September 5, 2024

Newsletter

Green plants under solar photovoltaic panels (iStock)

2030 Project Fast Grants to Focus on Energy Systems of the Future

In its third year, The 2030 Project seeks Fast Grants proposals for Cornell faculty research on energy systems of the future. Transitioning to a clean-energy future requires innovation across disciplines, including developing next-generation solutions for energy generation, storage, distribution, and use, and crafting policies to support workers, communities, and nature through the transition.

“We hope to catalyze projects that have a promising trajectory toward being able to scale into massive impact, even if we’re taking the first step on a journey,” said Ben Furnas '06, executive director of The 2030 Project.

EEB Ph.D. candidate Marisol Valverde Montellano conducts research in the Brazilian Amazon

Understanding Freshwater Soundscapes in the Amazon

Ph.D. candidate Marisol Valverde Montellano discusses her summer research in the Brazilian Amazon. Working with Fellow Alex Flecker (Cornell CALS), she studies the sounds of freshwater fish and their environ-
ments to determine if these soundscapes provide accurate monitoring in remote areas. Cornell Atkinson supported her research with a 2023 Sustainable Biodiversity Fund grant.

Hay harvester mowing between rows of solar panels

Birds, Beetles, and Woodland Research

Former Cornell Atkinson postdocs Gemma Clucas and Andrew Stillman (Lab of Ornithology) are guiding student researchers as they gather and analyze fecal samples to understand the role that woodpeckers play in the outbreak of emerald ash borer beetles. Applications are now accepted for 2025 Cornell Atkinson Postdoctoral Fellowships.

Kopssee Reservoir Dam wall. Free for use from Pixabay.

Advancing Integration of Human Actions in Hydrologic Models

Dams play a crucial role in water management but have also significantly altered the natural flow of rivers worldwide, sometimes in unpredictable ways. With NSF support, Fellow Stefano Galelli (Cornell Engineering) is developing a comprehensive computational framework that integrates remote sensing, diagnostic tools, and hydrologic and dam operation models.

The "Dos Amigos" pumping plant pushes water up hill on the San Luis Canal, part of the California Aqueduct system. (iStock)

AI Modeling Delivers More Benefits, Less Risk for Water Partnerships

A collaboration led by Fellow Patrick Reed (Cornell Engineering) shows that local partners often bear the brunt of underlying supply and financial risks when cooperative partnerships try to spread the costs of water infrastructure projects among regional stakeholders.

A tall-grass area of Libe Slope is part of a study investigating how mowing affects the biodiversity of organisms that live in the soil.

Campus Grasslands Grow Environmental Solutions

As grassland bird populations decline, Cornell researchers, including David Bonter (Lab of Ornithology), are testing whether such birds produce more fledglings when hayfields are mowed later than usual. Meanwhile, Fellows Kyle Wickings and Rebecca Schneider (both Cornell CALS) are studying how mowing strategies impact soil biodiversity and could fight climate change.

Cornell University at
Climate Week NYC 2024

Cornell Atkinson Fellows, staff, and external partners will present on topics ranging from nuclear energy to livestock methane to declining deforestation during this year's
Climate Week NYC, Sept. 22-29.

Banner for 10/25/2024 Global Climate Risks Virtual Conference

Register for
Global Climate Finance & Risks
Virtual Conference – Oct. 25, 2024

Dean Andrew Karolyi and Fellow Alissa Kleinnijenhuis (both SC Johnson) with Dasol Kim (U.S. Office of Financial Research) will host a virtual conference to address financial system exposures to climate-sensitive assets and the effects of regulatory shocks stemming from policies that confront climate-related issues.

Other speakers will include Janet Yellen (U.S. Secretary of the Treasury), Mark Carney (Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero), Bob Litterman (Kepos Capital LP), and Eric Usher (head of the U.N. Environment Programme Finance Initiative).

Learn More & Register