Symposia & Events

November 9, 2012 The Rutgers Climate Symposium

Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
The study of climate change is inherently interdisciplinary, cutting across the physical, ecological and social sciences, as well as policy, business, engineering, law and medicine.

The purpose of this day-long symposium, sponsored by the Climate and Environmental Change Initiative in collaboration with the Initiative on Climate and Society and the Rutgers Energy Institute, was to bridge departmental and school boundaries. It brought together Rutgers faculty, staff, researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate and undergraduate students to share and discuss their interests in climate research and to foster community among campuses (New Brunswick, Newark, Camden), as well as Rutgers laboratories and field stations. Symposium participants were encouraged to prepare and present a poster of their scholarly research and interests. In addition to poster presentations by symposium participants, morning and afternoon keynotes were given by preeminent climate scholars.

Agenda

Morning Keynote Address
"Human Effects on Hurricanes: Observational Evidence and Projections for the Next Century"
Kerry Emanuel , Cecil & Ida Green Professor of Atmospheric Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Presentation (PDF)

Afternoon Keynote Address
"Climate Change and Global Inequality: Vulnerability, Responsibility, and Action"
J. Timmons Roberts, Ittleson Professor of Environmental Studies, Brown University

Presentation (PDF)

Poster Session Presentations

Watch the Symposium Here

Program Committee
Tony Broccoli, Department of Environmental Sciences
Bob Kopp, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences & Rutgers Energy Institute
Robin Leichenko, Department of Geography
Ben Lintner, Department of Environmental Sciences
Rachael Shwom, Department of Human Ecology
Jim Wright, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

Photo Gallery (courtesy Nicole Abdul):


September 5, 2012. The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars: Dispatches from the Front Lines. A Lecture and Book Signing featuring Dr. Michael E. Mann.
Description: http://climatechange.rutgers.edu/images/Mann_RU.jpgPenn State professor of Meteorology and Geosciences and Director of Penn State's Earth System Science Center, lectured about his new book, The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars, in a public event sponsored by the Rutgers Climate and Environmental Change Initiative, Rutgers’ Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the School of Arts and Sciences and the Discovery Initiative of the Office of the Executive Dean of the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. The term "hockey stick" is used to describe in simple terms a chart of how the average temperature of earth has changed over the last 1,000 years, demonstrating the link between temperature rise and the increase of fossil fuel use from industrialization. The chart, was first used in the scientific literature in a 1999 paper in which Dr. Mann was the lead author but has become an icon in the climate change debate since its inclusion in the 2001 Third Assessment Report by the International Governmental Panel on Climate Change. Since then, the work of Mann and his colleagues has often been attacked by those attempting to discredit the evidence. Despite this he has stayed resolute and urges that talk about climate change must move away from whether or not it’s happening, towards developing and implementing policies to solve the problem. (Photo (c) Conor Alwell)

Watch the lecture here

Professor Mann's Powerpoint (PDF)

Press and Other Coverage

March 28, 2012 Extreme Weather and Climate Change: How Can We Address Uncertainty? A Colloquium Co-Sponsored by Rutgers University's Climate and Environmental Change Initiative and Initiative on Climate and Society

Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
Katrina. Irene. Droughts in Texas and the Horn of Africa. Floods in the Midwest, Thailand and Pakistan. What's next? Does the progression of climate change portend future bouts of 'extreme weather'? Predicting the timing of such events remains an uncertain business. How, then, should scientists communicate such risks to a skeptical public? How are members of the public likely to assess these risks? And how can policymakers make plans for adaptation, mitigation and development in the face of this uncertainty? Four distinguished panelists addressed these and related questions in a series of short presentations followed by a dynamic panel and public discussion.

Agenda

Panelist Presentations

Watch the Colloquium

Read about the event here.

November 29, 2011 Preparing New Jersey For Climate Change

Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
The objective of this workshop was to bring together public and private sector leaders to assess and discuss the most significant effects of climate change in New Jersey and to begin preparedness planning to minimize economic impacts. The workshop was a partnership of Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Public Policy and the Climate and Environmental Change Initiative in collaboration with the nonprofit Clean Air-Cool Planet with support from PSEG.

May 25, 2011 Climate Change and Coastal Hazards

Ocean County Library, Toms River, NJ
The objective of this symposium was to inform educators and students, coastal communities, stakeholders and policymakers about future changes in sea level and coastal hazards along the New Jersey shore during the 21st century.

Presentations from this Symposium

April 15, 2008. The Climate Ahead: Impacts of Climate Change on Water Resources
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey

September 20, 2006. The Climate Change Ahead: Global Change, Local Impacts
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
This symposium brings together members of the Rutgers community whose research addresses climate change and its effects on people, ecology, and economy of local areas such as New Jersey. The three interdisciplinary, focusing themes of the symposium are: observations and modeling of large scale climate change, effects of global climate change on coastal environments, and effects of global climate change on terrestrial ecosystems and freshwater resources.
Presentations from this Symposium


  1. Rutgers
  2. New Brunswick
Climate and Environmental Change Initiative