Dean Jonathan Overpeck

Dean's Letter

Dear Friends,

It’s an exciting time at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS), the Program in the Environment (PitE) and U-M.

We’re meeting 21st century challenges—and creating a better world for future generations—by developing solutions that will have a lasting impact on our planet and its inhabitants.

With SEAS leading the way, you can look to Michigan for advancements in climate action. We’re tackling an expanding array of environmental crises—from climate change and biodiversity loss to food scarcity, water quality and sustainable transportation—by turning research into real-world engagement with tangible benefits.

In this issue of Stewards, you’ll find examples of how we’re addressing the grand problems of our time while inspiring hope for a better future. Our cover story, for instance, focuses on U-M as “The Great Lakes University” and how we’re using research, engagement and collaboration to protect and plan for a more resilient Great Lakes region. You’ll also find stories about conservation efforts in the Mediterranean islands to guard against biodiversity loss and species extinction and efforts to restore soil health and crop diversity.

These stories and more highlight the breadth and depth of the work we do at SEAS and our commitment to bringing interdisciplinary solutions to complex problems, with environmental justice at the core of all we do.

SEAS is making significant strides in creating a more sustainable, just future. Thank you for the progress we’ve made together—and for the collective advances that are still to come. We can achieve a healthier planet for all.

In gratitude,

Peck
Jonathan Overpeck
Samuel A. Graham Dean
William B. Stapp Collegiate Professor of Environmental Education

P.S. As the university embarks on its next capital campaign, I hope you’ll look to SEAS and U-M to learn about all the ways we’re transforming research into action. Within these pages of Stewards magazine is just a small sampling of the cutting-edge work we do to tackle urgent environmental challenges.

More Stories from the Magazine

Table of Contents
Smoke from the Canadian wildfires created hazy skies near the Mackinac Bridge in June 2023.

"The Great Lakes University"

U-M is a major convener of Great Lakes research thanks to its interdisciplinary efforts to address climate change and other problems. SEAS is a microcosm of that work because of its Great Lakes research centers and institutes; collaborations with other U-M units; and expansive partnerships with organizations within Ann Arbor, the region, and spanning the U.S., Canada and other countries. What this means, according to SEAS Dean Jonathan Overpeck, is that U-M is well-positioned to be “The Great Lakes University.”

Jennifer Blesh

Meet the Future of Sustainable Food Systems: A Focus on Soil Health and Crop Diversity

Soil degradation threatens our ecosystems and climate, and thus the future of food access. To be sustainable, ecological processes will need to be managed using species diversity to sustain production and support important functions including restoring soil health, which is the focus of research being conducted by SEAS Associate Professor Jennifer Blesh alongside students and other collaborators.

The U-M team disembarks on the island of Mikro Ftheno for sampling. The larger island of Anafi is in the background.

Island Biology: “A Lot of Bang for Your Conservation Buck”

Islands offer boundless opportunities to inform basic ecological science and applied conservation biology, and are integral to protecting global biodiversity. For nearly a decade, SEAS Associate Professor Johannes Foufopoulos and his students have studied island biology to identify what endangers resident species and how biodiversity can be protected.