SC Connecticut News

Yale Planetary Solutions (YPS), the university-wide initiative created to address urgent climate and environmental threats, has awarded more than $2 million in seed grants to 22 Yale-based research projects aimed at achieving transformative change.

The grants will support innovative research across various schools, programs, and labs on the Yale campus. Each project is interdisciplinary and designed for implementation and impact through commercialization, education, community action, or policy informing.

This year's recipients were selected by a committee of faculty and staff members working on knowledge creation and implementation projects. The projects fall under three themes: biodiversity and ecosystems; climate change; and communities and society.

Several projects address carbon capture and utilization systems that sequester atmospheric carbon to mitigate climate change effects. Other projects will use artificial intelligence for environmental gains, such as insights into tropical forest species' ecological functions and improved fire management. One project combines public health, computer technology, and music expertise to promote environmental stewardship among local school children.

"Across the Yale campus, researchers from nearly every field and discipline are seeking solutions to the great global threats of our time," said Julie Zimmerman, vice provost for planetary solutions. "But even those projects with the greatest potential can struggle to receive support simply because the ideas are so new."

“These seed grants offer our researchers the freedom to pursue their innovative ideas — with the aim to transform them into positive, scalable solutions that the world desperately needs.”

The competitive seed grant program is supported by several funds: Three Cairns Climate Impact Innovation Fund, Natural Carbon Solutions Fund, Simon Bates Catalyst Fund, Science Catalyst Fund for Planetary Solutions, and Science Frontiers Endowment.

This year’s awardees include:

- Creating an electrochemical process that captures carbon from air or seawater for new products.

- Designing an AI-powered platform using satellite imagery, terrain models, social media data, and weather maps for wildfire detection.

- Building an Arctic Climate Research Hub involving Yale researchers and Indigenous knowledge holders.

- Investigating a composite catalyst for carbon-neutral fuels.

- Merging disciplines to help students translate scientific data into musical compositions promoting land stewardship.

Since its inception three years ago, YPS has awarded over $5.5 million in seed grants to more than 200 faculty members across seven different schools at Yale.

Scott Strobel, university provost said: “These seed grant projects highlight the power of Yale’s capacity to convene experts from across campus and take action on climate and environmental challenges.”

Previous rounds of seed grants have already produced significant results. For example:

- A project led by Yuan Yao and Robert Mendelsohn studied cross-laminated timber as a steel alternative in construction.

- Kymberly Pinder collaborated with Karen Seto on a public mural in New Haven's Fairhaven neighborhood raising awareness about climate threats.

- The Yale Bird-Friendly Building Initiative aims to accelerate bird-friendly design adoption on campus.

- Craig Brodersen's team developed processes assessing drought tolerance in crops for global food security strategies.

- Kenneth Gillingham works with Connecticut DOT on optimizing investments in electric vehicle charging stations statewide.

Gillingham noted that YPS support enabled his team to gather extensive data critical for deeper insights into charging infrastructure development.

The YPS seed grant program is part of an ongoing effort “to catalyze all that Yale is,” Zimmerman stated. She called upon faculty, students, staff across campus —and partners worldwide— to join their efforts toward planetary solutions.

Another round of proposals will be invited next semester. Registration is open for YPS’s four-day event during Climate Week NYC next month.