The Initiative houses a number of research groups and facilities, and is designed to serve as a central hub for environmental research across CUNY.
To find out more about our research, please see our list of recent publications.
Environmental Crossroads Research Group
A nationally and internationally recognized center for environmental research led by Charles Vörösmarty, Ph.D.that forms one of the core research themes in the Initiative. Drawing on inspiration from New York City as the “crossroads of the world”, it provides a unique meeting ground to introduce state of the art scientific knowledge, research and analytical capabilities, and environmental sensing technologies into an ongoing policy dialogue with decision-makers.
Groffman Research Group
The laboratories of Peter Groffman, Ph.D. facilitate research that is designed to better understand 1) the role that microorganisms play in ecosystem functions related to nutrient cycling, water and air quality and soil carbon storage and 2) environmental regulation of microbes. They also help to incorporate a regional context to ASRC facilities through a formal research agreement with the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies to share laboratory space.
Examples of current research projects include:
Greenfield Research Group
The laboratories of Dianne Greenfield, Ph.D. study the complex environmental feedbacks between global change stressors and coastal phytoplankton ecology, physiology, and biogeochemistry. To achieve this goal, Greenfield and her lab develop and apply novel molecular tools to better study plankton populations in situ and combine these advances with traditional field and laboratory approaches.
The laboratories of Andrew Reinmann, Ph.D. focus on the carbon exchange between the biosphere and the atmosphere, examining the human effect on biogenic carbon dioxide fluxes and carbon sequestration through a combination of field studies and predictive modeling. At the ASRC, they will further develop this work through partnerships with ASRC and CUNY researchers to develop new ways of sensing and measuring the surrounding environment. For more information on his research lab, please click here.