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Climate change

NSF-backed Summer Research Program Brings Undergraduates to UB to Study Climate Change Challenges

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As part of a research program supported by the National Science Foundation, 15 undergraduates from the University at Buffalo and universities nationwide explored the complex challenges of global climate change over a 10-week period this summer. The students, selected through a competitive process, worked with UB researchers on projects tackling climate hazards and extreme weather, with a focus on the Great Lakes region. The program, directed by Dr. Sophie Nowicki, provided students with hands-on research experience, training, and mentorship.

Key Takeaways:

  • The NSF-backed summer research program brought 15 undergraduates from across the US to UB to study climate change challenges, with a focus on the Great Lakes region.
  • The program aimed to provide students with hands-on research experience, training, and mentorship, with the goal of developing their skills and knowledge in climate science.
  • Students worked on a range of projects, including investigating the impact of ice coverage on Lake Erie on snowstorms, analyzing sediment from a Southern Tier pond for clues about ancient climates, and studying shoreline erosion at Sturgeon Point.
  • Nine students were supported by an NSF REU grant, while five were supported by the SUNY Chancellor's Summer Research Excellence Fund and one by the UB Department of Geography.
  • The program has secured funding from the National Science Foundation for an additional two years, ensuring the continuation of the research and mentorship opportunities for students.
  • Undergraduates working on the program were mentored by UB researchers, including Dr. Sophie Nowicki, Empire Innovation Professor in the UB Department of Earth Sciences and director of the Center for Geological and Climate Hazards.
  • The program also provided students with opportunities to present their research at scientific conferences, with one student, Ben Raimondo, submitting his work to the 2025 American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting in New Orleans.

Ben Raimondo, a material science and engineering major at UB, focused on the Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project (ISMIP), an international effort to predict ice sheet loss and sea level rise. He worked with his team to identify where different models disagree in their predictions for the Greenland Ice Sheet, and what factors drive those disagreements.

Statistics:

  • 15 undergraduates from the University at Buffalo and universities nationwide participated in the NSF-backed summer research program.
  • The program ran for 10 weeks, with participants receiving hands-on research experience, training, and mentorship.
  • Nine students were supported by an NSF REU grant, while five were supported by the SUNY Chancellor's Summer Research Excellence Fund and one by the UB Department of Geography.
  • The National Science Foundation has provided funding for an additional two years, ensuring the continuation of the program.
  • One student, Ben Raimondo, submitted his work to the 2025 American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting in New Orleans.

Sources:

  • University at Buffalo - SUNY
  • NSF-backed summer research program
  • Dr. Sophie Nowicki
  • Center for Geological and Climate Hazards
  • National Science Foundation
  • SUNY Chancellor's Summer Research Excellence Fund
  • UB Department of Geography

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