Category: Press Releases

Congratulations to Dr. Li, Distinguished University Professor

August 26, 2022

Dr. Zhanqing Li, Professor at ESSIC and University of Maryland’s Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science is a new recipient of the Distinguished University Professor Award, the highest academic honor that the University of Maryland confers upon a faculty member. Considered a national achievement, this award given to just 7% of tenured faculty honors impact and significant contribution to the nominee’s field, knowledge, profession, and/or practice.

Eastern hemlock trees in the study area. Changes in the abundance of beech and hemlock are responsible for much of the woody biomass stored in Midwestern forests over the last 10,000 years. Photo taken by co-author David Mladenoff.

Modeling Historical Biomass Could Be Key to Buffering Climate Change

June 23, 2022

UMD-led study maps the forests of the American Midwest to monitor carbon storage over millennia

Esteemed NOAA Meteorologist Louis Uccellini Joins the University of Maryland Faculty

June 21, 2022

He will hold a joint appointment in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science and the Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center.

Caption: The Water Point Viewer’s current water points stretch from Mali to Somalia.

ESSIC Scientist Expands Water Availability Prediction in East and West Africa

May 18, 2022

ESSIC Researcher Kimberly Slinski is the Principal Investigator on “Earth Observation-Based Monitoring and Forecasting of Rangeland Water Resources”, a newly funded project that aims to develop new capabilities for monitoring and forecasting water availability in African rangeland ponds. The project team includes Shrad Shukla and Chris Funk of the University of California Santa Barbara, Mike Jasinski of NASA GSFC, and Gabriel Senay of USGS.

ESSIC Researchers Ranked Among 2022 Top Environmental Scientists by Research.com

May 16, 2022

In the newly released 2022 Top Scientist rankings by Research.com, 18 University of Maryland researchers ranked among the Top 1,000 Environmental Sciences researchers in the United States, and seven ranked among the Top 1,000 worldwide. Of those 18 UMD scientists, 6 are ESSIC scientists.

Tractor on a paddy field in Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Can the Mekong Delta be saved from drowning?

May 9, 2022

May 6, 2022 – The Mekong Delta in Viet Nam could be nearly fully submerged by the end of the century if urgent actions are not taken across the river basin. Continuing with business as usual could drown 90% of this agro-economic powerhouse that’s home to nearly 20 million people – with immense local and global impacts.

Ellen Williams, wearing a red coat and a grey scarf, smiles for the camera.

Director Ellen Williams Named Chair of NASA Science Committee

May 3, 2022

ESSIC Director and Distinguished University Professor Ellen Williams has been named Chair of the NASA Science Committee and member of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC).

Giant miscanthus can grow up to 3-4 meters.

Growing This Plant Could Mitigate Climate Change in the Midwest

March 25, 2022

A new study including ESSIC scientist Xin-Zhong Liang has discovered that growing Miscanthus + giganteus, a type of perennial biomass crop, has a strong likelihood of significantly lowering regional summer temperatures and the vapor-pressure deficit, while increasing rainfall and overall crop productivity. This work was published in Global Change Biology-Bioenergy with Liang serving as Lead Principal Investigator. The first author, Yufeng He, is a former ESSIC Postdoctoral Associate.

Road salt after winter storm. The salinization from winter road salt combined with other pollutants creates “chemical cocktails” that can jeopardize the ecological balance of waterways. Credit: Sujay Kaushal.

New Scoring Scale Tracks the Harmful Effects of Salt Pollution in Freshwater Streams and Rivers

March 16, 2022

The road salt that makes your drive to work easier on snowy days may be damaging the water quality in local rivers and streams long after winter is over.

The World Meteorological Organization’s Committee on Weather and Climate Extremes recognized two new world records for megaflashes of lightning: (left) The greatest duration for a single lightning flash and (right) The greatest duration for a single lightning flash.

UMD Scientist Helps Certify Two New Megaflash Lightning Records

January 31, 2022

Daile Zhang serves on the World Meteorological Organization’s Committee on Weather and Climate Extremes.