SoMAS students and faculty have spent some of their summer preparing for conferences, giving talks and training future scholars. Here are a few updates:
Nicholas Leonardo, Ph.D. candidate in Prof. Brian Colle‘s group, was awarded Best Student Oral Presentation for the 29th Conference on Weather and Forecasting in Denver, CO 4-8 June 2018 for his talk entitled: “An Investigation of Large Track Errors of North Atlantic Tropical Cyclones.” For this presentation, Nick highlighted some of the relatively large track errors that can occur in operational weather models, and he showed how the along-track errors are linked to storms transitioning to extratropical cyclones over the western Atlantic, while the cross-track errors are more related to developing errors in the subtropical ridge.
Alum Ryan Connelly, M.S. from Prof. Brian Colle‘s group, was awarded Best Student Oral Presentation for the 25th Conference on Numerical Weather Prediction in Denver, CO 4-8 June 2018 (held concurrently with the Conference on Weather and Forecasting) for his talk entitled: Predictability of Snow Multi-Bands in the Cyclone Comma Head Using a 40-Member WRF Ensemble. Ryan’s research built directly on fundamental work by alum Sara Ganetis by applying an objective classifying tool to the diagnosis of smaller snow bands than have been studied previously (referred to as multi-bands) to test how well they can be simulated by high-resolution weather models. He found that they still struggle significantly, and that therefore, the amount of information that can be drawn from the data set about what separates cases with these multi-bands from cases without them was limited.
Other members of Prof. Brian Colle’s group also gave presentations at the AMS 29th Conference on Weather Analysis and Forecasting / 25th Conference on Numerical Weather Prediction on 4-8 June 2018 in Denver, CO:
- Brian Colle and Na Zhou: Evaluating Cloud Microphysical Schemes in Simulating Orographic Precipitation Using Intensive OLYMPEX Field Instrumentation
- Keenan Fryer: Validating a WRF Ensemble using IMPOWR Field Data for Two Fire Weather Days in Central New Jersey
- Taylor Mandelbaum: Assessing the Spread/Error Relationship for East Coast Winter Cyclones
The labs of Drs. Jackie Collier, Anne McElroy, Nicholas Fisher, Brian Colle and Dianna Padilla hosted Simons Summer Research Fellows. Established in 1984 as an outreach program for local high school students, Simons Fellows are matched with Stony Brook faculty mentors, join a research group or team, and assume responsibility for a project. The Simons Fellows conclude their apprenticeship by producing a written research abstract and a research poster. The poster presentations were on August 7 in the Charles B. Wang Center.
A student from John P. Stevens High School, presented their work on “Inactivation of a Proteorhodopsin-like Gene in Aurantiochytrium by Double Homologous Recombination.” The student was mentored by Dr. Jackie Collier and graduate students in her lab.
Kelsey Ge, from Ward Melville High School, presented her work on “Multidecadal Trends in North Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Behavior.” She was mentored by Dr. Brian Colle.
Sarah Kelso, from Huntsville High School in Huntsville, Alabama, presented her work on “Inactivation of the Carotenoid Synthesis Gene in a Non-Photosynthetic Marine Protist.” She was mentored by Dr. Jackie Collier and graduate students in her lab.
Tyler Masuyama, from Trinity School, presented his work on “Evaluating Wastewater Treatment Plant Efficacy and Effluent Toxicity via Zebrafish Behavior and Gene Expression.” He was mentored by Dr. Anne McElroy and graduate students in her lab.
Sagrika Samavedi, from Interlake High School in Washington State, presented her work on “Effect of Mercury and Selenium on Oceanic Phytoplankton Growth.” She was mentored by Dr. Nicholas Fisher.
Katie Sierra, from Northport High School, presented her work on “Effects of Multiple Stressors on Survivorship and Growth in Juvenile Mytilus edulis.” She was mentored by Dr. Dianna Padilla.
The ESRI International User Conference took place July 7-13 in San Diego, California. Donna Selch and Maria Brown both attended the conference.
Maria Brown commented that “this year we had a number of student posters accepted into the ESRI Map Gallery at the high school level (Stony Brook ACE Program) and undergraduate and graduate levels.” This conference attracts over 17,000 GIS users from 130 countries where 1000 map entries are accepted for display throughout the conference. Throughout the week, the conference participants vote on posters (People’s Choice Awards). Bettina Bonfiglio (Stony Brook ACE student at Sayville HS) received the 3rd Place Award in the HS Category for her geospatial research using Geostatistical Analyst. Fernando Amador also presented his paper at the Conference on the topic of integrating GIS into the Humanities and Lucy DiBenedetto interned at ESRI’s Redlands Offices all summer and was able to attend part of the Conference in San Diego as well.
SoMAS and Sustainability Studies Students presented the following Poster Presentations this year:
Fernando Amador – PhD student (History) – A Geospatial Analysis of Hacienda Distribution in the Valley of Atlixco during the 16th and 17th Centuries.
Cassidy Bell – Undergraduate (SoMAS-SUS) – Geospatial Analysis of Human Impacts on Sea Turtles, Eastern Florida, USA.
Courtney Stuart – Undergraduate (SoMAS) – Geospatial Analysis of Tiger Shark Distribution and Habitat Utilization Related to Depth and Potential Ontogenetic Diet Shifts Along the Subtidal Eastern Coastline, USA.
Lucy DiBenedetto – Undergraduate (SoMAS -SUS) – A Geospatial Analysis of Quantuck Bay, New York: Making Decisions for Remediation.
Peter Larios – Undergraduate (SoMAS) – Distribution of Juvenile Great White Sharks and Bottlenose and Short Beaked Common Dolphins off Long Island, New York.
Mark Lusty – Undergraduate (SoMAS) Defining Long Island’s Watersheds: Addressing Population for Managing Coastal Eutrophication.
Matthew McDermott – Undergraduate (SoMAS) – Geospatial Analysis of Tornadic Tropical Cyclones in Florida from 1995 – 2015.
Brooke Morrell – Graduate (SoMAS) Tracking water quality conditions associated with brown tide (Aurecoccus anophagefferens) blooms in Great South Bay (New York) during summer 2015.
Hailey Schatz – SUS – Grad Certificate in GIS – California Wildfire Risk Analysis.
Ian Schwarz – SUS – Grad Certificate in GIS – Geospatial Analysis of Natural Resources and Potential Water Contamination in the Former Bears Ears National Monument.
High School – Stony Brook University Accelerated College Education Program (ACE). These students complete GSS 313/314 as High School students.
Bettina Bonfiglio 3rd Place in Map Gallery (Sayville HS – Grade 11) A Comparative Analysis of Preterm Birth Rates in the United States Related to Demographics and Environmental Quality
Sohum Sheth (Sayville HS – Grade 11) Geospatial Analysis of the Distribution of Sea Turtles and Sharks off the Coast of Long Island, New York (1st Place Map Gallery in 2017)
Nita George (Sayville HS – Grade 11) Geospatial Analysis of Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida) Distribution Infected with Southern Pine Bark Beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis), Sans Souci County Park, New York
Isabelle Byrne (Sayville High School – Grade 10) Geospatial Analysis of Air Pollutants and Respiratory Diseases in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania
Congratulations to all!
