Impacts on the Crossroads of Climate, Air Quality, and Ecosystems

1:00 - 2:30 p.m. Stamp Student Union, Prince George's Room

Speakers and talk titles:
Ruth DeFries, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept of Geography and Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland
"Atmospheric Carbon and Human Clearing of Tropical Forests"

Hiram "Chip" Levy II, Ph.D.
Senior Research Scientist, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory/NOAA
Lecturer w/ rank of Associate Professor, Geosciences & Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Princeton University
"Ozone, Soot and Sulfate at the Intersection of Climate and Air Quality"

Russell R. Dickerson, Ph.D.
Professor & Chair, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science,
Affiliate of Chemistry & Chemical Physics, University of Maryland
"Global Biogeochemical Cycles of Reactive Nitrogen, or What Color was Dinosaur Poop?"

RUTH DEFRIES, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Geography and the Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center at the University of Maryland. She investigates how our land use choices are affecting the biogeochemical and ecological processes that regulate Earth’s habitability. Using satellite imagery to examine changes in land surface, DeFries’ research seeks to provide fundamental data to enable us to balance immediate human needs with the long-term habitability of the planet. DeFries holds a PhD from Johns Hopkins University and a BA from Washington University. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation named Dr. DeFries one of its 24 MacArthur Fellows for 2007.

HIRAM “CHIP” LEVY II, PhD, is a senior research scientist and leader of the Biospheric Process Group, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Also a lecturer at Princeton University, Dr. Levy received his PhD from Harvard in Chemistry. His research examines the impact of human activity on the chemistry of the atmosphere and its resulting impact on global air quality, climate, and global biogeochemical cycles.

RUSSELL R. DICKERSON, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science at the University of Maryland. He received his AB from the University of Chicago and his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Michigan. Dr. Dickerson’s research examines the interactions of weather phenomena, such as thunderstorms, and atmospheric chemistry, ocean-atmosphere interactions, global biogeochemical cycles, air pollution, the links between particulate and gaseous chemistry, photochemical smog, and haze. For the past ten years, he has collaborated with the Maryland Department of the Environment on the Regional Atmospheric Measurement, Modeling and Prediction Program to help provide the scientific basis for strategies to improve air quality.