Prof. Faye McNeill,
Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, NY

Multiphase Atmospheric Chemistry: From the molecular to the regional and global scales

"Multiphase chemistry in the atmosphere is a major source of organic and inorganic atmospheric particulate matter, and also has a profound influence on gas-phase composition and precipitation chemistry. Despite considerable progress, mechanistic understanding of some key aqueous atmospheric processes is still lacking, and their representation is incomplete in most regional and global models. I will present an overview of aqueous chemical processes in the atmosphere, highlighting recent developments and critical uncertainties. I will also discuss my group’s efforts in characterizing these processes in the laboratory and improving their representation in atmospheric chemistry models."

Visual Analytics and Interactive Machine Learning for Geospatial Sciences by Dr. Morteza Karimzadeh, Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, CU Boulder

Machine learning is increasingly used in various stages of scientific inquiry, from data cleaning and fusion, to analysis and insight generation. The full realization of machine learning in many scenarios is still limited by the sparsity of labeled training data, which is expensive and difficult to generate. Even when available, labeled training datasets capture a snapshot in time and space, resulting in models that may not perform well under different conditions. Additionally, models may reflect the biases inherent in the training data. In this talk, I will present on multiple interactive visual analytics frameworks for the simultaneous labeling, learning and analysis of data in two different domains, namely streaming social media document analytics and feature selection in hyperspectral imagery for precision agriculture. Both represent cases with spatiotemporal heterogeneity and limited training data for building performant models. In presenting these visual analytics approaches, I will break down the underlying computational components and the interactive interfaces, and draw connections on how such approaches can be adopted in cryospheric data and research, as well as other domains utilizing multi-source, dynamic and streaming data.  

Development of a “Lab-on-a-chip” platform, Victoria Arau, CU Boulder ANYL 1st year student, Browne group

and Very Remote Field Studies of Frost Formation on Mars Using the Curiosity Rover, Raina Gough, CU ANYL Research Scientist, Tolbert Group

Arau: "Current detection methods for environmental contaminants (which include but are not limited to HPLC, GC-MS, LC-MS, and LC-MS/MS) are generally time-consuming, expensive, and lack portability, limiting field deployment. Herein we evaluate a microfluidic electrochemical cell with viability for an in situ field deployment. The microfluidic channel consists of an interdigitated microelectrode and granulated activated carbon electrodes for optimized sensitivity. Electrochemical response is monitored using cyclic voltammetry with a known redox standard, with consistency in this response between macroelectrode systems and this microelectrode system. The linearity of the peak-current versus square root of scan rate demonstrates chemical reversibility, suggesting operability of this device. Results here suggest feasibility for further development of this technology as a sensor with real-time in situ capabilities. "

and

Gough: "For the last 3 years, I have been a Participating Scientist on the Mars Science Laboratory (aka: Curiosity) mission. This rover has traversed the Martian surface since 2012, totaling 4 full Mars years of environmental and geological observations. In this talk, I will summarize some of the most interesting results from the mission and talk about my role in planning the rover's science operations. I will also discuss a series of frost-detection experiments performed on Mars that I helped to lead. Although there is little water vapor on Mars, it is expected that water exchanges seasonally and diurnally with the surface. The rover’s weather station had predicted that frost should indeed form on the soil in the early morning in the winter. However, no condensed phase water had been observed along the rover’s traverse, until recently. Last November, we successfully used the rover’s laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) instrument to detect enhanced hydrogen on the soil just before dawn. We believe that this indicates the presence of diurnally exchanged water, potentially frost. I will discuss these results, and also some of the unexpected hurdles to performing science on Mars."

ESOC coffee hour occurs weekly from 9-10am in the ESOC Reading Room (Ekeley W230). ESOC researchers, post-docs and graduate students gather for conversation and to discuss research. Occasional guest speakers are invited to give short presentations on topics of interest.

All CIRES Members are invited to join the monthly meeting of CIRES Members Council (CMC). This month's meeting will be held via Zoom:

https://cuboulder.zoom.us/j/3038083388 Meeting ID: 303 808 3388

CMC will be meeting to discuss ideas, issues, concerns and questions related to working at CIRES and CU. For more details, email CMC Chair, Alessandro Franchin, at alessandro.franchin@noaa.gov. or see the CMC website. 

As we begin to work remotely, CIRES leadership is staying connected:

CIRES Director Waleed Abdalati plans to host two virtual “town halls” for CIRES staff: one primarily for people who normally work in the DSRC, the other CU Boulder campus-based staff. Each of these is limited to 300 participants; we will record or offer a third slot if anyone is excluded.

The CIRES senior management team will be there to help address concerns and questions as best we can. Some of your questions cannot be answered right now. Along with our colleagues at CU Boulder and NOAA, we are doing our best to get answers quickly. CU Boulder is soliciting questions and posting FAQ answers here. CIRES is accepting CIRES-specific questions through this link.

CIRES Virtual Town Halls, Monday, March 16—JOIN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

10 a.m. (for those who normally work in DSRC): https://cuboulder.zoom.us/j/859132028

11 a.m. (for those who normally work on CU campus): https://cuboulder.zoom.us/j/112318059

CANCELLED

ESOC coffee hour occurs weekly from 9-10am in the ESOC Reading Room (Ekeley W230). ESOC researchers, post-docs and graduate students gather for conversation and to discuss research. Occasional guest speakers are invited to give short presentations on topics of interest.

Earth Lab invites you to How (and Why) to Make a Research Compendium with Dr. Max Joseph – An Earth Analytics Career Webinar on Thursday March 19th, from 12-1pm.

How do you bundle up the analysis associated with a research project? How can you ensure that other people can install the same software dependencies and run the same workflow on their machines? Research compendia provide one answer to these questions. A research compendium is a key component of open and reproducible science, accompanying a scientific paper and providing the data, code, and documentation required to reproduce the workflow. The central idea is to treat your analysis pipeline as software, and bundle it up into an installable, executable package. Dr. Max Joseph will offer pro tips on getting started with research compendia, and discuss how it can benefit you as a scientist. Anyone interested in open science and how to make their own work more open and reproducible should attend.

You can register for the event and join with the link below. The event will be recorded and posted on the Earth Lab website for those who are interested but cannot attend.

https://cuboulder.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xLyQZgQ-SjmvWD6KSccOLw

Colorado – Local Science Engagement Network (CO-LSEN) Launch event
Western Colorado University - Gunnison, Colorado

Participate remotely using ZOOM: http://zoom.us/j/402326456. Please RSVP HERE to partcipate.
More Information.

3:00-3:15 PM: Introductions & project overview

• Welcome by Jennie DeMarco (Western Colorado University host), Max Boykoff (CO LSEN project lead), Matt Druckenmiller (CO LSEN project co-lead), and Dan Barry (AAAS LSEN)
• Description of the scope of project & science-policy mapping by Max Boykoff (CO LSEN project lead)
• Description of initial focus areas & ‘Science Notes for Colorado’ led by Matt Druckenmiller (CO LSEN project co-lead)

3:15-3:30 PM: Three breakout discussions based on the three priority areas (Carbon-based and Renewable Energy; Climate and Environment; and Technology) coordinated by Jennie Demarco, Max Boykoff and Matt Druckenmiller. 
Breakout groups to address:

• How may these priority areas be refined or further focused to address critical issues in Colorado?
• What key institutions and initiatives are already addressing science-policy engagement within these priority areas?
• Where are there opportunities for scientists, policymakers, communities, and stakeholders to engage?

3:30-3:45 PM: Report back from breakout group discussions

3:45 PM: BREAK

4:00 PM: Remote talk by Senator Kerry Donovan about the importance of science-policy connectivity in Colorado & support for CO LSEN

4:20-4:30 PM: Presentation by Matt McCombs, District Ranger, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest (GMUG)

4:30-4:40 PM: Presentation by Dr. Kevin Alexander, Professor of Biology, Department of Natural and Environmental Sciences Department

4:40-5:00 PM: Full group discussion, feedback, questions, ideas & next steps led by Max Boykoff, Matt Druckenmiller and Western Colorado University partners

CIRES Virtual Town Halls, Round 2:

CIRES Director Waleed Abdalati will host two virtual town halls again Tuesday, March 31: one primarily for people who normally work on CU Boulder campus, the other for those based out of DSRC. Each of these is limited to 300 participants; we will record in case anyone is excluded.

The CIRES senior management team will be there to help address concerns and questions as best we can. Some of your questions cannot be answered right now. Along with our colleagues at CU Boulder and NOAA, we are doing our best to get answers quickly. CU Boulder is soliciting questions and posting FAQ answers here. CIRES is posting some additional FAQs here. 

CIRES Virtual Town Halls, Tuesday, March 31—join one of the following:

10 a.m. (for those who normally work on CU Boulder campus): https://cuboulder.zoom.us/j/125833685 (phone only: 1 669 900 6833, meeting id 125 833 685)

11 a.m. (for those who normally work in the David Skaggs Research Center): https://cuboulder.zoom.us/j/218013920 (phone only: 1 669 900 6833, meeting id 218 013 920