Institute at Brown for Environment and Society
Institute at Brown for Environment and Society
The Institute at Brown for Environment and Society (IBES) supports research to understand the interactions between natural, human and social systems. Our teaching programs prepare future leaders to envision and build a just and sustainable world.
Institute at Brown for Environment and Society
The Institute at Brown for Environment and Society (IBES) supports research to understand the interactions between natural, human and social systems. Our teaching programs prepare future leaders to envision and build a just and sustainable world.
Empowering people, driving solutions.
At this dynamic cross-campus center, IBES students and faculty conduct groundbreaking research and build creative solutions to complex 21st-century problems. Our work combines an understanding of the natural world and of human societies because environmental stewardship, human rights, and economic well-being are inextricably linked.
Through our unique interdisciplinary approach, IBES fosters actionable research outcomes and the change agents of tomorrow. Our rigorous undergraduate curriculum offers meaningful real-world experiences and unique faculty-student partnerships.
IBES faculty and students are leaders in the global conversation about environmental issues – on campus, at the State House, in boardrooms, and at the United Nations.
We're hiring! Click below to learn more and apply for these positions
Upcoming Events
IBES News
Announcing the new IBES Alumni & Family Network
The new IBES Alumni & Family Network is dedicated to fostering lasting connections and collaboration among Brown University alumni and their families who share a deep interest in climate, sustainability, and environmental matters.
News from IBES
Meet the Postdocs: Sonam Futi Sherpa
Meet Dr. Sonam Futi Sherpa, a new postdoctoral researcher in IBES! Sherpa is working with Professor Laurence C. Smith's Northern Change Research Laboratory, using a NASA SWOT satellite mission to observe water and the proglacial environment. Read this Q&A (edited for length and clarity) to learn more about Sherpa's work and what she looks forward to doing at Brown.
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News from IBES
Alumna Spotlight: Nora Ong ’23
Building upon her undergrad experiences, this IBES alum now creates mission-driven environmental change at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
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News from IBES
Alumna Spotlight: Vasu Jayanthi ’23
Jayanthi’s undergraduate experiences and commitment to knowledge-sharing position her as an environmental advocate, ready to champion sustainability for policymakers.
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News from IBES
Research Spotlight: Associate Professor Bathsheba Demuth
In her travels to the Yukon, Demuth delves into the region's environmental heritage through the stories of those who sustain it.
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On a sunny Saturday morning, students and families got an exciting look into IBES' research, curriculum, alumni engagement efforts, and more during the institute's 2023 Open House.
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Highlights from the October 10 panel discussion, held during the week of Indigenous Peoples Day.
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Possibly Podcast
Looking at the science behind proposed solutions to environmental challenges, to help listeners cut through the noise and make choices that, possibly, will make a difference.
Recent Episodes
What We Do
Climate change and flooding, pathogens and poverty, conflict and extinction – these threats know no borders. Our fragile planet and its vulnerable peoples are at risk. This time of unprecedented challenge requires bold solutions and innovative thinking.
Sustaining life on Earth requires change in the way we power our campuses and cities, how we incentivize reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and how we grow and distribute our food.
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Contact Us
Institute at Brown for Environment and Society (IBES)
Brown University
Box 1951
85 Waterman Street
Providence, RI 02912
Phone: 401-863-3449
Fax: 401-863-3839
environment@brown.edu