There seem to be, thankfully, few sacred cows when it comes to university research on the environment. The clearest sign of that came last week, when the University of Nebraska-Lincoln announced that researchers there had shown that switchgrass produces 540% more energy than is needed to grow it, compared with just 25% more for corn. This from a university in the heart of America's corn belt.
The research was led by Kenneth P. Vogel, an adjunct professor in the department of agronomy and horticulture whose research into plant genetics is focused on developing perennial grasses and legumes. His work has important implications not only for biofuels, but also for soil and water quality in the heartland: The planting of perennial grasses would mean less erosion from plowing and less pesticide runoff into rivers and streams.
In addition to its research, UNL also offers both a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science in environmental studies through its College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and the College of Arts and Sciences. Beyond the core courses, students can tailor their studies to place emphasis on areas from applied climate science to sociology.
Image credit: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
There seem to be, thankfully, few sacred cows when it comes to university research on the environment.
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