Dear CEE Community and Friends,

In this month’s newsletter, we highlight the launch of the Jameel Observatory–CREWSnet's Adaptation Fortress in Bangladesh to better protect communities from extreme weather. We also recognize Professors Herbert Einstein and Haruko Murakami Wainwright, who have been named 2025–27 Committed to Caring honorees for their dedication to mentorship and student well-being.

Also in this issue, we share work from Research Scientist Judah Cohen, who is using AI-driven approaches to decode Arctic dynamics and extend lead times for predicting impactful winter weather, as well as a new study from Prof. Charles Harvey that examines industry influence and efficacy of carbon capture. Lastly, we share a special symposium organized by Parsons and CEE alumni in Houston for Professor Emeritus Rafael Bras that celebrates his longstanding leadership and innovation in hydrological science.

Sincerely,

Ali Jadbabaie

JR East Professor

Department Head, MIT Civil and Environmental Engineering

Core Faculty, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society

The Jameel Observatory–CREWSnet, an initiative led by Prof. Elfatih Eltahir, has begun construction on the first Adaptation Fortress in Bangladesh—protecting communities from both heatwaves and cyclones.

Two CEE faculty honored as “Committed to Caring” for 2025-27

Professors Herbert Einstein and Haruko Murakami Wainwright have been named Committed to Caring honorees. The Committed to Caring (C2C) program recognizes the outstanding professors who extend this dedication beyond the classroom, nurturing resilience, curiosity, and compassion in a new generation of innovators.

With the help of AI, MIT Research Scientist Judah Cohen is reshaping subseasonal forecasting, with the goal of extending the lead time for predicting impactful weather.

Study examines industry influence and efficacy of carbon capture, use, and storage (CCUS) deployment

A new study from Prof. Charles Harvey finds that fossil fuel companies dominate lobbying around carbon capture, spending nearly $1B over the past 20 years—far more than other industries. The research suggests this influence has helped steer climate policy toward solutions that extend fossil fuel use, raising questions about whose interests carbon capture really serves.

The Rafael Bras Symposium

The Rafael Bras Symposium at the 106th AMS Annual Meeting honors the 50+ year career of Rafael L. Bras. The symposium highlighted recent advances and future directions in hydrological science, including hydrometeorology, hydroclimatology, ecohydrology, and geomorphology. The symposium took place Wednesday, January 28 at AMS 2026 in Houston and online.

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