Plastic waste poses an urgent problem for our planetā€™s ecosystems, especially our waterways. Millions of tons of plastic waste enter Earthā€™s oceans every year, and plastic has been found in every part of the ocean, including at the bottom of the deepest ocean trenches.

Although some biodegradable plastics, or bioplastics, have recently been developed, these plastics were intended to break down in industrial compost facilities. In cold, dark ocean environments, they break down very slowly.

What if there were a way to avoid the problem of plastic pollution while still reaping the benefits of plasticā€™s durability, versatility, and low cost?

To help tackle this problem, , an associate professor in the ā€™s and her colleagues developed a reusable 3D-printed ā€œbio-stickerā€ that uses bacteria to break down bioplastic. The sticker, described in in ACS Applied Polymer Materials, offers a controllable way to speed up plastic disintegration in environments where the plastic would otherwise linger for decades.

ā€œThis is a proof-of-concept that we could use living, engineered materials to help get rid of plastic in marine environments, making bioplastics more practical and environmentally friendly,ā€ Meyer says.

The project is part of a larger collaboration with marine microbiologist Alyson Santoro at the University of California, Santa Barbara; University of Rhode Island oceanographer Melissa Omand; ecologist Ryan Freedman from the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary; and industry partner .

Supported by a $5 million National Science Foundation grant as part of the NSFā€™s program, the group is testing the biodegradable bioplastic and developing solutions to accelerate breakdown.

Meyer, Santoro, and Omand additionally founded a start-up company called , which aims to make the ocean-degradable plastics available for various marine applications.

Rethinking ocean instruments

Ocean-degradable plastics will be vital for oceanographers, who are increasingly reliant on expendable, plastic instruments to observe and predict ocean phenomena. These instruments are often deployed in the ocean and never retrieved, adding to the growing amount of plastic in the sea.

ā€œWhile these expendableĢżocean sensors are revolutionizing ocean research, they inherently pose a threat to the same environments that they are studying,ā€ Meyer says. ā€œWe need new materials that can allow oceanographers to monitor the oceans without creating plastic ocean waste that gets left behind.ā€

The team has partnered with a handful of oceanographic equipment manufacturers who have committed to replace all, or a large portion of, their traditional petro-chemical plastic parts with the teamā€™s ocean-degradable materials.

ā€œThis will introduce new sustainability into the fields of ocean observation, reef restoration, and maritime defense,ā€ Meyer says.

Nature-inspired plastics

To create their ocean-degradable plastic, the team drew upon processes already found in nature. Their materials are based on a biopolymer called polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)ā€”a polyester naturally made by bacteria. Because bacteria have been making this polymer for billions of years, other marine microbes have naturally evolved to break down PHB.

At UC Santa Barbara, Santoro and her lab partners culture new bacteria that can break down PHB. One focus of their work is to isolate bacteria that thrive in the cold conditions of the ocean.

ā€œWe found that thereā€™s a huge need for biodegradable materials and there is a range of lifespans that users required for their items,ā€ she adds. The team spoke with regulators and nonprofits that deal with marine debris and found that some groups wanted a material that could disappear in a day, others wanted devices that would last a year, and yet others wanted to be able to trigger the degradation.

Bio-stickers that degrade plastic

This is where Meyerā€™s lab comes in. Meyer and the members of her lab have developed first-of-their-kind bacterial 3D printers. This revolutionary 3D-bioprinting approach allows them to embed PHB-degrading bacteria into engineered living materials.

The resulting ā€œbio-stickersā€ are made with salt-tolerant bacteria suspended in a gel-like material. Users can place the stickers directly onto PHB-based bioplastics, where the bacteria remain alive and active for at least three weeks and speed up the materialā€™s breakdown. The rate of degradation can be tuned by adjusting factors such as bacterial concentration or temperature. The stickers are also reusable, allowing them to be moved from one piece of plastic to another, and are stable and adhesive enough to be used in marine environments.

From prototype to ocean deployment

The team developed the bioplastics with input from industry partners and built a prototype with support from Omand at the University of Rhode Island, whose expertise in oceanographic sensor design helped shape the technology.

In collaboration with more than a dozen industry and government partners that committed to using the technology or supported the project in other ways, the researchers also tested how the bioplastics performed under different ocean conditions as well as how the material breaks down in marine environments.

The work could pave the way for engineered living materials that help create more sustainable, environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional plastics.

ā€œAfter introducing our ocean-degradable bioplastic to ocean instruments, we plan to expand to other applications as well,ā€ Meyer says. ā€œOur tough plastics that break down in the ocean could be a great fit for aquaculture and fishing industries, ecosystem restoration efforts, maritime defense, or government agencies, such as the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) National Data Buoy Center.ā€

Editorā€™s note: The story above was initially published on October 6, 2022. It has been updated and republished to reflect new research related to the project.

The worldā€™s oceans may be quietly amplifying climate change in ways scientists are only beginning to understand.

In a published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, ²õ³¦¾±±š²Ō³Ł¾±²õ³Ł²õā€”i²Ō³¦±ō³Ü»å¾±²Ō²µ , an associate professor in the , as well as graduate student Shengyu Wang and postdoctoral research associate Hairong Xu in Weberā€™s labā€”uncovered a key mechanism behind methane production in the open ocean. Their research indicates that this mechanism could intensify as the planet warms, providing an alarming feedback loop for global warming.

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, and for decades scientists have puzzled over a paradox: surface ocean waters consistently release methane into the atmosphere, even though surface water is rich in oxygen. Traditionally, methane production has been associated with oxygen-free environments, such as wetlands or deep sediments.

Weberā€™s team set out to solve this puzzle using a global dataset and computer modeling. Their findings point to a specific microbial process that is responsible for methane production in the ocean environment: certain bacteria generate methane as a byproduct when they break down organic compounds, but they only do this when the nutrient phosphate is scarce.

ā€œThis means that phosphate scarcity is the primary control knob for methane production and emissions in the open ocean,ā€ Weber says.

The findings reframe how scientists understand methane production in the ocean. Rather than being a rare or unusual process, methane production in oxygen-rich environments may be widespread in regions where phosphate is limited.

But the study extends further than explaining marine methane production in the presentā€”it also offers a troubling glimpse into the future.

ā€œClimate change is warming the ocean from the top down, increasing the density difference between surface and deep waters,ā€ Weber says. ā€œThis is expected to slow the vertical mixing that carries nutrients like phosphate up from depth.ā€

According to the teamā€™s model, with less vertical mixing, surface waters could become increasingly nutrient-starved, creating ideal conditions for methane-producing microbes to thrive.

The result, Weber warns, would be more methane released from the ocean into the atmosphere. Because methane is such a potent greenhouse gas, this creates the potential for a harmful feedback loop: warming oceans lead to more methane emissions, which in turn drive further warming.

The findings highlight how even processes occurring at the microscopic level in the ocean can have global consequences.

Crucially, this feedback is not currently included in major climate projection models. As researchers continue to refine climate models, incorporating feedbacks such as this may be essential for accurately predicting the pace and scale of future climate change.

ā€œOur work will help fill a key gap in climate predictions, which often overlook interactions between the changing environment and natural greenhouse gas sources to the atmosphere,ā€ Weber says.

When Kristina Brecko arrived at Stanford University in the fall of 2012 to start her PhD, she was already scanning the weather forecastā€”not for rainfall, but for snow. An avid snowboarder, she and her graduate study advisor, , a skier, were eager to get into the mountains.

There would be no great skiing that winter. California was entering what would become one of the most severe droughts in its history.

ā€œI liked to snowboard,ā€ Brecko says. ā€œAnd so it was very salient that there really wasnā€™t any good snow that year.ā€

The drought, , transformed daily life across the state. Cities pleaded with residents to conserve water and let lawns go brown, rip out grass, stop watering altogether. Billboards and public campaigns urged restraint. Many complied. But some of the stateā€™s heaviest water users, often homeowners with sprawling green lawns, did not.

For Brecko, now an assistant professor of marketing at the °µĶų³Ō¹Ļā€™s , the disconnect raised a question that would shape years of research. California was awash in public opinion messaging. Was any of it effective?

ā€œThere was a lot of messaging happening, telling people to reduce their water usage,ā€ she recalls. ā€œAnd I had these questionā€”itā€™s all marketing, but is it working? What exactly is working and for whom?ā€

Rather than focusing on the people who had already embraced conservationā€”those willing to let their lawns die or remove them entirelyā€”Brecko and Hartmann became interested in the holdoutsā€”that is, the households with the highest water consumption. , published in the Journal of Marketing Research, argue that those households should not be shamed or ignored. Instead, they should be targeted.

Harm reduction over abstinence

The study borrows a concept from public health: the idea of harm reduction. Instead of demanding abstinenceā€”no drugs, no cigarettes, no lawnsā€”the approach aims to reduce damage among people unlikely to completely quit a harmful action.

In Californiaā€™s drought-stricken suburbs, the harm was outdoor irrigation. The tool was a smart irrigation controller, a device that automatically adjusts watering schedules based on weather, soil conditions, and plant needs. The question was whether such a device could significantly reduce water use without undermining more aggressive conservation efforts, like turf removal.

ā€œThereā€™re always going to be people who are just not going to do it,ā€ Brecko says, referring to lawn removal. ā€œBecause it goes totally against their preferences.ā€

Working with Redwood City Public Works, the researchers tested whether offering irrigation controllers (at either steep discounts or for free) could change behavior among residents who wanted to keep their lawns green. Crucially, the study took place toward the end of the drought, after years of aggressive messaging and rebates for turf removal had already circulated.

ā€œBy the time we ran our study, people had had the chance to adopt the most effective solutionā€”at least those people who would do it,ā€ Brecko explains.

That timing mattered. Those most committed to conservation had already removed their turf. That meant the researchers could now focus on everyone else.

Field tests in thirsty times

The team ran two large-scale field experiments in Redwood City. In 2016, roughly 7,000 households were offered discounts on smart irrigation controllers, ranging from 10 percent to 80 percent. Some homeowners were also offered free professional installation.

Adoption was slower than expected.

ā€œI think people just werenā€™t sure,ā€ Brecko says. ā€œThe device was relatively new, and even the utility company wasnā€™t sure what effect it would have on water usage.ā€

The second experiment, in 2017, scaled up dramatically. About 19,000 households were randomly assigned to receive a free smart irrigation device, available in limited quantities. The process was designed to be as easy as possible: Residents received emails and accessed a dedicated online portal where discounts were applied instantlyā€”no rebates, no paperwork.

The response was swift. Clearly, price and convenience mattered. Messaging alone did not. ā€œIncremental discounts arenā€™t really going to do the trick,ā€ Brecko notes. ā€œWe learned that we needed to overcome some barriers to adoption.ā€

Who adoptedā€”and who saved

The devices appealed most to people who used the most water, with heavy irrigators adopting the device at the highest rates.

ā€œIt allows you to keep the green lawn that you care about.ā€ Brecko says, ā€œBut it might allow you to also contribute to that social goal that we care about.ā€

Once installed, the controllers delivered substantial and lasting savings. Water use dropped by about 26 percent (from a regular irrigation baseline) during shoulder seasonsā€”early spring and fallā€”when manual systems often overwater because homeowners forget to adjust them. The reductions persisted for nearly four years, the researchers found.

Among the heaviest irrigators, the water savings were large enough to offset the typical $250 cost of the device in roughly six months. The conserved water alone could cover a householdā€™s annual indoor needs. But just as important, the study found no evidence that smart controllers undermined more aggressive conservation.

ā€œWe donā€™t see any difference in turf removal rates,ā€ Brecko says. ā€œAnd we see no increases in consumption among non-irrigator households.ā€

In other words, harm reduction did not ā€œcannibalize abstinence,ā€ the duo writes.

A middle road for climate behavior

For policymakers, the findings challenge the all-or-nothing approach that often dominates environmental messaging. The most effective solutionā€”to simply rip out the lawnā€”will never appeal to everyone.

ā€œMy initial inclination is to say everyone should do the thing thatā€™s most powerful,ā€ Brecko says. ā€œBut the thing is, we all have really different preferences.ā€

While some people care deeply about conservation, others may have competing priorities and care more about their yardā€™s aesthetics, their kidsā€™ being able to play on grass, or the curb appeal of their home. Stigmatizing the latter group or ignoring their strong preferences, can leave them unnecessarily out of conservation efforts.

ā€œNot that those high users donā€™t care about conservation, itā€™s just that they might care about something else more,ā€ says Brecko. ā€œIf you donā€™t engage them, they might do nothing.ā€

The lesson, she argues, is not to abandon high-impact solutions, but to sequence and supplement them. If you want people who use the most water to conserve, you may have to let them keep what they love, while reducing the shared costs of doing so.

ā€œThey get the thing that they care about,ā€ Brecko says. ā€œAnd you, as the conservation-oriented person, get the conservation, too.ā€

°Õ³ó±šĢżā€™sĢżĢż(LLE) will receive $111 million in federal funding from the US Department of Energyā€™s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) in fiscal year 2026 (FY26), which runs from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026.

This amount is the largest annual funding level in LLEā€™s history and represents a 17 percent increase over the previous year, thanks to bipartisan support from the New York Congressional delegation and key committees. The funding was recently approved by both houses of Congress and signed into law by President Trump. The funding will restart major sustainment projects to the Omega Laser Facility, the nationā€™s largest university-based DOE laser facility. NNSA provided a report to Congress outlining the needs for sustainment at all the major facilities supported by the inertial confinement fusion program, including the Omega Facility. Importantly, the sustainment program develops unique engineering solutions and engages high-tech businesses in the Finger Lakes region and nationwide.

LLE serves as a cornerstone of the US effort to study high-energy-density physics and laser-driven fusion. The FY26 funding from NNSA enables LLE to continue working with the scientific community in national laboratories and academia to develop novel diagnostics, experimental platforms, and laser technologies; to develop and demonstrate the physics required for laser-driven ignition, robust target performance, and scaling to high yield; and to innovate in all these research areas.

ā€œWeā€™re incredibly grateful to Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, and Representative Morelle for their longstanding support and tremendous efforts on behalf of the University of Rochester,ā€ says University President Sarah Mangelsdorf. ā€œTheir leadership to secure record funding for LLE will enable important research critical to both our national security and to help solve one of the greatest challenges of our future, harnessing fusion to power an ever better and more secure energy future. I also want to recognize and thank Representative Langworthy, Representative Tenney, and the other members of the New York Congressional delegation for their strong, consistent support.ā€

ā€œLLE is home to the largest lasers at an academic institution in the world and serves as the nationā€™s premier laser user facility. NNSAā€™s Omega Laser Facility is in high demand by scientists at LLE, at national laboratories, and in academia, many of which are themselves sponsored by NNSA, DOE, and other US programs. This investment allows us to preserve and modernize the facility to meet the needs in the 2040s,ā€ says LLE Director Christopher Deeney. He adds, ā€œIt will strengthen our ability to support the nationā€™s national security missions for NNSA, while expanding opportunities for scientific discovery and training for students.ā€

The FY26 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill also provides $8.4 billion for the Department of Energyā€™s Office of Scienceā€”an increase over FY25ā€”to advance key research areas, including highā€‘performance computing, quantum information science, artificial intelligence, and fusion energy sciences (with a focus on bringing fusion power to the electric grid). The bill also reinforces US scientific leadership by supporting the National Science Foundationā€™s investments in research, regional innovation, and critical scientific infrastructure nationwide.

LLE and the University of Rochesterā€™s research and user programs are leading in these priorities by advancing laser direct-drive fusion through the DOE IFE-COLoR hub; pioneering new diagnostics;developing new ultrahigh peak power, ultrafast laser technologies through to expand the frontiers of science using ultra-intense lasers; and growing a next-generation laser ecosystem through the Science, Technology, and Engineering for Laser and Laser Applications Research (STELLAR) NSF Engine.

Fueling regional economic growth

LLE drives significant regional development through its procurement activities and deep ties to the Rochester areaā€™s optics, photonics, imaging, and lasers supply chain. The laboratory routinely sources optics, precision components, and advanced manufacturing services from local industry partners, channeling federal investment directly into Rochester-area businesses and creating high-skill jobs that support the region. ā€œLLE and the Institute of Optics have a vibrant history of innovation and leadership in technology development, in part supported by the continued New York State investments,ā€ says Deeney. ā€œSuch innovation benefits from the regional industrial ecosystem and frequently helps grow the capabilities of local industry. Continued innovation will keep Rochester as the place to develop lasers and optics.ā€

Government officials voice their support

Federal and state leaders praised the new federal investment as a reflection of LLEā€™s proven record of scientific excellence and innovation.

US Senator Charles Schumer: ā€œThe °µĶų³Ō¹Ļā€™s Laser Lab research is essential for our national security and is vital to our regional economy. I am proud to deliver this massive $111 million boost in funding for °µĶų³Ō¹Ļā€™s Omega Laser Facility to ensure the over 1,000 local workers supported by the lab can stay laser-focused on continuing their groundbreaking energy research and keeping Americaā€™s nuclear stockpile safe. Eight years ago, when the lab was in danger, I stood at the lab with its hundreds of workers and pledged to focus like a laser to ensure this facility stays operational. Today, Iā€™m proud to say this cutting-edge lab is not only surviving but thriving. I will always fight to ensure Upstate New York has the federal resources to lead the nation in scientific discovery.ā€

US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand: ā€œAs a longtime advocate for the University of Rochesterā€™s Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE), I am proud to have helped secure record levels of funding support through this yearā€™s funding package. LLE is a mission-critical asset for our nation in the heart of Rochester, and the OMEGA Laser facility continues to be highly sought after by academic researchers focused on groundbreaking research to support our national defense and clean energy breakthroughs. With this funding, research work will continue unabated, and numerous scientists, faculty, staff, and students who call LLE home will have modern facilities to tackle the challenges of the future.ā€

Congressman Joe Morelle: ā€œHere in Rochester, weā€™re proud of our history of leading in advanced laser technology, but we could not have built our incredible reputation without contributions from the University of Rochester and the Laboratory for Laser Energetics. As Vice Ranking Member of the House Committee on Appropriations, I will continue to fight for consistent federal investment that funds the critical science that ensures our national security. Iā€™m grateful to President Mangelsdorf, LLE Director Deeney, and the entire LLE team for all they do, and I look forward to our continued work together.ā€

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney: ā€œThe Laboratory for Laser Energetics is a world-class research institution that plays an essential role in advancing fusion science, national security, and American technological leadership. This record FY26 funding ensures these programs can continue delivering critical capabilities in partnership through our national laboratories, universities, and defense programs. I appreciate the LLEā€™s work and remain committed to supporting strong federal partnerships with our research institutions that drive innovation, strengthen our energy security, and support high-skilled jobs in Upstate New York and across the country.ā€

Congressman Nick Langworthy: ā€œThe Laboratory for Laser Energetics is not only a pillar of American scientific innovation, but itā€™s also a strategic national security asset. I was proud to strongly support this record funding to ensure the Omega Laser Facility remains at the forefront of fusion and defense research, while supporting high-skill jobs, advanced manufacturing, and engineering excellence in Western New York. Strengthening LLE strengthens Americaā€™s energy security, reinforces our national defense, and ensures our region continues to play a critical role in keeping our nation safe and competitive.ā€

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) President and CEO Doreen M. Harris: ā€œSupporting the Omega Laser Facility at the University of Rochester helps to ensure New York remains at the forefront of fusion research and cutting-edge technologies that are vital to our state and nationā€™s security. This investment not only advances breakthrough science, but also supports a strong research ecosystem that attracts top talent, fuels innovation, and creates long-term economic opportunity for the region and beyond.ā€

Important everyday productsā€”from plastics to detergentsā€”are made through chemical reactions that mostly use precious metals such as platinum as catalysts. Scientists have been searching for more sustainable, low-cost substitutes for years, and tungsten carbideā€”an Earth-abundant metal used commonly for industrial machinery, cutting tools, and chiselsā€”is a promising candidate.

But tungsten carbide has properties that have limited its applications. , an associate professor in the °µĶų³Ō¹Ļā€™s , and his collaborators recently achieved several key advancements to make tungsten carbide a more viable alternative to platinum in chemical reactions.

The best turn of phase

Sinhara Perera, a chemical engineering PhD student in Porosoffā€™s lab, says that part of what makes tungsten carbide a difficult catalyst for producing valuable products is that its atoms can be arranged in many different configurationsā€”known as phases.

ā€œThereā€™s been no clear understanding of the surface structure of tungsten carbide because itā€™s really difficult to measure the catalytic surface inside the chambers where these chemical reactions take place,ā€ says Perera.

In a , Porosoff, Perera, and chemical engineering undergraduate student Eva Ciuffetelli ā€™27 overcame this problem by very carefully manipulating tungsten carbide particles at the nanoscale level within the chemical reactorā€”a vessel where temperatures can reach above 700 degrees Celsius. Using a process called temperature-programmed carburization, they created tungsten carbide catalysts in their desired phase inside the reactor, ran the reaction, and then studied which versions performed the best.

ā€œSome of the phases are more thermodynamically stable, so thatā€™s where the catalyst inherently wants to end up,ā€ says Porosoff. ā€œBut other phases that are less thermodynamically stable are more effective as catalysts.ā€

The researchers identified one particular phaseā€”Ī²-Wā‚‚Cā€”that works especially well for a reaction that turns carbon dioxide into important precursors for making useful chemicals and fuels. With further fine-tuning by industry, Porosoff and his team think this phase of tungsten carbide could be as effective as platinum without the drawbacks of high cost and limited supply.

Plastic upcycling

Porosoff and his colleagues have also explored tungsten carbide as a catalyst for upcycling plastic waste and converting old plastics into high-quality new products. A , led by Linxao Chen from the University of North Texas, and supported by Porosoff and °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ Assistant Professor , showed how tungsten carbide can be used for a process called hydrocracking.

Hydrocracking involves taking big molecules such as polypropyleneā€”the basis of water bottles and many other forms of plasticā€”and chemically breaking them down into smaller molecules that can be used for new products. While hydrocracking has been used in oil and gas refining, applying it to process plastic waste has been a problem because of the high stability of polymer chains that make up most single-use plastics, and presence of contaminants that deactivate the catalysts. The precious metals, such as platinum, that are currently used as catalysts deactivate rapidly and are supported within microporous surfaces that do not have room for the long polymer chains in single-use plastics.

ā€œTungsten carbide, when made with the correct phase, has metallic and acidic properties that are good for breaking down the carbon chains in these polymers,ā€ says Porosoff. ā€œThese big bulky polymer chains can interact with the tungsten carbide much easier because they donā€™t have micropores that cause limitations with typical platinum-based catalysts.ā€

The study showed that not only was tungsten carbide less costly than platinum catalysts for hydrocracking, it was more than 10 times as efficient. The researchers say this opens exciting new avenues for improving catalysts and turning plastic waste into new materials, supporting a circular economy.

Taking the temperature

Underpinning these advancements in creating more efficient catalysts is the ability to accurately measure temperatures on the catalyst surfaces. Chemical reactions can either absorb heat (endothermic) or release heat (exothermic), and controlling the catalyst surface temperature allows scientists to efficiently coordinate multiple reactions. But the measurements currently used to take the temperature of catalysts provide rough averages that do not give enough nuance to accurately measure the precise conditions needed to effectively study chemical reactions.

Using optical measurement techniques developed in the lab of , a visiting professor in the , the researchers devised a new way to measure temperature within chemical reactors. They described the new technique in a .

ā€œWe learned from this study that depending on the type of chemistry, the temperature measured with these bulk readings can be off by 10 to 100 degrees Celsius,ā€ says Porosoff. ā€œThatā€™s a really significant difference in catalytic studies where youā€™re trying to ensure that measurements are reproducible and that multiple reactions can be coupled.ā€

The team applied their new technique to study tandem catalysts, where an exothermic reaction provides enough heat to trigger an endothermic one. Effectively pairing these reactions can minimize waste heat and lead to more efficient chemical engineering processes.

Porosoff says the technique could also help change the way researchers conduct catalysis studies, leading to more careful measurements, reproducible work, and more robust findings across the field.

The ACS Catalysis study was funded with support from the Sloan Foundation and the Department of Energy; the Journal of the American Chemical Society study was funded with support from the National Science Foundation; the EES Catalysis study was funded with support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority via the Carbontech Development Initiative.

The °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ has again earned theĢż from the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, recognizing the Universityā€™s institutional commitment and excellence in community engagement. °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ first received this national distinction in 2020.

The Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement is the leading framework for institutional assessment and recognition of community engagement in US higher education. To receive the 2026 classification, °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ demonstrated excellent alignment among campus mission, culture, leadership, resources, and practices that support dynamic and noteworthy community engagement and community-engaged learning.

ā€œI am extremely proud of the work we are doing to deepen engagement with the city of Rochester and within our region to improve the well-being and upward mobility of individuals and address urgent and persistent challenges in our community,ā€ says University President Sarah Mangelsdorf. ā€œThere is much to celebrate, and it is heartening to receive this community-building distinction. In the spirit of Meliora, I am confident that we will grow even more in our efforts to improve lives with our programs and partnerships.ā€

As a leading research institution with expertise in health care, education, the arts, and public health, among other areas, °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ faculty, staff, and students are partnering with local agencies and organizations to alleviate urgent community needs, enrich lives through arts and music, and develop new initiatives that are improving our region and the city of Rochester in many ways. The community also enriches the lives of University students by providing real-word environments and lived expertise to enhance the educational experiences. As represented in the , the Universityā€™s increased attention and focus on community partnerships has supported a more systematic approach to these initiatives.

New and noteworthy

In July 2023, Mangelsdorf appointed Shaun Nelms as vice president for community partnerships, a recommendation that emerged from the 2019 Carnegie application to deepen the Universityā€™s local and national engagement. Nelms is a respected leader in the Rochester community who is recognized for directing the transformation of East High School as its superintendent through the Educational Partnership Organization. Today, Nelms leads °µĶų³Ō¹Ļā€™s efforts in community-based research, strategic partnerships, and urban education initiatives, as well as helps connect the various departments and centers that play a pivotal role in engaging the communities beyond campus. In fall 2023, he launched the health and wellness program ā€œ,ā€ a collaboration between °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ and WDKX Radio. On the program, Nelms and his guests delve into an array of health topics, with each episode offering guidance on community health questions and connections to local resources.

Also noteworthy since the Universityā€™s last Carnegie application: The Center for Community Engagement (CCE) was rebranded from its former name, the Rochester Center for Community Leadership. This change reflects its redefined focus on fostering collaborative leadership among students, faculty, staff, and community partners to discover transformative solutions and create equitable social change in the Rochester community and beyond.

Among its community engagement efforts, CCE today offers course development grants to help faculty members design and implement classes taught in partnership with non-academic community organizations. These grants provide up to $10,000 to support faculty and their departments in designing a new community-engaged course or redesigning an existing course for undergraduate students. Since 2020, the center has awarded eight course development grants and convenes grant recipients regularly to form a community of practice to support them in their work.

Improving lives through community partnerships

One University community partnership that has been created since the last Carnegie designation is the UR Medicine Food Pantry. In collaboration with local partner Foodlink, the health and wellness program was successfully piloted in 2021 to address food insecurity by providing emergency food assistance to UR Medicine patients, starting with those at Strong Memorial Hospital.ĢżPatients are screened for markers of food insecurity during their hospital visit, and those in need receive bags of nutritious, shelf-stable foods intended to support them and their families for three days. Social workers, who follow up with the patients after their visit, can then refer them to additional resources and services provided by Foodlink and other community organizations. Over the last three years, UR Medicine Food Pantry has expanded its reach to two affiliate hospitals and nine high-need outpatient clinics. Since the programā€™s launch in May 2021, it has provided a critical food supply to patients and their households more than 3,000 times.

One established community model that is going into its 30th year is the . Offered through the Eastman Community Music School (ECMS), the program provides tuition-free access to music education and instrument instruction to talented, economically challenged Rochester City School District students. In addition to giving RCSD students expert attention, Eastman Pathways also provides the opportunity for ECMS faculty (including Eastman School graduate students who serve as interns) to gain skills necessary for teaching students in an urban setting.

Overall, °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ is one of only 277 institutions nationwide to meet the strict criteria for the 2026 Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement. This classification is valid until 2032. According to the recently released Economic Engine and Community Catalyst report, the University invests nearly $535,000 annually in local partners to support economic, workforce, and community-building activities, as well as more than $2 million in community health improvement services. Such investments exemplify how the University leverages its position as a major employer and healthcare provider to strengthen the broader community through targeted programs that address housing, economic development, and public health initiatives.