Our interdisciplinary, international team develops holistic solutions that focus on all areas of the Food-Energy-Water (FEW) nexus, enhancing climate resilience and protecting global public health.
Defining the FEW Nexus
What do we mean by food-energy-water systems?
- No food can be grown without water and energy
- Wastewater treatment requires energy and electricity generation requires vast amounts of water
- Energy should be sourced sustainably in ways that don't increase climate change
The FEW nexus approaches sustainable food production by integrating these three essential resources. We can engineer more efficient ways to irrigate crops, such as drip irrigation and rainwater capture. We can integrate renewable energy systems, such as solar arrays, biogas, and small-scale hydropower, so that food is produced with less climate impact. And we can produce a variety of nutritious food that supports public health while nurturing local ecosystems through biodiversity and permaculture forest cover.
Read more about how the FEW nexus supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Facts on the FEW nexus
Register Today: Our Coursera MOOC
Our Global FEWture: Cultivating Food-Energy-Water Solutions is our new Coursera offering.
Through four accessible modules, our global team of experts teaches the systems dynamics, local challenges, and global solutions to providing food, energy, and water amid a changing climate.
The course will be of interest to farmers, community organizers, public health scientists, agricultural scientists, environmental engineers, and students across disciplines. Please join us by enrolling in the first module for free!
Coursera MOOC
Register for Winter Session: ENVH 413/613
UMD Global STEWARDS: Professional Development Series for Emerging Scholars
WINTER 2026 | 1 Credit
Tues/Thurs 10:30 am - 1:00 pm
Designed for students seeking to build essential professional development skills for success across diverse career paths. The course offers interactive workshops, seminars, and experiential activities on science communication, technical writing, ethics, grant and budget management, leadership, conflict resolution, and career planning. Students will gain transferable skills and professional competencies to excel as emerging scholars in academia, industry, government, and non-profit sectors.
Open to graduate students and upper-level undergraduates.
Learn more about UMD Global STEWARDS: globalstewards.umd.edu
Instructor: Dr. Suhana Chattopadhyay
UMD Global STEWARDS Graduate Research
Our UMD Global STEWARDS graduate students are innovative researchers in Food-Energy-Water science!
This pair of short videos captures the essence of their research:
The what, how, and why of FEW nexus science. Check it out!
Nick An, Fahmi Dwilaksono, Ujjwol Subedi, Tiberias Okanga
Asangwing Formukong, Gerry Andhikaputra, Rafian Aziz, John Samura, Qingyue Zheng
UMD Global STEWARDS Graduate Research
University Park Elementary School Garden Takes Root
Over three straight volunteer weekends, using the muscle and heart of the community, we have installed the raised beds and pollinator garden at UPES!
Look for much more action as the K-5 students and their teachers start growing their own fruits and vegetables in 2026. Grow, Eagles!
UPES School Garden
Check out a selection of photos from our Second Annual Symposium, which was held April 23-24, 2025 in the Stamp Union at UMD.
Full session videos are available on our Symposium Page.
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Maryland Research and Capacity Building
Nepal FEWture
Nepal Research and Capacity Building
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Tanzania Research and Capacity Building
Experiential Education
Project-based Learning Opportunities
Community-Driven Capacity Building
Inclusive, Holistic Approaches