Protecting ecosystems. Sustaining resources. Shaping the future.

Across every landscape, water and land are foundational to life. Yet they face growing threats from pollution, overuse, and climate stress. At the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE), we support scientists working at the intersection of ecology, hydrology, and data science to safeguard these natural systems.

iSEE researchers develop predictive tools, design nature-based solutions, and inform policy decisions that assist communities in managing their ecosystems. Whether restoring biodiversity, enhancing agricultural practices, or safeguarding drinking water sources, our work seeks to strike a balance between human needs and environmental resilience.

Focus Areas

• Watershed science and water quality monitoring
• Groundwater sustainability and aquifer protection
• Ecosystem restoration and biodiversity
• Land use change and ecological modeling
• Soil and sediment dynamics
• Environmental sensors and predictive analytics

Featured Researchers and Initiatives

Shaowen Wang
Professor of Geography and Geographic Information Science; Director, I-GUIDE
Professor Wang leads I-GUIDE, a national institute that develops geospatial infrastructure to help scientists and decision-makers understand and manage complex land and water systems. His team combines spatial data, modeling, and community engagement to address challenges like biodiversity loss and water insecurity.
Learn more about I-GUIDE >>>

Andrew Margenot
Associate Professor of Crop Sciences; Associate Director of the Agroecosystem Sustainability Center (ASC)
Professor Margenot, a soils expert, leads an ASC project to quantify phosphorus leaching from streambank erosion in Illinois. Researchers want to pinpoint non-agricultural sources of phosphorus that leach into the Mississippi River, as part of a state plan to reduce phosphorus in waterways and protect water quality.
Learn more about ASC >>>

Impact Highlights

• I-GUIDE secured a $15 million National Science Foundation grant to build cutting-edge geospatial infrastructure that supports water and land management across the country.
• The Agroecosystem Sustainability Center developed the first global model explaining variations in nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture and launched N2O Net, a collaborative tracking system for this potent greenhouse gas.
• The Levenick Center for a Climate-Smart Circular Bioeconomy was launched in 2024, with a $10 million gift to support research on waste recovery, resource reuse, and pollution reduction in water and land systems.

Explore More

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