A Seminar by Leading Scientists from the National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research

CREST hosted a joint seminar with theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Center for Earth System Sciences and Remote Sensing Technologies II (CESSRST II) on two timely and interconnected topics in atmospheric science; Air Quality Modeling and Forecasting and The Role Clouds Play in Affecting Atmospheric Composition. Held at the City College of New York (CCNY) on April 1, 2025, the seminar was well attended by CCNY, CREST, and NOAA CESSRST II students, professionals, faculty, and management. Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Deputy Director, Research Applications Laboratory at NSF NCAR & Dr. Mary Barth, Senior Scientist at NSF NCAR served as the speakers. 

During the seminar, Dr. Kumar provided a historical overview of air quality research followed by fundamentals of air quality modeling. He also detailed the development of an air quality forecasting system for New Delhi, India, which is  one of the most polluted megacities in the world and concluded with insights into the future of atmospheric chemistry modeling at NSF NCAR. 

Dr. Barth followed with an insightful presentation on the role of clouds in affecting trace gas and aerosol concentrations using data collected in and near thunderstorms during two aircraft field campaigns. Her talk highlighted the value of integrating atmospheric chemistry models with observational data to advance the understanding of atmospheric processes.

Attendees were highly engaged throughout the seminar, asking thoughtful and curiosity driven questions. CREST team and other CUNY members are continuing the conversation on future collaborations both in research and training programs in the US and internationally.