July & August 2023- Issue 13 | |
The CUNY CREST Bi-Monthly Bulletin | |
The City University of New York Remote Sensing Earth Systems Institute (CUNY CREST) Bi-Monthly Bulletin is an initiative to keep you up to-date on the Institute’s success stories, events, opportunities, highlights, and more. | |
From the Desk of the Executive Director | | |
|
The CUNY CREST Institute is pleased to release the July-August issue of its bi-monthly bulletin, that highlights CREST’s participation in the transfer of ownership ceremony of the James J. Howard Laboratory, 2023 Unifying Innovations in Forecasting Capabilities Workshop, and First Annual NOAA EPP/MSI CESSRST II Symposium. Additionally, CREST visited the NOAA/OAR/GFDL to discuss the status of efforts towards potential collaboration for a number of NOAA priorities. The institute successfully completed three summer programs; 2023 CUNY CREST Summer Bridge, CUNY CityTech NSF REU and NSF IUSE and CUNY CREST HIRES. Two of our senior faculty received national & international recognition. This summer, we lost one of our alumni and colleagues, Dr. Shahab Afshari Tork. There are no right words to express our sorrow, but we wish to share a moment of appreciation for a joyful life taken too soon. | |
CREST Invited to Participate in the Transfer of Ownership Ceremony of the James J. Howard Laboratory | |
(L-R) Beth Phelan, Rep. Frank Pallone, Ben Friedman, Jon Hare at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony | |
CREST was invited to participate in the Transfer of Ownership Ceremony of the James J. Howard Laboratory held on July 11, 2023 in front of the James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory building within the Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area in Highlands, New Jersey. | |
CREST Visits the NOAA/OAR/Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton | |
On July 11, 2023, CREST visited the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/ Oceanic and Atmospheric Research/Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (NOAA/OAR/GFDL). Directors, Deputies, and several scientists from the CREST Institute and GFDL participated in this meeting. It was a follow up from the meeting in March 2023, that initiated exploration of expanding the existing and establishing new research and training collaborations between GFDL and CUNY for NOAA priorities associated with weather, ocean and climate modeling & prediction. The visit was engaging and productive. | |
CREST Participates in eeBLUE Young Changemakers Summit | | |
CUNY CREST HIRES Director, Dr. Shakila Merchant was invited to participate in the 2023 eeBLUE Young Changemakers Summit held at the Herbert C Hover Department Commerce Building, in Washington, DC from July 19 to 22, 2023. The summit was engaging and a great medium to encourage the youth to think about ways to make an impact in their communities, particularly in ocean and environment. The youth changemakers will spend the 2023-2024 working on their community project with guidance from NOAA mentors, and will meet with NOAA leadership periodically to give insights into the agency’s direction based on their perspectives and lived experiences as young people. | |
Dr. Shakila Merchant with Dr. Rick Spinrad, Nicole Bartlett- NOAA’s Regional Coordinator for the North Atlantic, and young changemakers. | |
CREST Participates in the 2023 Unifying Innovations in Forecasting Capabilities Workshop | | |
|
(L-R)- WPO Program Manager-Tamara Battle,
Dr. Shakila Merchant; NOAA NWS Social Scientist-
Dr. Valerie Vere and Dr. Christopher Spells (NOAA CREST Alumnus)
| |
CUNY CREST HIRES Director, Dr. Shakila Merchant represented the institute at the 2023 Unifying Innovations in Forecasting Capabilities Workshop by Earth Prediction Innovation Center and the Unified Forecast System. She was invited to participate in the DEI panel that discussed the importance and need for diversity and inclusion in community modeling. The workshop was held from July 24 to 28, 2023 at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research Center, Boulder Colorado. The theme of the workshop was ‘Innovation and Community’ and its goal was to ‘engage the greater Weather Enterprise in the ongoing effort to accelerate contributions to the Unified Forecast System.’ | |
|
CREST Participates in the First Annual
NOAA CESSRST-II Symposium
| | |
|
|
CREST participated in the first annual NOAA Center for Earth System Sciences and Remote Sensing Technologies II (CESSRST) Symposium held at CCNY, NY from July 31 to August 2, 2023. The symposium provided a forum for students, faculty, and the community to discuss cutting edge remote sensing research topics and to examine the connection between research and education. On the third day of the event, Dr. Shakila Merchant delivered a workshop on Branding and Developing Professional Self-identity.
| |
CREST's Faculty Receive National & International Recognition | |
Dr. Maria Tzortziou Appointed by the White House to its Newly Formed Ocean Research Advisory Panel | Dr. Maria Tzortziou, Professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Science at CCNY and Director of the Research and Application Pillar at CUNY CREST is amongst the 18 experts appointed by the White House to its newly formed Ocean Research Advisory Panel (ORAP). The ORAP is tasked to provide the Ocean Policy Committee of the National Oceanographic Partnership Program with independent scientific advice and recommendations on national oceanographic matters. | |
Dr. Kaveh Madani Awarded the Title of Honorary Diplomate by the European Water Resources Association | Dr. Kaveh Madani, Director of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health and Research Professor and Director of the Environmental Justice Pillar at CUNY CREST has been awarded the title of “Honorary Diplomate” for “his remarkable contributions to the society” by the European Water Resources Association (EWRA). | |
Dr. Reza Khanbilvardi Appointed as the Director of the Earth System Science & Environmental Engineering at CCNY | | |
CREST’s Executive Director, Dr. Reza Khanbilvardi has been appointed as the Director of the Earth System Science and Environmental Engineering at CCNY. Earth System and Environmental Engineering program is a multidisciplinary program designed to provide a broader foundation in engineering and sciences, allowing students to take classes in multiple departments. | |
|
2023 Summer Programs Highlight | |
The CUNY CREST Institute successfully completed three summer programs; 2023 CUNY CREST HIRES & Summer Bridge and CUNY City College of Technology National Science Foundation (NSF) Undergraduate Research Program (REU) & NSF IUSE. | |
|
It was a fulfilling and engaging summer where over 45 interns (24 HIRES, 5 Summer Bridge and 16 REU/IUSE interns) got the opportunity to:
- Develop technical skills in GIS, Remote Sensing, & Python
- Work on research projects that helped them apply skills learned in workshops
- Develop effective public speaking skills by attending workshops hosted by Irondale
- Develop science communication skills to be able to present research and training to scientific and non-scientific audience
- Attend guest lectures, seminars, field trips, & professional development activities
- Learn about various fellowships and opportunities
| |
Family Day at The Resilience, Education, Training and Innovation Center, Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY | On July 26th, 2023, summer interns celebrated Family Day at the beautiful waterfront barge at the Resilience, Education, Training, and Innovation (RETI) Center. Family Day is a tradition where the interns and their families come together to socialize over food and music, share thoughts outside of the classroom, participate in recreational activities and enjoy themselves. This year, during the event, interns enjoyed a wonderful Barbeque surrounded by fresh air and BlueBlock floating gardens. The event brought together RETI interns, staff and Red Hook community members who are community making NYC waterfronts sustainable and a BlueCity. | |
|
Weather Balloon Launch at NOAA NWS Office in Upton, NY
| On July 27th, 2023, summer interns visited the US. Department of Commerce NOAA National Weather Service New York, Upton NY. They gained the opportunity to tour the NWS operations floor as well as participate in outdoor activities such as conducting an atmospheric moisture experiment using sling psychrometers. Interns were deeply engaged and enjoyed learning about the use of radar and satellite data in warning operations and the workings of the NWS forecast office. CUNY CREST is thankful to the NOAA NWS for hosting its summer interns. | |
2nd Annual Environmental Justice Tour by U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.-13) | |
On August 7, 2023, summer interns attended the 2nd Annual Environmental Justice Tour hosted by the U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.-13) in conjunction with the Bronx and Harlem River Watersheds, Urban Waters Federal Partnership, Harlem River Working Group, Bronx Council for Environmental Quality, Hudson River Foundation, and WE ACT. | |
|
CUNY Doctoral Student &
2023 CUNY CREST HIRES Mentor Highlight
| | |
|
The CUNY Doctoral Student and 2023 CUNY CREST High School Initiative in Remote Sensing of the Earth Systems Engineering and Sciences (HIRES) Mentor, Richard Rivera has been part of the Institute since April, 2023. Ever since, Richard has made significant contributions to the Institute’s mission through his passion, dedication, and sense of community. Richard will begin his Ph.D. degree in Earth and Environmental Science from the CUNY Graduate Center in fall 2023. His research will focus on Microclimate, Coastal Flooding and Impacts on Communities in the Floodplains. | |
Richard, as an incoming cohort II NOAA-CESSRST Fellow starting Fall 2023, is planning to conduct his research under the mentorship of Dr. Reza Khanbilvardi. Further, Richard will seek guidance from CUNY CREST HIRES Director, Dr. Shakila Merchant on NYC community and stakeholder engagement to create a framework on coastal community resilience in the face of flooding due to climate change and sea level rise. | |
CREST Featured in the RICC |
CREST’s Executive Director, Dr. Khanbilvardi recently interviewed with the Research and Innovation at City College (RICC) about efforts towards advancing a more equitable adaptation to the climate change effects in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Dr. Khanbilvardi will be leading a team of City College students joining the Climate Adaptation Partnerships network to do the same. The interview resulted in the publication of the article titled ‘Advancing Equitable Climate Adaptation in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands’ in the RICC. | |
CREST Faculty Affiliates Featured in Media Outlets | CREST faculty affiliates, Prof. Neal Phillip and Prof. Paramita Sen visited India leading the Bronx Community College/City University of New York Climate Change Project funded by US Consulate, Mumbai. During the trip, Prof. Phillip and Prof. Sen were accompanied by 17 CUNY students and four other faculty/staff. The team set up weather/air quality monitoring devices and to increase awareness of climate change in 5 states of western India covered by US Consulate Mumbai. | |
Remembering Dr. Shahab Afshari Tork | | |
This summer, CUNY CREST lost one of its alumni and colleagues, Dr. Shahab Afshari Tork. He passed away after a long battle with cancer. Born in Iran, he came to the United States to follow his dream of pursuing higher education. Dr. Afshari Tork was an integral part of our professional community at CCNY. He published more than 15 manuscripts and presented at many conferences. Dr. Afsahri Tork lived an amazing life doting on family and friends. There are no right words to express our sorrow, but we wish to share a moment of appreciation for a joyful life taken too soon. The Institute is working on establishing a fellowship in Dr. Shahab Afshari Tork’s name. | |
Grant and Fellowship Opportunities | |
Opportunities at Department of Energy | |
The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Science will sponsor the participation of 139 undergraduate students through internships and five faculty members from institutions underrepresented in the Scientific Research Enterprise, in three STEM-focused workforce development programs at 14 DOE national laboratories and a national fusion facility during Fall 2023. | |
The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science is pleased to announce that the Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program is now accepting applications for the 2023 Solicitation 2 cycle. Applications are due on November 8, 2023, at 5:00 pm ET. | |
NOAA CESSRST II Fellowship | |
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Center for Earth System Sciences and Remote Sensing Technologies (NOAA CESSRST) II is one of the four Cooperative Science Centers. The program is funded by the NOAA Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving institutions (EPP/MSI). It provides the education and training for graduates to form a pathway to workforce opportunities within NOAA and the NOAA mission enterprise.
| |
The Human Lander Challenge | |
Academic Level:
Undergraduate (1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th year, Masters, PhD)
| The Human Lander Challenge is an initiative supporting NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate’s efforts to explore innovative solutions for a variety of known Human Landing System challenge areas. Through this competition, college students become important partners in NASA’s advancement of HLS technologies, concepts, and approaches. The top three placing teams share a total prize purse of $18,000. Deadline: October 22, 2023. | | |
|
About the CUNY CREST Institute
The CUNY CREST institute was officially approved in June 2010 and inaugurated on November 29, 2010. It is designed to provide a collaborative environment for faculty and scientists from various CUNY campuses to engage in the field of Earth System Sciences and Remote Sensing. This environment helps create opportunities to attract external funding and bring in new resources for the faculty, students, and CUNY as a whole. The mission of the institute is to develop technical capabilities needed to conduct research that impacts the Earth's System and thus help create a sustainable society and further advance the educational mission of the university. For additional information, visit crest.cuny.edu.
|
| | | |
