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Margaret Torn Participates in DOE Office of Science Panel with DOE Secretary and Deputy Director for OSTP1 min read

by Christina Procopiou on July 23, 2021

Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division

CESD Senior Scientist Margaret Torn was one of three experts invited to participate in the recording of a virtual panel discussion with Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Dr. Jane Lubchenco, the Deputy Director for Climate and Environment at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), on Thursday, July 22. The event was designed to educate the general public about Office of Science leadership in climate science research. Torn, pictured bottom left above, described EESA’s work studying how climate change is affecting vulnerable ecosystems, and shared what gives her hope in the face of the many challenges brought on by climate change.

Torn remarked, “DOE is pioneering a new way of studying what ecosystems do when experiencing more disturbance, starting with projects in the Arctic and the Tropics. These bring together large teams of scientists from across the country whose data are put into models that allow us to test our understanding of ecosystem changes and build the ability to predict the future, for example, what will happen as Arctic permafrost thaws or tropical forests burn.”

Asked how she remains hopeful despite the challenges brought on by the climate crisis, Torn said, “What gives me hope is that we know the U.S. can reach net zero CO2 emissions from energy by mid-century. I was part of a study that found this can be done affordably, and that there are multiple pathways to get there, as long as we start now. We know how to solve this problem, and how to support the creation of good U.S. jobs in the process. We could not have said that with technical certainty 10 years ago, but now we can.”

Watch the event here.

News & Events

EESA Research Scientist Selected for NAE 2022 U.S. Frontiers of Engineering Symposium2 min read

May 23, 2022

Mengsu Hu, an EESA research scientist, was selected to participate in the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) U.S. Frontiers of Engineering symposium in September. For more than 25 years, the NAE has identified the best and brightest early-career engineers from large and small companies, research universities, and government laboratories to discuss their leading-edge research and…

Microbial Response to a Changing and Fire-Prone Arctic Ecosystem2 min read

April 27, 2022

Burning more than 1,000 square kilometers of tundra on Alaska’s North Slope, the 2007 Anaktuvuk river wildfire is one of the largest fires to occur within Arctic ecosystems. Berkeley Lab scientist Nick Bouskill led a study that used data from this disturbance event to predict ecosystem recovery as fires advance in a changing climate. (Credit:…

Study Evaluates Phosphorus Availability Underground using Plant Leaves as Biosensors3 min read

April 25, 2022

When envisioning renewable energy, sources that often come to mind are the sun, wind, batteries, and water. However, biofuel, a type of renewable energy that converts organic material from plants into liquid fuel, is an important part of a global effort to achieve net-zero emissions. Switchgrass, a deep-rooted native North American grass that grows in…

EESA Multimedia Producer and Digital Strategist Niba Audrey Nirmal Awarded Ocean Science Journalism Fellowship1 min read

Niba Audrey Nirmal, EESA Multimedia Producer and Digital Strategist, has been awarded the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) Ocean Science Journalism (OSJ) Fellowship.   In May, Nirmal will join nine other selected fellows on a five-day, experiential-learning based retreat at the WHOI located in Falmouth, Massachusetts to learn about ocean-science concepts ranging from marine biology to…

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