I-CARES, or the International Center for Advanced Renewable Energy and Sustainability, is Washington University’s hub for research, innovation, and activity related to energy, sustainability, and climate change. According to their materials, “The primary objective of I-CARES is to encourage and coordinate collaborative research work that contributes to rapid progress in some of the great challenges facing our planet.” The program includes six signature initiatives, an internal seed funding program, lectures, professional development, educational opportunities, and more. Its initiatives include:
- Washington University Climate Change Initiative (WUCCI)
- Photosynthetic Antenna Research Center (PARC)
- McDonnell Academy Global Energy and Environment Partnership (MAGEEP)
- Tyson Research Center
- Consortium for Clean Coal Utilization (CCCU)
- Office of Sustainability
As part of its mission, I-CARES awards seed funding to Washington University faculty for collaborative research projects in the broad areas of bioenergy and sustainability. Ninety-four projects have been funded since the program launched in 2008, including 35 external organizations and 166 individual researchers. These projects have culminated in exhibitions, new patents, scholarly publication, new publications and success in obtaining external funding to extend the reach and impact of the research projects.
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A number of these projects also exist at the nexus between climate change and public health, including the recent work between three scholars to study water quality in Haiti.
Learn more about I-CARES, its research projects and funding program, and upcoming events at icares.wustl.edu.