Michael Lengefeld's research intersects with his work with community organizations, such as the Food Recovery Network and the Goucher Prison Education Project. Professor Lengefeld teaches courses in Sociology and Environmental Studies, with a focus on social and environmental transformation. His research examines the dynamics of violence, development, and environmental justice.

Dr. Lengefeld’s comparative-historical work on the environmental consequences of Cold War nuclear weapons production and the U.S. War on Drugs in Latin America is published in the Journal of World-Systems Research, Human Ecology Review, and Armed Forces and Society.