Wilfred Wollheim Named the Josephine A. Lamprey Professor in Climate and Sustainability

Wilfred Wollheim, professor in the department of natural resources and the environment, has been awarded the Josephine A. Lamprey Professorship in Climate and Sustainability. The professorship, created to address critical climate, water, energy, and sustainability issues, supports regional climate science research, sustainable technology, and translating science into policy actions.

Wollheim, who is also the co-director of the UNH Water Systems Analysis Group, studies how freshwater ecosystems such as streams, rivers, wetlands, lakes, and reservoirs process nutrients and influence water quality, with an emphasis on response to storm and drought events. The studies focus on how nutrients like nitrogen and carbon move through river networks and how freshwater systems retain, transform, or transport these materials to downstream lakes and coastal waters. By combining field observations, sensor networks, experiments, and environmental modeling, his work examines processes across scales — from small headwater streams to entire watersheds. Wollheim’s research also explores how land use change, climate change, and human infrastructure affect nutrient cycling and ecosystem health. 

“I am honored to be named the Lamprey Professor in Climate and Sustainability,” says Wollheim. “With this position, I look forward to increasing our understanding of how people and their environment can thrive together, how our ecosystems are responding to environmental changes like increasing drought frequency and extreme precipitation, and how to restore ecosystems impacted by human activity to make them healthier and more sustainable in a changing climate.”

In New Hampshire, Wollheim’s research helps state agencies and communities better understand nutrient pollution, protect drinking water supplies, and manage rivers, lakes, and coastal ecosystems, including their restoration. His work supports science-based decision-making that helps maintain water quality and healthy aquatic systems across the state.

“This endowed professorship recognizes not only Wil’s impactful research on freshwater ecosystems, but also his dedication to bridging science with real-world application,” says Rebecca Rowe, professor and chair of the department of natural resources and the environment. “It underscores our commitment to protecting natural resources and fostering sustainable, community driven solutions.”

“This award is very befitting,” notes Kimberly J. Babbitt, COLSA’s associate dean of academic affairs. “Not only is Wilfred Wollheim an internationally respected leader in his field and an outstanding researcher,  his students also know him as a gifted educator who cares deeply about training the next generation of problem solvers.” 

Josephine A. Lamprey ’22H, who established the professorship in 2012, was a businesswoman, environmental pioneer and benefactor of sustainability programs at UNH. Along with the professorship, she made gifts to support climate fellows in the UNH Sustainability Institute, the green grid at the Shoals Marine Laboratory, and the social innovation programs at the Carsey School of Public Policy. In 2014, she joined the UNH Foundation Board and served as director for eight years. In 2022, she was awarded an honorary degree for her contributions to climate research and education, philanthropy and volunteer service that have had an enduring impact on the university and the state.

Lamprey, who often compared present-day sustainability practices to the farming way of life she grew up with, died in 2023.