News

Trace gases play unseen role in cloud droplet formation

David Danelski — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0800

UCR-led study finds that tiny, invisible gases long thought to be irrelevant in cloud formation appear to play a major role in determining whether clouds form—and possibly whether it rains. This realization runs counter to more than a century of assumptions about the physics behind cloud droplet formation.

From waste to wearable

David Danelski — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0800

UCR chemical engineering researchers have completed construction of a pilot biomass processing facility that transforms forestry and agricultural waste into pulp that can be made into textiles and building construction products.

Clearing the Air

Sarah Nightingale — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0800

Alumnus William Carter has pledged two gifts totaling an estimated $3.65 million to UCR.

Study finds lower emissions from higher-ethanol gasoline

David Danelski — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0800

Landmark UC Riverside vehicle emissions study allows California to move forward with less costly and less polluting gasoline blend.

UV light holds promise for energy-efficient desalination

David Danelski — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0800

UCR experiments offer a pathway for solar desalination solutions

UCR launches study of ship emissions off SoCal coast

David Danelski — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0700

A team of UC Riverside environmental engineers are embarking on a $3.5 million study of air pollution from massive oceangoing vessels that frequent the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach—one of the region’s largest sources of toxic air pollution.

UC Riverside joins launch of hydrogen carshare program

David Danelski — Tue, 06 May 2025 00:00:00 -0700

UC Riverside, in partnership with city and state agencies, has helped launch the nation's only hydrogen-powered carshare program—offering a clean, affordable transportation alternative to Riverside residents.

UCR and U of Michigan launch hydrogen-engine alliance

David Danelski — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0800

Officials at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), the University of Michigan, and several industry partners launch of the Hydrogen Engine Alliance of North America (H2EA-NA) to promote hydrogen as a viable alternative fuel.

UCR collaboration brings in electric truck manufacturer

David Danelski — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0800

Voltu Motor Inc., an Argentine company recognized for its sustainable and versatile electric vehicles, will establish its global headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Riverside.

From polluting waste to sportswear

David Danelski — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0700

A UCR professor receives $1.45 million federal grant to further develop a chemical process that takes plant waste from wood processing and farming to make fibers for clothing fabrics and other products.

Enduring gut-churning flights in quest for Arctic climate data

David Danelski — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800

UCR Professor Markus Petters and two grad students are spending more than a month with an international research team that’s making bumpy flights from northern Sweden to the Arctic Ocean to collect data needed to better understand climate change.

UCR environmental engineers to referee California’s big rig truck emission regulation

David Danelski — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0700

They won’t be wearing vivid black and white striped shirts, but they could. University of California, Riverside, environmental engineers will soon serve as referees in California’s drive for big rig trucks to meet the state’s tailpipe emission standards.

NSF-funded project aims to enhance STEM graduate training in sustainable transportation

Iqbal Pittalwala — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0700

New UC Riverside program will train doctoral students on translating science into public policy

UC Riverside receives $2 million to monitor air quality impacts of goods movement in Inland Southern California

Holly Ober — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0700

The grant comes from the California Attorney General’s Office Automobile Emissions Research and Technology Fund

UC Riverside wins grant from Southern California Energy Innovation Network

Holly Ober — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0700

A $450,000 grant lets UCR continue helping clean energy entrepreneurs advance their ideas

UC Riverside research team fuels the hemp revolution

Holly Ober — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0700

A new hemp pulping method that converts 100% of the plant to useful components moves toward commercialization

Supercomputing improves biomass fuel conversion

Holly Ober — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Researchers combine supercomputing with nano-imaging to reveal how to efficiently break down plant biomass and transform it into transportation fuels

Steering into the future of connected and automated vehicles

Wed, 10 Jul 2019 00:00:00 -0700

More than 1 billion motor vehicles travel roadways worldwide and that number is expected to double within one or two decades. The rise in automobiles and trucks have led to increased social, economic, and safety issues, such as the more than 30,000 deaths from car related accidents on US highways every year, according to a US Department of Transportation (DOT)

UC Riverside reaffirms MOU with EPA

Wed, 05 Jun 2019 00:00:00 -0700

A number of environmentally focused activities with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be continuing, thanks to the renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between EPA’s Region 9 and the University of California, Riverside.

Renewable natural gas can help California meet climate goals

Holly Ober — Tue, 11 Sep 2018 00:00:00 -0700

UC Riverside study finds California can replace up to 5 percent of its natural gas supply using existing raw materials and infrastructure, recommends new state standard