Local effects of warming
While scientists are closely monitoring the effects of global warming on Arctic ice packs and Siberian lakes, its impact on our own region particularly Southern California's air quality, water resources, ecosystems and weather remains an open question.
by Cynthia Lee
Originally published by the UCLA Today
Recently, scientists from UCLA and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory joined forces to address this. They are combining their considerable multidisciplinary strengths — UCLA’s in mathematical climate modeling and expertise in physics and remote sensing, and JPL’s in global and regional observation and satellite data collection.
A signing ceremony Oct. 25 celebrating the inauguration of the Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering brought the leaders, researchers and staffs from both institutions to Kerckhoff’s Charles E. Young Grand Salon to begin intensive studies of the atmosphere, coastal ocean and land surface, and the physical, chemical and biological connections among them.
“UCLA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory are uniquely positioned to play significant roles in regional climate research,” Chancellor Norman Abrams told the gathering. “Working together, we can create important synergies and vastly increase the opportunities for acquiring greater knowledge in this vital area.”
The agreement opens the door for research internships, fellowships and shared sponsorship of seminars, symposia and workshops.
“Bringing what I consider two of the best institutions in the world, UCLA and JPL, to work together on addressing this issue — that’s what the general public expects of us,” said JPL Director Charles Elachi, one of more than 400 lab employees who hold a UCLA degree.
“This is a marriage between a well-known national lab and a top state research university to look at this problem together for the first time,” said Kuo-Nan Liou, the institute’s director and UCLA distinguished professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. Liou directs the Institute of Radiation and Remote Sensing.
At this stage, 12 faculty members are involved in the joint venture, including researchers from the College’s Division of Physical Sciences and the Center for Embedded Networked Sensing in the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Published: Monday, November 06, 2006
Write to Us
The UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability welcomes your comments.
