The green superheroes of UD
Art by Bondé Angeline April 15, 2026
Blue Hens are tackling environmental foes in the ultimate fight for planet Earth
Attention citizens of Gotham, Wakanda, Metropolis and… Delaware: A new league is assembling.
This Earth Day, meet the Superheroes of UD — faculty whose day jobs appear ordinary until you learn what dastardly villains they’re really up against: Plastic. Methane. Floodwater. Heat.
The danger doesn’t come with theme music, and the battles aren’t fought in the sky. But the stakes are bigger than that time Spiderman stopped a runaway train from careening through the Upper West Side.
Each hero has a signature move: a breakthrough method, a smarter design or some next-generation chemistry that will make even the most cynical sit up and say “Holy guacamole, Batman!”
Read on to learn how each research vigilante is balancing great power with even greater responsibility. Inside the action-packed walls of their labs and lecture halls, capes are optional. Impact is mandatory.
What’s your environmental superpower? Share it with us at magazine@udel.edu.
SUPERHERO: Captain Hydrogen
ALIAS: Yushan Yan, Henry Belin du Pont Chair of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
VILLAIN: Carbon emissions, aka The Smog Monsters
SUPERPOWER: Turning ordinary water and air into clean energy. Hydrogen is in; fossil fuels are running scared.
JOIN THE FIGHT: Zap wasteful power by upgrading to energy-efficient gadgets.
SUPERHERO: Biodiversity Builder
ALIAS: Doug Tallamy, TA Baker Professor of Agriculture and Natural Resources
VILLAIN: Invasive plants; non-native turfgrasses
SUPERPOWER: Restoring ecosystems. He turns the manicured lawn into a pollinator’s paradise. Birds, bees, bugs… assemble!
JOIN THE FIGHT: Plant a single oak tree, which feeds more than 550 species.
SUPERHERO: Grid Master
ALIAS: Willett Kempton, professor of marine science and policy
VILLAIN: Fumezillas: power plant pollution
SUPERPOWER: Commanding the flow of electricity. He studies how to make renewable energy integration dependable and scalable, turning wobbly grids into unstoppable clean-energy powerhouses. Kapow!
JOIN THE FIGHT: Support renewables to blast your carbon nemesis.
SUPERHERO: The Plastic Avenger
ALIAS: LaShanda Korley, distinguished professor of engineering
VILLAIN: Plastic pollution
SUPERPOWER: Molecular architecture — transforming synthetic materials (AKA, plastic baddies) into stronger and more sustainable forms. No landfills necessary.
JOIN THE FIGHT: Let bio-inspired goods be your secret weapon in the fight against plastic chaos.
SUPERHERO: Catalyst Commander
ALIAS: Dongxia Liu, Robert K. Grasseli Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
VILLAIN: The Plastic Empire
SUPERPOWER: Innovation. She’s developed a new type of catalyst that converts plastic waste into liquid fuel for transportation and industrial use.
JOIN THE FIGHT: Cheer on inventions that turn trash into power. Up, upcycling and away!
SUPERHERO: The Photon Knight
ALIAS: Steve Hegedus, professor of electrical and computer engineering
VILLAIN: Dirty Energy Goblin
SUPERPOWER: Bending sunlight to his will. In brightest day, in blackest night, he turns rays into reliable energy using solar panels, smart inverters and microgrids. From bifacial arrays that catch light from every angle to energy hubs that steer electrons, he makes clean power as dependable as a caped crusader on patrol.
JOIN THE FIGHT: Use portable solar chargers for phones and laptops to harness solar energy without a big installation.
SUPERHERO: The Couture Crusader
ALIAS: Sheng Lu, professor and director of graduate studies in Fashion and Apparel Studies
VILLAIN: Fast‑fashion Mayhem
SUPERPOWER: Global trade insight — he deciphers the world’s wardrobe like a secret code. From unraveling tangled international sourcing to exposing the hidden impacts of tariffs and sustainability choices, he helps consumers see the bigger picture behind every stitch and seam.
JOIN THE FIGHT: Forget spandex — this season, your superhero costume is thrifted or ethically sourced.
SUPERHERO: Guardian of the Aquifer
ALIAS: Holly Michael, Unidel Fraser Russell Career Development Chair for the Environment
VILLAIN: Groundwater Contaminators
SUPERPOWER: Mapping hidden pathways beneath the earth and shielding drinking supplies, farms and ecosystems from creeping salinization. Tides, storms, rising seas — nothing slips past her watch.
JOIN THE FIGHT: Own a private well? Get it tested to know what’s flowing under your feet.
SUPERHERO: The Waterfowl Whisperer
ALIAS: Chris Williams, professor of wildlife ecology and chair of UD’s new Presidential Committee on Sustainability
VILLAIN: Land-grabbing Jokers
SUPERPOWER: Avian vision. He interprets the secret lives of ducks, geese, and upland gamebirds, revealing how they move, feed, survive and thrive across seasons and landscapes — supporting habitat preservation.
JOIN THE FIGHT: Pick up a field guide and some binoculars — and join a flock of defenders.
SUPERHERO: Tempest
ALIAS: A.R. Siders, associate professor in UD’s Disaster Research Center
VILLAIN: Human-powered climate change
SUPERPOWER: Seeing into the future. She helps communities anticipate climate risks and envision ambitious futures by mapping real choices — resist, adapt in place or relocate — so decisions protect people, not just property values.
JOIN THE FIGHT: Know your risks. Contribute to your local plan. Read climate fiction or play climate board games — they’re great ways to imagine what’s coming and what’s possible.
SUPERHERO: The Mineral Ace
ALIAS: Saleem Ali, Blue and Gold Distinguished Professor of Energy and Environment
VILLAIN: Global powers and corporations jockeying for control of Earth’s resources
SUPERPOWER: Environmental peacemaking — he steps in when resources spark conflict, turning mines, minerals and energy into opportunities for cooperation instead of chaos.
JOIN THE FIGHT: Think about where your energy and materials come from, support responsible sourcing, and remember — true power isn’t just what you use, it’s how you use it.
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