Dear CEE Community and Friends,

I hope everyone is off to a great start this semester.

In this month’s newsletter we share an op-ed from the CSHub explaining how cities can combat extreme heat. Professor Elfatih Eltahir and former grad student Alexandre Tuel PhD ’20 examine the future of climate change in Europe, and we share an interview with CEE alumna Lynn Yamada Davis ’77, who has found success in her second career as a TikTok creator. We also congratulate CEE alumnus Andrew Feldman PhD ’21 for receiving the 2021 Lorenz G. Straub Award.

Also in this issue, we highlight new research from Professor Masic’s Lab, and Professor Serguei Saaverdra who worked with a team of researchers to investigate how multiple species coexist in fragmented landscapes. This month’s profile is on CEE alumna Christine Langston ’19, who discusses her current role as a Data Implementation Engineer.

Sincerely,

Ali Jadbabaie

JR East Professor

Department Head, MIT Civil and Environmental Engineering

Core Faculty, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society

Extreme heat is the deadliest natural hazard in the United States and impacts vulnerable communities at a higher rate. The CSHub explains how implementing reflective pavements can help in this op-ed in The Hill.

This summer has been a glimpse into Europe's hot, dry future

Rising temperatures in Europe have led to severe heatwaves and droughts. CEE Prof. Elfatih Eltahir and Alexandre Tuel PhD '20 share how its proximity to the Mediterranean may make it a hotspot for climate change.

CEE alumna named one of Forbes' 2022 Top Creators

After a 29-year engineering career, CEE alumna Lynn Yamada Davis '77 has gained over 11 million followers on her TikTok account, "Cooking with Lynja." In this interview with Forbes, Davis discusses the success she's found in her second career.

CEE alumnus receives 2021 Lorenz G. Straub Award 

Andrew Feldman PhD '21 received the 2021 Lorenz G. Straub Award for his dissertation on ecosystems in Africa and post-storm drydown as the fundamental unit of time where the water, energy, and carbon cycles link over land.

New research from Prof. Admir Masic's Lab explains the durability of crushed ceramics in the ancient Roman empire, and how it could inspire the sustainable design of modern infrastructure.

How can multiple species coexist in fragmented landscapes?

In a new study published in PNAS, CEE Prof. Serguei Saaverdra and a team of researchers developed a mathematical framework to better understand how multiple species coexist in fragmented landscapes. 

Alumni Spotlight: Christine Langston '19

Christine Langston graduated with her bachelor's degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from MIT in 2019. She followed the systems core track of the degree, and now works as a Data Implementation Engineer at Tolemi, a government technology company in Boston.

Upcoming Events

Monday, November 14 | 4-5pm | 1-190

CC Mei Distinguished Speaker Series: Alain Goriely

Monday, November 28 | 4-5pm | 1-190

CC Mei Distinguished Speaker Series: Alan Needleman

Please note, the September 19th event with Pradeep Sharma, M.D. has been cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later date.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Civil 

and Environmental Engineering

77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 1-290 Cambridge, MA 02139-4307 

(617) 253-7101

CEE.MIT.EDU

Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for? (Audience) Why should they care? (Benefit) What do I want them to do here? (Call-to-Action)

Create a great offer by adding words like "free" "personalized" "complimentary" or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take an action, so think about inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining"!