The Institute of Environmental Science of Huazhong University of Science and Technology was established in 1998. The first director is Professor Shen Yunfen, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Since its establishment, relying on the first-level discipline of environmental science and engineering and taking advantage of the comprehensive advantages of science, engineering and medicine of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, the Institute of Environmental Science has continuously explored the disciplinary development idea of integrating science, engineering and medicine and promoting teaching and scientific research. It has formed two main research directions including environmental chemistry and environmental biology. The research fields include sewage treatment and resource utilization, soil pollution remediation, environmental functional materials, big data analysis of environmental genomes, environmental behaviors and effects of new pollutants, etc.

   The Institute of Environmental Science currently has 6 professors and 3 associate professors. All teachers hold doctorate degrees and have overseas study/exchange experiences. They actively undertake national key research and development plan projects, National Natural Science Foundation projects, key research and development projects of provinces and cities and projects entrusted by enterprises and institutions.

   Facing the major needs of the country's low-carbon development and ecological civilization construction, the Institute of Environmental Science has been committed to cultivating high-quality talents for the construction of the national ecological civilization with solid theoretical foundation, strong practical innovation ability and strict logical thinking, and has achieved excellent results. In recent twenty years, many people such as Changjiang Scholars, national-level talents have been cultivated, as well as more than twenty professors/researchers.