Earth and Environmental Engineering Henry Krumb School of Mines
Chair: Professor Klaus Lackner, 918 Mudd, 212-854-2905
• combustion phenomena and processes: alternative fuels and air pollution
• integrated fuel cell system (processor and stack) design
Activities will range from experimental data acquisition to literature surveys and theoretical modeling. This group’s main objective is to understand the underlying principles and mechanisms of the above processes to improve efficiencies, minimize environmental impact, and find alternative approaches. The work may be eligible for credit or work-study and will require about 10 hours per week.
Contact: Professor Marco J. Castaldi, , 926-B Mudd, 212-854-6390
• Development and application of novel molecular biology tools for microbial community analysis
• Mathematical modeling of microbial communities
• Development and application of biosensors for bioreactor process control
• Impact of microbial interactions on environmental and public health
The Environmental Genomics and Biotechnology labs offer excellent opportunities to work on independent as well as graduate student projects. Activities include cultivation and maintenance of mixed and pure bacterial cultures and communities, characterizing the identity, abundance, and activity of these communities by using state-of-the-art molecular techniques, modeling the interactions within the communities using mathematical models and examining the environmental and public health impacts of select microbial activities. Students working on these positions can receive either academic credit or work-study remuneration. Research activities may extend into summer. Minimum weekly commitment to earn academic credit is 10 hours. Details on research in the Environmental Genomics and Bio-technology labs can be found at http://www.seas.columbia.edu/krumb/Community/ chandran.html.
Contact: Professor Kartik Chandran, , 212-854-9027
• lowering energy use and carbon dioxide emissions by fuel-assisted electrolytic
metal extraction
• recovery of heavy metals by recycling of industrial wastes
Paper study, mathematical projects, library research, computer analysis, and electrochemical research activities for academic credit or remuneration, either term-time or summer for junior and senior students. The weekly time commitment is 10 hours during the semester and 30 hours during the summer.
Contact: Professor Paul Duby, , 905 Mudd, 212-854-2928
Acquisition of snow depth datasets collected using remote-sensing and data-assimilation techniques, evaluation of their compatibility, and preliminary analyses of their effect on climate. Provides exposure to sophisticated environmental monitoring techniques and their relative strengths and weaknesses.
• computational analysis of atmospheric dynamics response to a snow anomaly
Detailed computational analysis of the existing global climate model output, via diagnostic variables related to atmospheric dynamics and planetary waves. Provides exposure to advanced principles in meteorology and climatology. Work will be in conjuction with atmospheric scientists at Columbia’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.
• anthropogenic climate change and the arctic oscillation
Paper study and library research to compile scientific literature relating increased greenhouse gas emissions to changes in a large-scale climate pattern known as the Arctic Oscillation (AO). Objective is to understand the magnitude of this relationship, the physical mechanisms involved, and the potential amplifying effect of land-surface snow anomalies.
• snow modeling and parameterization
Paper study and library research to compile scientific literature on snow process models, and snow process parameterizations in larger climate models. Objective is to understand the current state-of-the-art involving this important land-surface boundary to the climate system, and potential areas for improvement.
All opportunities may be eligible for academic credit or work-study wages. Minimum time commitment is 10 hours per week, term-time and/or summer.
Contact: Professor Gavin Gong, , 926 Mudd, 212-854-7287
• Long Island Sound Study: riparian buffers and their role in reducing nitrogen loads
• Long Island Sound Study: use of GIS to determine priority areas for conservation
• Modeling coastal vulnerability (to the sea-level rise and natural disasters) using GIS
• Impact of earthquakes on aquifer conditions and water supply with insight into Minoan collapse on Crete
• Poverty mapping: accessibility analysis using GIS modeling and road networks in the former mine regions in Pennsylvania (USA) and Sardinia (Italy)
• ecological modeling and use of remote sensing data
Research activities include any of the following or combination: literature search; grant proposal writing; use of Geographic Information Systems; statistical analysis; software development; modeling. The result can be joint paper, research grant, field work, or travel to the conference; possibly work-study or thesis supervision
Contact: Dr. Yuri Gorokhovich, , CIESIN, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, 845-365-8970
• carbon dioxide extraction from the air
Our goal is to develop industrial processes for carbon dioxide capture and subsequent disposal. For disposal, the carbon dioxide is reacted with readily available magnesium-rich mineral silicates to form thermodynamically stable carbonates. For capture, we are working on coal-based power plant designs that collect their own carbon dioxide emissions; a second project intends to capture the carbon dioxide directly from the air for subsequent disposal. A commitment of a minimum of 5 hours a week is expected, either for credit or remuneration. Projects range from paper studies and library research to numerical modeling. There is also an opportunity for experimental projects. Preconditions tend to be few but vary with the work plan. They might include computer skills, some expertise in geology, chemistry, or fluid mechanics.
The following are examples of possible projects: (1) paper study and literature search to generate a map of worldwide resources of peridotite rock for chemically binding carbon dioxide; (2) design of a Web page to present zero emission coal research; (3) development of numerical and experimental tools for studying carbon dioxide extraction from the air.
Contact: Professor Klaus S. Lackner, , 1045 Mudd, 212-854-0304
a. U.S. (Sacramento, Colorado, East Coast) and international (Brazil, Africa,
Central Asia) applications
b. water hazards, impacts, and response
• energy and water demand forecasting, systems operation, and risk management
a. options for New York City
b. environmental regulation, ecological objectives, and the systems approach to option evaluation
• modeling and analysis of Hudson River and New York City watershed for pollutant source identification and scenario analysis of future impacts
a. data-based mechanistic models appropriate for the network structure of watersheds
b. complexity, structure, and organization in natural systems
c. using available data to decode the history of the river, identify environmental hot spots, and project future conditions
• nonlinear dynamics and chaos
a. data-based prediction and system identification
b. numerical models of interacting nonlinear oscillators with examples from
climate and water systems
c. statistical identification of predictability from time series
d. experiments for complex planetary systems to explore the occurrence, sustenance, and self-regulation of life and climate on earth
• sustainable management of the environment
a. solutions for regional planning and development
b. competition, stakeholder perspectives, and the role of science in informed public
and private sector decisions
A number of interrelated projects focus on exploring the function of water-dependent natural systems at scales ranging from river basins to hemispheres, and hours to millennia. The goal is to develop an empirical understanding of how this apparently fragile system works, how patterns emerge and lead to catastrophe (hazard or life), and how we can use this knowledge to better manage resource use and the environment by introducing this information to appropriate social institutions. The student will be exposed to numerical and statistical modeling; integration of economics, environmental analysis, and mechanistic modeling; and elicitation of social factors as design objectives; and will develop computer skills (GIS, high- and low-level languages). The opportunities will provide academic credit and work-study wages, and will require up to 12 hours weekly.
Contact: Professor Upmanu Lall, , 840 Mudd, 212-854-8905
• enhanced energy recovery (tertiary oil recovery, coal cleaning)
• interfacial phenomena applied to mineral surfaces, nanomaterials, bioimplants
Activities include mechanical or electrical assembly, computational and computer analysis, and minor experiments. The opportunities may provide academic credit or be work-study eligible. The weekly commitment is 10 hours.
Contact: Professor Ponisseril Somasundaran, , 911 Mudd,
212-854-2926
• rehabilitation and reuse of mined land: study of economics of alternative reclamation processes and end use of land for sustainable economic or ecological value
• study of clean energy from coal, hydrogen production, fuel cells, carbon dioxide
sequestration technologies
Paper study, library research, plus analysis and design providing possible academic credit and work-study wages, requiring 8 hours weekly.
Contact: Professor Tuncel Yegulalp, , 924 Mudd, 212-854-298