Earth and Environment
Collaborating for a Cleaner Future – Dr Justyna Widera-Kalinowska, Adelphi University
The greatest challenges facing humanity over the next decades involve finding renewable sources of energy and finding ways to restore natural resources such as clean water that have been polluted by industrialisation. Dr Justyna Widera-Kalinowska of Adelphi University...
Improved Drought Early Warning Science Helps Save Lives and Livelihoods in Africa – Climate Hazards Group, University of California Santa Barbara
Bringing together multidisciplinary scientists and food security analysts from UC Santa Barbara, Africa and Central America, the Climate Hazards Group develops datasets, tools and forecasts that help guide effective disaster responses and long-term development plans...
The Sargasso Sea Commission – Saving the Atlantic Golden Rainforest
The Sargasso Sea contains a unique ecosystem based upon floating seaweed. It is a marine treasure that is threatened by pollution and other human activities. The Sargasso Sea Commission, an international team of researchers and policy makers, is working to preserve...
Climate and Agricultural Resilience in the American Southwest Safeguarding Ancient Traditions Against Modern Threats – Dr Maureen McCarthy, University of Nevada
Sustaining the availability of clean water is one of the greatest challenges humanity will face, as climate change leads to hotter, more extreme weather patterns that disrupt normal snow and rainfall worldwide. These changes are predicted to hit arid climates...
Using Population Genetics to Inform Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation – Drs Eric Hallerman & Jess Jones
Conservation can be difficult work on an ever-changing planet, where human activity often runs counter to the needs of endangered species. When budgets and resources are limited, it is critical that conservation plans are designed to be as effective as possible. Dr...
A Greener Future: Leveraging Ecosystem Services in Sustainable Landscape and City Management – Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology
As global climate change and other major environmental threats advance, scientists are looking for ways to evaluate sustainable solutions for energy, agriculture and city management. Ecosystem services are benefits provided to humans by nature, and over the past two...
Circles of Hope: Circular Buffer Strip Schemes for Agriculture – Dr Sangamesh Angadi, New Mexico State University
Agriculture in the semi-arid US Southern Great Plains depends on irrigation water from the Ogallala Aquifer, the largest in the country. With the aquifer in decline, new ideas will be needed to ensure the future of irrigated agriculture in the region. Dr Sangamesh...
Frozen in Time: The Permafrost Microbiome – Professor Rachel Mackelprang, California State University, Northridge
Deep within the permafrost, viable microbial communities persist, buried for millennia. With the permafrost rapidly thawing due to global warming, these microbes are becoming more active, feeding on previously frozen organic matter and ‘breathing’ out greenhouse...
The Modern Blanket Toss, Expanding Horizons in Alaska – Dr John D Monahan, University of Alaska
The Modern Blanket Toss program offers students attending high school in Alaska, the chance to engage in a series of learning activities using drones – focusing on the wellbeing of local communities. Dr John Monahan of the University of Alaska Fairbanks describes...
Sustaining Industry into the Future – Professor Vladimir Strezov, Macquarie University
It is becoming increasingly critical to accurately assess our methods for producing energy, so that we can prosper without continuing to damage our planet’s delicate environment. Professor Vladimir Strezov and his team at Macquarie University are uncovering the...
In Pursuit of Wild Game Investigating People’s Perceptions of Hunting – Drs Shawn J. Riley and Göran Ericsson
Hunting is among the most ancient of human activities, and still plays a major role in obtaining food for many people worldwide. Dr Shawn Riley and Dr Göran Ericsson work to understand the volume and distribution of wild-harvested meat, how this meat moves through...
California Hydrology in a Warmer World – Dr Robert J. Allen, University of California, Riverside
Scientists rely on large-scale computer models to further their understanding of the Earth’s environment, as well as to predict what the climate will be like in the future. Consisting of complex computer code, many of today’s models have actually been in development...
How NASA’s Satellites Are Mapping the Way for Global Policy – Vanessa M. Escobar and Dr Molly E. Brown
NASA’s satellite technologies have provided a wealth of data about the planet, and can be tailored into usable products to support major decision makers across the world. Vanessa M. Escobar and Molly E. Brown are working to bring these data products to decision-making...
Knowing What We Face in an Uncertain Climate – Drs Roger Cooke and Bruce Wielicki
Dr Roger Cooke of the non-profit Resources for the Future and Dr Bruce Wielicki of the NASA Langley Research Center have been researching the challenges, costs and benefits of a proposed international climate observation system capable of providing the highly valuable...
Trees – the True Urban Warriors – Dr Nina Bassuk, Cornell University
Trees benefit cities in many often-overlooked ways. They not only beautify concrete backdrops, but also improve the quality of our urban lives by providing shade, reducing storm runoff, filtering air and providing homes for birds and insects. Trees face big...
Hope for Humanity in the Energy Crisis: Astronomical Jets in a Lab – Professor Setthivoine You, University of Washington
If we consider Earth as a closed box in which humanity has only ever lived, the second law of thermodynamics says that in the end, inevitably, the box will reach a state of maximum disorder. So, in the long run, there are two important ways in which our species might...
Cracking the Puzzle of Rock Fracture with Crystal Clues – Dr Stephen E. Laubach, University of Texas at Austin
Drs Stephen Laubach, Jon Olson and Rob Lander and their team at The University of Texas at Austin are investigating the relationship between growth of fractures in rock, and chemical processes that occur within and around fracture openings. They are working to...
Bugs are Friends Taking an Ecosystem View on Forest Health – Professor Timothy D. Schowalter, Louisiana State University
Humans commonly view insects as unwanted nuisances, and many modern land-management practices focus on reducing insect numbers using toxic pesticides and invasive biological controls. Professor Timothy Schowalter at Louisiana State University has been studying insect...
Fighting Endemic Parasites New Technologies to Solve Old Challenges – Dr Paul Slusarewicz, MEP Equine Solutions LLC
Intestinal worms are among the most common types of parasitic infections worldwide. Despite technological advances in other areas of medical diagnostics, the procedure for identifying worm infection, the faecal egg count, has remained largely unchanged since its debut...
Putting the Universe in a Computer – Dr Romeel Davé, University of the Western Cape
Galaxy formation theorist Dr Romeel Davé and his team at the University of the Western Cape use high-performance supercomputer simulations to answer basic questions about the evolution of galaxies and our visible Universe. ...
Climate Matters A Novel Approach to Educating Americans About Humanity’s Greatest Challenge – Edward W. Maibach, Center for Climate Change Communication, George Mason University
Over the past few decades, global climate change has emerged as the preeminent issue facing modern society. In many countries around the world, climate change is shifting weather patterns for the worse, with impacts predicted to grow increasingly more erratic and...
Cleaning Up a Catastrophe – Professor Peter H. Santschi, Texas A&M University
Professor Peter Santschi and his team at Texas A&M University are dedicated to investigating the consequences of the release of radioactive substances into the environment. Incorrect storage of nuclear waste or power plant accidents can cause radioactive material...
The Farmer and the Rancher
A collaborative effort driven by researchers from Michigan State University, South Dakota State University, Iowa State University and North Dakota State University, aims to improve the age-old art of farming. You may also...
Catching the Wind: Understanding the Dynamics of Renewable Energy – Dr Glen Whitehouse, Continuum Dynamics, Inc.
As renewable energy sources such as wind, wave, and solar become more ubiquitous, the importance of understanding the detailed mechanisms of their operation is essential. In particular, with a dynamic and turbulent energy source like wind, an accurate way of modelling...
Protecting US Rice with Integrated Pest Management Strategies – Drs Michael Stout and Blake Wilson, Louisiana State University
US rice production is threatened by the expansion of the Mexican rice borer, and a host of other pests. Dr Michael Stout, Dr Blake Wilson and their colleagues at Louisiana State University are investigating integrated pest management strategies to reduce the...
The Chicken in the Egg: Hacking Early Development to Improve Adult Chicken Health – Dr E. David Peebles, Mississippi State University
Chicken meat is one of the world’s most relied upon animal food sources, and a major factor in economics and food security for many people. Dr David Peebles at Mississippi State University has dedicated his career to the unique physiological and nutritional needs of...
Exploring How the Lower Atmosphere Influences Space Weather – Prof Jeffrey M. Forbes, University of Colorado
Professor Jeffrey Forbes and his team at the University of Colorado use data from multiple satellites and global modelling to determine how terrestrial weather affects the near-Earth space environment.
Growing Better Salmon Balancing Economics with Environmental Impact
Aquaculture – growing fish or other aquatic species in captivity – is an important strategy for meeting the increasing demand for seafood from a growing human population, while also preserving wild fish stocks. However, aquaculture can also have negative environmental...
Improving Plant Disease Resistance Can Nanoparticles Deliver – Dr Wade H Elmer
Crop disease can have an enormous impact on farming productivity and profits. A plant’s resistance to disease has been previously linked to micronutrients, which control key biochemical processes. Dr Wade Elmer of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has...
Tracking the Source of Mountain Streamflow – Dr Stephanie Kampf
Warmer temperatures can cause mountain snowpacks to decline, especially at lower elevations and in dry climates. Since snow is the number one source of fresh water in many mountainous regions, it is important to understand how its loss will impact water supply for...