Meetings, Workshops, Seminars, and Colloquia

Most seminars and colloquia at NASA/GISS are presented during the academic year, September through May.

Informal lunchtime seminars (most often presented by NASA/GISS, Columbia/EI, and/or Columbia/LDEO) take place on Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. about twice per month.

Formal seminar presentations by visiting scientists are held many fridays at 11:00 a.m.

Snince late 2019, GISS staff have organized a Tuesday morning series of Sea Level Rise seminars (YouTube). Presentations are made by scientists from varied institutions.

Following are upcoming seminars, workshops and other events of interest to GISS staff and to our research partners. Please note that due to security regulations, as described elsewhere on this page, presentations on the GISS premises are not open to the general public.

Events marked "Virtual Only" are presented on-line for remote attendance only. Please consult with the event contact/host for connection details.

This event listing was last updated 2021-06-19. All times shown are New York City local.

June 15, 2021
11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. — Virtual Only
Sea Level Rise Seminar
Topic: Role of Coastal Wetlands in Buffering Storm-Induced Flood, Wave, and Property Loss in A Changing Climate
Speaker: Peter Sheng (Univ. Florida)
More info: Abstract
Host/Contact: Craig Rye

Sea Level Rise Seminar
Speaker: Peter Sheng (Univ. Florida)
Title: Role of Coastal Wetlands in Buffering Storm-Induced Flood, Wave, and Property Loss in A Changing Climate

This is an on-line, virtual presentation only. Please consult with event host Craig Rye for connection details.

Abstract:
Coastal communities throughout the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts are subject to increasing coastal flood, wave, and property loss due to compound effects of sea level rise, tropical cyclones (TCs), and changing landscape. Coastal communities are considering the use of wetlands, including marshes and mangroves, as green infrastructures for buffering storm-induced flood, wave, and property loss. This talk presents the results of a recent study (funded by NOAA through the National Estuarine Research Reserves Science Collaborative program) on the role of coastal wetlands in reducing storm-induced flood/wave damage on residential structures in Piermont Marsh, New York as well as New Jersey. Using a coupled hydrodynamic-wave modeling system, we simulated the storm surge and wave during Superstorm Sandy, a rare Black Swan TC, and a TC ensemble determined by the NASHM model. The study found that coastal wetlands reduced the potential flood loss by 8% in NJ as well as the Phragmites-dominant Piermont Marsh during Superstorm Sandy. During the 1% annual chance flood/wave, coastal wetlands reduced 52% and 11% of the potential loss in NJ and Piermont Marsh, respectively. The buffering capacity of coastal wetlands depends significantly on the at-risk property value, the integrated flood and wave effects during the individual TC or TC ensemble, and flooded wetland area. The role of coastal wetlands for buffering Piermont Village in 2020-2100 is considered by including a potential marsh restoration plan to replace 40 acres of the Piermont Marsh during 2020-2025, SLR scenario in 2050 and 2100 according to the NPCC (2014) report, and TCs determined by NASHM. For 2100, both the worst case scenario of complete marsh loss and a best case scenario of high accretion rate and marsh growth are considered. For NJ, we considered the expected value of the probabilistic distribution of SLR by Kopp et al. (2014). The results indicate that coastal wetlands will likely retain their flood protection value in the late 21st century.

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June 22, 2021
11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. — Virtual Only
Sea Level Rise Seminar
Topic: Ice cores and sea level rise -- reconstructing surface mass balance and exploring the drivers of variability
Speaker: Liz Thomas (British Antarctic Survey)
More info: Abstract
Host/Contact: Craig Rye

Sea Level Rise Seminar
Speaker: Liz Thomas (British Antarctic Survey)
Title: Ice cores and sea level rise -- reconstructing surface mass balance and exploring the drivers of variability

This is an on-line, virtual presentation only. Please consult with event host Craig Rye for connection details.

Abstract:
The Antarctic Ice Sheet is the largest reservoir of fresh water on the planet. Even small changes in its volume, either as melt or snowfall, can have significant impacts on global mean sea levels. Whilst there is growing evidence for accelerated melt in recent decades, it has long been assumed that the Antarctic snowfall was relatively constant. However, the snow accumulation recorded in Antarctic ice cores revealed significant increases in snowfall during the 20th century. Enough to mitigate sea-level rise by ~10 mm since 1901. But ice cores contain much more than just snowfall. In this presentation, I will revisit the snowfall reconstructions and highlight some of the studies that have utilised this important dataset. I will also suggest some of the other ways in which ice cores can improve our understanding of the drivers of Antarctic mass balance and its contribution to sea level rise.

[ Close ]

June 29, 2021
11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. — Virtual Only
Sea Level Rise Seminar
Speaker: Kevin Bulthuis (NASA/JPL)
Host/Contact: Craig Rye
July 6, 2021
11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. — Virtual Only
Sea Level Rise Seminar
Speaker: Martin Siegert (Grantham Institute Imperial College)
Host/Contact: Craig Rye
July 27, 2021
11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. — Virtual Only
Sea Level Rise Seminar
Speaker: Matthew Hoffman (LANL)
Host/Contact: Craig Rye
August 31, 2021
11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. — Virtual Only
Sea Level Rise Seminar
Speaker: William Lipscomb (UCAR)
Host/Contact: Craig Rye
September 14, 2021
11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. — Virtual Only
Sea Level Rise Seminar
Speaker: Faye Hendley Elgart (MIT)
Host/Contact: Craig Rye
September 21, 2021
11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. — Virtual Only
Sea Level Rise Seminar
Speaker: Ronja Reese (Potsdam Institute)
Host/Contact: Craig Rye
September 28, 2021
11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. — Virtual Only
Sea Level Rise Seminar
Speaker: Michiel van den Broeke (Univ. Utrecht)
Host/Contact: Craig Rye

Special Events

There are no workshops, conferences, or other special events (co-)organized by NASA/GISS staff currently announced.

+ Past Meetings & Workshops

Security Note

Federal regulations require that visitors to NASA/GISS arrange in advance for a building pass. Persons attending a GISS seminar or colloquium should contact the event host at least two days in advance of the event for assistance. Please include your affiliation in your e-mail.

Due to implementation of the REAL ID Act (2005), a state driver's license or identification card is currently (as of spring 2020) required for admittance to the GISS premises, which is considered a federal facility. However, if you have a state-issued license or ID that is not considered REAL-ID compliant, you are urged to obtain one before entrance regulations change, which is expected to occur Oct. 1, 2021.

Persons who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents and who may be planning a visit to GISS require that special arrangements be made. Please co-ordinate with your GISS host on this at least three weeks before your visit.

All visitors can expect to have their bags searched upon entry to GISS. This may include having to answer questions about personal items, including any medication the visitor may be carrying.