UB RENEW, which stands for “Research and Education in Energy, Environment and Water,” is a university-wide, multidisciplinary research institute, and an intellectual hub for faculty engaged in those areas. Roundtable participants Pauline Mendola and Meng Wang are active members of RENEW, as is, of course, the institute’s director since 2021, Diana Aga.
RENEW brings researchers with convergent interests together to develop programs and proposals with administrative and logistical support, focusing on four key areas:
Other SPHHP faculty involved in RENEW are Matthew Bonner, PhD; Kasia Kordas, PhD; Lina Mu, PhD; James Olson, PhD; Xuefeng Ren, PhD; and Jean Wactawski-Wende, PhD.
Aga explains that RENEW’s “focus areas were developed with the input of a transdisciplinary steering committee... They’re based on identified strengths in the UB community and immediate societal needs.
“As UB progresses toward becoming one of the top 25 public universities in the country, I want RENEW’s contributions to this ambition to be inclusive and engage stakeholders, particularly those in the local community,” she adds. “Our research is highly relevant to persistent environmental and health inequities in this region and the world at large. As such, we aim to leverage our capabilities to address legacy challenges at home and abroad, and strive for a more just, equitable future.”
