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RUTGERS CLIMATE INSTITUTE in This Issue… RUTGERSCLIMATE CLIMATE BULLETIN INSTITUTE November 2016 From the Directors… In This Issue… Research/Affiliate Spotlight Benjamin Horton: Rising Seas (2) Dina Fonseca: Mosquito Populations and Climate Change (2) Melissa Aronczyck: Culture and Consciousness (3) Hal Salzman: Challenges For Arctic Communities (3) Tony Broccoli Robin Leichenko RCI Resources and Initiatives Rutgers is one of the oldest academic institutions in the United States celebrating our 250th anniversary this month. As a Providing Local Climate Change whole, the University community has spent the past year Information(4) New Jersey Science and Technical reflecting upon our history, global and local challenges, and Advisory Panel on Sea-Level Rise opportunities for innovation and education. The University's and Coastal Storms(4) commitment to the Rutgers Climate Institute affirms its recogni tion that climate change is arguably the most important Event Highlights global environmental issue of the 21st century, with worldwide Welcome to the Anthropocene: A Geological Age of our Making (5) consequences for generations to come. Rutgers Climate Symposium (6) Strategies for Effective Science Although the Rutgers Climate Institute has only existed for a Communication (7) small fraction of the 250-year history of our university, in that Energy and Climate: One Day short time the Institute has built bridges across departments, Two Great Events (8) schools, and disciplines. We currently have more than 95 Climate Change and Public affiliates who come from 10 schools and 22 departments across Health Workshop (9) all three Rutgers campuses. Our mission is to facilitate Student Spotlight scholarship, education and outreach on the topic of climate change so that we can continue to develop the knowledge RCI Student Support Fund Recipients (10) needed within and across disciplines to better understand and James J. Gallagher Fellows (12) address the challenges associated with climate change, to help develop the next generation of scholars, practitioners and policy Support Rutgers Climate Institute makers and to inform the Rutgers community as well as the public about critical advances, issues, and best practices. Make a Gift (13) Connect with Us (13) We are pleased to provide you with our annual update. Tony Broccoli and Robin Leichenko Rutgers Climate Institute Co-Directors 1 RUTGERS CLIMATE INSTITUTE RESEARCH/AFFILIATE HIGHLIGHTS BENJAMIN HORTON: RISING SEAS RCI affiliate faster than during any of the previous 27 Benjamin centuries . This study received much public Horton is a attention, including a tweet from President Professor in the Barack Obama, referencing it. This year, Department of Professor Horton was acknowledged for his Marine and great contributions to understanding and Coastal Sciences. His research focuses on predicting coastal change and sea-level rise how sea-level changes in the past will shape as he was awarded the European Geosciences the sea-level changes in the future. One of Union Plinius Medal. This prestigious award his most recent studies co-authored with RCI recognizes outstanding interdisciplinary affiliate Robert Kopp (Earth and Planetary natural hazard research. Sciences, Associate Director of the Rutgers Energy Institute) found that 20th Century global sea-level rise was extremely likely DINA FONSECA: MOSQUITO POPULATIONS AND CLIMATE CHANGE Dina Fonseca is a likely to bite us. Dr. Fonseca works closely Professor of Entomology. with county and state mosquito control One of Dr. Fonseca's programs and the public to develop effective primary research interests and efficient strategies for mosquito and are invasive mosquitoes, invasive species control that are sustainable which transmit viruses such and minimize impacts to the environment. as those that result in Zika More recently, Dr. Fonseca has started and dengue fevers. Her developing predictive tools to forecast research has shown that mosquito changes in salt marsh mosquito populations populations can differ quite a bit across short due to sea-level rise and strategies used to distances and over time, changing mitigate its impact on coastal communities. epidemiological landscapes and risk Predictive model and enhanced surveillance estimates. She has also shown that will allow mosquito control programs in mosquitoes move primarily associated with coastal counties to develop proactive people (in boats, trucks and cars) and that strategies and mitigate nuisance, disease and association selects for sub-populations more environmental impacts. 2 RUTGERS CLIMATE INSTITUTE MELISSA ARONCZYK: CULTURE AND CONSCIOUSNESS Melissa Aronczyk is an globalization. In April 2016, Dr. Aronczyk Associate Professor at the received an NSF grant to fund her newest School of Communication research which will address the extent, and Information. Dr. influence, and impact of professional Aronczyk’s research has advocacy campaigns on debates in the focused on addressing climate change public sphere. The research critical issues in aims to explain the extent and impact of promotional culture, strategic communications campaigns nationalism and national consciousness, and on political and public responses to specific political and cultural interpretations of U.S. policy efforts around climate change. HAL SALZMAN: CHALLENGES FOR ARCTIC COMMUNITIES Hal Salzman is a maintaining strong cultural traditions, and Professor of creating opportunities that support the Public Policy at aspirations of the next generation. A short the Edward J. film based on the research called, “Arctic Bloustein School Melt: Native Voices” provides Alaskan Arctic of Planning and community perspectives on the dilemmas of Public Policy and development – of the challenges in these Senior Faculty Fellow at the John J. Heldrich communities facing an increase in outsider- Center for Workforce Development. Some driven development with more open water, of his most recent work in the Arctic— moving oil exploration and other activities funded by the Arctic Social Sciences from remote terrestrial regions into the Program, National Science Foundation— marine “community garden” of arctic examines the challenges facing local villages. Rutgers Arctic Planning Studio communities in balancing socio-economic students developed future scenarios that development needs—income, employment, could leverage industrial investments to education, technology and health—with support village infrastructure, energy needs, community survival that is based on and employment. subsistence hunting and harvesting, 3 RUTGERS CLIMATE INSTITUTE RCI RESOURCES AND INITIATIVES PROVIDING LOCAL CLIMATE CHANGE INFORMATION The RCI website includes a wide range of climate change information such as videos and reports developed to provide information that can be used to educate various constituencies about climate change and its impacts in our region. Videos featuring Rutgers faculty including several with local relevance, like this one on Climate Change and the Jersey Shore: Impacts on Coastal Communities, Ecosystems and Look under RU and Climate Stewardship to Economies, can be found under "Resources" learn about the various Rutgers programs on the menu bar. that address climate change at Rutgers including innovations in Rutgers energy use The report Climate Change and Agriculture, and generation, recycling, dining and Including Aquaculture and Fisheries, in New transportation. Jersey prepared by the Rutgers Climate Institute and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station covers the challenges that agriculture in New Jersey will face due to the changing climate and response approaches. More resources related to climate change and agriculture can be found here. NEW JERSEY SCIENCE AND TECHNICAL ADVISORY PANEL ON SEA-LEVEL RISE AND COASTAL STORMS Rutgers Climate Institute was instrumental Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance to in convening a Science and Technical synthesize for practitioners the most recent Advisory Panel (STAP) on behalf of the New climate science needed to inform efforts to 4 RUTGERS CLIMATE INSTITUTE increase the resilience of New Jersey's currently being addressed in New Jersey. A people, places and assets (including third document, Integrating Climate Science infrastructure, communities and natural into Coastal Resilience Planning and Decision resources) to regional sea-level rise, Making in New Jersey, provides a high level changing coastal storms and the resulting summary of the two reports. flood risk. The STAP process was co- facilitated by RCI Associate Director, RCI affiliate Professor Robert Kopp (Earth and Planetary Sciences) chaired the STAP. Marjorie Kaplan and RCI Affiliate Jeanne Other RCI affiliates who participated in the Herb. Two reports and a summary document were released in October 2016. STAP process and report development The first report, Assessing New Jersey’s include RCI Co-Directors Tony Broccoli and Robin Leichenko and RCI Affiliates, Exposure to Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Storms: Report of the New Jersey Climate Lisa Auermuller (Jacques Cousteau Adaptation Alliance Science and Technical National Estuarine Research Reserve), Ben Horton (Marine and Coastal Sciences), Ken Advisory Panel , summarizes the deliberations of the STAP. A second report, Miller (Earth and Planetary Sciences), and Assessing New Jersey’s Exposure to Sea-Level David Robinson (Geography). As an example of its utility, the STAP effort is Rise and Coastal Storms: A Companion Report to the New Jersey Climate Adaptation being used to inform a 20-town regional Alliance
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