Supporting sustainability is easy; implementing it is not. Companies have to juggle rising energy costs, stricter regulations, and pressure to cut carbon emissions, all while continuing to deliver reliable products and services. For Wei Liao, Professor at Michigan State University’s (MSU) Department of Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering, the challenge is making sustainability work at scale. “I work on …
ST. JOHNS, Mich. — Processing billions of pounds of milk each year leaves little margin for error. At MWC, a state-of-the-art cheese and whey protein manufacturing facility in St. Johns, even minor disruptions in wastewater treatment can threaten production, environmental compliance and the livelihoods tied to Michigan’s dairy economy. Through a collaboration with Michigan State University AgBioResearch, the facility …
To help crops battle pests, disease, and environmental stress, farmers often turn to broad chemical sprays simply because plants have few natural defenses. Angela Chen, assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at Michigan State University, studies how microbes and plants naturally communicate. She then turns those insights into new ways for crops …
The Ethics Institute, Center for Bioethics and Social Justice, the Center for Ethical and Socially Responsible Leadership, the Frank J. Kelley Institute of Ethics and the Legal Profession and the Office of Sustainability hosted the Sustainability and Ethics Symposium on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. This event marks the fifth symposium hosted by the Ethics Institute …
In the 2026 Quacquarelli Symonds, or QS, World University Rankings: Sustainability, Michigan State University ranks No. 35 globally among 1,994 participating institutions and No. 6 nationally, positioning MSU within the top 2% worldwide. Now in its fourth year, the QS Sustainability Rankings assess how well universities are addressing some of the world’s most significant environmental, social …
Each year, the world produces roughly 100 million tons of flexible multilayer plastic packaging — materials that keep food fresh and pharmaceuticals safe from moisture and oxygen. Yet most of these plastics are nearly impossible to recycle due to their complex, chemically incompatible layers. Michigan State University scientists have developed a new kind of plastic …
New research from Michigan State University reveals that photorespiration — long considered a wasteful process — is essential for producing a crucial nutrient for preventing birth defects. For the first time, scientists have measured how much carbon flows through photorespiration to make folates, a class of compounds that includes vitamin B9 — known for its …
Phil Robertson, Ph. D., a University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University (MSU) in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), one of the highest honors for a scientist in the United States. Robertson is an internationally recognized crop and soil scientist and ecosystem …
The final stage of the project is expected to be complete by November 2026. Just over a year ago, Michigan State University leaders broke ground on transformative renovations taking place at the MSU Plant Science Research Greenhouse Facility located at the corner of Farm Lane and Wilson Road. As work continues to be done at the facility, its progress …
Three Michigan State University faculty members have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences this year. Christoph Benning, Jianguo “Jack” Liu and Philip Robertson are among the 120 members and 30 international members being recognized for their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. The National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Abraham Lincoln, as a private, nongovernmental institution to advise the nation on issues related …
