Environmental and technological systems that influence health do not operate in isolation.
Climate change, environmental degradation, and limited access to clean air, safe water, healthy food, and resilient infrastructure are compounding risks to health and well-being, especially for communities already facing structural barriers and environmental burdens.
Learn about the University priority on sustainability.
The systems that affect environmental quality and health outcomes—technology, policy, economics, and culture—are often studied and addressed separately. TPI exists to change that.
We work across disciplines and sectors to design solutions that reflect real-world complexity and can be tested, improved, and implemented in practice.
With strengths spanning engineering, medicine, social science, policy, and more—and deep connections across the Chicago region—TPI is an invitation to collaborate and build solutions that work in the world as it is.
Northwestern’s positioning on Lake Michigan and in the Chicago region is key. Collaborative relationships with nearby communities facing water and food insecurity, along with poor air quality, provide an opportunity to deploy Northwestern's research strengths locally for impact and to test scalable, community-engaged solutions.
Northwestern's location on Lake Michigan—alongside strong partnerships across the Chicago region—offers a powerful setting for community-engaged research on water, infrastructure, public health, and urban resilience.
Here, research can be tested in real conditions and connected directly to community priorities, policy needs, and practical implementation.
TPI draws on Northwestern's culture of cross-school collaboration, bringing together expertise in engineering, medicine, public health, environmental science, policy, social science, business, law, the humanities, and more.
Director, Thriving Planet Institute
Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering and (by courtesy) Mechanical Engineering;
Director, Center for Engineering Sustainability and Resilience