The Institute assembles research teams drawn from all campus academic units and organizes professional training courses on many environmental topics. These agreements, such as TEI's Cooperative Marine Education and Research Program, create partnerships between the University and public agencies and have several benefits. The partnership encourages an ongoing dialogue between University researches and agency staff that leads to the development of mutually beneficial research and teaching programs, enables University researchers to anticipate and respond quickly to agency needs, and provide students with opportunities to gain valuable education and training.
Partnerships also extend to the private sector.
Since 1985, The Environmental Institute has conducted and managed more than 300 projects for public agencies and private firms. Over the years, WRRC has made significant contributions in water research at the national, regional, state, and local levels. Projects address a range of water issues including acid rain, drinking water quality, waste treatment and disposal, and water information management. WRRC has been a leader in demonstrating the ability of citizen volunteers to successfully monitor water quality and meet federal and state standards for data quality, in advancing citizen monitoring as an effective partner in water quality monitoring, and in encouraging citizen stewardship of the environment. MassWWP assists local watershed groups in monitoring and solving water quality problems, particularly those caused by non-point source pollution.