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Katherine Lininger: 探花视频 instructor named a 2025-2026 Fulbright Scholar

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 19:08:33 +0000

Katherine Lininger: 探花视频 instructor named a 2025-2026 Fulbright Scholar Gabriela Rocha Sales Thu, 07/24/2025 - 13:08

Katherine Lininger, a University of Colorado Boulder Department of Geography associate professor, has received a U.S. Fulbright Scholar award starting in fall 2025 to study and teach in Italy. The award is provided by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Scholarship Board.

The Fulbright award will allow Lininger to investigate interactions among floodplain vegetation, downed wood, water flows and sediment fluxes to better understand and predict changes in floodplains over time. With collaborators at the University of Trento, she will conduct fieldwork, geospatial analyses and numerical modeling to understand ecogeomorphic processes in the Tagliamento River floodplain in northeastern Italy.

Additionally, Lininger will lecture in courses at the University of Trento, lead field trips, give research seminars and mentor graduate students. She said her project will advance ecogeomorphic understanding of floodplains, which provide important ecosystem services, and will support her career trajectory and goals.

鈥淚鈥檓 honored to take part in the Fulbright program and look forward to building internation connections and collaborations,鈥� Lininger said. 鈥淲ith this award, I will work with researchers at the University of Trento in Italy, investigating interactions between river flows, sediment fluxes and plants to better understand and predict physical and ecological changes in floodplains over time. Our work will inform management and restoration of river floodplains.鈥�

Each year, more than 800 individuals teach or conduct research abroad through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 talented and accomplished students, artists and professionals with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research abroad. Notable awards received by alumni include 63 Nobel Prizes, 98 Pulitzer Prizes and 82 McArthur Fellowships.

鈥淭he benefits extend beyond the individual recipient, raising the profile of their home institutions. We hope University of Colorado Boulder can leverage Katherine Lininger鈥檚 engagement abroad to establish research and exchange relationships, connect with potential applicants and engage with your alumni in the host country,鈥� the Fulbright Program said in its award announcement.

Fulbright is a program of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. government. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the program, which operates in more than 160 countries worldwide.

Award will allow Associate Professor Katherine Lininger to teach at the University of Trento and conduct research on the Tagliamento River floodplain in Italy.

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Waleed Abdalati: CIRES Director Testifies Before Congress

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 14:34:27 +0000

Waleed Abdalati: CIRES Director Testifies Before Congress Gabriela Rocha Sales Thu, 07/24/2025 - 08:34

Waleed Abdalati, director of CIRES at 探花视频, testified on July 16 before the Environment Subcommittee of the U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. The hearing, titled 鈥淧rotecting Lives and Property: Harnessing Innovative Technologies to Enhance Weather Forecasting,鈥� highlighted current and emerging technologies critical to the timeliness and effectiveness of weather forecasting as well as H.R. 3816, the Weather Authorization Act of 2025. The national importance 鈥� and need for continued investment 鈥� in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research conducted through the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and its university-based network of 16 Cooperative Institutes, was also highlighted throughout the hearing. CIRES is the oldest and largest of the Cooperative Institutes. The webcast is available here.

See also Abdalati's interview with AXIOS Boulder, Boulder scientists pin last hopes for NOAA on Congress.

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Jessica Finlay: Why your microbiome may matter more than DNA for your lifelong health

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 14:16:32 +0000

Jessica Finlay: Why your microbiome may matter more than DNA for your lifelong health Gabriela Rocha Sales Thu, 07/24/2025 - 08:16

Pulled from Big Think, webpage: (https://bigthink.com/books/microbiome-master-key/) on 7/24/25 at 8:18am.

Text copied for department archival purposes.

Article by Jasna Hod啪i膰

Key Takeaways

Everyone hosts trillions of bacteria in their gut and millions more in places like their skin and mouth.
This collective microbiome has been linked to nearly every aspect of physical and mental health, from digestion to depression.
The Microbiome Master Key reviews the research to show how supporting the microbial ecosystems in our bodies and environments may be a powerful way to live and age well.

鈥淎m I human, or am I bacteria?鈥�

The question sounds like something out of Star Trek, but it popped into my head around chapter four of The Microbiome Master Key, and I couldn鈥檛 shake it. Written by Brett Finlay and Jessica Finlay 鈥� yes, they鈥檙e a related father鈥揹aughter scientist duo 鈥� the book explores how the microbes living in and on us shape nearly every aspect of human health.

鈥淢icrobes,鈥� short for microorganisms, are tiny living things like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. When scientists talk about the human microbiome, they usually refer to the trillions of bacteria that live in and on our bodies, especially in the gut.

Like many people, I had a vague sense that gut bacteria help with digestion. I eat yogurt and drink the occasional kombucha partly because I assume it鈥檚鈥済ood for my gut.鈥� I even knew the classic fun fact: By sheer number of cells and DNA, we鈥檙e more microbial than human.

However, the Finlays鈥� book challenged my assumption that my microbiome was made up of mostly passive passengers. Instead, the authors show that it is essential to almost every part of how we function: healing, sleeping, how our skin looks, and maybe even how we think. The connection made me reconsider, well 鈥� what actually 鈥渁m鈥� I?

In an interview, I asked Brett if studying the microbiome made him question things like free will, agency, or identity. He chuckled the way a scholar does when someone new to their field finally has that 鈥淎ha!鈥� moment.

鈥淟earning more about your microbiome will certainly shake your definition of what it means to be human,鈥� he says.

A microbiologist and professor at the University of British Columbia, Brett has spent decades immersed in the world of bacteria. In his classes, he tells students to look around the room and describe what they see. 鈥淲here they say 鈥榟uman,鈥� I say, 鈥榊es, a human, but also a vessel for bacteria.鈥欌€�

Jessica, a geographer, environmental gerontologist, and assistant professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, brought a more relational view. She described microbes as her 鈥渓ifelong invisible partners.鈥� 鈥淲e give them a home and food,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n return, they help us function. They鈥檙e with us from birth to death. You don鈥檛 really get to opt out.鈥�

While that thought might elicit cringes from some readers, the reality is far from a germophobic nightmare. That鈥檚 because embracing your microbiome may be, as the authors put it, the real 鈥渕aster key鈥� to better health and aging.

Rewriting the microbial story

This perspective motivated the Finlays to update their 2019 book, The Whole Body Microbiome, and expand it with new chapters and fresh research in The Microbiome Master Key.

鈥淩eally, this is the book we wanted to write five years ago,鈥� Brett tells me. 鈥淏ack then, we had hints that microbes weren鈥檛 just important in the gut but critical to many functions. The research wasn鈥檛 strong enough to make a compelling case, though.鈥�

Today, it is, and the Finlays have pulled together the evidence linking the microbiome to a wide-ranging 鈥� and, frankly, almost unbelievable 鈥� list of health outcomes: from chronic inflammation to cognitive decline, from depression to physical fitness, from better sleep to more youthful skin.

Beyond sharing the new research, the Finlays were also motivated to update the book because they felt we may be on the edge of a mindset shift 鈥� one that could influence whether we, collectively, choose to embrace our microbes.

鈥淲e鈥檝e spent the last 120 years trying to kill bacteria so we don鈥檛 die from infectious diseases,鈥� Brett explains. Over time and alongside revolutions in medicine, hygiene, and sanitation, germs became public enemy number one. But more recently, people have started to embrace the idea of the gut microbiome.

鈥淲e were moving in a good direction when the public was embracing the importance of the gut microbiome,鈥� Jessica adds. 鈥淧eople were encouraging kids to play in the dirt, backing off hand sanitizer a bit, eating fermented foods to support their microbiome. Then COVID hit, and understandably, people became terrified of germs again.鈥�

The Finlays aren鈥檛 against fighting infectious diseases or practicing good hygiene, of course. They simply argue that our post-pandemic recoil into extreme cleanliness risks disrupting the delicate microbial ecosystems our bodies depend on to thrive.

Gut check: The microbiome鈥檚 central hub

The human gut is home to an astonishingly diverse and abundant community of microbes, estimated at over 100 trillion bacteria. That鈥檚 roughly equivalent to the number of human cells in the body. Among these are hundreds of unique species, many of which live in the colon and large intestine.

We pick up most of our gut bacteria early on, starting with a major dose during the journey through the birth canal. From there, the microbiome tends to stabilize through adulthood as we鈥檙e exposed to microbes in our environment and from the people around us. Interestingly, it begins to shift again as we age. People over 65 often show a different balance of key bacterial groups and tend to have more microbes associated with inflammation.

鈥淲hen you study the microbiomes of people with many of the world鈥檚 most pressing conditions, you鈥檒l find a microbial signature associated with them,鈥� said Brett.

In other words, many conditions 鈥� such as obesity, cancer, liver disease, heart disease, and neurodegenerative disorders 鈥� are associated with a shift in the microbiome. Certain microbial species may be present or missing; imbalances in microbial function may have occurred. Researchers are still working to determine whether these patterns play a role in causing disease or are associated with it. Still, one thing is clear: The pattern emerges again and again across a wide range of diseases and conditions.

Early in my reading, I wondered: What causes the microbiome to shift away from a community that supports health? A major culprit is diet.

Ultra-processed foods 鈥� anything from Pop-Tarts to protein powder 鈥� are called 鈥渦ltra-processed鈥� for a reason. They鈥檙e so refined that your body can break them down and absorb them early in the digestive tract, so they never reach the large intestine where many beneficial microbes live. As a result, those microbes are essentially starved of the complex fibers they rely on to survive and thrive. In Western countries like the United States, ultra-processed foods now make up a growing portion of the typical diet.

Antibiotics are another disruptor unique to modern life. While lifesaving in many cases, antibiotics don鈥檛 discriminate: They wipe out harmful pathogens and beneficial gut bacteria alike. In the book, the Finlays note studies that detected changes to the microbiome up to four years after a single course of treatment.

Then there鈥檚 the obsession with cleanliness. Our environments are increasingly sanitized, and while that helps prevent infections, it also limits our exposure to the diverse microbes our guts evolved alongside.

Add up these habits and stressors, and over time, your gut begins to support a different kind of microbiome, one that may include harmful species. And, as the Finlays argue, a changing microbiome can have systemic effects on physical and mental health.

The microbiome and the immune system

One of the key ideas in The Microbiome Master Key is that your gut microbiome plays a powerful 鈥� though still not fully understood 鈥� role in regulating your immune system.

Several patterns suggest a strong link between the gut and the immune response. For one, the gut houses 70鈥�80% of the body鈥檚 immune cells. In addition, low-grade inflammation tends to increase as we age. At the same time, the composition of the gut microbiome shifts, often to favor microbial species associated with inflammation.

Taken together, these observations suggest a possible connection between age-related inflammation and changes in the gut microbiome.

Researchers are beginning to uncover mechanisms that support this idea. Certain gut microbes produce signaling molecules that help train immune cells to distinguish between harmless and harmful substances. Since the immune system constantly samples its environment through the gut, a well-balanced microbiome may help prevent overreactions (like allergies and autoimmune disorders) and under reactions (which can leave the body vulnerable to infection).

The emerging evidence also shows that disruptions in the gut microbiome can contribute to autoimmune conditions outside the gut. For instance, people with rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis often have altered gut microbial communities. These findings suggest that supporting a balanced microbiome could be one way to reduce low-grade inflammation and potentially help prevent or manage age-related and autoimmune diseases.

The mind-gut connection

We tend to think of the brain as the body鈥檚 command center, but more and more, it looks like the gut microbiome has a prominent say in the conversation. For me, the idea that bacteria in your gut could affect your mood, anxiety levels, and even cognitive function was one of the book鈥檚 biggest 鈥淲ait! What?鈥� moments.

Brett wasn鈥檛 surprised by my fascination. 鈥淭he potential of the gut鈥揵rain axis is the most exciting area of research for most people,鈥� he tells me. He鈥檚 referring to the complex communication network between the gut and the brain, which includes a major nerve called the vagus nerve.

This nerve isn鈥檛 a one-way street. The brain regulates gut function, but the gut sends signals back, and that鈥檚 where microbes come in. Research suggests the microbiome may influence the brain by producing neurotransmitters or interacting with gut neurons connected to the vagus nerve.

There is also growing evidence to link disruptions in the gut microbiome to various conditions, such as stress, depression, and anxiety. For example, the Finlays highlight one study where researchers transferred fecal matter from stressed rodents into healthy ones. Afterward, the healthy animals began showing signs of stress themselves. The researchers changed the animals鈥� moods and behaviors simply by changing their gut microbiota.

Another study found that people who had taken just a single course of antibiotics in the past year had a significantly higher risk of developing depression. There鈥檚 also emerging evidence connecting the microbiome to neurological conditions like Parkinson鈥檚, Alzheimer鈥檚, and even stroke. (It was around this time in the book that I had my 鈥渨ho am I?鈥� moment).

Although a complete picture of the gut-brain relationship is still evolving, the knowledge is already actionable. The Finlays reference the MIND diet (short for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay), a plant-forward dietary approach that includes leafy greens, berries, poultry, and fish to reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

鈥淧eople who follow this diet have delayed the onset of Parkinson鈥檚 by up to 17 years,鈥� Brett points out. The book also cites studies showing that the MIND diet can reduce the risk of Alzheimer鈥檚 by as much as 50%.

Turns out, this brain-friendly diet is exactly what people鈥檚 gut microbes thrive on. So, while scientists are still working out the details, the overlapping evidence suggests one promising explanation: It may support brain health, at least in part, by supporting the microbes in your gut.

Beyond the gut and beyond the body

Microbes aren鈥檛 just in the gut. On the skin, they help create chemicals that maintain our protective barrier, may influence whether you sunburn, and even hold the key to pesky signs of aging like wrinkles. In the mouth, they affect gum health and possibly heart health.

It doesn鈥檛 stop at the surface, either. As Jessica points out, your microbes aren鈥檛 just in you. They鈥檙e all round you.

鈥淵our zip code is one of the biggest predictors of how long you live,鈥� she notes, and after immersing herself in microbiome research, she鈥檚 come to believe that microbes may help explain why place matters so much.

When you touch your counter? Microbes. A door handle? Microbes. Package from Amazon? More microbes. A handshake or hug? Think of it as a microbial swap. For some, the idea that microbes are everywhere might sound alarming, but the Finlays argue that this constant exposure isn鈥檛 something to fear. It鈥檚 something to design for.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a huge opportunity in public policy and architecture,鈥� Brett says. 鈥淲e can build environments that support microbial health, not just sterilize it away.鈥�

Jessica adds, 鈥淚magine hospitals, schools, and care homes designed not only to keep pathogens out, but to support beneficial microbes.鈥�

In that case, how do we take care of our microbiome and ensure it鈥檚 populated with good stuff?

The advice will sound familiar: Eat a primarily plant-based diet (microbes love fiber), exercise regularly (physical activity seems to support a more diverse and resilient microbiome), stay socially connected, reduce stress, and get enough sleep. Less common but still beneficial advice includes enjoying more fermented foods, opening the windows in your home to let the air in, and getting outside in nature.

As for probiotics, the Finlays note, they likely won鈥檛 hurt, but there鈥檚 little evidence they do much to broadly support the microbiome.

Unsurprisingly, something as fundamental as our microbial ecosystem thrives when we follow the same habits we already know support human health. But that raises another question: What does the microbiome lens add if the lifestyle advice remains the same?

鈥淯nderstanding why these activities could benefit my microbiome, and by extension, me, gives me a more fundamental, ecological understanding of why these actions help,鈥� Jessica says. 鈥淎nd that type of knowledge is more motivating and meaningful.鈥�

She adds, 鈥淚 love that I don鈥檛 have to recommend some crazy supplement or strict regimen. It鈥檚 just eating well. Open a window. Go outside. Shake hands. Move your body. Knowing that all these things help my microbiome just makes me want to do them more.鈥�

As someone who tries, but admittedly doesn鈥檛 always succeed, in following that advice, I asked them what they鈥檇 recommend to an overworked person who is stressed out, potentially sick, and fresh off a regimen of antibiotics.

鈥淭he best thing about the microbiome is that you can change it,鈥� Brett says. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 change your human DNA. But bacterial DNA? That鈥檚 flexible.鈥�

He told me that even in animal studies where the microbiome has been nearly wiped out, introducing basic conditions like healthy food can restore balance within days.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e all around us,鈥� he says. 鈥淚f you take antibiotics, for example, and start taking simple, proactive steps 鈥� like eating fermented foods, spending time outside, or adjusting your habits to support them 鈥� they鈥檒l find you. And once they do? Those beneficial functions kick in fast.鈥�

The future of microbiome science

Despite all the exciting ways microbiome intersects with human health, Brett and Jessica don鈥檛 ignore some of the big knowledge gaps in the field. Ironically, we still don鈥檛 have a clear definition of what a 鈥渉ealthy鈥� microbiome even is. There鈥檚 no universal set of microbial species that defines good health. Different people can have diverse microbiomes and still be perfectly healthy.

鈥淚f the microbiome is so fundamentally important, why don鈥檛 we all have similar microbial communities?鈥� Brett asked. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a central question and a sticking point in microbiome research.鈥�

The leading theory, he explains, is functional redundancy 鈥� the idea that different microbes can perform the same roles. 鈥淓ven though the bacterial makeup might differ, the functions they carry out are relatively conserved across people.鈥�

You can tell that applied use, clinically and in public policy, is where the Finlays believe and hope the science is heading. Throughout the book, they sketch out futuristic possibilities that may be closer than you think: preventing diseases with the microbiome, personalized supplements tailored to your unique microbiome, bacteria-informed skincare, microbial interventions to boost athletic performance, the list goes on.

I think 鈥� therefore I host?

The Microbiome Master Key is a technical and scientific book at heart, but the Finlays also strike a surprisingly personal tone. In fact, the book reads like an ode to the underappreciated microbes that make us who we are.

By the end of our conversation, I wasn鈥檛 as concerned with whether I had 鈥渢rue agency鈥� or if bacteria were secretly calling the shots. In the end, it鈥檚 all still me.

Maybe Descartes had it wrong. Maybe I think 鈥� because we are?

In 鈥淭he Microbiome Master Key,鈥� Brett and Jessica Finlay argue that we need to stop waging war on all germs and start working with the microbes that make us who we are.

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Waleed Abdalati: Voices in the Field - Sounds and Senses of the Polar Regions

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:49:10 +0000

Waleed Abdalati: Voices in the Field - Sounds and Senses of the Polar Regions Gabriela Rocha Sales Wed, 07/16/2025 - 08:49

Copied from NASA's ICESat-2 website.

Transcript

My name is Waleed Abdalati. I study ice from space, in particular the Greenland ice sheet and its contributions to sea level by using satellites to observe gains and losses in the mass of the ice. I have been deeply involved with NASA satellites, especially the ICESat satellites, which help us measure and investigate how Earth's ice sheets and glaciers are changing and what those changes mean for our planet and our communities. And as part of that work, I've had the good fortune of going to Greenland, among other ice covered places in the world. But I've spent most of my boots on the ground.

Time in Greenland.

Greenland is a beautiful place. The coast is rocky and rugged, and it's where the glaciers meet the water and the sounds of iceberg calving are simultaneously beautiful and deafening. The feel of the cold air on your face while the other covered parts of your body are warm, are just really difficult to describe. I was lucky that before heading from the coastal village on to the ice, I was able to hike along the coast to one of the world's fastest glaciers, the Jakobshavn ice stream, which moves at about seven kilometers a year, but sometimes as much as twice the speed.

So, standing on the shore of Greenland, on one of those hikes and just looking at this immense river of ice, you can see enormous cracks and crevasses throughout the ice as the face of the ice front rises above the water to a height that's really the equivalent to the length of a football field about 100 yards. But what's especially remarkable is that it's about nine times as deep into the water as it is above the water. The enormity of it all is difficult to imagine. It makes you feel very small.

So we're looking at the face of this huge flowing ice river being about a thousand yards in height and depth combined, flowing down from the main ice of the ice sheet above. And one thing that has really stuck with me, particularly from those hikes, has been the sound of the ice moving,

settling and cracking as it flows. But most impressive has been the sound of an iceberg calving. It's enormously loud. It starts low and soft and you know something is going to happen, and there's an explosion of noise as the ice breaks off. The sound of the separation, and then a tremendous splash as it falls into the surrounding seas. There's nothing like it in the world. And I've had the privilege of experiencing this, particularly the first time I went into the ice before I even got onto the ice, before I got to do my work.

We had a few days in a village on the coast, and I took the hike through the low lying moss on the coast of Greenland and the very rocky shores, and just took it all in. But eventually I went onto the ice to do the work I came to do. I've done most of my on-ice work on the ice sheet itself, and it begins by climbing into a helicopter. You get in the helicopter, the blades are spinning, tilts just a little bit in order to fly forward, and you know you're going someplace adventurous. And as we would fly over the ice to our field destination, the team and I would take in its beauty and eventually we'd land. And the first time we landed, I didn't know what to expect as the helicopter lowered itself onto the ice. I didn't know what to think. Would it be soft and would we sink, or would it be firm and would do we sit on top? How deep did the landing skis beneath the helicopter go?

Well, I quickly got my question answered as we settled on to the firm ice snow surface. It held up the helicopter just fine. It was much harder packed than I imagined it would be from the strong winds and within what seemed like a minute, we threw our gear onto the snow and the helicopter blades roared into motion again, and it took off, and we listened to the sound of the helicopter gradually give way to the sound of the steady stream of wind that frequently occurs on the ice sheet. As the helicopter got further and further away. And eventually it was gone. There was a strange sound of silence and loneliness at this point, knowing that we were farther from civilization than nearly everyone else in the world. And the steady sound of the wind blowing across the snow. You get used to the sound of the wind, and then you notice other sounds like when we call out to each other, it seems softer and a little more muffled than we're used to. Because cold air doesn't transmit the sound waves in the same way as warm air, and the snow that spreads out beneath our feet absorbs those sounds.

The sounds are very different on the ice. They're duller, just not quite as sharp. But given that there's no real background noise except the wind, they can still be clear. But there's one sound that sticks with me as much as anything. That's the sound of walking on snow surfaces. The snow is hard and wind packed, so it supports your weight well. The crunch under your feet is very distinct as the crust breaks. It's a significant cracking sound that's quickly silenced by the snow underneath. And each step has a certain rhythm cracking under your boots. And even though it's muffled, the fact that this is the only sound apart from the wind and your own breathing makes it stand out.

Another remarkable thing about camping on the Greenland ice sheet is the fact that the sun, this is in summer rather than rise and said, simply goes around you in circles 360 degrees. It's higher at noon, but still well above the horizon at midnight. It takes some getting used to. Obviously, the sun doesn't move in an arc from darkness to light and back to darkness like it does at low latitudes, but rather it moves in a complete, albeit tilted, circle around you. It's really quite beautiful. The light on the snow. It's just remarkable. And this leads to another beautiful aspect of the Arctic in general. And that's the fact that the long distance the sunlight has to travel through the atmosphere at high latitudes scatters away or strips off some of the blues and greens and yellows of sunlight, leaving an orangish red hue. When the sun is low on the horizon, the reddish light illuminates the ocean before you, with distinct colors, revealing in detail its undulating texture that extends endlessly into the horizon. These waves of snow and ice on the surface are created and shaped by a steady stream of wind that seems to grow louder at night as the other sounds grow quieter. I remember just falling asleep to it in that tent.

The relentless drone of the wind against the tent along the snow. And I knew I was in a harsh but beautiful and natural place. And even though the sun is out for 24 hours during the day, there's a clear difference in how the sun feels during the day when it's high up above the horizon than when it's night and the sun is low on the horizon and that's because the snow and ice are so reflective that direct sunlight coming from above is almost 100% reflected back at you from the surface. So it's an effective doubling of the sunlight because of the snow. So what this means is that despite these low temperatures, on those occasions when the wind isn't blowing, it actually feels warm on the ice and the day when the sun is high because you're effectively getting the heat from two suns, one from above and one reflected from below, from the snow at night. However, this effect goes away because the sun is low on the horizon and the coldness of the Arctic can really chill your bones.

But the Greenland ice sheet is beautiful, it's peaceful, it's pristine, and it offers a view of part of the earth that so few ever get to experience. And I feel very, very lucky. Finally, after a few weeks or months, the sounds with which one has become so familiar give way to the sound of a helicopter on the horizon, blades whirring softly at first, getting louder and louder as our ride home approaches. And as we roll our equipment in, we hear a number of thuds slamming down on the floor of the helicopter, and we climb on board, and it takes off as quickly as it arrives. Each of us, and that moment of departure looks back on the place we called home. And we carry with us not just the visuals, but the sounds, the feel of cold on our exposed skin and that very, very clean smell of what was untouched by the ice.

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Sara Fleming: Students are shaping (and leading) CU鈥檚 climate response

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Fri, 30 May 2025 17:39:01 +0000

Sara Fleming: Students are shaping (and leading) CU鈥檚 climate response Gabriela Rocha Sales Fri, 05/30/2025 - 11:39

Cody DeBos

As the University of Colorado Boulder continues to advance its Climate Action Plan (CAP), an interdisciplinary group of graduate students has championed a new way to involve students in shaping a more sustainable future.

Initially, the CU steering committee creating the CAP did not involve students. In response to the exclusion of student voices, a group of graduate students began work to give students a seat at the table and engage the undergraduate community in CU鈥檚 climate-planning work. First, the group launched a petition calling for student participation in the drafting of the CAP. Then the group helped pass a resolution through student government to grant student seats on the committee implementing the CAP in the future.

鈥淪tudents have always been key drivers of sustainability and climate action on campuses across the U.S., including at 探花视频,鈥� the team says. 鈥淎s young people, our futures are jeopardized by the climate crisis, so we have a collective stake in rapidly reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.鈥�

But the group didn鈥檛 stop there. Fueled by a shared passion for climate mitigation and the belief that students should help shape the university鈥檚 future, the group of five graduate students from four different departments spent hundreds of hours co-designing and now teaching an undergraduate course on climate-action planning.

The course gives undergrads hands-on experience with CU鈥檚 campus emissions data, collaboration opportunities with university stakeholders and a chance to develop sustainability strategies that could be implemented campuswide.

Their efforts recently earned the group 探花视频鈥檚 2025 Campus Sustainability Award for Student Leadership. The group also won a $5,000 scholarship from the women-led nonprofit Zonta Foothills Foundation, in recognition for their groundbreaking work in climate education and advocacy. The CU School of Engineering, following advocacy from generous faculty members David Paradis and Carol Cogswell, was also gracious enough to provide funding for their work.

A more engaging climate classroom

The group of graduate instructors brings an interdisciplinary approach and myriad perspectives to the classroom.

The teaching team includes Mariah Bowman (law), Sara Fleming (geography), Sean Benjamin (mechanical engineering), Brigid Mark (sociology) and Jonah Shaw (atmospheric and oceanic sciences). Each has worked to tackle climate-related issues through the lens of their expertise, from Indigenous environmental justice to climate-change modeling.

The team鈥檚 diverse makeup is reflected in the design of their course and has fueled their success. But the road to this point hasn鈥檛 been easy.

鈥淭his is a labor of love,鈥� the team says. 鈥淲e are doing this because we care. Funding and the time required have been challenges.鈥�

Before the course launched, each graduate instructor spent many unpaid hours creating the syllabus, listing the course and building campus partnerships to access emissions data. During the semester, they spend many hours a week on teaching responsibilities that come in addition to their regular duties.

Financial support from the School of Engineering and the Zonta Foothills award has helped, but long term, the team hopes to see the course institutionalized and funded.

The team says, 鈥淚nstitutionalizing the course so that it runs each year and guaranteeing funding for instructors and teaching assistants would ensure the longevity and sustainability of this course. It would ensure continued involvement of students in the Climate Action Plan, and a more robust, actionable plan.鈥�

Hands-on climate action

From the start, the group has viewed student involvement as essential, not symbolic.

At the start of the semester, students gain foundational knowledge on topics like climate justice, global carbon budgets and emissions accounting. From there, they split into teams to tackle different emissions categories on campus: commuting, waste, business travel and student/parent flights.

鈥淪tudents work in four teams, each focused on a different category of campus emissions. They鈥檙e developing strategies to reduce emissions for their category, adding depth and student perspective to the high-level strategy suggestions in the CAP,鈥� the instructors say.

Guest speakers, including administrators and national experts, round out the curriculum. Students have heard from Stanford University鈥檚 sustainability team and 探花视频 faculty like Professor Karen Bailey (environmental studies) and Professor Nadav Orian Peer (law). They also meet with stakeholders across campus to refine their proposals.

The team believes this approach is the best way to facilitate opportunities to create actionable, equity-centered climate strategies grounded in real data.

鈥淚nvolving students in climate initiatives enables them to apply knowledge about climate change to their own institution, experience they will carry to become leaders in climate action in their future workplaces and communities,鈥� says Mark.

The results are already visible on campus.

One student team is working with CU鈥檚 transportation specialist to revise the campus commuting survey. Another is working on a survey for better tracking of student and parent air travel. Others are collaborating with dining services and facilities to reduce waste and consulting with faculty to provide more accurate emissions calculations of flights taken by faculty and staff.

鈥淪tudents often learn about the gravity of climate change without learning about solutions, which can be quite depressing,鈥� says Mark.

鈥淚nvolving students in climate-action planning and implementation can combat feelings of hopelessness and enable participation in creating real change.鈥�

Impact on both sides

This student-led course has already sparked engagement on both sides of the classroom. One undergraduate took the initiative to launch a campus club to raise awareness about the CAP. Others hope to join implementation committees or pursue careers in sustainability.

鈥淭o me, this demonstrates that students are hungry for interdisciplinary courses that enable them to apply their skills and creativity to issues on campus and engage with solutions to the climate crisis,鈥� Fleming says.

For Bowman, the most rewarding part of the experience is the students themselves. 鈥淭hey are passionate, knowledgeable, interested, hardworking and fun to be around! It has been deeply meaningful to get to train them on something I care so much about, and have them care about it in return,鈥� she says.

And for Fleming, designing and teaching the course has also given her much. She adds, 鈥淭eam teaching is so much fun, and I鈥檝e learned so much from each of my teammates on both content and pedagogical skills.鈥�

As for the future, the graduate instructors each plan to continue fighting for climate action in their respective fields, using their knowledge and experience to make a difference on campus, in state government and in the community.

They also hope CU continues what they started so future students can participate in a course that gives them a voice in the climate conversation through data, creativity and real-world collaboration.

鈥淚nvolving students in climate-action planning and implementation can combat feelings of hopelessness and enable participation in creating real change.鈥�

Impact on both sides

They also hope CU continues what they started so future students can participate in a course that gives them a voice in the climate conversation through data, creativity and real-world collaboration.

鈥淚nvolving students in climate-action planning and implementation can combat feelings of hopelessness and enable participation in creating real change.鈥�

Impact on both sides

They also hope CU continues what they started so future students can participate in a course that gives them a voice in the climate conversation through data, creativity and real-world collaboration.

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Shelby Ross: Geography PhD student receives prestigious dissertation writing fellowship

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Fri, 23 May 2025 19:45:41 +0000

Shelby Ross: Geography PhD student receives prestigious dissertation writing fellowship Gabriela Rocha Sales Fri, 05/23/2025 - 13:45

Shelby Ross is one of this year鈥檚 2025-2026 Elouise Cobell Dissertation Writing-Year Fellows

Shelby Ross, a PhD student in geography, has been named as part of the second cohort of the prestigious Elouise Cobell Dissertation Writing-Year Fellow, Indigenous Education, Inc. (IEI) announced last week.

The Elouise Cobell Dissertation Writing-Year Fellowship provides $30,000 in support over 12 months to up to ten American Indian and Alaska Native scholars who are completing their doctoral dissertations.

These distinguished recipients demonstrate exceptional academic performance, a commitment to advancing their chosen fields, and strong potential for future contributions as scholars and leaders. Each Fellow utilizes Indigenous research methodologies to enrich their academic disciplines, benefit their tribal communities, and engage meaningfully with their institutions of higher education.

鈥淭hese ten Scholars truly embody the spirit of our namesake, Elouise Cobell, by dedicating their studies to 鈥榰nderstand how the world works and question everything that comes before them鈥�,鈥� IEI President and CEO Melvin Monette-Barajas reflected in the organization鈥檚 press release.

John Garland, director of research and scholar success at IEI, agreed, adding, 鈥淏eyond their impressive academic accomplishments, these Fellows reflect the vision Elouise Cobell held for Indian Country. Success is not solely measured by achievement鈥攊t is a way of life rooted in lifting others and creating opportunities for Indigenous students and thriving tribal communities. The visibility of this Fellowship empowers future generations of Native scholars to envision their own success.鈥�

Ross holds a master's degree in environmental science and engineering from Oregon Health & Science University and a bachelor's degree in conservation biology from Oglala Lakota College. She has extensive experience working with the Oglala Sioux Tribe's Natural Resources Regulatory Agency, focusing on forestry and mining, and has held numerous research appointments, including the North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center and the 探花视频鈥檚 Natural Hazards Center. Additionally, Ross has been recognized with several awards, including the Native Forward Scholars Fund and the FEMA Region 8 Quick Respond Research.

Committed to environmental science and Indigenous health, Ross鈥檚 dissertation is dedicated to improving responses to climate change impacts on Native American health in the North Central region, which includes Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa. Her dissertation employs mixed methods to center Native Americans as experts of their experiences, aiming to understand the effects of Extreme Weather Events (EWE) on health and healthcare access, particularly for those with Type 2 Diabetes. Through literature reviews, surveys, and interviews with Elders from the Pine Ridge Reservation, Ross investigates how Tribes are preparing for climate change, the differential impacts of EWEs, and the cultural connections to the land and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK).

Ross's research highlights the importance of integrating TEK with academic evidence to address climate change and its health impacts on Indigenous communities. Her findings will contribute to the limited body of research on this topic and guide future actions to support tribal sovereignty and resilience. The dissertation is set to be completed by May 2026, with chapters published in peer-reviewed journals for wide accessibility.

Supported by the Cobell Board of Trustees, the Board of Directors of Indigenous Education, Inc., a dedicated network of Native mentors and scholars, and the Research and Scholar Success team, this fellowship cohort will contribute meaningfully to the future of doctoral research shaped by Indigenous perspectives and priorities.

Modeled after the nation鈥檚 most respected dissertation fellowships, the Elouise Cobell Dissertation Writing-Year Fellowship is distinct in its foundation: it is created, governed and guided by and for enrolled members of U.S. federally recognized tribes. It complements IEI鈥檚 already successful Graduate Summer Research Fellowship Program, further expanding opportunities for advanced Indigenous scholarship.

More information about the Eloise Cobell Dissertation Writing-Year Fellows is available on the Cobell Scholar Community鈥檚 website. Applications for their third cohort of Elouise Cobell Dissertation Writing-Year Fellows open on Sept. 1, 2025.

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Spring 2025 Commencement Photos

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Tue, 13 May 2025 13:06:13 +0000

Spring 2025 Commencement Photos Gabriela Rocha Sales Tue, 05/13/2025 - 07:06

Congratulations Department of Geography 2025 graduates! To view and download your photos, please see Spring 2025 Commencement photos.

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Spring 2025 Newsletter is Now Published

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Fri, 09 May 2025 18:07:56 +0000

Spring 2025 Newsletter is Now Published Gabriela Rocha Sales Fri, 05/09/2025 - 12:07

Thank you for reading our departmental newsletter. We publish newsletters at the end of the Fall and Spring semesters. If you have any updates, please let us know using our alumni update form or send an email with your information to the department. We would love to hear from you about how your career has progressed since attending CU.

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A Place-based History of Yellowstone National Park: New Book from Randall Wilson, MA 1993, Featured in Various News Outlets

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 19:25:41 +0000

A Place-based History of Yellowstone National Park: New Book from Randall Wilson, MA 1993, Featured in Various News Outlets Gabriela Rocha Sales Tue, 04/29/2025 - 13:25

A Place Called Yellowstone: The Epic History of the World's First National Park

I just published a place-based history of Yellowstone National Park (A Place Called Yellowstone) with Counterpoint Press. It has received positive reviews from Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and the LA Times. It has also been featured in articles in USA Today (Sunday Dec. 15), the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, and other outlets. The book is intended for general audiences and uses a historical geographic approach to articulate the profound legacies of Yellowstone on the way nature is valued and perceived in American society.

The program at CU led me to a PhD program at the University of Iowa, and then to a decades-long career as an educator and researcher. I have been a professor of environmental studies at Gettysburg College since 2000. My research has focused on public lands and resource management issues in Colorado and across the western United States (and beyond).

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Phurwa Gurung to Join UBC Geography, Advancing Research on Indigenous Territorialities and Biodiversity Conservation

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 19:15:43 +0000

Phurwa Gurung to Join UBC Geography, Advancing Research on Indigenous Territorialities and Biodiversity Conservation Gabriela Rocha Sales Tue, 04/29/2025 - 13:15

Tashi Delek! My name is Phurwa Dondrub Gurung, a fifth-year doctoral student at the department. I also did an MA here. Over the years, I feel so grateful to have received rigorous training from and with outstanding teachers and peers in theories and methods relevant to the key areas of my focus: political ecology, critical development studies, and Indigenous geographies. I have benefited immensely from the dedicated support of my Committee and the unparalleled mentorship from my Advisor, who guided me in all aspects of graduate training: teaching, research, publishing, grant-writing, and the job market. I feel truly fortunate to have been part of the vibrant and supportive 探花视频 Geography community!

Based on nearly two years of ethnographic field research (2023-24) in Dolpo, Nepal, my home and research site, my PhD dissertation research develops a deep and critical understanding of how Himalayan lifeways interweave and fare with global biodiversity conservation efforts and national state-making projects. I focus on two key nonhuman agents, the caterpillar fungus and the snow leopard, to understand the intersections of global and national conservation governance with Indigenous territorialities and place-based governance. I examine how these nonhumans participate in coproducing the state, Dolpopa identity, and multispecies worlds in a context of profound socio-environmental transformations in the high Himalaya.

My research is grounded in participatory, visual, community-engaged, and Indigenous methodologies. To this end, I employed ethnography, documentary filmmaking, participatory mapping and painting, solicited journals, and a collaborative in-situ documentation of oral literature as the primary methods of knowing and being in good relation with my community. The dissertation fieldwork and the multimodal, community-engaged works have been supported by generous grants from the Social Science Research Council (SSRC IDRF), Wenner-Gren Foundation, Firebird Fellowship, National Geographic Society, American Philosophical Society, and the CU Office of Outreach and Engagement. I am currently working on my dissertation, which I plan to defend in August 2025.

I accepted a new position in the Department of Geography at the University of British Columbia (UBC). I will join in July 2025 as a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Indigenous Environmental Studies and Sciences. UBC is an ideal academic home for the kind of work I do, with its vibrant community of Indigenous scholars engaged in critical work on Indigenous issues, both locally and globally. In addition to teaching, I will continue expanding my community-engaged works I began during my PhD studies here. I am especially looking forward to the postproduction of a documentary film I shot during my field research and publishing a bilingual multimedia book of Dolpo folk songs.

I will also be affiliated with UBC鈥檚 Interdisciplinary Biodiversity Solutions Collaboratory, where I am eager to collaborate with scholars across the disciplines to develop policy-relevant solutions to biodiversity conservation that center Indigenous knowledge. I also look forward to joining and getting to know new colleagues in the Department of Geography, the Himalaya Program, and Critical Indigenous Studies at UBC. And of course, my family is excited to explore the beautiful mountains and waters of British Columbia!

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