Meet some of UNH’s earliest-career researchers: undergraduates.

In December 2023, thanks to UNH, the United States grew by one million square kilometers. The U.S. gained that seabed territory beyond 200 nautical miles from our coasts through a geopolitical process called the Extended Continental Shelf. To satisfy its requirements, the federal government turned to a team of the nation’s top ocean mappers: those at UNH. 

Recognizing the growing career opportunities in the field, the UNH College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) is launching a public health undergraduate major and relaunching the full-time Master of Public Health program (MPH) during the fall 2025 semester. 

Could changing the narrative help New Hampshire retain more young people? While it’s not the only factor, research from UNH suggests that cultural narratives significantly influence how rural youth make post-high school decisions. Understanding these narratives could help the state develop strategies to keep more young people in their communities.

David Needle has 900 samples of moose poop. 

“As one does,” quips the senior veterinary pathologist at UNH’s New Hampshire Diagnostic Veterinary Lab. 

Many moons before Harlan Spence became the director for the UNH Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space (EOS), his father, an amateur astronomer, instilled in Spence a curiosity and excitement about the universe. This was the era of the Space Race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, and space exploration was on everyone’s minds, televisions and airwaves; it was especially captivating for Spence during his youth. 

For a time, UNH researchers Paula Mouser and Adam Wymore were connected only by the invisible chemicals they were studying. 

That is, Mouser, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, and Wymore, associate professor of natural resources and the environment, had both independently worked on research tackling the impact of pollution. Mouser’s recent work focused specifically on PFAS — toxic substances found in many industrial and consumer products known as “forever chemicals” for their persistence in the environment. 

By all measures, FY24 was another outstanding year for UNH research, economic engagement and outreach. Our research awards continue to rise, expenditures were higher than ever and our work improved lives in New Hampshire and beyond.

Every year, New Hampshire’s coastline is battered by winter storms, reshaping the shore unpredictably and making risk assessments for coastal flooding a moving target. To help identify both resilient and vulnerable areas, some 40 volunteers hit the beaches to collect information on beach elevation, slope and other characteristics at 15 locations in New Hampshire. 

National Science Foundation Faculty Early Development (CAREER) Awards  

Aleksey Charapko  
Assistant professor of computer science 

Linqing Li  
Assistant professor of chemical engineering 

Tracy Mandel  
Assistant professor of mechanical engineering 

Faculty Honors

Shawna Hollen  
Associate professor of physics 
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Experimental Physics Investigator