Center for Coupled Urban & Rural Environmental Sustainability (CURES)

CURES is addressing the problems of underserved communities in rural and small urban areas through a multidisciplinary approach that unites sciences, engineering, social sciences, and humanities.

Lubbock has long served as the economic, educational, and healthcare hub for rural communities in the South Plains region of the Texas Panhandle. Our location gives Texas Tech researchers a unique perspective on the ways secondary or mid-sized cities are connected culturally, economically, and environmentally to our rural neighbors.

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Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute (FBRI)

If current production and waste management trends continue, roughly 12,000 million tons of plastic waste will be in landfills or the natural environment by 2050. The growing environmental concerns regarding the accumulation of microplastics led to an urgent need to find alternatives to petroleum-based materials.

FBRI researchers have developed a process to break down low-quality cotton fibers into cellulose in as little as 10 minutes. The cellulose can then be molded in a gel form and shaped into a bioplastic that is completely biodegradable in 6-8 months.

With facilities designed to test, evaluate, and manufacture textiles and fabrics, FBRI is exploring better ways to produce high quality fiber that is produced and used in more sustainable ways. 

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Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance (IGCAST)

From genome to phenome, scientists are using cutting-edge genomics tools to improve crop productivity under adverse conditions while simultaneously improving nutritional value and fiber quality.

IGCAST researchers are also developing technologies, materials and processes to use bioengineering approaches for food production from carbon dioxide. With an estimated 820 million people worldwide undernourished, there is a pressing need for a cheap and renewable source of proteins, fatty acids, and essential micronutrients.

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