Spring is starting to reveal itself and that means we are approaching award season!

Congratulations to the two winners of the 2021 JR Schubel Fellowship!

Naomi Miller, advised by Dr. Kevin Reed and Dr. Donovan Finn
Farinaz Motlagh, advised by Dr. Sara Hamideh

 

Erica Bower from the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences is one of eight students from Stony Brook University have received the first-ever SUNY Graduate Research Empowering and Accelerating Talent (GREAT) award, which provides $5,000 to each student in flexible funds for research expenses, professional development and supplemental stipend support. The recipients have all won national recognition for their research from prestigious graduate fellowship programs sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. A total of 22 students received the award.

According to Erica, her “research focuses on the analysis of global tropical cyclone-related extreme precipitation throughout the entire life cycle of a storm, including its post-tropical phases. This work identifies the trends in tropical cyclone precipitation in the past and will continue to investigate future changes in these events. By analyzing and verifying operational forecast models, this project will also determine the most accurate model predictions for tropical cyclone rainfall and flooding events in order to create more accurate forecasts with greater lead times.” Erica is a student in the Climate Extremes Group led by Dr. Kevin Reed.

“We are incredibly excited and proud that eight of our Stony Brook students are among the recipients of the very first SUNY Graduate Research Empowering and Accelerating Talent (GREAT) award,” said Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis. “It is a testament to their tremendous accomplishments and to the standing of Stony Brook University as a top research institution whose diversity, dedication to socioeconomic mobility, and academic excellence is making a significant impact on our world.”

“SUNY conducts world-leading research. Students are often looked at as our future leaders, but they are our leaders now and the awardees from our university centers are nationally recognized for their excellence in research,” said SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras. “I am proud of the work that these students are doing, which will advance our understanding of topics as diverse as Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. Their work may one day lead to life-changing advances and technologies, not unlike the MRI and the lithium ion battery, which were both developed by researchers at SUNY. Congratulations to our first SUNY GREAT award recipients. SUNY is a research juggernaut and we are proud to provide the laboratories and resources necessary for their discoveries.”

“Many students come to SUNY looking to immerse themselves in their studies and produce research across a great span of areas that will leave a positive impact on generations to come,” said SUNY Trustee Courtney Burke, who chairs the Board of Trustee’s Research and Economic Development Committee. “By providing these innovative researchers with additional funding and support, we are helping them continue on their research to test theories and make further discoveries.”

“Throughout the SUNY system, we have no shortage of talented SUNY undergraduate and graduate students who want to use their strengths to advance research in their respective fields and solve for some of our biggest threats seen worldwide,” said SUNY Provost-in-Charge F. Shadi Shahedipour-Sandvik. “They are driven and dedicated to their work and to the betterment of society, and we want to help accelerate their progress — the SUNY GREAT awards program is another step we are taking to support our students throughout their research process. Congratulations to our very first GREAT awardees, and we look forward to recognizing many more students in the coming years.”

From Eight SBU Students Receive New SUNY Graduate Award on Stony Brook University News,

 

Other SoMAS News

Dr. Paul Shepson has received a new award from National Institute of Standards and Technology titled “Greenhouse Gas Emission Rates for Urban Environments Along the U.S. Northeast Coast” in the amount of $752,304 for the period 3/1/21 – 2/29/24

Abstract:
This project will involve analyses of existing aircraft measurements of CO2 and CH4, along with meteorological and thermodynamic variables to enable us to improve dispersion modeling and inverse analysis approaches to derive improved estimates of greenhouse gas fluxes for urban environments in the U.S. Northeast Corridor. The project will involve designing and supporting improved aircraft campaign operations, in-depth data analysis and top-down emissions estimation for different urban areas in the US North East and for testing and improving vertical mixing parametrizations in transport models. To meet our goals, this project will involve four main activities: we will conduct atmospheric transport simulations, contribute to optimized flight planning and provide operational forecast during campaigns, conduct inversions using aircraft-based atmospheric observations to investigate and ensure transferability to other urban environments, and use the data in combination with atmospheric models to improve mixing parameterizations in atmospheric transport models. We will use our flight observations, in combination with a Lagrangian model coupled with large eddy simulations (LES) which will lead to improved vertical mixing parametrizations in Lagrangian models (LPDMs) driven by mesoscale weather models. In addition, the LES-LPDM coupling will enable the development of inverse methodologies for high resolution source estimation. Such improvements will have wide-ranging benefits for the atmospheric science community.

 

News Headlines

The Denver Channel: Kelp could be silver bullet in fighting climate change in our oceans

The seaweed is more than just a slimy sushi wrap. It could be key to fighting climate change. Just ask Michael Doall, the Associate Director for Restoration & Aquaculture at Stony Brook University. Also ran on News 5 Cleveland, ABC Action News, KTNV ABC Channel 13, KOAA, WFTX, ABC 15 Arizona, 3 News Now, WTVR, KGUN9, KRIS-TV,  KATC, KIVI-TV, WKBW, KTVQ-TV, WCPO, KXXV, and other outlets.

UPI: Boston company plans satellites for global weather radar, featuring Dr. Pavlos Kollias

The Suffolk Times: Right whale, calf spotted in waters off the East End of Long Island, featuring Chris Paparo
The author of this story, Chris Paparo, is the manager of Stony Brook University’s Marine Sciences Center. Additionally, he is an award-winning member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America and the NYS Outdoor Writers Association. You can follow Mr. Paparo on social media at @fishguyphotos.

Nature World News: Some Male Songbirds Can’t Lure Mates Because They Are Losing Their Song, featuring Dr. Carl Safina

Ashley Schiff Preserve Blog Post Series 
The Student Volunteer Program members are sharing their thoughts and knowledge on sustainability, environment, and the Ashley Schiff Preserve through the Environmental Blog Writing program led by the Friends of the Ashley Schiff Preserve. Visit the link below or simply go to AshleySchiff.org to read them, and share your thoughts with us!