Sustainability at UD
The University of Delaware's long history of cutting-edge research, coupled with its diverse sustainability efforts, offers students, faculty and staff exceptional opportunities to solve sustainability challenges in innovative ways.
From greening campus operations to the scholarship of sustainability, we’re working together to build a better future for the campus and our communities. Learn more below.
Presidential Committee on Sustainability
The Presidential Committee on Sustainability meets monthly to provide strategic advice to the Office of Sustainability to advance UD’s sustainability initiatives. This group of students, faculty and staff from diverse disciplines and units reflect a breadth of interests and experiences.
Faculty and Staff Members
Student Members
Meet Rileigh Hudock
College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment
UD graduate student Rileigh Hudock is investigating the effects farmed oysters have on the Delaware Bay shoreline.
The oysters, along with other natural materials like plants, sand and rock, can form a living shoreline—a nature-based approach to coastal protection that stabilizes shorelines and protects them from erosion.
"Hard structures, like sea walls or breakwaters, will not change over time with the environment, but oysters have that ability. Oysters are ecosystem engineers, and they provide a lot of benefits," Hudock said.
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500,000
bus riders
each year
Note: data is from the 2025 AASHE STARS report
18%
decrease in waste
(2021-2025)
37%
increase in recycling
(2021-2025)
20+ Centers
The University has more than 20 centers with dedicated faculty doing work in sustainability.
- Center for Applied Coastal Research
- Center for Energy and Environmental Policy
- Center for Fuel Cells and Batteries
- Center for Plastics Innovation
- Center for Clean Hydrogen
- Center for Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
- Center for Food Systems and Sustainability
- Center for Research in Wind
- Center for Science, Ethics, and Public Policy
- Center for the Study and Prevention of Gender-based Violence
- Center for the Study of Pollutants in the Environment
- Data Science Institute
- Delaware Center for Transportation
- Delaware Energy Institute
- Delaware Environmental Institute
- Delaware Sea Grant
- Disaster Research Center
- Gerard J. Mangone Climate Change Science and Policy Hub
- Institute of Energy Conversion
- Ocean Information Center
- University of Delaware Botanic Gardens
- Water Resources Center
- Waterfowl and Upland Gamebird Center
300+ Courses
More than 300 of UD’s courses include a component or touch on the topic of sustainability.
Central to UD’s approach to sustainability research and curricula is the idea that solutions to the world’s environmental problems will require an interdisciplinary effort. Across campus, UD’s colleges incorporate sustainability into research and academic programs.
- Agriculture and Resource Economics
- Civil Engineering
- Climatology
- Community Engagement Certificate
- Disaster Science and Management
- Education and Social Policy
- Energy and Environmental Policy
- Entomology and Wildlife Ecology
- Environmental Economics
- Environmental Science and Management
- Leadership in Social Innovation Certificate
- Marine Policy
- Marine Studies
- Master's of Public Health
- Nonprofit and Voluntary Action Certificate
- Oceanography
- Plant and Soil Science
- Renewable Energy Engineering and Policy Certificate
- Socially Responsible & Sustainable Apparel Business Certificate
- Sustainability Graduate Certificate
- Water Science & Policy
- Wind Power Science, Engineering and Policy
UD offers a wide range of environmental and sustainability-related courses and curricula to provide the student community with numerous opportunities to be leaders for tomorrow.
Search for a course with a sustainability component >
Sustainability related undergraduate programs include:
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Agriculture and Natural Resources (AS), Department of Animal and Food Sciences
- Agriculture and Natural Resources (BS), Department of Animal and Food Sciences
- Animal Biosciences (BS), Department of Animal and Food Sciences
- Animal Science (BS), Department of Animal and Food Sciences
- Environmental and Resource Economics – Economics of Sustainability and Policy Concentration (BS), Department of Applied Economics and Statistics
- Environmental and Resource Economics – Natural Resource Management Concentration (BS) Department of Applied Economics and Statistics
- Food and Agribusiness Marketing and Management (BS), Department of Applied Economics and Statistics
- Insect Ecology and Conservation (BS), Insect Ecology and Conservation Honors (HBS), Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation (BS), Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Honors (HBS), Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology
- Sustainable Food Systems (BS), Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
- Landscape Architecture (BLA)
- Plant Science (BS), Department of Plant and Soil Science
- Animal Science Minor, Department of Animal and Food Science
- Environmental Soil Science Minor, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
- Landscape Horticulture Minor, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
- Insect and Wildlife Conservation Minor, Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology
- Resource Economics Minor, Department of Applied Economics and Statistics
- One Health Certificate, Department of Animal and Food Studies
College of Arts and Sciences
- Global Studies – Environment Concentration (BA), Center for Global and Area Studies
- Environmental Humanities Minor, Department of English
- Sustainable Apparel and Textile Innovation Minor, Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies
- Politics and Social Justice Minor, Department of Political Science and International Relations
- Sociology – Emergency and Environmental Management Concentration (BA), Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice
Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics
- Eco-Entrepreneurship Certificate, Horn Program in Entrepreneurship
- Food Systems Innovation and Entrepreneurship Certificate, Horn Program in Entrepreneurship
College of Earth, Ocean, and the Environment
- Earth Science Education (BS)
- Earth Sciences (BA)
- Earth Sciences (BS)
- Environmental Science – Climate and Society Concentration (BS)
- Environmental Science – Water Science Concentration (BS)
- Environmental Science – Marine Science Concentration (BS)
- Environmental Science – Ecoscience Concentration (BS)
- Environmental Science – Geoscience Concentration (BS)
- Environmental Science – Energy and Environment Concentration (BS)
- Environmental Studies – Environmental Advocacy Concentration (BA)
- Environmental Studies – Environmental Planning and Design Concentration (BA)
- Environmental Studies – Environment and Society Concentration (BA)
- Geography – Atmosphere and Earth Systems Concentration (BA)
- Geography – Environment and Society Concentration (BA)
- Marine Science – Marine Biology Concentration (BS)
- Meteorology and Climate Science (BS)
- Sustainable Energy Technology Minor, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
- Environmental Engineering Minor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Environmental Sustainability Minor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Sustainable Infrastructure Minor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Energy and Environmental Policy – Energy, Economics and Public Policy Concentration (BS)
- Energy and Environmental Policy – Energy, Environment and Society Concentration (BS)
- Energy and Environmental Policy – Energy, Science and Technology Concentration (BS)
- Energy and Environmental Policy Honors with Distinction (HBS)
- Leadership (BS), Leadership Honors (HBS)
- Energy and Environmental Policy 4+1 (BS/MS)
The Office of Sustainability in Facilities Services and Campus Planning coordinates, advocates, and reports sustainability efforts in the University's campus operations—which include maintaining our landscape plantings, managing stormwater, ensuring the efficiency of our buildings and reducing waste.
Jeffrey Summerhays
Director, Office of Sustainability
Facilities Services and Campus Planning
Facilities Services and Campus Planning