Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory January 2021 Newsletter No images? Click here A New Year of Discovery: Opportunities, Imperatives, and Inspiration 2020: A Year of Discovery at Lamont-Doherty Earth ObservatoryDespite the pandemic putting fieldwork on pause, Lamont contributed new knowledge about the planet, its inner workings, and its future changes. Learn more. Our 2020 Annual Report highlights our accomplishments from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020. You will also find Lamont field research and campus photos available for download as Zoom backgrounds. Earth Networks Take Interdisciplinary Work to the Next LevelWorking across the university, the Earth Networks will focus on climate mobility, environmental justice, habitable planets, and sustainable food systems. Year in Review: What to Take Forward From 2020Columbia students and faculty consider the lessons that can be learned from this year to move toward a more equitable and sustainable future. Spring 2021 Earth Institute Research Opportunities for UndergradsUndergraduates from Columbia and Barnard will be able to work with distinguished faculty on research projects related to sustainable development and the environment. Application deadline is January 14. Spring 2021 Earth Institute InternshipsEight opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and Ph.D. students to intern in various departments and research centers across the Earth Institute. Application deadline is January 14. Staff Member Spotlight: Hannah Adrienne Sweets, Data ManagerAfter following an exciting and unpredictable career path, Sweets is settling in as the data manager of a geoinformatics database at Lamont. Ghosts of Glaciers Past Hint at Future Climate ChallengesGlacial remains suggest that climate patterns in the southern hemisphere have been out of step with those in the north. Understanding why could help project the effects of modern climate change. A Case for Global Climate Action: U.N. Secretary General Delivers Potent Remarks at ColumbiaPresident Bollinger and Lamont-Doherty’s interim director underscore the university’s commitment to solving the climate crisis. The Very Lonely SeismometerOut in the middle of the woods in New York’s exurbs, a hiker finds a TV antenna attached to a rotting oil drum. What is this? EDUCATIONWe are excited to announce the return of our popular EI LIVE K12 series for the 2020-2021 academic year. The series will feature lectures and interactive activities with experts from across Lamont and the Earth Institute in 45-minute live sessions, bringing our interdisciplinary research to K-12 students, educators, and parents. HUDSON RIVER FIELD STATIONFish, Fish, Fish. People have been asking why they are seeing so many dead and dying fish along the shoreline of the lower Hudson River. Starting in mid-November, noticeable numbers of dead Atlantic menhaden began showing up from Long Island Sound to Verplanck on the northern end of Haverstraw Bay. This was the second 2020 die-off of the menhaden, following a wave earlier in the summer. Menhaden, a type of herring, are sensitive to low oxygen levels and changes in water temperature. Although this was originally hypothesized to cause the summer die, a second wave during cooler temperatures and higher oxygen levels meant this no longer seemed to be the only cause. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has collected samples, looking for a possible cause. We will be sure to share their findings. Thanks to all who have been so vigilant in sharing their observations and concerns! LDEO GIFT SHOPShow your Lamont pride with our exclusive merchandise! Your purchases will support Lamont science. Visit the Lamont Gift Shop. Lamont in the Media (Selected Stories)COVID-19 Brought Emissions Way Down in 2020, but What Will Happen When the Pandemic Is Over? More Catastrophic Brahmaputra Flooding Feared Climate Change in 2020 Caused Some of the Worst Environmental Disasters in History From the Atlantic Hurricane Season to Wildfires in the West: How 2020 Weather Shattered Records |