Top of page

Environment & Sustainability Archive

Wake Forest-CINCIA researchers brief pope on Amazon mercury pollution

Scientists from across the Amazon have delivered to Pope Leo XIV a briefing on mercury pollution in the region—documents that include the findings from decades of research at the Center for Amazonian Scientific Innovation (CINCIA), established in partnership with Wake Forest University’s Sabin Center for Environment and Sustainability. “Today we were able to put more…

Categories: Environment & Sustainability, Research & Discovery

Mapping the Forest

It took one drone, 300 million laser data points and seven teams of students on foot to map Wake Forest University’s trees.   Led by Ovidiu Csillik, an assistant professor of remote sensing in the environment and sustainability studies program, the project produced a publicly accessible, interactive 3D digital map of more than 1,000 trees and…

Categories: Environment & Sustainability, Experiential Learning

On Earth Day: Here’s how economics can save the Rhinos

As the world marks Earth Day, a troubling paradox has emerged in the fight to save one of the planet’s most iconic species. Data from the December 2025 CITES CoP20 global forum—a gathering where governments worldwide set the rules for international wildlife trade—highlights a startling trend. While South Africa’s anti-poaching and anti-trafficking efforts yielded a…

Categories: Environment & Sustainability, Experts, Research & Discovery

The shepherd of Robinhood Road

On a cold December morning in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, activist, artist and filmmaker Joel Tauber walked with Rebecca and Sarah, guiding them with a firm grip as they dashed across Robinhood Road during morning rush hour. People honked their horns and waved as they drove by, drawn by the unusual sight of two sheep on…

Categories: Arts & Culture, Environment & Sustainability

Heat waves are here. Can tomatoes keep up?

While nothing says “summer” quite like the taste of a perfectly ripe tomato, excessive heat during the growing season can prevent tomato plants from bearing fruit. Gloria Muday, the Charles M. Allen Professor of Biology at Wake Forest University, studies tomatoes and how to make them more heat-resistant. Her research laboratory focuses on understanding the…

Categories: Environment & Sustainability, Experts, Research & Discovery

The plastic problem: How to solve it

Plastic is a product that is ubiquitous in today’s society, says Sarah Morath, Wake Forest professor of law and author of the book “Our Plastic Problem and How to Solve It.” The World Bank estimates that every person on the planet generates an average of 1.6 pounds of plastic waste daily. Morath explains the extent…

Categories: Environment & Sustainability, Experts

WFU Environmental Justice Summit to feature civil rights activist Rev. Ben Chavis

Environmental justice and civil rights activist Rev. Ben Chavis will deliver the keynote address at Wake Forest University’s spring Environmental Justice Summit.   “Environmental Justice in the Midst of Polycrisis: Where Do We Go From Here?” will be held on Wednesday, April 30, in Benson University Center from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  Chavis is a…

Categories: Environment & Sustainability, Happening at Wake

Claudia Vega named 2025 TED Fellow for work on mercury pollution in the Amazon

Claudia Vega portrait

Claudia Vega, a Fellow at Wake Forest University’s Sabin Family Center for Environment and Sustainability, has been selected as a 2025 TED Fellow for her groundbreaking work on the environmental and human health impacts of mercury pollution from illegal gold mining in the Amazon. Vega spearheads research on mercury’s movement through ecosystems and food chains,…

Categories: Environment & Sustainability

The Future of Environmental Protection: WFU’s Sabin Center event to feature EPA leaders

What’s ahead for Environmental Protection? Wake Forest University’s Sabin Center for Environment and Sustainability will host two former high-ranking Environmental Protection Agency leaders on March 25. “The Future of Environmental Protection: An Evening with Gina McCarthy and Janet McCabe” will begin at 7 p.m. in Farrell Hall’s Broyhill Auditorium. The event is free and open…

Categories: Environment & Sustainability

Wake Forest News

336.758.5237

Meet the News Team »

Archives