Sustainability Commons^™

10,000 Years Of Ice Sheet Change In Baffin Bay, Nicolas Young

Sustainability Seminar Series

The Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) is the largest ice mass in the Northern Hemisphere with a sea-level equivalent of 7.3 m and is expected to be a key contributor to 21st century (and beyond) sea-level rise. Estimates of GrIS-induced sea-level rise are dependent upon numerical ice-sheet models, but these models require some degree of “spin-up” or tuning to test model validity before forward modeling can commence. Within this framework, well-constrained geological records of GrIS change provide important spatial and temporal benchmarks for which to test numerical ice-sheet models. Of particular interest is reconstructing and modeling the behavior of the GrIS …

Exploiting Synchrotron “Light” To Study Chemistry Of Trace Elements In Soils And Plants, Ryan Tappero

Sustainability Seminar Series

Biogeochemical studies often require characterization of elemental abundances and speciation in samples that are chemically and physically heterogeneous at the micrometer scale. Synchrotron radiation sources are ideal for developing high intensity, highly-focused X-ray probes for interrogating the speciation, transport, and reactions of trace elements in heterogeneous earth and biological materials with detection sensitivities in the attogram range and spatial resolutions less than 1 micrometer.

X-ray Fluorescence Microprobe (XFM) is a new, multi-modal X-ray fluorescence microscope recently installed at the National Synchrotron Light Source-II (NSLS-II) at Brookhaven National Laboratory. XFM has capabilities for X- ray micro-fluorescence (μ-XRF) imaging and tomography, X-ray …

Morphodynamics Of Atolls, Reef Flats, And The Islands Atop Them, Andrew Ashton

Sustainability Seminar Series

The atolls that dot the tropical oceans of (primarily) the Pacific and Indian Oceans contain shallow and emergent coastal environments that often comprise the only subaerial, inhabitable land of many island chains and island nations. Created foremost by calcifying organisms, and composed of both biogenic rocky substrate and detrital sediment, these shallow environments are shaped by waves, currents, and tides. The low-lying, geomorphically active reef islands sitting atop of atolls face considerable hazards from climate change. I will present a series of recent and ongoing research projects addressing the formation mechanisms and potential climate change response of coastal atoll environments, …

Using Bayesian Networks To Forecast Barrier Island Geomorphology And Impacts To Piping Plover Habitat Due To Sea-Level Rise, Ben Gutierrez

Sustainability Seminar Series

The ability to evaluate the impact of sea-level rise (SLR) on coastal landforms and habitats is important for informing management and policy decisions. A particular area of concern exists along the east coast of the United States, where the evolution of barrier islands over the remainder of the 21st century and beyond will require management and policy decisions in order to effectively balance human development demands and the protection of habitat quality. We developed methods to evaluate the evolution of barrier islands and associated habitat changes for piping plovers (Charadrius melodus), a threatened species that relies on beach and barrier …

Applied Research At American Water – Turning Ideas Into Applications, Orren D. Schneider

Sustainability Seminar Series

Dr. Schneider will present an overview of American Water’s Research and Development program. American Water is the largest investor-owned utility in the US and its research program has been investigating issues critical to the water industry for over 30 years. The R&D team, based in New Jersey, is comprised of more than 15 engineers, chemists, and microbiologists and is currently involved with research related to such diverse topics as biofiltration, management of Legionella, advanced oxidation of trace organic compounds, remote sensing for algae detection as part of multi- layer early warning systems for mitigation of harmful algae blooms, remote sensing …

Offshore Wind Power: Can New Jersey Find A Place At The Table?, Jeremy Firestone

Sustainability Seminar Series

NJ enacted an offshore renewable energy certificate (OREC) law in 2010. It was thought that the OREC law would usher in a new era for New Jersey, with it enjoying clean, carbon-free renewable offshore wind energy. Offshore wind development, however, has so far been stalled in New Jersey. This presentation looks beyond past and existing conflicts with elected officials and regulators that has resulted in the OREC law effectively being sidelined to consider research that sheds light on public perceptions and de-conflicting uses with an emphasis on New Jersey, but as enlightened by broader research findings and trends.

Something Wicked This Way Comes – Human Effects On The Environment, Jd Lewis

Sustainability Seminar Series

Every habitat and ecosystem on Earth has been affected by human activities. The three primary mechanisms through which humans affect the environment are climate change, the spread of invasive species, and habitat fragmentation. The rapid environmental changes associated with these factors have few parallels in Earth’s history, leading paradoxically to an extinction crisis and to the spread of a few dominant species. Because these effects are not uniformly distributed among locations or ecosystems, they are creating ecologic and economic winners and losers. These discrepancies, in turn, are a key factor driving global patterns of urbanization, and is projected to be …