University of Cincinnati
10/30/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/30/2026 00:39
'Very inspiring'; UC professor wins award for greenhouse-gas research, credits students for her passion
'Very inspiring'; UC professor wins award for greenhouse-gas research, credits students for her passion
Environmental studies professor is recognized for her wide-reaching work
3 minute read October 30, 2026 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Print Story Like
An environmental studies professor at the University of Cincinnati won the 2026 Sustainability Leadership award for her nearly two decades of work looking into the oil and gas industries.
UC College of Arts and Sciences Professor Amy Townsend-Small studies where methane is emitted through the lifecycle of natural gas and what can be done to reduce emissions. Methane, according to Townsend-Small, is very good at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Specifically, she works to quantify the emissions with the goal to be providing accurate data for policy change.
Amy Townsend-Small. Photo/Jay Yocis/UC
"Through my research, I can help inform the decision about the fossil fuel to renewable energy transition," said Townsend-Small. "My research has informed policies to help clean up these old oil and gas wells."
Townsend-Small teaches in the School of Environment and Sustainability. She worked with environmental groups and members of Congress to draft legislation to include remediation of abandoned oil and gas wells in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021. She found that wells that were no longer being used still emitted a surprising amount of methane.
Townsend-Small's research also led to collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency which resulted in adding emissions data to the United States greenhouse gas inventory. When asked why she chose this area of research, Townsend-Small said she was thinking of future generations.
"I'm always trying to learn something new and study something that I think gives back to society," said Townsend-Small. "This problem of climate change is getting worse and worse and more severe, so reducing methane emissions is the best thing we can do right now."
Townsend-Small received the 2026 Sustainability Leadership Award at the Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit in June. She is also a UNESCO Water and Climate Change chair, indicating the global reach of her studies.
Currently, Townsend-Small is leading one of the first projects to determine methane emissions in the Greater Cincinnati area, regarding gas lights around the city.
Featured image at top: UC College of Arts and Sciences Professor Amy Townsend-Small. Photo/Jay Yocis/UC
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