diff --git a/cascade/learning/mace.py b/cascade/learning/mace.py
index 9c38e06..90f55a2 100644
--- a/cascade/learning/mace.py
+++ b/cascade/learning/mace.py
@@ -29,6 +29,34 @@
 """Just the model, which we require being the MACE which includes scale shifting logic"""
 
 
+# TODO (wardlt): Use https://github.com/ACEsuit/mace/pull/830 when merged
+def freeze_layers(model: torch.nn.Module, n: int = 4) -> None:
+    """
+    Freezes the first `n` layers of a model. If `n` is negative, freezes the last `|n|` layers.
+    Args:
+        model (torch.nn.Module): The model.
+        n (int): The number of layers to freeze.
+    """
+    layers = list(model.children())
+    num_layers = len(layers)
+
+    logging.info(f"Total layers in model: {num_layers}")
+
+    if abs(n) > num_layers:
+        logging.warning(
+            f"Requested {n} layers, but model only has {num_layers}. Adjusting `n` to fit the model."
+        )
+        n = num_layers if n > 0 else -num_layers
+
+    frozen_layers = layers[:n] if n > 0 else layers[n:]
+
+    logging.info(f"Freezing {len(frozen_layers)} layers.")
+
+    for layer in frozen_layers:
+        for param in layer.parameters():
+            param.requires_grad = False
+
+
 def atoms_to_loader(atoms: list[Atoms], batch_size: int, z_table: AtomicNumberTable, r_max: float, **kwargs):
     """
     Make a data loader from a list of ASE atoms objects
@@ -125,7 +153,29 @@ def train(self,
               stress_weight: float = 100,
               reset_weights: bool = False,
               patience: int | None = None,
-              **kwargs) -> tuple[bytes, pd.DataFrame]:
+              num_freeze: int | None = None
+              ) -> tuple[bytes, pd.DataFrame]:
+        """Train a model
+
+        Args:
+            model_msg: Model to be retrained
+            train_data: Structures used for training
+            valid_data: Structures used for validation
+            num_epochs: Number of training epochs
+            device: Device (e.g., 'cuda', 'cpu') used for training
+            batch_size: Batch size during training
+            learning_rate: Initial learning rate for optimizer
+            huber_deltas: Delta parameters for the loss functions for energy and force
+            force_weight: Amount of weight to use for the force part of the loss function
+            stress_weight: Amount of weight to use for the stress part of the loss function
+            reset_weights: Whether to reset the weights before training
+            patience: Halt training after validation error increases for these many epochs
+            num_freeze: Number of layers to freeze. Starts from the top of the model (node embedding)
+                See: `Radova et al. <https://arxiv.org/html/2502.15582v1>`_
+        Returns:
+            - model: Retrained model
+            - history: Training history
+        """
 
         # Load the model
         model = self.get_model(model_msg)
@@ -142,6 +192,10 @@ def train(self,
         for p in model.parameters():
             p.requires_grad = True
 
+        # Freeze desired layers
+        if num_freeze is not None:
+            freeze_layers(model, num_freeze)
+
         # Convert the training data from ASE -> MACE Configs
         train_loader = atoms_to_loader(train_data, batch_size, z_table, r_max, shuffle=True, drop_last=True)
         valid_loader = atoms_to_loader(valid_data, batch_size, z_table, r_max, shuffle=False, drop_last=True)
diff --git a/environment.yml b/environment.yml
index 38f0eec..1e7e776 100644
--- a/environment.yml
+++ b/environment.yml
@@ -5,29 +5,20 @@ channels:
 dependencies:
   # Core dependencies
   - python==3.11
-  - matplotlib
-  - scikit-learn>=1
-  - jupyterlab
-  - pandas
-  - pytest
-  - flake8
-  - pip
 
   # Computational chemistry
   - packmol
   - cp2k
 
-  # For nersc's jupyterlab
-  - ipykernel
-
-# Pip packages for all of them
+  # Pip packages for the Python modules
+  - pip
   - pip:
-      - git+https://gitlab.com/ase/ase.git
-      - git+https://github.com/ACEsuit/mace.git
-      - torch
-      - mlflow
-      - pytorch-ignite
-      - python-git-info
-      - tqdm
+      # General utilities
+      - matplotlib
       - papermill
-      - -e .
+      - scikit-learn>=1
+      - jupyterlab
+      - pandas
+
+      # ML side
+      - -e .[mace,chgnet,ani]
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 2c2b1d3..c15f486 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -48,5 +48,5 @@ chgnet = [
 ]
 mace = [
     'mace-torch',
-    'ignite'
+    'pytorch-ignite'
 ]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/learning/test_mace.py b/tests/learning/test_mace.py
index 5ba9f7d..c24cefb 100644
--- a/tests/learning/test_mace.py
+++ b/tests/learning/test_mace.py
@@ -48,3 +48,13 @@ def test_inference(mace, example_data):
     assert np.isclose(atoms.get_potential_energy(), energy[0]).all()
     assert np.isclose(atoms.get_forces(), forces[0]).all()
     assert np.isclose(atoms.get_stress(voigt=False), stresses[0]).all()
+
+
+def test_freeze(example_data, mace):
+    # Get baseline predictions, train
+    mi = MACEInterface()
+    model_msg, _ = mi.train(mace, example_data, example_data, 2, batch_size=2, patience=1, num_freeze=2)
+    model: MACEState = mi.get_model(model_msg)
+    is_trainable = [all(y.requires_grad for y in x.parameters()) for x in model.children()]
+    assert not is_trainable[0]
+    assert all(is_trainable[4:6])  # Layers >4 include some layers which are not trainable
diff --git a/tests/test_proxima.py b/tests/test_proxima.py
index 4b75bc8..b284531 100644
--- a/tests/test_proxima.py
+++ b/tests/test_proxima.py
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ def simple_proxima(simple_model, target_calc, tmpdir):
 def initialized_db(simple_proxima, target_calc, starting_frame):
     """Initialize the database"""
     # Compute a set of initial calcs if required
-    global _initial_calcs
     if len(_initial_calcs) == 0:
         for i in range(12):
             new_frame = starting_frame.copy()