Students at Catawba College enhance their education outside the classroom and are involved in many multidisciplinary research projects. Catawba students are engaged in challenging and unique research experiences that emphasize current developments in biochemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, environmental chemistry and forensic science using state-of-the-art instrumentation. At Catawba, you'll learn science content in the context of work-world applications.

Seven million pounds of garbage – 961 refrigerators, 143 sinks, 67,000 tires, 3,700 55-gallon barrels, 63 messages in bottles and much, much more. That's how much trash Chad Pregracke and his organization have dredged up from the Mississippi and 16 other major rivers over the past 15 years. This dedicated river champion has been featured on CNN, the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, ABC, CBS and NBC. He was awarded the Jefferson Award for Public Service, a prize that is considered the U.S.

Author Francis Koster will speak Thursday, May 16, on his recently published book, Discovering the New America: Where Local Communities Are Solving National Problems, at the Center for the Environment building on the Catawba College campus. The 6:30 presentation will be followed by a reception and book signing. His book will be available at a discounted price.

Children made flower bursts while their parents learned about how to improve air quality at a "Growing Green Kids" family night on Earth Day, April 22. A joint venture of the Center for the Environment at Catawba College and Town Creek Commons Chick-Fil-A, the event site, the festivities drew children from age 2 to their teens. "A girls' soccer team from Iredell County came as they were on their way to East Rowan," says Sarah Moore, outreach coordinator for the Center.

Members of the Catawba College community gathered in Omwake-Dearborn Chapel on April 23 to celebrate achievement. The occasion was the annual Awards Convocation.Scheduled the day after Earth Day, the awards distributed were eco-friendly, made of Catawba blue, 100% recycled glass. They symbolized the college's commitment to environmental responsibility and are a reminder to the recipients to promote a greener, more sustainable lifestyle.

An article by 2011 Catawba College alumna Kacey Hoover is featured in the April 2013 issue of the award-winning magazine of the American Solar Energy Society, Solar Today. Hoover earned her degree in environmental science from Catawba in 2011 and is pursuing a master's in Technology with a concentration in Appropriate Technology at Appalachian State University. She works as an energy analyst and specializes in rate structure analysis and estimating utility bills.

Catawba College is one of the 322 most environmentally responsible colleges in the U.S. and Canada, according to The Princeton Review (www.PrincetonReview.com). Catawba was also only one of 21 institutions among the 322 featured in the guide to be included in The Princeton Review's "Green Honor Roll" for receiving Green Ratings of 99.

Nearly 140 people learned about the harmful effects of common chemicals on the public health April 9 when research scientist Dr. John Peterson Myers spoke at the Center for the Environment building on the Catawba College campus.

By Rebecca Rider - The Center for the Environment at Catawba College collaborated March 21 with Bread Riot to host a screening of the film "GROW!" at the Center building on campus. Bread Riot also provided locally grown foods for a tasting before the film. Set against the backdrop of rural Georgia, the film explores sustainable farming and the new face of agriculture.

The Center for the Environment at Catawba College will host its third Faith, Spirituality and Environmental Stewardship workshop on Thursday, April 18, at the Center facility on the Catawba campus. The workshops are designed to allow participants of various faiths to share their knowledge and experience or learn more about topics that focus on environmental stewardship. They are a Campaign for Clean Air initiative.