News: CEE

Image from a 3D simulation of a grocery store used in an experiment conducted by Ricardo Daziano, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, to gauge New York City residents’ perceptions of social distancing.

In 3D simulation, shoppers prefer stores with more distancing

By: Melanie Lefkowitz

New York City residents are four times more likely to choose a store where shoppers respect 6 feet of distancing as opposed to one where no one is social distancing, according to an experiment Cornell researchers conducted in May using a 3D simulation. Ricardo Daziano , associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, is principal investigator on a one-year, $102,700 RAPID grant from the National Science Foundation to use immersive virtual reality (VR) to continue assessing New Yorkers’ perceptions of social distancing as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves. “We want to understand how... Read more

Image of crops in desert like area, The Roza Irrigation District within the Yakima River Basin in Washington state.

Climate change forces farmers to pick low yields or instability

By: Syl Kacapyr

Climate change will leave some farmers with a difficult conundrum, according to a new study by researchers from Cornell and Washington State University: either risk more revenue volatility or live with a more predictable decrease in crop yields. As water shortages and higher temperatures drive down crop yields in regions that depend heavily on seasonal snow, the choice to use more drought-tolerant crop varieties comes at a cost, according to model projections detailed in the paper “Water Rights Shape Crop Yield and Revenue Volatility Tradeoff for Adaptation in Snow Dependent Systems,”... Read more

Todd cowen, photo below of healthcare worker with mask on, April Gu, below glass of water, Sriramya Nair with photo of smokestack below

Three CEE professors receive funding from the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability

Congratulations to three of our professors who received funding from the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability Academic Venture Fund. Professor April Gu is one of the investigators on a project titled "Antibacterial Resistance in Drinking Water." Recent research reveals that disinfectants can increase antimicrobial resistance in drinking water systems. This project will investigate antimicrobial resistance in municipal drinking water supplies. Professor Todd Cowen is working on the research project "Reducing Health Care Workers’ Risk From Disease Spread." Researchers will develop, monitor... Read more

Windmills, design of car overlayed with grid  Environmentally friendly or no? Ricardo Daziano models the economic variables that influence whether consumers choose energy-efficient technology. Illustration by Elizabeth Nelson

How Consumers View Energy Efficiency

By: Jackie Swift

Cutting back on energy use in the face of climate change means we need to make some important choices in the marketplace: Do we buy a gasoline-powered car or an electric one? Do we replace our old furnace with a gas furnace or an electric heat pump? Do we opt to get our energy from solar panels or coal-fired power plants? “Environmentally friendly products like electric cars and solar panels have benefits not only for the user, who saves money because the products are energy efficient, but also for society because they produce less emissions,” says Ricardo A. Daziano, Civil and Environmental... Read more

text: Toll Pricing Impact on Emissions - Manhattan -Central Business District, Possible congestion toll scenarios that may begin in 2021. photo of traffic in NYC with graph overplayed on top.

Steep NYC traffic toll would reduce gridlock, pollution

By: Blaine Friedlander

New York City is among the most congested traffic spots in the world. Soon, in an effort to ease some of the Big Apple’s legendary gridlock – and make the air more breathable – driving a car into midtown Manhattan will cost you. New research by Cornell and the City College of New York (CCNY), which is part of the City University of New York system, shows that by enforcing a $20 toll for cars and taxis to enter the central business district of Manhattan, traffic congestion could be reduced by up to 40%, public transit ridership could grow by 6% and greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by... Read more

Sophia Openshaw ’23, of the Engineers for a Sustainable World student group, works to convert a 14-year-old diesel tractor to allow for biodiesel, as Jon Ewing from Optimus Technologies looks on. Sophia Openshaw ’23, of the Engineers for a Sustainable World student group talks to camera in machine shop on Cornell campus.

Cornell farm tractor gets clean, green biodiesel makeover

By: By Blaine Friedlander

A week before the Ithaca campus shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, members of an engineering student group converted a university-owned diesel tractor into a clean, green farming machine. Instead of emitting the notoriously noxious black diesel smoke, the tractor now emits a much lighter colored exhaust with a smell more reminiscent of French fries than farm implements. That’s thanks to its soy-based biodiesel fuel, as the updated tractor helps the university take another step toward its goal of carbon neutrality by 2035. “A carbon-neutral campus is an inspiring vision,” said H. Oliver... Read more

Lynden A. Archer, the James A. Friend Family Distinguished Professor in Engineering, has been named the Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering for a five-year term beginning July 1.

Lynden Archer named dean of College of Engineering

By: David Nutt

Lynden A. Archer, the James A. Friend Family Distinguished Professor in Engineering, has been named the Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering for a five-year term beginning July 1. Provost Michael Kotlikoff announced Archer’s appointment today, following approval by the Executive Committee of the Cornell Board of Trustees on June 5. “Lynden has made many tremendous contributions, to science and society, through his work in energy storage and carbon-capture technology, and he has demonstrated great leadership with the Cornell Energy Systems Institute,” Kotlikoff said. “He is not only one of our... Read more