Web cookies (also called HTTP cookies, browser cookies, or simply cookies) are small pieces of data that websites store on your device (computer, phone, etc.) through your web browser. They are used to remember information about you and your interactions with the site.
Purpose of Cookies:
Session Management:
Keeping you logged in
Remembering items in a shopping cart
Saving language or theme preferences
Personalization:
Tailoring content or ads based on your previous activity
Tracking & Analytics:
Monitoring browsing behavior for analytics or marketing purposes
Types of Cookies:
Session Cookies:
Temporary; deleted when you close your browser
Used for things like keeping you logged in during a single session
Persistent Cookies:
Stored on your device until they expire or are manually deleted
Used for remembering login credentials, settings, etc.
First-Party Cookies:
Set by the website you're visiting directly
Third-Party Cookies:
Set by other domains (usually advertisers) embedded in the website
Commonly used for tracking across multiple sites
Authentication cookies are a special type of web cookie used to identify and verify a user after they log in to a website or web application.
What They Do:
Once you log in to a site, the server creates an authentication cookie and sends it to your browser. This cookie:
Proves to the website that you're logged in
Prevents you from having to log in again on every page you visit
Can persist across sessions if you select "Remember me"
What's Inside an Authentication Cookie?
Typically, it contains:
A unique session ID (not your actual password)
Optional metadata (e.g., expiration time, security flags)
Analytics cookies are cookies used to collect data about how visitors interact with a website. Their primary purpose is to help website owners understand and improve user experience by analyzing things like:
How users navigate the site
Which pages are most/least visited
How long users stay on each page
What device, browser, or location the user is from
What They Track:
Some examples of data analytics cookies may collect:
Page views and time spent on pages
Click paths (how users move from page to page)
Bounce rate (users who leave without interacting)
User demographics (location, language, device)
Referring websites (how users arrived at the site)
Here’s how you can disable cookies in common browsers:
1. Google Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data.
Choose your preferred option:
Block all cookies (not recommended, can break most websites).
Block third-party cookies (can block ads and tracking cookies).
2. Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
Under the Enhanced Tracking Protection section, choose Strict to block most cookies or Custom to manually choose which cookies to block.
3. Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the top-left corner of the screen.
Go to Preferences > Privacy.
Check Block all cookies to stop all cookies, or select options to block third-party cookies.
4. Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Cookies and site permissions.
Select your cookie settings from there, including blocking all cookies or blocking third-party cookies.
5. On Mobile (iOS/Android)
For Safari on iOS: Go to Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security > Block All Cookies.
For Chrome on Android: Open the app, tap the three dots, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies.
Be Aware:
Disabling cookies can make your online experience more difficult. Some websites may not load properly, or you may be logged out frequently. Also, certain features may not work as expected.
The Institute of the Environment and Energy (IoEE) at UConn brings together the expertise and passion of scientists and scholars across the University to address some of the most pressing challenges and grandest opportunities facing society in the 21st century.
Our Mission
To discover, develop, engage, and enact socio-technical solutions to enhance the social, economic, cultural, and natural environments and secure the energy system of Connecticut and beyond.
The work of IoEE starts internally, through collaborations with the University’s operational units to ensure that our institutional commitments to sustainability and green infrastructure are essential values that guide decision-making. Administratively, IoEE currently comprises more than 170 faculty members and includes five administrative units: the Center for Environmental Sciences & Engineering (CESE), the Eversource Energy Center (EEC), the Natural Resources Conservation Academy (NRCA), the New England Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (TCTAC), and the Office of Sustainability (OS).
Students learn about drones and drone safety as part of the Natural Resources Conservation Acadamy (NRCA) program in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment (NRE) in the College of Agricultural, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) on the quad in front of the Wildfred B. Young Building (YNG). July 19, 2024. (Jason Sheldon/UConn Photo)
The winners of the Clean Energy and Sustainability Innovation Program (CESIP) Student Challenge Award stand onstage with Bill Quinlan, left, president of transmission & offshore wind projects for Eversource Energy, during the Sustainable Clean Energy Summit in the Student Union Theater on Sept. 23, 2024. (Sydney Herdle/UConn Photo)
The IoEE works to advance foundational understanding and develop innovative solutions to pressing environmental challenges, to prepare the next generation as adept and agile members of a 21st century workforce, and to inform and engage the public about what are arguably the existential issues of our time. Solving environmental problems related to climate change, sustainability, food security, pollution, and species extinction requires an interdisciplinary approach that leverages expertise from diverse disciplines across the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. It requires consideration of multiple angles, from biophysical to cultural, and from legal to health perspectives.
Our Focus Areas
Research
The Institute of the Environment and Energy (IoEE) brings together UConn’s world-class faculty and cutting-edge research facilities to deliver integrated, ground-breaking solutions to the urgent challenges of rapidly-changing environmental conditions and the transition to a sustainable, secure energy system. IoEE partners with communities, industry, and government to turn innovation into action, from problem identification to solution implementation.
Education
We prepare the next generation of thinkers and doers at the nexus of science, innovation, and community. Through hands-on learning, internships, and collaborative networks, our sustainability and resilience programs empower learners to advance knowledge, spark innovation, and create real-world impact.
Outreach
The Institute's outreach activities connect communities, industry, government, and non-profit partners to address pressing environmental and energy challenges with the latest scientific advancements. Through early and sustained stakeholder engagement we ensure that solutions are responsive, inclusive, and grounded in real-world impact.
