Roofs that are fully or partially covered with vegetation have numerous benefits in an urban environment. These “green roofs” provide added insulation to buildings, create an aesthetically pleasing habitat and urban landscape, decrease urban heat island effect, and reduce stormwater runoff. However, the role that green roofs play in acting as a sink for contaminants is less well understood.

EMPOWER trainee Alex Johnson, who is a graduate student in the Civil & Environmental Engineering Department, is comparing contaminant amounts in runoff from green versus gravel roofs in Syracuse, NY, to assess the degree to which green roofs act as contaminant sinks. Alex also conducts field experiments to estimate the washoff of dry deposited aerosols from building roof surfaces during rainstorms. He recently presented some of his findings at the American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) 35th Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon. His presentation, entitled “Deposition and Washoff of Atmospheric Trace Metals and Anions from Two Large Building Roofs,” was coauthored with his advisor, Cliff Davidson.

A good understanding of groundwater quantity and quality requires knowledge of how rock becomes soil through weathering processes. When bedrock weathers, pore spaces are created through which water can travel and be stored in aquifers. The National Science Foundation has set up ten “Critical Zone Observatories” (CZOs) across the country where scientists from many different disciplines can come together and conduct research on near- surface processes and structure.  The critical zone can be thought of as the “skin of the earth”, extending from the tops of the trees down to the bedrock- soil interface. The more connected the pore spaces in the subsurface, the more potential that particular area has for storing groundwater.

Recently, EMPOWER hosted visiting scholar, Dr. Steven Holbrook of the University of Wyoming. Dr. Holbrook is a scientist who studies critical zone architecture through the use of geophysics.  His methods include seismic refraction, in which sound waves are generated by a sledgehammer or small explosive charge at the surface, and the sound waves travel downward into the critical zone, then refract back up to the surface where they are detected with small sensors.  Sound waves travel faster through more compacted, less porous soils, and slower through less compacted media.  With this method, Dr. Holbrook is able to model how porosity changes with depth in the critical zone, and identify where bedrock is being weathered underground, converting to more porous soils.  With an understanding of porosity, we can make estimates of how much water the ground can possibly hold, and how that quantity can change over time with weathering rates.

In 2012, Dr. Holbrook and colleagues founded the Wyoming Center for Environmental Hydrology and Geophysics (WyCEHG) from a $20 million EPSCOR grant from the National Science Foundation. The goals of the center are (1) to improve understanding of mountain front hydrology, (2) to improve understanding of effects on hydrologic systems by climate change, (3) improving integrated modeling of hydrologic processes, and (4) to provide geophysical research tools for educators and water managers in the state of Wyoming.  WyCEHG provides education and training in geophysics, and conducts scientific research in critical zones throughout the country.  Learn more at http://steveholbrook.com/wycehg/.

Story submitted by Sara Alesi, Megan Daley, Robin Glas, and Yige Yang

With historically low oil prices as a backdrop, Professor Matthew Huber from the Maxwell School of Public Policy joined the EMPOWER program’s weekly Water-Energy seminar to address potential concerns with America’s “oil addiction.” Climate change is being felt near and far, just look at the recent damage felt by people along the Western-Atlantic due to Hurricane Matthew. However, public and political response has been largely absent. Huber, the author of Lifeblood: Oil, Freedom, and the Forces of Capital, discussed potential problems with market-based solutions to climate change as well as the social narrative that accompanies them. Political discourse has led most efforts to internalize the costs of pollution, such as implementation of a cap-and-trade policy, to be recast as a “tax” on the public at-large. In the wake of political opposition to these taxes, Huber argued that a public solution based on a moral imperative would provide the most effective means of dealing with climate change.

After finishing his presentation, Huber engaged with the EMPOWER trainees in a round table discussion, fielding questions on a variety of topics related to climate change policy. Students pressed to understand the implications of some of the more radical measures proposed by the speaker, such as the New Deal-type public solution, and even posed questions prodding at Professor Huber’s viewpoints. Emily Baker, an Earth Sciences PhD student, was curious if Washington policymakers were looking at any alternative solutions to Cap-and-Trade. Huber’s answer: largely not. While not wholly satisfying in a country where political discourse is reduced to gossip on the latest scandal, the discussion left trainees with a better understanding of the complexity surrounding climate policy and free market economics. Professor Huber provided insight into the policy side of issues that many of the trainees view only through a scientific lens. He was a joy to have and his proximity at Maxwell School makes him an invaluable resource as the EMPOWER program delves further into the Water-Energy nexus.

Story written by Kyle Blaha, Nathan Chien, Emily Gaub, Geoffrey Millard, and JR Slosson

NRT trainee Alexa Stathis recently published a paper titled “Photolysis Kinetics of Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylenes at Ice Surfaces” where she proposed a new reaction pathway in the environment for the pollutants toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes. These toxic, organic pollutants are emitted through fossil fuel combustion and extraction practices and are a significant concern in the events of oil or fracking fluid spills. Through her research, Alexa discovered that these pollutants are able to break down in sunlight when on ice surfaces, such as in snow; a reaction that has previously been unconsidered. Thus, her research provides greater insight into the fate of these pollutants in the environment, specifically in colder climates.

Photolysis Kinetics of Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes at Ice Surfaces
Alexa A. Stathis, Albanie K. Hendrickson-Stives, and Tara F. Kahan
The Journal of Physical Chemistry A 2016 120 (34), 6693-6697
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.6b05595

Everyone loves low gas prices. In the words of former president George W. Bush, “Gasoline prices are like an attack on our working people”… unless you are in the energy industry. The current low gas prices are a result of one of the biggest economic downturns in the oil industry ever, even bigger than the oil glut of the 1980’s. On Friday, September 30th, Dr. Fred Schroeder spoke to the Department of Earth Sciences and the EMPOWER program about job prospects and careers in the oil industry based on his more than 32 years of industry experience. Dr. Schroeder acknowledged the current downturn and subsequent downsizing of oil and gas companies to cope with loss in revenue from low oil prices and how that might discourage one from pursuing a career in geosciences, but there is hope.

The job outlook is not as bleak as it may appear due to the need for new technology, industry demographics, and energy demands. While energy companies have been downsizing, particularly in their exploration departments, known reserves of hydrocarbon fuel are projected to run out, requiring the creation of new methods to profitably extract these known sources. Almost half of the workforce in the energy industry is of retirement age and will soon need to be replaced, creating many job openings despite the current cutbacks. Gas prices will rise again, perhaps soon, as OPEC is currently discussing capping production for member countries. When gas prices rise above $60 a barrel, as suggested by Dr. Schroeder, companies will start hiring again to replace their lost workforce. A final concern Dr. Schroeder addressed was the prospect for a lengthy career in oil and gas. He cited a study that predicted that hydrocarbon fuel will remain a large part of the world energy supply for the greater part of the next 50 years. This would allow for any geoscientist graduating within the next 5 years to potentially have a 35-40 year career in the industry. As Dr. Schroeder sees it, the present job market for oil is rough but the future is brighter than a propane flame.

Story submitted by Emily Baker, Sam Caldwell, Alex Johnson, Amanda Schulz, and David Zheng

Concentrations of chloride in surface water have increased substantially since the 1950’s, coinciding with increased application of road salts. NRT trainee Kristy Gutchess has been studying central New York rivers with different land uses to characterize the possible sources of salinity in the rivers. She presented some of her findings in a poster at the recent Syracuse Center of Excellence (COE) Annual Symposium.

The COE hosted its 16^th Annual Symposium in late September. The focus of this year’s symposium was “Transforming Design and Energy for a Sustainable and Resilient Future.” In addition to presentations by experts from industry, government, and academia, the symposium featured a student poster competition.

Kristy’s poster had steep competition! A total of 33 students from several academic institutions presented posters in the competition. Judges met with each student for 5-10 minutes to discuss their projects. Posters were further evaluated on content, layout and design.

Kristy earned third place in PhD category. Her poster, entitled Increased salinity in central New York headwater catchments associated with long-term road salt application was co-authored with fellow graduate student Shannon Garvin, SUNY Cortland faculty member Li Jin, EMPOWER Program Director Laura Lautz, former graduate student Xiaoli Zhou, and Kristy’s dissertation advisor Zunli Lu.

For the full story, please see the Syracuse Center of Excellence website (syracusecoe.syr.edu)

Employers are interested in hiring job candidates that have high-level transferrable skills, such as leadership, communication, project management, and problem-solving. EMPOWER is designed to cultivate these skills in the trainees throughout their graduate education. On Friday Sept, 2, EMPOWER trainees spent the afternoon learning about the opportunities to develop these skills by participation in the program.

The afternoon was filled with activities and information, including assignment of peer-mentor pairs, a discussion of the NSF’s Research Traineeship program, and a detailed description of each of EMPOWER’s training elements. Faculty representatives from Syracuse University’s School of Education, Whitman School of Management, College of Law, and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, in addition to ESF, participated in a panel to discuss the range of courses students might take to satisfy their Professional Development Specialization Requirement. Additionally, Dan Olson-Bang, from SU’s Graduate Career Services, facilitated a lively workshop on networking. The afternoon concluded with a well-attended reception with the trainees, EMPOWER’s Leadership Team, Affiliated Faculty, and staff.

Thanks to all who contributed their time and expertise to make the kick-off event a success!

EMPOWER is pleased to welcome the first cohort of graduate students for Syracuse University’s NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program. A total of 19 MS and PhD students interested in research at the water-energy nexus were accepted for participation in the program. Participating students are from a range of disciplines, including Earth Sciences, Chemistry, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

The new trainees participated in the Fall 2016 Kick-off Event in early September. At the event, they learned more about the program’s goals and requirements, participated in a networking workshop led by Dan Olson-Bang from SU’s Career Services, and interacted informally with participating and affiliated faculty. Incoming graduate students in the program were paired with current students to establish a peer mentor network. The mentor pairs will work together throughout the academic year.

EMPOWER is an interdisciplinary approach to STEM graduate education, focusing on research and professional training at the interface of the water and energy cycles. Funded through the National Science Foundation’s Research Traineeship Program, EMPOWER offers professional and technical training to prepare students for careers in energy, environmental consulting, government, nonprofits, and academia.

Drs. Laura Lautz (Earth Sciences), Tara Kahan (Chemistry), and Chris Johnson (Civil and Environmental Engineering) serve on EMPOWER’s Admissions and Recruiting Committee. Interested applicants may contact Deanna McCay, Program Manager, for more information about the program and the admissions process.

This summer, over 2,500 ft² of office and meeting space was created to support the EMPOWER program. The 333 Heroy Suite, formerly the Geology Library, was completely gutted and renovated to create two conference rooms, small meeting spaces, a quiet study area, and 5 new faculty and staff offices. The extensive renovation was made possible by a generous commitment of financial support from The Office of the Provost & Vice Chancellor. The renovation was one component of a large commitment of resources by the University to support EMPOWER, including 4 University Fellowships for EMPOWER Trainees each year of the 5-year award, support for travel expenses for visiting EMPOWER seminar speakers, tuition waivers for EMPOWER trainees, and teaching relief for participating faculty. The EMPOWER program is grateful for continued University support.

EMPOWER participants attended the NRT Annual Meeting at the University of Maryland, College Park, in early May. The meeting brought together representatives from each of the first cohorts of the 18 NSF-funded NRT programs that are aimed at developing innovative graduate training programs. During the two-day event, EMPOWER members collaborated with other NRT program participants to share ideas, consider innovative practices to improve graduate education, and discuss strategies for long-term success.

The meeting culminated with the Future STEM Leaders Workshop, which was held in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. National experts from academia, government, and industry discussed the future of graduate STEM training with the participants in the NRT programs. The EMPOWER team showcased its program in the lunchtime poster session and external advisor, Aisha Morris, from UNAVCO, participated in a panel focused on innovations in STEM graduate education.

Syracuse University was well represented  at the event with EMPOWER graduate students Sara Alesi (Civil and Environmental Engineering), Emily Baker (Earth Sciences), Kyle Blaha (Chemistry), Megan Daley (Civil and Environmental Engineering), Caitlin Eger (Civil and Environmental Engineering), Kristy Gutchess (Earth Sciences), and Alex Johnson (Civil and Environmental Engineering) participating. Additionally, Laura Lautz, NRT principal investigator, and Deanna McCay, EMPOWER program manager, attended the event.