with Intellectual Disabilities — Kara Nunn and Cody Dew
Pain Management and Occupational Therapy Curriculum — Alyson Pasquale
Practical Solutions for Inclusive Pedagogy in Occupational Therapy Curriculum — Alyson Pasquale and Amy Lorino
The Humanbecoming Concept Inventing Model: Feeling Satisfied — Rifat Bulbul
The Humanbecoming Concept Inventing Model: Hope — Elizabeth A. Lesko
Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Simulation Experiences with End-of-Life Care in a Rural Setting, A Scoping Review — Christopher Norman, Jodi Sutherland, Deborah Palmer, Alma Rood and Lori Sprague

Faculty Research Visual Display, April 16–19

Faculty participating in the visual display were:

Reethee Antony
Jane Bear-Lehman
Karen Browne
Sharon Bryant
Michael Buck
Jason Cherry
Rosemary Collier
Nannette Cowen
Rosa Darling
Ann Fronczek
Rodney Gabel
Susan Glodstein
Joshua Garrett
Yvonne Johnston
Jolene Kittle
Seungmin Lee
Vipul Lugade
Miesha Marzell
Wendy Moore
Matthew Murphy
Suzanne O’Brien
Mario Ortiz
Alyson Pasquale
Judith Quaranta
Joyce Rhodes-Keefe
Patima Silsupadol
Gurpreet Singh
Lori Sprague
Jodi Sutherland
Nicholas Terela
Sundeep Venkatesan

This is a sample of images used in the Pediatric Well-Being Picture Scale©. Quaranta, Darling and their team of researchers continually evaluated and revised the tool based on testing and feedback. Image Credit: Provided. This is a sample of images used in the Pediatric Well-Being Picture Scale©. Quaranta, Darling and their team of researchers continually evaluated and revised the tool based on testing and feedback. Image Credit: Provided. × Decker College Research Closing Presentation, April 19

Judith Quaranta, associate professor of nursing and coordinator of the community health nursing program, and Rosa Darling, associate professor of nursing, closed the Decker-specific events with a presentation on the “Development of the Pediatric Well-Being Picture Scale©.”

Together with current and former students, Quaranta and Darling created an image-based scale that can quickly and accurately assess the well-being of children in the pediatric population while eliminating barriers such as literacy levels.

The new scale enables greater screening ability to identify at-risk children aged 8-11 years, with the aim of improving their mental health through early intervention. In addition to developing a mobile application for the copyrighted tool, the team also intends to expand the tool’s validity and reliability for use with additional populations.

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Mental health and the pandemic: What U.S. surveys have found

The coronavirus pandemic has been associated with worsening mental health among people in the United States and around the world . In the U.S, the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020 caused widespread lockdowns and disruptions in daily life while triggering a short but severe economic recession that resulted in widespread unemployment. Three years later, Americans have largely returned to normal activities, but challenges with mental health remain.

Here’s a look at what surveys by Pew Research Center and other organizations have found about Americans’ mental health during the pandemic. These findings reflect a snapshot in time, and it’s possible that attitudes and experiences may have changed since these surveys were fielded. It’s also important to note that concerns about mental health were common in the U.S. long before the arrival of COVID-19 .

Three years into the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States , Pew Research Center published this collection of survey findings about Americans’ challenges with mental health during the pandemic. All findings are previously published. Methodological information about each survey cited here, including the sample sizes and field dates, can be found by following the links in the text.

The research behind the first item in this analysis, examining Americans’ experiences with psychological distress, benefited from the advice and counsel of the COVID-19 and mental health measurement group at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

At least four-in-ten U.S. adults (41%) have experienced high levels of psychological distress at some point during the pandemic, according to four Pew Research Center surveys conducted between March 2020 and September 2022.

A bar chart showing that young adults are especially likely to have experienced high psychological distress since March 2020

Young adults are especially likely to have faced high levels of psychological distress since the COVID-19 outbreak began: 58% of Americans ages 18 to 29 fall into this category, based on their answers in at least one of these four surveys.

Women are much more likely than men to have experienced high psychological distress (48% vs. 32%), as are people in lower-income households (53%) when compared with those in middle-income (38%) or upper-income (30%) households.

In addition, roughly two-thirds (66%) of adults who have a disability or health condition that prevents them from participating fully in work, school, housework or other activities have experienced a high level of distress during the pandemic.

The Center measured Americans’ psychological distress by asking them a series of five questions on subjects including loneliness, anxiety and trouble sleeping in the past week. The questions are not a clinical measure, nor a diagnostic tool. Instead, they describe people’s emotional experiences during the week before being surveyed.

While these questions did not ask specifically about the pandemic, a sixth question did, inquiring whether respondents had “had physical reactions, such as sweating, trouble breathing, nausea, or a pounding heart” when thinking about their experience with the coronavirus outbreak. In September 2022, the most recent time this question was asked, 14% of Americans said they’d experienced this at least some or a little of the time in the past seven days.

More than a third of high school students have reported mental health challenges during the pandemic. In a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from January to June 2021, 37% of students at public and private high schools said their mental health was not good most or all of the time during the pandemic. That included roughly half of girls (49%) and about a quarter of boys (24%).

In the same survey, an even larger share of high school students (44%) said that at some point during the previous 12 months, they had felt sad or hopeless almost every day for two or more weeks in a row – to the point where they had stopped doing some usual activities. Roughly six-in-ten high school girls (57%) said this, as did 31% of boys.

A bar chart showing that Among U.S. high schoolers in 2021, girls and LGB students were most likely to report feeling sad or hopeless in the past year

On both questions, high school students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, other or questioning were far more likely than heterosexual students to report negative experiences related to their mental health.

A bar chart showing that Mental health tops the list of parental concerns, including kids being bullied, kidnapped or abducted, attacked and more

Mental health tops the list of worries that U.S. parents express about their kids’ well-being, according to a fall 2022 Pew Research Center survey of parents with children younger than 18. In that survey, four-in-ten U.S. parents said they’re extremely or very worried about their children struggling with anxiety or depression. That was greater than the share of parents who expressed high levels of concern over seven other dangers asked about.

While the fall 2022 survey was fielded amid the coronavirus outbreak, it did not ask about parental worries in the specific context of the pandemic. It’s also important to note that parental concerns about their kids struggling with anxiety and depression were common long before the pandemic, too . (Due to changes in question wording, the results from the fall 2022 survey of parents are not directly comparable with those from an earlier Center survey of parents, conducted in 2015.)

Among parents of teenagers, roughly three-in-ten (28%) are extremely or very worried that their teen’s use of social media could lead to problems with anxiety or depression, according to a spring 2022 survey of parents with children ages 13 to 17 . Parents of teen girls were more likely than parents of teen boys to be extremely or very worried on this front (32% vs. 24%). And Hispanic parents (37%) were more likely than those who are Black or White (26% each) to express a great deal of concern about this. (There were not enough Asian American parents in the sample to analyze separately. This survey also did not ask about parental concerns specifically in the context of the pandemic.)

A bar chart showing that on balance, K-12 parents say the first year of COVID had a negative impact on their kids’ education, emotional well-being

Looking back, many K-12 parents say the first year of the coronavirus pandemic had a negative effect on their children’s emotional health. In a fall 2022 survey of parents with K-12 children , 48% said the first year of the pandemic had a very or somewhat negative impact on their children’s emotional well-being, while 39% said it had neither a positive nor negative effect. A small share of parents (7%) said the first year of the pandemic had a very or somewhat positive effect in this regard.

White parents and those from upper-income households were especially likely to say the first year of the pandemic had a negative emotional impact on their K-12 children.

While around half of K-12 parents said the first year of the pandemic had a negative emotional impact on their kids, a larger share (61%) said it had a negative effect on their children’s education.

Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Happiness & Life Satisfaction
Medicine & Health
Teens & Youth

John Gramlich is an associate director at Pew Research Center

How Americans View the Coronavirus, COVID-19 Vaccines Amid Declining Levels of Concern

Online religious services appeal to many americans, but going in person remains more popular, about a third of u.s. workers who can work from home now do so all the time, how the pandemic has affected attendance at u.s. religious services, economy remains the public’s top policy priority; covid-19 concerns decline again, most popular.

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