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ABOUT THE CENTER

Global Change Center logo

Global Change Center logo

Exponential human population growth has altered ecosystem and planetary processes, straining natural resources and the oceans, forests, grasslands, and freshwaters that are critical to a prosperous society. For example, climate change,  habitat loss/degradation, invasive species, pollution, and emerging infectious diseases are among the challenges that alter these ecosystems, decimate biodiversity, and adversely affect our water, air, food, and energy systems.  A more interdisciplinary understanding of these human-induced changes is urgently needed  to inform public policy, minimize further environmental degradation in the face of a rapidly growing society, and to promote sustainable solutions to the greatest environmental challenges of the 21st century.

Because interdisciplinary research and student training are essential  to tackle the new frontier of global environmental challenges, the Global Change Center at Virginia Tech was founded in 2015. The center brings together experts from diverse disciplines to solve these complex global challenges and train the next generation of leaders.

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    DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
    DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION , home

    As an interdisciplinary community committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, we reaffirm our conviction that racism and discrimination of any kind have no place in society—including our educational institutions.

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    PARTNERS
    PARTNERS , home

    Collaboration is key to our success. With our partners, we are advancing interdisciplinary graduate education, generating new research & science policy training opportunities, & creating a more diverse & inclusive environment.

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    LEADERSHIP
    LEADERSHIP , home

    The GCC is led by visionary faculty and staff from diverse disciplines who provide high-level support and diverse perspectives.

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    PEOPLE OF THE GCC
    PEOPLE OF THE GCC , home

    The GCC is a campus-wide community of faculty, postdocs, and Ph.D. students that have coalesced to confront the greatest socio-environmental challenges of our time.

THE GLOBAL CHANGE CENTER:

Elevates Virginia Tech as an INNOVATIVE INTERNATIONAL LEADER in global-change science, from basic research to development of science-based solutions that inform actions & policy.

 

Establishes and nurtures a COLLABORATIVE, INCLUSIVE, AND WELL-INTEGRATED INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH COMMUNITY OF DIVERSE FACULTY with expertise that spans disciplines across the biophysical sciences, engineering, social sciences, and humanities. 

 

Recruits and retains the MOST INNOVATIVE FACULTY AND STUDENTS IN THE WORLD to Virginia Tech.

 

Facilitates, promotes, and rewards NOVEL CROSS-CAMPUS  COLLABORATIONS amongst specialists in the natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, and humanities.

 

Develops REAL WORLD SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL CHALLENGES such as habitat restoration, disease and invasive species mitigation strategies, water quality monitoring and forecasting, policy recommendations, and carbon management. 

 

Creates NOVEL INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH, LEADERSHIP, AND COMMUNICATION TRAINING for Ph.D. students and postdoctoral researchers from diverse disciplines.

 

Generates NOVEL EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERGRADUATES to include research with our world renowned faculty and science policy fellowship in Washington D.C.