Current Research by Department

Soil scientist Yan Jin awarded University’s highest faculty honor: youtube.com/watch?v=Rh__5gorAvo

Research News
  • Mapping migration

    March 23, 2023 | Written by Lauren Bradford
    Avian research often focuses on forests as breeding habitats, but scientists are now working to understand the vital role that small forest patches play in migration. For the first time, a team of researchers from Princeton University and the University of Delaware has created a comprehensive map of migratory pathways and stopover locations in the Eastern United States.
  • UD alumna studies contaminated sites vulnerable to sea level rise

    March 07, 2023 | Written by Lauren Bradford
    UD alumna Fatemeh Izaditame visits an EPA Superfund-adjacent site in Wilmington to study heavy metal contamination. Collected soil samples showed high levels of arsenic, underscoring the need for the remediation of sites vulnerable to flooding and sea level rise.
  • Heat-Tolerant Varieties Important for High Snap Bean Yields

    February 01, 2023 | Written by Stephanie Speicher of Lancaster Farming
    Farmers in the Delmarva region are used to heat stress affecting their snap beans. Some Pennsylvania farmers are just far enough north to avoid the problem, but those in the southeastern part of the state could see the same issues. A nighttime temperature of 68 degrees or higher causes heat stress in beans, said Emmalea Ernest, a vegetable and fruit educator with University of Delaware Extension.
  • New Map of “Stopover Hotspots” Provides Insights for Conservation of Eastern U.S. Migratory Landbirds

    January 10, 2023 | Written by Christian J. Rivera for the Center for Policy Research on Energy and the Environment
    Every autumn, billions of birds migrate across the eastern U.S. en route to their wintering sites. As the birds undertake their journeys, however, they are faced with increasing threats, including habitat loss, storms, feral cats and other predators, pesticides, collisions with buildings, and climate change. Not only are individual species impacted by these threats, but so is the migratory phenomenon itself.

Inspiring discovery

With cutting-edge innovation, our faculty and students transform exploration into impact. We apply classroom and laboratory knowledge to tackle real-world challenges. And we're leading the way in cross-disciplinary unique strengths to create more sustainable and equitable ecosystems.

From understanding migratory wildlife patterns or predicting consumer behaviors, to identifying pest resistant plant genetics and pioneering new techniques in veterinary medicine, our research helps define the world around us. Explore our areas of expertise and discover the exciting advances we're making today.

Animal and Food Sciences

One Health Delaware free vet clinic in Wilmington helps pets, people, students

Applied Economics & Statistics

Researchers explore consumer response to the use of recycled water in wine production

Entomology and Wildlife Ecology

UD research investigates migratory birds’ habitat concerns on coffee farms

Plant and Soil Sciences

Rodrigo Vargas among leaders in assessment of continent’s carbon cycle assessment

Cooperative Extension

Sweet corn out, sweet potatoes in: Data shows fundamental shifts in American farming