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Center for Environment, Community, and Equity

Research and action towards a more just and sustainable world.

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Center for Environment, Community, and Equity

The Center for Environment, Community, and Equity (CECE) will be launched in mid-2022.

Once up and running, CECE will be the cross-campus home for American University’s work on the environment. CECE aims to incubate innovative ideas, generate impactful and equitable actions and programming, and work to prepare a more diverse and inclusive next generation of thought leaders to advance a just transition to global sustainability.

The development of CECE is building on American University’s longstanding strengths in environmental protection and social justice. Here, you will soon be able to learn more about the path-breaking research of our faculty, students, and research centers, explore our innovative undergraduate and graduate degree programs, stay up to date on environmental events on campus, and come to know our award-winning green campus. Welcome!

Program Areas

American University is a world leader in environmental, sustainability, and social justice education. We offer graduate, undergraduate, and certificate options in the environmental sciences, social sciences, communications, and humanities.

Food & Agriculture Justice

American University is home to the new National Science Foundation funded “RECIPES” project on wasted food and the Disparity to Parity project aiming to build a just food system.

Seeing Climate

American University is playing host in 2021 to artist Diane Burko’s “Seeing Climate Change” exhibit. An accompanying symposium was held in November 2021.

Campus Sustainability

Learn more about American University’s groundbreaking campus greening efforts by visiting our Office of Sustainability.

Climate Change

AU hosted the first annual Seeing Climate Change symposium. The event brought together leading figures from the arts, sciences, and policy worlds to examine human-induced global heating.

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Faculty Spotlight

Jessica Gephart is an environmental scientist focused on the role of global seafood trade in sustainable and resilient food systems. Find out more about her work.