Mason Science Series Spring 2023 Research Discussions
Preparing for a New Normal: Making Mason and the Commonwealth of Virginia More Resilient to the Impacts of Climate Change
NEW DATE: Wednesday, June 28, 2023
4 - 6 PM
Country Club of Fairfax
Update: We will be hosting a College of Science Alumni Chapter reception immediately following the event. Alumni are welcome to attend the talk and/or the reception. Please RSVP for the talk if you plan to attend either/or. The reception should start around 5:30 PM.
Please join us for a special event with Congressman Gerry Connolly and Dr. Jim Kinter, Professor of Climate Dynamics and Director of the Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies (COLA) as we discuss how the Virginia Climate Center is helping communities increase resilience to the impacts of climate change.
The Virginia Climate Center was established in 2022 with funding from NOAA, made possible by the efforts of Rep. Connolly, who sponsored and shepherded the funding through the U.S. House of Representatives.
This pilot project will establish the center in partnership with the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, City of Fairfax, County of Fairfax, and other jurisdictions in Northern Virginia. The center will co-produce assessments and planning solutions with Virginia municipalities and firms to adopt risk prevention and mitigation strategies for wise resource management and sustainable entrepreneurship.
Local decision-makers will gain access to an unprecedented range of observational data, environmental models, and experts in climate science, sustainability, and engineering solutions as well as faculty engagement from across Mason’s schools and colleges. The Center's data-driven decision support will improve the livelihoods of Virginians and save tax dollars, increasing the resilience of public health, infrastructure, and commerce to severe weather, air pollution, drought, floods, and coastal erosion with an emphasis on the underprivileged communities that are most susceptible to the adverse effects of climate change.
Watch Dr. Kinter discuss the Virginia Climate Center on PBS!
Doors will open at 3:30 pm with light hors d'oeuvres. The discussion begins at 4 pm, and runs for an hour followed by a post discussion reception.
