The RSI advances global sustainability through transformational science, engineering, & education.
We prioritize research across campus that addresses challenges & opportunities associated w/ climate change & the stewardship of natural resources. RSI research is broadly focused on four interconnected initiatives, where Caltech researchers are poised to provide uniquely impactful science & technology solutions. The fundamental insights gained are directed towards implementation & scale-up for real-world impact.
07/05/2023
In case you missed it, Oceanographer Lily Dove discusses her research on how to better understand how the ocean is changing as a result of absorbing carbon and heat.
Exploring Our Blue Planet Using Underwater Robots with Lily Dove As part of the Science Journeys lecture series—designed to inspire scientific curiosity, especiallyamong students in middle and high school—graduate student ...
04/19/2023
Watson Lecture
Electrifying and Decarbonizing Chemical Synthesis
Today, Wednesday, April 19, 2023, 7:30 p.m.
Online and In-Person Event
Karthish Manthiram, Professor of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry; William H. Hurt Scholar
Watson Lecture Promo – April 19, 2023: Karthish Manthiram On Wednesday, April 19, at 7:30 p.m. PDT in Beckman Auditorium on the Caltech campus, Karthish Manthiram, professor of chemical engineering and chemistry and...
03/27/2023
Check out this short film about the RSI Ecology and Biosphere Engineering Initiative featuring diverse projects and investigators!
Ecology and Biosphere Engineering Film The Ecology and Biosphere Engineering Initiative at Caltech's Resnick Sustainability Institute supports science and engineering to understand and sustain the…
03/13/2023
Hacktech returned for a ninth year from March 3–5, 2023. During the hackathon, more than 400 participating students conceived and developed projects to address issues in sustainability.
Students Innovate Sustainability Solutions in 36-Hour Hackathon Hacktech, Caltech’s annual intercollegiate coding competition, returned for a ninth year from March 3–5, 2023. More than 400 participating students conceived and developed projects to address issues in sustainability.
02/21/2023
How Do Gas Stoves Affect Health and Indoor Air Quality?
Ask a Caltech Expert: Paul Wennberg on Gas Stoves and Indoor Air Quality Paul Wennberg discusses gas stoves and other factors that can contribute to poor indoor air quality.
01/10/2023
“The health of the soil underpins the survival of the overall terrestrial biosphere,” says Changhuei Yang, Caltech’s Thomas G. Myers Professor of Electrical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Medical Engineering and a Heritage Medical Research Institute Investigator. “I think it is urgent that we put more attention and focus on understanding the biodynamics in the soil.”
A Camera That Sees in the Soil | Rhizosphere Camera — Caltech Magazine by Katie Neith
01/03/2023
This major milestone promises to make what was once science fiction a reality.
Caltech to Launch Space Solar Power Technology Demo into Orbit in January The launch represents the first in-situ test of the technology to harvest solar energy in space and transmit it to Earth.
11/15/2022
Join us tonight for a conversation with Gaia Vince, climate scientist and author of 2022 book "NOMAD CENTURY: How Climate Migration Will Reshape Our World."
Behind The Book with Gaia Vince “Gaia Vince’s new book should be read not just by every politician, but by every person on the planet.” ―The Guardian
10/19/2022
Once considered science fiction, technology capable of collecting solar power in space and beaming it to Earth to provide a global supply of clean and affordable energy is moving closer to reality.
Beaming Clean Energy From Space Space solar power, renewable energy transmitted 24 hours a day to anywhere on Earth, could help humanity transition away from fossil fuels and live more sustainably.
08/04/2022
"Projects like the Human Impacts Database are a unique resource that can help experts and the general public alike to put into clearer perspective the various ways people are affecting the planet."
A Quantitative Snapshot of the Human Impact on the Planet Find reliable data about human environment interaction—including how much of the world’s energy comes from renewable resources and the rate of rising sea levels are rising—that can influence sustainability science and climate policy.
07/12/2022
Caltech's Tapio Schneider, Andrew Stuart, and Anna Jaruga talk about why increased precision is an urgent goal for climate models.
Caltech Science Exchange: Can Climate Models Be More Precise? To explore and predict how the climate will change, researchers create computer models of the real world. Models agree that the climate is changing because o...
06/23/2022
In a new course, Economics of Sustainable Development, Caltech is training the next generation of scientists and economists to create technologies that will reduce humanity's impact on the environment and advance economies.
A Practical Look at Sustainability Solutions A new Caltech course, Economics of Sustainable Development, trains the next generation of scientists and economists to create technologies, such as renewable energy sources, sustainable agriculture practices, carbon capture, and battery technology, to reduce environmental impact and advance economie...